Rules


(1) STARTING THE HOLE and ESTABLISHING “IN PLAY”

  1. The ball is considered “in play” once the first shot has been struck on each hole.
  2. A player may tee the ball with a wooden peg between and behind the tee markers and no farther back than two club lengths. A player may or may not use a tee to start play on each hole. If the ball falls off the tee before the player starts his backswing, there is no penalty. If a player’s ball falls off the tee during his swing, the player may strike the ball then play the ball as it lies with no penalty. If the player whiffs the ball after it has fallen off the tee during the swing, the player must count the swing as a shot taken but may re-tee the ball. A player teeing off in front of the markers must re-hit the shot with a one-stroke penalty.
  3. The ball shall be played as it lies from tee to green and also upon the green until the final shot lands into the cup.
  4. A player may play a different ball upon start of the next hole without penalty.
  5. A player may rotate the ball for identification purposes only, but may not lift or change its position.
  6. A player failing to make the designated tee time will be assessed a two-stroke penalty and will continue play as directed by the event’s committee. A player will be considered late once any single player in his or her designated group has played a second shot.

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(2) RELIEF WITH THE BALL BEING “IN PLAY”

  1. A player may move the ball under wet conditions as would be known as casual water, or excessive mud on the ball only if the ball lies clearly upon an area commonly known as the fairway, or if the ball has been imbedded in a hole of its own making.
  2. If a player chooses to move the ball, the player must move the ball a minimum of 15 yards backwards to a dry area, and drop the ball over the shoulder while facing the hole without penalty (see rule 3a). A player may also take relief if the ball comes to rest on top a sprinkler head. (see rule 3a) not closer to the hole, without penalty.
  3. A player may remove loose impediments but may not improve his lie. If the ball moves from its position, the rules of golf consider a stroke to have been taken.
  4. The player may, without penalty, touch his ball with his club in the act of addressing it, providing he does not move the ball.
  5. A ball at rest moved by an outside source, e.g. the gallery, the wind, may be replaced nearest its last known location without penalty.
  6. Any movable obstruction may be removed.

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(3) DROPPING PROCEDURE

  1. A player taking any drop, must face the hole and drop the ball over the shoulder.

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(4) PLAYING THE BALL AND PROCEDURES FOR “OUT OF PLAY”

  1. The ball may be declared “out of play” at any time on the course at the player’s discretion. If a ball is lost in an area deemed unplayable, or found but the player decides not to play a stroke at the ball in its position, the player may use the following procedures to put the ball back “in play”.

(a) Declaration of “Out of Play ” from the tee 

  1. Player may choose to strike another shot from the teeing area if the player thinks the ball is lost or will not be playable. The first shot is considered a stroke, therefore the player will be playing the second stroke. If a player claims the first ball is “out of play” the option of finding the first ball and playing it is given up.

(b) Declaration of “Out of Play ” beyond the tee 

  1. If a player deems the ball “out of play” at any point beyond the teeing area, the player must locate a spot in the fairway not nearer the hole then take 30 yard-like steps backward from the hole then drop the ball over the shoulder while facing the hole. If another player in the group thinks the player did not take the 30 appropriate yard-like steps, the other player, opponent or playing partner, may take those steps as well to establish the correct “in play” position of the ball. The player takes a one-stroke penalty and then may continue to play the hole from the new “in play” position. Once a player has left the tee, the golfer may not go back to the tee to strike another ball unless that first ball traveled less than 30 yards. This will be known as the “30-yard exemption”.
  2. If a player chooses the 30-yard penalty for either an “out of play” ball (one-stroke penalty) or a distance-only (no-stroke) penalty such as casual water or divot hole or other unsatisfactory “in play” or fairway condition, and the 30-yard penalty puts the player in a situation that would be hazardous, watery, or in an area of the course that would be considered unkempt or unlike the condition of the fairway, the player does not have to travel the entire distance. Thus, if such a distance is not possible, the player may drop the ball as close to the conditional area as would allow the player a fair and reasonable “in play” or fairway-like situation. This is assuming the position is not nearer the hole than the last known location of the previously stroked ball.
  3. A player may declare his ball unfit for play at any time during play of a hole and replace thatball with a new one as close to the original position as possible, and incur a one-stroke penalty.

