You are playing in a stroke play event. This is definitely not a casual weekend round. The other players in your group have virtually no knowledge of the Rules of Golf. As the round progresses, every time one of your fellow competitiors gets into trouble they stand there and say: What do the Rules say about this? or How should I proceed?

You are often not the marker for the player asking for Rules assistance. Of course, there are no roving officials so Rules decisions are pretty much up to the group. If you don't say anything, odds are pretty good the other players will mangle the Rules throughout the round.

Bring a couple of extra copies of the Rules of Golf, and toss him one.

Let 'm invoke 3-3 over and over again.

bkuehn1952 wrote:

You are often not the marker for the player asking for Rules assistance.

The fact that you are not their marker bears no value whatsoever. A marker has 1 extra possibility if things don't go the way it should: rip up the player's card. Other than that, all players are equally responsible to protect the rest of the field against foul play and other rule-breaches.

jev wrote:

Let 'm invoke 3-3 over and over again. bkuehn1952 wrote: You are often not the marker for the player asking for Rules assistance. The fact that you are not their marker bears no value whatsoever. A marker has 1 extra possibility if things don't go the way it should: rip up the player's card. Other than that, all players are equally responsible to protect the rest of the field against foul play and other rule-breaches.

I was thinking about a USGA Decision that says in part:

"The responsibility for knowing the Rules lies with all players. In stroke play, the player and his marker have an explicit responsibility for the correctness of the player's score card.'

It goes on to say that under exceptional circumstances, another player may reasonably be expected to advise the other player, their marker or the committee of a breach of the Rules. Noting every potential Rules infraction to a player seems to go beyond the exceptional.

Two things:

Number one, if someone asks me what the rulebook says, I'll respond if I know the answer.

Number two, if I know someone is breaking the rules, I'll open my mouth if the infraction gives that player a distinct advantage.

If someone breaks a rule unknowingly, and it doesn't give him an advantage, I'll usually just let it slide for two reasons. Number one, I don't want to be known as the rule nazi. We have one of those in town, and everyone knows who he is. And everyone hates playing with him. And number two, if I corrected every rule infraction that I saw on the course, I'd still be playing my round from Monday morning.

If i'm playing in a tournament, i will not keep my mouth closed about the rules. Ever. If i see someone who proceeded incorrectly, I will let them know that they did so, and i'll also make note of it and bring it up to the committee after the round. I have no problem penalizing someone for a rules infraction or calling one on myself if necessary. It's the players job to know the rules. Just like driving a car, ignorance of the law doesn't constitute an excuse. I've gone so far already to call into the club house for someone to act as rules official because players kept asking me about the rules. There's a point where you're no longer sharing knowledge during the game, but providing a service to the other players. That's not what your competitors are there for.

also, knowing the rules means you never have to trust your competitor with a ruling. you should NEVER trust your competitor with a ruling.

I agree with @birdie - the rules are the rules. In a competition the rules need to be pointed out. It can be done in a way so as to not offend people.