The Ninety-Degree Rule in Golf: Ten Reasons to Obey It

Golf courses often have a sign up that reads “90 degree rule in effect”. If you’re a beginner, this message might not make any sense. It means that when driving your golf cart, you should follow the golf cart path until you’re next to your golf ball, then turn directly toward it and park your golf cart. Park near to the golf ball when it’s your turn to hit it. After hitting your golf ball, return to the golf cart path and follow it until you get across from the next person’s golf ball.

In winter time, or after a heavy spring rain, or after heavy watering, the soil under the grass on a golf course can get quite mushy. Because of this, when you drive a golf cart over the top, the heavy weight can cause dips and gouge tire treads. Not only is this ugly, it is expensive to fix. Sometimes conditions are so bad that you aren’t allowed to drive or pull a golf cart on the fairways at all. If this is the case, leave the golf car and walk over to your golf ball.

Two areas that are exceptions to these rules are the tee boxes and about forty yards around the green where you’re never allowed to drive a golf cart. These two areas often have different turf, are mowed shorter, groomed and are even more expensive to maintain. On some golf courses you may notice that there are brown spots near the green. This is often because greens are high traffic areas. Be careful to avoid additional wear and tear on these spots with your pulled golf cart because it will help the golf course get these areas back into condition.

An exception to these rules is sometimes made for handicapped players who are allowed to drive to their golf ball and park closer to the green, especially at private golf clubs.

Ten Reasons to follow the 90-degree rule:

1) The course marshall won’t yell at you. There’s nothing that will make you have a worse couple shots than to have a course marshall yell at you. You
lose your concentration.

2) When walking pulling a cart, the cart path may be the only place you don’t get your feet wet.

3) When walking and pulling a golf cart, walking down the golf cart path can save you wear and tear on your arms and wrists. Leave your golf cart on the path
and walk to the golf ball.

4) If you follow the rules, other people are likely to follow the rules and the golf course condition will be much improved.

5) Hitting a golf ball off a muddy surface will likely net you mud all over your clothing and in your eyes.

6) Weight on soft surfaces on a golf course leaves dips and rises that make the surface hard to get a clean shot.

7) During slow play, it gives you more exercise and something to do so you don’t go crazy.

8) Often, the golf cart path may be your only indication of where to find the next hole.

9) 90 degrees from your golf ball will provide the shortest distance to walk.

10) The golf cart path may be the only place to find out your approximate distance from the green.

One last thought: cutting costs of golf course maintenance is returned to golfers with lower greens fees and with a golf course that stays in business.