Choosing what club to hit on a testing par-3 can be the difference between success and dramatic failure. A shot hit straight on target that comes up 10 yards short or flies 10 yards long could end in a penalty area, a bunker or another predicament that could be costly in terms of score.
For that reason, The Rules of Golf are quite strict when it comes to sharing information or advice on club selection during competition golf.
In the definitions of the Rules, Advice is – A comment or action that influences a player in choosing a club, making a stroke or deciding how to play a hole or round.
Rule 10.2a says a player must not give advice to anyone who is playing on the course in the competition. They also must not ask anyone for advice, other than their caddy.
So, if you are playing an individual competition, either stroke play or match play, you are not allowed to ask another player in your group, or on the course, what they hit on a par-3 on the hole you are playing.
It is not considered advice if you ask another player what they hit on a par-3 played earlier in the round. No matter if the distance was similar, the weather and ground conditions will be different.
If you do ask another player what they hit on a par-3, the penalty for breaching 10.2a is the General Penalty – that’s two shots in stroke play and loss of hole in match play.
If you touch another player’s equipment to ascertain what club they have just hit on a par-3, that is considered a breach of 10.2a and would lead to the General Penalty. But, if you just glanced into their bag, without touching it, a penalty would not be applied.
If another player shared information with you on what club they had just hit at a par-3, they would incur a General Penalty for giving advice. So, if they said to you “For your information, I just hit a 5-iron,” that would be advice. If they held up their club for you to see they had just hit 5-iron, that would also be advice. They would be making a comment or action designed to influence a player (you) in choosing a club.
But, if they were to make a comment like, “Oh dear, I should have hit 4-iron,” that is a throwaway statement relating to their play, not designed to influence your decision. There would be no penalty.
There are instances where it’s fine to ask a playing partner what club they hit at a par-3 – When it’s your partner in a foursomes, fourball or other team competition. If you are playing together, then you can share information on club selection with your playing partners and their caddies.
But you are, of course, not allowed to ask players or caddies on other teams in that competition for advice and Rule 10.2a would apply if you did.
When you’re playing in competition then, you are not allowed to ask another player what club they have just hit at a par-3 unless they are your partner in a team competition. It may seem a harmless enough question but it would be deemed asking for advice and would cost you a penalty.