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(5) ADDITIONAL PENALTIES

  1. A player striking a wrong ball shall consider a stroke to have been taken, and then must continue to play the correct ball. The wrong ball must be replaced nearest its last known position.
  2. If a player’s ball strikes himself, his equipment (including cart) or his caddie, the penalty shall be one stroke, and the ball shall be played from where it lies.
  3. If a competitor’s ball strikes another player, or the opponent’s equipment or caddie, it is considered the ‘rub of the green,’ and the ball shall be played from where it lies.
  4. A player may not ground his club in a sand trap or water trap. Penalty is one stroke.
  5. A maximum of 16 clubs may be used to play golf as defined in Rules of Equipment.
  6. A player or a competitor shall not give or ask for advice, or take any action which may result in his receiving advice, except from his caddie, his partner, or his partner’s caddie. Wrongful advice penalty is one stroke.
  7. A player is always entitled to place the feet firmly on the ground when taking the stance, but is not allowed to build a stance. A player building a stance will be penalized one stroke.
  8. Ball to be “Fairly Struck”:  The ball shall be “fairly struck” with the head of the club and must not be pushed, scraped or spooned. A ball not “fairly struck” must be replayed from its original position, incurring a one-stroke penalty.
  9. Striking the Ball Twice:  If the player strikes the ball twice when making a stroke, one stroke shall be counted and a penalty stroke added, making two strokes in all.
  10. A player may not intentionally strike a moving ball. The penalty is two strokes and the ball must be replayed from nearest its last known position.
  11. A player shall not practice by hitting extra shots on the course or putting on the greens while the round is being played. The penalty is one stroke.
  12. If a player’s ball moves after it has been addressed, it shall be played as it now lies and a stroke is deemed to have been taken.

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(6) PUTTING PROCEDURES

  1. A ball is considered holed when the ball reaches and remains in the bottom of the cup. A ball found at rest against the flagstick is considered holed should the ball fall into the cup if the flag stick is gently removed.
  2. A player may not draw a line on the green, nor may a caddie stand behind the golfer to aid in alignment. The penalty is one stroke.
  3. A player may mark the ball’s location on the green with a coin or other marker and may clean the ball in preparation for the act of putting. If the player’s marker must be moved for another player to make a stroke, and the player fails to replace the marker before putting, it is considered a stroke taken and the player shall add one stroke to the score. If a player’s ball strikes that of another player’s upon the green, the stroke must be replayed from its original position, and a stroke is deemed to have been taken. The struck ball must be replaced in its original location.
  4. A player may putt with or without the flag stick in the hole. If the ball is off the green, the flag stick must be in the hole. A player may not start the putt with the flag stick in the hole then have the flag stick removed while the ball is rolling (i.e. attended flag stick). Likewise, a player may not have the flag stick removed from the hole then have it replaced as the ball approaches. The player must decide whether the flag stick is to be in or out of the hole before stroking the putt.
  5. A player may not roll a ball across the green by hand.
  6. A player may not straddle the line of a putt while making the stroke.
  7. A player may fix ball marks or tap down spike marks on the green but may not scrape the green in any way to test the grain or texture of the grass. The penalty is one stroke. A player may repair the cup to return it to proper shape and function, but may not enlarge it or depress the edges of the cup. The penalty is one stroke.
  8. When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is allowed enough time to reach the hole without unreasonable delay and an additional ten seconds to determine whether the ball is at rest. If the ball falls into the hole in the time beyond ten seconds, a stroke is considered to have been taken.

