'The Rules Of Golf Are There To Be Broken' - Does The 'Exploitable' TIO Rule Need To Change Now?

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's expert team to share its honest thoughts on the biggest subjects in the game.

This time, it's all about temporary immovable obstructions (TIOs) and the controversy surrounding Scottie Scheffler's free drop at The 154th Open.

The Rules of Golf are a complicated and curious thing. But sometimes, some people feel they are too easily taken advantage of.

When Scottie Scheffler hiked his second shot at the par-5 17th well left into the hospitality tent at Royal Birkdale during the final round of The Open Championship on Sunday, more than a few people raised their eyebrows after he was allowed a completely free drop when playing his third.

How was this possible? Scheffler had already hit three shots on the hole - the second of which went "around 100 yards off line" and was lost, according to Sky Sports Golf's Inci Mehmet.

Scheffler's caddie Ted Scott was adamant the ball had landed in the hospitality tent left of the fairway, and a search began to find the offending golf ball. That was until Scheffler called it off, knowing that if it wasn't found he would be able to take free relief.

Now, many people would argue it's not feasible to blame the player at this point. If anything, they might say, Scheffler might be applauded for knowing the Rules well enough to take advantage of them.

But then why, after completely losing a golf ball, should a player avoid a penalty altogether? Frustration surrounding the TIO rule in golf has long been around, with plenty of people calling for it to be overhauled as quickly as possible.

Yet, here we are in 2026 and nothing has been done. Is that right? Let us know your thoughts on the TIO rule in golf. For the time being, here are three of Golf Monthly's tour experts sharing their view with you.

Matt Cradock

MC: The issue is the Rules of Golf are there to be broken and, if players can do that to gain an advantage, they will.

What occurred with Scheffler could have been avoided if they simply said you must find and identify the golf ball. The fact that he didn't even need to find the ball was a bit baffling, given that at any other time you have to identify the ball to receive a drop.

TIO reliefs are always big talking points when they happen, and the issue is that you can't do much about them as tournament sponsors want hospitality areas and facilities such as food stalls and bathrooms.

Again, the easy way to avoid the incident that we had with Scheffler would be to say you have to find the golf ball, plain and simple.

MC: If you want to go further, then either make the TIOs a shot penalty, or make the dropping area so bad that there is no advantage in taking it.

We see it often where players deliberately hit into grandstands or hospitality areas when nothing is on, just so they can get a nice, free drop. Imagine if the area they had to drop in was three-feet of rough, or perhaps a short sided chip, that would stop them from doing it.

You may argue that it's not fair, but usually TIOs are well offline and these are the best players in the world. Golf isn't fair, so get over it.

Elliott Heath

EH: Scottie Scheffler's controversial free drop after losing his ball in the Clarets hospitality section on 17 left a lot of people scratching their heads, and rightly so. Scheffler did absolutely nothing wrong and used the rules to his advantage very well, but it simply shouldn't have been allowed to happen.

As I wrote in a previous Inside The Ropes article on tour golf rules we'd like to change, I think the current TIO rule in professional golf is shocking. Yes, these temporary structures like hospitality units, grandstands and leaderboards are temporary, but the players know they are there so should know to actively avoid them.

Instead, TIOs give players the freedom to bail out and completely avoid real danger on the other side of the hole. They make the holes and challenge easier as they offer a nice, easy bail-out - for golfers who are the best 0.001% in the world.

EH: I previously wrote that they should be out of bounds but perhaps that is a little harsh. I certainly think pros should have to take penalty drops if they find them, or be forced to chip out sideways if they're up against one.

If a tour pro flies a green and is up against a grandstand, that is tough luck and their own fault for hitting the wrong club into the green, right? They might be temporary, but during tournaments they should be classed as part of the golf course and should be avoided at all costs.

These structures house fans, too, so it is also very dangerous. These are the best players in the world and they are more than good enough to avoid them.

Jonny Leighfield

JL: It's a complicated one, the TIO rule, because I think it should be changed but the specifics aren't quite cut and dry.

Firstly, if a player hits their golf ball into a TIO off the fairway like Scheffler did at The Open, that - in my opinion - has to be declared OB.

You shouldn't be hitting there, it's dangerous, and they should be more than good enough to avoid them. Sorry, that's just a rubbish shot and it should be dealt with accordingly. Drop from the original position and try again.

JL: But where I think it becomes tough is around the green. My earlier points are still valid here, but those tents and stands can be positioned so close to the green, there is a legitimate chance players could accidentally hit a ball into one.

In that instance, I would say a free drop is fair. But, if I wanted my OB Rule to be implemented, I think you might have to say hitting into any TIO is cause for a penalty stroke - even if the next drop is right beside it rather than going all the way back.

Put simply, I don't like the current TIO rule, and I agree with Elliott that something has to be done now because - as it stands - the rule is so exploitable, it's become ridiculous.

What do you think about the TIO Rule? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below.