There are more than 200 pages in the golf rulebook, but even experienced golfers sometimes get confused. In 2025, golf’s most unusual rule applications happened, from tech problems to natural barriers, and even golfers didn’t see them coming. This shows that it’s still very important to know these rules of golf inside and out.

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1. Distance Device Restrictions—Rangefinder Slope Feature Penalty

The PGA Tour’s test period, allowing rangefinders, created unexpected problems when Davis Riley discovered his device measured more than just distance. During the CJ Cup Byron Nelson’s second round, Riley’s laser rangefinder displayed height changes, a feature strictly prohibited, despite distance measurements being permitted. He immediately reported the rule break to officials, receiving a two-stroke penalty.

The event brought to light how technology can be both helpful and harmful during the six-week trial period. You could use rangefinders to measure straight-line distance, but you couldn’t use them to figure out how steep or high something was. Riley’s self-report upheld golf’s integrity code and showed how easy it is for players to break equipment rules unintentionally with modern technology.

2. Wrong Ball Played—Disqualification for Failure to Correct Error

Ben Crane’s tournament at the Corales Puntacana Championship ended suddenly when he hit the wrong ball. And it’s because Crane hit a hazard on the eighth hole, dropped his ball, and then saw a second ball in the fairway. He thought he was playing with his first ball, but it turned out to have a rock stuck to it after he hit it.

Rule 6.3 requires players to correct wrong-ball mistakes before teeing off on the next hole. Crane didn’t discover his error until after starting the ninth, causing automatic disqualification. He honestly reported himself despite knowing it ended his week. This rare use of the rule showed how careful ball identification must be, even for experienced tour professionals with decades of playing experience.

3. Natural Impediments Interpretation—Bird Droppings on the Green

During the last round of the Senior PGA Championship, Padraig Harrington ran into an unexpected problem: bird droppings on the 14th green blocked his birdie line. The situation made it hard to decide what to do because the sticky droppings could either be “fixed” to the surface or removed as loose obstacles. Harrington was ahead by one shot and needed to be sure before his important 30-footer.

According to the Rules of Golf, the officials said that the stuck droppings weren’t “fixed,” so they could be removed without a penalty.

Officials ruled the sticking droppings weren’t considered “fixed” under the Rules of Golf definition, allowing removal without penalty. Harrington cleaned the mess and drained the birdie. While animal waste counts as loose objects, their sticky nature created confusion requiring exact interpretation. This rare use showed how nature introduces unexpected problems needing expert rule knowledge at critical tournament moments.

The PGA Tour’s rules for 2025 show how complicated and transparent golf is. Technology limits, ball identity, and natural obstacles reminded top players that every rule is important, no matter how experienced they are.