It might sound innocent enough on a golf course to hear the following refrain from one golfer to another one: “You are playing the ball too forward in your stance.” I’m sure that I’ve done it in a friendly round with my golfing buddies like Ray Mullins. However, it’s definitely not allowed for touring professionals.

Tom Watson found this out when he was cruising along with a big lead in the final round of the 1980 Tournament of Champions at the Las Costa Resort paired with Lee Trevino. Seeing Trevino struggling with his game, Watson uttered that same statement since he wanted to help him. The only problem was that it was caught on television and a viewer called to ask if that was permitted.

When the PGA Tour officials caught up with Watson as he got to the scorer’s tent and asked about the incident, Watson admitted he had given advice and was assessed a two-stroke penalty. He still won by three strokes. However, if he had signed his scorecard, he would have been disqualified. Trevino was not penalized since he had not sought the advice.

What if a player said, “I should have used a 5-iron?” Well, if the statement was made casually, there is no breach. If it was made to another player about to play from a similar position, it is considered advice. If a player made such a statement so that it could be overheard by an opponent in match play, he loses the hole being played.

Asking a fellow competitor what club he used after he hit his shot would be a violation. If he answered, he would be penalized, too. If the conversation happened on the green after both had reached it, there would be no violation.

Looking into another player’s bag to see what he might have used for an approach shot is okay, but removing a towel to do it would not be.

Suggesting to another player that his ball might be unplayable would also be considered giving advice. Telling him his options under the rules would not.

Information regarding distance between any two objects is considered public information and therefore is not advice. So it is okay to ask another player, maybe one with one of those good rangefinders, about distances.?

Of course, caddies can always give their players advice. Whether they use it or not is up to the player.

In a team competition, partners can also share information and assist each other with the lines of their putts if they wish.

However, if two players on the same team happened to be riding together but playing separate singles matches, any sharing of information would not be permitted.