So I figured that since the golf season (outside) is winding down for most of us (and done for some) maybe now is a good time to work through the Rules of golf one by one and learn between our ears some of the rules we don't know.

So, in case you haven't yet gotten your copy of the 2008 Rules of golf and read it cover to cover, here's a link to them: 2008 Rules of Golf.

It starts with a synopsis of changes and definitions, which is helpful.

So to get us started, I read through Rule 1, which was pretty basic and describes the game it's over arching philosophy. So nothing new there. If you see something please post it.

In reading Rule 2 however, I learned something right away. Rules 2 covers Match play, concepts, who wins, concessions, and disputes. But in reading concessions, it's with-in the rules for you to concede putts to someone, we all knew that, but it's also within the rules for you to concede a hole before it's ever played. This is odd to me. I mean it's fine, but why would you ever concede a hole before you even took a tee shot? must have happened sometime to have been a rule but I just have a hard time understanding why. here's the wording:

"A player made concede a hole at any time prior to the start or completion of that hole."

interesting.

On Disputes, it seems like you have to announce your claim to the other player(s) and the reasons why, and you must do that before any player in the group tees off on the next teeing ground.

Breaches in Rule 2 result in loss of hole

If anyone wants to grab any other rule(s) and start a thread, great, if not, I'll get to Rules 3 and maybe 4 next sometime soon.

Interesting as you read thru...
Rule 6-3b says that in stroke play, the player must stay with his group that he's been assigned to, for the whole round. So theoretically, when there was that incident with Rory Sabbatini where he stomped off to the next hole before his playing partner was holed out, if Rory had teed off before his playing partner joined him on the tee box, he would have been D-Q'd.

Also noted they amended the section ref "giving advice" to allow asking for distances (you obviously still can't ask what club to hit) - so that ties in to the allowance of rangefinders. If one person has a rangefinder/GPS and the other does not, he can tell the other person what the yardage is.

Scott, I can see where someone might concede a hole when the first player makes a hole-in-one. Not much sense for the second player to hit his tee shot when the odds of making a second holo-in-one on the same hole is rather small. Or if it's a par 4, and the first guy hit a great shot on the green and it's a tap in for eagle, and you know you can't reach the green yourself. While it's possible you could sink your second shot for an eagle, again, the odds are not too good.

Scott, Don is somewhat correct. Here is an example of conceding the hole prior to playing the hole.
You are dormie with me, meaning you're as many down as there are holes left to play. I tee off on a par 3 and get a hole in one. Even if you get a hole in one, you will lose the match, so you concede before you even hit your shot.

What do you mean?

Somewhat correct !

Ok, ok, I get it...it's one of those rules put in place for the 1 chance in a million that something happens...got it.

Don, in your example you don't explain under what circumstances the hole would be conceded. If you got a hole in one and a hole in one shot for me would tie you and not end our match, I would hit the ball and at least try to match it. In my example, a hole in one would do no good as the match would be over no matter what. Therefore, you are somewhat correct, or should it be incompletely correct, or by chance is it partially correct?? Well let's put it this way, you swam halfway across the lake and decided to go back because it was too far to the other side.