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(7) SCORING AND SCORECARD

  1. An official course record or tournament scorecard must have at least two signatures.
  2. A player must keep the score of an opponent. In the event of a dispute, the players must come to a resolution of the conflict, and may call for the help of a referee or rules official. Once two signatures are on the card, the score stands. 

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(8) CADDIES, CARTS, ARTIFICIAL AIDS

  1. A player may carry his or her own clubs, pull a cart or use a caddy in the fine tradition of the game.
  2. A player may use a caddy and may take advice aid only from his or her own caddy, including the reading of putts.
  3. A player may not use any artificial aids outside of what would be normal for a golfer striking a shot. This would include any scopes or outside measuring devices for distance calculations other than those defined in the nature of the markings of the course.
  4. A player may use an organic hand warmer, but not a battery-operated or otherwise electronic hand warmer. The penalty shall be one stroke per each hole the aid is used.
  5. A player may use a glove to assist in gripping the club, or may wrap the grip with a small cloth if needed. A player may not have an umbrella held overhead while making a stroke.
  6. A player may use shoes equipped with spikes not longer than 0.5 inch, and no more than twelve per shoe in number.

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(9) RULES GOVERNING EQUIPMENT

Equipment violations shall be one stroke penalty per hole played per club.

  1. A player may not carry more than 16 clubs.
  2. A player must carry at least two wooden-headed clubs.
  3. A player may not carry more than one putter.
  4. No club shall exceed 44 inches in length.
  5. No club shall exceed a loft of 56 degrees.
  6. No club shall have a static weight of less than 13 ounces.
  7. Shafts of golf clubs must be made of wood, steel, or aluminum, and exhibit the patterns of traditional stepping. Only wood-shafted clubs may exhibit a smooth shaft property.
  8. Driving clubs must be made of wood, pear-shaped, as in the tradition of the game.
  9. The Driving club face or hitting area of a wooden driver may not measure more than 3 inches wide and 2 inches in height.
  10. Driving clubs shall have a static weight minimum 13 ounces.
  11. No Driving club shall exceed 44 inches in length.
  12. Iron Clubs must be within the game’s tradition of forged metal (blades), and must not exhibit the presence of any perimeter weighting in an attempt to enlarge the sweet spot of the club head.
  13. Iron Clubs may not have milled or textured faces other than v-shaped grooves within the fine tradition of the game. Box-shaped grooves are not allowed.
  14. Iron Clubs shall have a static weight minimum of 14.5 ounces.
  15. An Iron Club must have a hosel where the shaft is affixed to the club head.
  16. Iron Club heads must not exceed 3 inches in width from the apex of the toe curve to the outside of the hosel unless the club was in production and generally available prior to 1950 (“grandfather clause”), in which case the toe to hosel measurement maximum is 3.5 inches.
  17. Iron Club face height may not exceed 2.5 inches.
  18. Putters shall not exceed 38 inches in length.
  19. A Putter club face shall not exceed 4.5 inches in width, two inches in depth, and two inches in height.

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(10) RULE GOVERNING ADVICE

  1. A player may give or receive advice from another player, but is not required to do so.

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(11) REGULATION GOLF COURSE

Golf course requirements for traditional tournament play

  1. A regulation golf course must have 18 holes with a total par of 70 or more.
  2. A regulation golf course may not have more than 5 three-pars, no more than 5 five-pars, and a minimum of 8 four-pars. A regulation course may have only 1 six-par.
  3. No three-par may exceed a distance of 230 yards.
  4. No four-par may exceed a distance of 470 yards.
  5. No five-par may exceed a distance of 600 yards.
  6. No six-par may exceed a distance of 750 yards.
  7. A regulation golf course setup may not exceed 7,000 yards in total length, measured from the tee positions to the green centers.
  8. A regulation golf course must be a minimum of 6000 yards in total length, measured from tee positions to green centers.
  9. Greens must have a minimum putting area of 900 square feet
  10. The hole must be cut at 4.25 inches in diameter and may not be situated closer than 6 feet from any edge of the green putting surface, with the top lip of the inserted cup one inch below the putting surface. The cup within the hole must be able to host a flagstick. The flagstick must be a minimum of 6 feet in height and a maximum of 8 feet. The flagstick must have a flag attached to the top.
  11. The putting green must have an obviously shorter cut of grass than either the fairways or teeing grounds.

