A Stymie is an incredibly old golf rule that allowed players to putt intentionally into another players line so that he or she has to putt around your ball.
Nowadays golfers will mark their ball if it is in the line of another players putt. When stymies existed golfers would have to putt around their opponents ball so long that is was at least six inches away.
What Does It Mean When Someone Is Stymied?
If you are stymied it means that there is a ball on your line that you must putt around. In this situation, you must either draw or fade your putt around the ball. Or even in some situations chip over the top of it.
What Happens When You Hit A Ball While Stymied?
If you hit a ball while stymied you must play your ball where it rests after it comes into contact with the ball.
Though this is different if it is your ball that is hit. If you stymie another golfer and he hits your ball. You are then able to choose between where your ball was originally or it’s new location.
If your balls goes into the hole after it is hit by another then you are able to count it. If it took three strokes to get on the green then your score for the hole is three.
When Where Stymies Eliminated
There were several modifications to the rules of golf regarding stymies in golf. These occurred in 1938 and 1941.
These modifications included removing stymies if the obstructing ball was within six inches of the hole. As well as allowed for the stymied player to concede their opponent’s next putt.
The Stymie was officially eliminated in 1953.
How Could You Use Stymies Strategically?
To stymie someone is a strategic manner in itself as it forces the other player to putt around your ball. The way to use a stymie to give you an advantage occurs when you can be sure you are not wasting your putt.
If you have a two footer and putt your ball into your opponents line you are likely going to waste as many strokes as he does. A situation in which stymieing an opponent is helpful would occur on a long putt.
If you have a twenty-five footer and putt it into your opponent’s line this would advantageous. You could putt your ball close to the pin while also impeding their putt. This would give a strategic advantage and is part of the reason the stymie in golf was removed.
