The ‘2 + 2 Rule:’ Be Aware of Your Options As you play golf with your buddies on the weekends, during a weeknight league, or in a competitive tournament at your club, it’s a good idea to be aware of the ‘2 + 2 rule.’ The rule revolves around the issue of a sprinkler head being on your line of play, when putting or chipping to the green. The ‘2+2 Rule’ is a Local Rule which allows the option of the Committee (the person or group in charge of a competition or a course) to provide relief from sprinkler heads and immovable obstructions, if the sprinkler head is within two club lengths of the green and the ball is within two club lengths of the sprinkler head (with some other provisions) even if there’s no physical interference from the obstruction. This is a common occurrence on the LPGA Tour, however each rules official must check to make sure every organization, USGA, PGA of America and The R&A, allow it when working one of their events. It is very popular in Europe, where players try to keep the ball on the ground By Mitch Moon (Manager Rules & Competition; LPGA Tour) She was denied relief and chose to chip the ball, instead of putting it. Next time your ball finishes within two clubs of a sprinkler head and is also within two club lengths of the green, you will be entitled to free relief (if the Committee has allowed it). That could be the difference between winning or losing a match, getting up and down for par, or breaking 80. Know the Rules, they are your friend. as much as possible versus chipping more frequently in the United States. I was faced with a ruling concerning the ‘2 + 2 Rule’ at the Gainbridge LPGA Championship at Boca Rio in Boca Raton, Florida earlier this year. In that instance, a player met all the requirements to get relief except that her ball was in the first cut, rather than the fairway. One of the provisions within the ‘2 + 2 Rule’ is that, “Both the obstruction and ball must lie in grass that is fairway height or less.”
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