Everyone who plays golf dreams of long drives, below-par scores, and holes-in-one. Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds. But there is an easy way for golfers to knock a dozen strokes off their handicap. No, it doesn’t require new clubs--just new rules, designed for the game mortals actually play: Bad Golf. Here at last, in one compact, illustrated guide, are 62 of the commonly accepted Mulligans, gimmes, waivers, escape clauses, and extenuating circumstances that sensible amateurs have employed for years to level the playing field just a bit with the likes of Arnold, Jack, and Tiger. It’s a must-have for every golf bag!

Fully updated for 2000, all aspects of the game are covered in detail, including: etiquette, striking the ball, how to decide ties, order of plays, handicap allowances, and rules of amateur status.

It was a moment seen by millions on television. During play at the 1999 Phoenix Open, Tiger Woods had a "loose impediment? removed to play his shot -- an everyday occurrence under golf's rules. But that impediment was not a leaf or twig, it was a 350-pound boulder that took six people to move! The gallery and television audience buzzed with disbelief. How could this be legal under the rules? Indeed it could, says golf legend Arnold Palmer, who throughout his distinguished career has taken part in a sizable share of rules controversies. Despite the fact that golf has fewer rules than such sports as baseball or football or rugby, it is a contest of honor, and all players, be they tour professionals or casual weekend hackers, respect the rules. But, as Palmer points out, sometimes the rules are a little confusing -- and from time to time, even the pros are puzzled. When exactly is a ball considered "lost?? How is "slow play? defined? And when is a "drop? allowed? Palmer helps makes sense of it all with simple-to-understand language and hundreds of "infamous? pictures of some of the more controversial rulings -- affording readers a visual recall of memorable moments involving Greg Norman, Lee Janzen, Mark O'Meara, John Daly, even Palmer himself. If you're one of the millions who taketo the links every year, need a clear explanation of all the rules of the game you love, and more important, don't want to be speechless when an argument over the "coefficient of restitution? pops up, then Playing By The Rules will be an invaluable guide you'll refer to time and again.

Tired of being beaten by an honest game of golf, self-proclaimed hacker Henry Beard figured that he didn't need a new swing--his game just needed a new set of rules. WithThe Official Exceptions to the Rules of Golf, he created a bible for the sensible golfer who doesn't have time to lose. You'll learn how to cope with pesky influences: missed shots and lost balls that wreak havoc on your score. Did you search unsuccessfully for your ball in the fairway? Don't panic. All you have to do is declare that it is a Ball Missing in Fairway But Obviously Not Lost (Exception #6) and drop another ball into the approximate spot where itmusthave landed. What could make more sense? Filled withfairrules, this is the book that every practical golfer must have.