If you hit the wrong way, can you re-tee without penalty?

The Rules of Golf Are Complicated! Thankfully, we have the teacher. our Rules Guy knows the book inside out. Have a question? He has all the answers.

On a trip to Myrtle Beach, we were part of a large outing at a course called Kings North. The group behind us teed off on the right hole, the fifth, but played the wrong way, down the fairway of the wrong hole, the sixth. After realizing their mistake, they collected their balls and returned to the tee box, returning without penalty (and many delays for other groups on the course). I believe they should have hit 3 off the tee, although since there was no OB I’m thinking they could have played the hole as an 800-yard par 4. What does the Rules Guy say? -RJ Sulli, by email

Interesting, RJ, very interesting! It is a matter of geometry which Rule applies, but both achieve the same result. First, if these disorganized golfers turned and played the wrong way, chances are they would hit their balls on the wrong side of the markers. In that case, they played from outside the teeing area, took two penalty strokes, and were indeed required – as you noted – to re-tee (correctly), hitting a 3, because hitting from outside the teeing area does not count.

That said, if they had somehow managed to play from within the correct rectangle of the teeing area, then turning and playing back off the tee would really be playing under the stroke and distance, hitting a 3. Or, as you suggested, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, they could have played it as an 800-yard par 4 – without anyone praying along the way.

For more tips on tees from our teacher, read on…

A four-ball match. Our opponents reach you before us and strike. Inadvertently, I hit the other box ahead, which they duly noted. I hit from the correct tips again and played, making a 5. Our opponents said my score was a 7 for hitting the wrong tip. Is that right? -Dennis Derby, via email

Your opponents didn’t have to tell you that you were playing the wrong styles, let alone sportsmanship. Maybe they didn’t realize until too late…or not.

However, they confused the relevant rule for match play, Rule 6.1b(1), with that for stroke play, Rule 6.1b(2). In this case in match play, the opponents get the choice if they want to cancel your shot and require you to play from the correct tee; if they don’t cancel, you just play the hole, penalty-free, even from the wrong tee.

In stroke play, you actually take a two-stroke penalty and are required to correct your mistake.