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(12) Historical References

1809-1810 If a ball is lost on the green, the player shall drop another behind the place where the other was lost, and lose one.

Unplayable….1920: Ball now can be ‘deemed’ unplayable anywhere on the course; penalty stroke and distance in match play, stroke and distance or tee behind the place for 2 stroke penalty in medal play. Although a ball could be declared unplayable anywhere at this time, if a player’s ball was in a water hazard, by following the water hazard rule he could get back into play for one penalty stroke instead of two in stroke play

The first ‘procedure’ for dropping a ball came in 1754: throwing it behind a water hazard ‘six yards at least’.

1950 penalties reduced to distance only for lost, out of bounds and unplayable.

1952 Lost, Unplayable, OB all under same rule and penalties. Player is sole judge whether his ball is unplayable, and it can be declared unplayable anywhere.

1960 USGA. reduced penalty to 1 stroke and removed Provisional option.

1968 R&A. OB penalty reduced to 1 stroke, no provisional.

In 1908 the new procedure of dropping over the shoulder introduced.

1851 With the consent of one’s adversary, a player could lift and drop behind the place for 1 penalty stroke.

Leith code of 1775 rule was stroke only, and a player dropped a ball where he judged the original was lost.

1964 USGA allowed a stroke-only option if it was felt that stroke and distance would be “‘unduly severe.”

1956 Ball may be declared lost by player.

1947 USGA ”It is impossible to lay down exact rules to govern always the play of a ball which lies in a water hazard.”

The five-minute time limit for searching for a lost ball was introduced by the Aberdeen Golfers in 1783.

1812 XIII All loose impediments of whatever kind, may be removed upon the putting green.

1891 all balls must be holed out in SP.

1899 ball must not be pushed scraped or spooned.

1899 play on putting green when another ball in motion, 1 penalty stroke.

No practice on the course and ‘undue delay’ introduced 1950

R&A 1891 The rectangular shape of the teeing ground is stipulated for the first time: a ball must neither be teed in front of, nor on either side of, nor more than two club lengths behind the teeing markers.

The wooden tee peg was patented in 1899 by George F. Grant

Through the green was first defined in 1899, as being all parts of the course except hazards and the putting green. The teeing ground was added to the definition in 1933.

The hole size was standardized in 1891 at the dimensions of today.

1956 No penalty for striking an unattended flagstick from any distance.

1960 Lifting a ball on the putting green was allowed, so cleaning was added to the list.

Burntisland 1828 allowed the removal of ‘loose obstructions’ on the fair green.

Practicing anywhere on the course has been prohibited since 1950 (1952 in USGA); at the same time playing a practice stroke during play was also banned.

Giving unsolicited advice was not an offence until 1947 (USGA) and 1952 (R&A).

The competitor was obliged to countersign his card for a brief period, 1899-1901

Steel shafts were initially banned by the R&A and USGA in 1914 as “not a permissible departure from the traditional form and make of golf clubs”. However, following further development and pressure from manufacturers, the increasingly popular steel shafts were ruled conforming in April 1924 by the USGA, and in September 1929 by the R&A, the main reasons being that steel shafts conferred no playing advantages, and sensitivity about the conservation of the world’s supply of hickory.

1909 The Rules of Golf Committee is, however, of opinion that it is not allowable to employ the vertical croquet stroke as a method of putting.

July 1921 deeply grooved irons ruled nonconforming by the R&A.

1947 USGA Grips must be substantially straight and plain, but may have flat sides.

1952 Putter shafts may be fixed at any point in the head.

Number of clubs allowed becomes 14 on 1 Jan 1938; the R&A followed suit 1 May, 1939.

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