Rules · Tip
Who Can You Ask for Advice?
Part of our rules programs. Build a program with it
Under Rule 10.2a, you can't give advice to anyone playing in the competition. And you can only ask your caddie for it. Advice is anything meant to help someone choose a club, make a stroke or play a hole. Facts anyone can know aren't advice. Distances, where a hazard is, or what the rules say. So you can ask how far it is to the front. But not what club someone hit. In stroke play, breaking this costs two strokes.
Step by step
- Ask for yardages and rules freely.
- Don't ask what club someone hit.
- Don't give swing tips during the round.
- Save lessons for later.
- Talk strategy only with your caddie or partner.
Why it works
Rule 10.2a keeps each player's decisions their own. Advice about club choice, a stroke or how to play a hole would give an edge over a player who has no one to ask. Public facts like distances, hazard locations and rules are open to everyone, so sharing them gives no unfair edge.
Common mistakes
- Asking a playing partner what club they hit on a par 3.Ask for the yardage instead and pick your own club.
- Offering a swing fix to a friend in the middle of a round.Keep it to yourself until the round is over, then talk it through.
- Treating all talk about a shot as advice.Separate facts such as distance, hazard position and rules from opinion on what to do, and share only the facts.
How you'll know it's working
- You can say in one sentence whether a question is about a fact or about what to do.
- During a round you only ask playing partners for distances, hazard locations and rules.
- You keep all strategy talk to your caddie or partner.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Play a casual round with a friend and name each question as fact or advice before you ask it.
Harder: Play a stroke-play round where you only ask for facts and notice each time you want to ask for advice instead.
Common questions
Can I ask my playing partner how far it is to the front of the green?
Yes. Distance is a fact anyone can know, so it is not advice under Rule 10.2a.
What is the penalty for asking another player what club they used?
In stroke play it is two strokes. Asking what club someone hit is a request for advice, which the rule does not allow.
