Golf Rules
Below is a copy of the USGA Rules in Brief, and the Definition
section of the rules.
Due to copyright reasons, we cannot display the full rules, but you
can view them at the USGA
web site. (USGA copyright does not allow you to download and reassemble
them.)
Rules in Brief
 A
summary of some principal Rules of Golf. In case of doubt, refer to the
complete Rules published by the United States Golf Association and the
Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.
Match and
Stroke Play
Put an identification
mark on your ball. If you can’t identify it as yours, it’s lost. (27) If
your ball becomes unfit for play, you may replace it, without penalty,
on the hole where it becomes unfit or between holes. (5-3)
Count your
clubs. No more than 14. (4-4)
Don’t use
an artificial device or unusual equipment for gauging or measuring distance
or conditions, or to give artificial aid in gripping. (14-3)
Don’t ask for
advice from anyone except your partner or your caddie. Don’t give advice
to anyone except your partner. (8-1)
During a hole
you may practice swing but not play a practice stroke. Between holes you
may practice chip and putt on or near the putting green of the hole last
played or the tee of the next hole but not from a hazard. (7-2)
Play without
delay. (6-7)
Order
of Play
On the first
tee the honor is determined by the order of the draw or, in the absence
of a draw, by lot. (10)
In match play,
the ball farther from the hole is played first. The winner of a hole tees
off first on the next hole. If a player plays out of turn anywhere on the
course, his opponent may require him to replay. (10-1)
In stroke play,
the ball farthest from the hole is played first. The competitor with the
lowest score on a hole tees off first on the next hole. There is generally
no penalty for playing out of turn. (10-2)
In four-ball
competitions, partners may play in the order they consider best. (30-3c
and 31-5)
Teeing
Ground
Tee off within
two club-lengths behind the front edges of the tee-markers.
If you tee off
outside this area, in match play there is no penalty but your opponent
may require you to replay the stroke. In stroke play you incur a two-stroke
penalty and must then play from within the proper area. (11-4)
Playing
the Ball
Play the ball
as it lies. (13-1) Don’t touch it unless a Rule permits. (18-2)
Play the course
as you find it. Don’t improve your lie, the area of your intended swing
or your line of play or a reasonable extension of that line beyond the
hole by moving, bending or breaking anything fixed or growing except in
fairly taking your stance or making your swing. Don’t press anything down.
(13-2) Don’t build a stance. (13-3)
If your ball
is in a bunker or a water hazard, don’t touch the ground in the bunker
or the ground or water in the water hazard before the downswing. (13-4)
Strike at the
ball with the clubhead. Don’t push or scrape it. (14-1) If your club strikes
the ball more than once in a single stroke, count the stroke and add a
penalty stroke. (14-4)
If you play a
wrong ball (except in a hazard), in match play you lose the hole. In stroke
play you incur a two-stroke penalty and must then play the correct ball.
(15)
Putting Green
Don’t touch
the line of your putt unless a Rule permits. (16-la) You may repair ball
marks and old hole plugs on the line but not spike marks. (16-lc)
You may lift,
and if desired clean, your ball on the putting green. Always replace it
on the exact spot. (16-lb)
Don’t test the
surface by scraping it or rolling a ball. (16-ld)
If your ball
played from the putting green strikes the flagstick, in match play you
lose the hole or in stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty. (17-3)
Always hole out
unless in match play your opponent concedes your putt. (2-4, 3-2, 16-2)
Ball
At Rest Moved
If your ball
is moved by you, your partner or your caddie except as permitted by the
Rules or if it moves after you have addressed it, add a penalty stroke
and replace your ball. (18-2)
If your ball
is moved by someone else or another ball, replace it without penalty to
you. (18)
Ball
In Motion Deflected or Stopped
If your ball
in motion is deflected or stopped by you, your partner or your caddie,
in match play you lose the hole. In stroke play you incur a two-stroke
penalty and the ball is played as it lies. (19-2)
If your ball
in motion is deflected or stopped by someone else, play your ball as it
lies without penalty, except (a) in match play, if an opponent or his caddie
deflects your ball, you may play it as it lies or replay it or (b) in stroke
play, if your ball is deflected after a stroke on the putting green, you
must replay. (19)
If your ball
in motion is deflected or stopped by another ball in play and at rest,
play your ball as it lies. In match play, you incur no penalty. In stroke
play, you incur a two-stroke penalty if your ball and the other ball were
on the green before your stroke. (19-5)
Lifting,
Dropping and Placing
If a ball to
be lifted is to be replaced, its position must be marked. (20-1)
When dropping,
stand erect, hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s length and drop
it. A ball to be dropped in a hazard must be dropped, and stay, in the
hazard. (20-2a)
If a dropped
ball strikes the player or his partner, caddie or equipment, it must be
re-dropped without penalty. (20-2a)
A dropped ball
must be re-dropped if it rolls into a hazard, out of a hazard, onto a putting
green, out of bounds or to a position where there is interference by the
condition from which relief is taken (in case of immovable obstructions,
abnormal ground conditions, embedded ball and wrong putting green) or comes
to rest more than two club-lengths from where it first struck a part of
the course or nearer the hole than its original position or other reference
point under Rule 25-1c or 26-1. If the ball when re-dropped rolls into
any position listed above, place it where it first struck a part of the
course when re-dropped. (20-2c)
If the original
lie of a ball to be replaced has been altered, place it in the nearest
similar lie within one club-length not nearer the hole, except in a bunker
recreate the original lie and place it in that lie. (20-3b)
Interference
You may lift
your ball if it might assist any other player. (22)
You may have
any other ball lifted if it might interfere with your play or assist any
other player. (22)
Loose
impediments
Loose impediments
are natural objects (such as stones and leaves) not fixed or growing, not
solidly embedded and not adhering to the ball. (23)
You may move
them unless the loose impediment and your ball lie in or touch the same
hazard. (23-1)
If you move a
loose impediment within one club-length of your ball and your ball moves,
the ball must be replaced and (unless your ball was on the putting green)
you incur a penalty stroke. (18-2c)
Obstructions
Obstructions
are artificial (i.e., man-made) objects. Objects defining out of bounds
such as fence posts or stakes and immovable artificial objects out of bounds
are not obstructions. (24)
Movable obstructions
anywhere may be moved. If your ball moves, replace it without penalty.
(24-1)
If an immovable
obstruction interferes with your stance or swing, you may, except when
your ball is in a water hazard, drop within one club-length of the nearest
point of relief not nearer the hole. In a bunker drop in the bunker, and
on the putting green place in the nearest position which affords relief,
not nearer the hole. There is no relief for intervention on your line of
play unless your ball and the obstruction are on the green. (24-2)
If your ball
is lost in an immovable obstruction (except in a water hazard) take the
same relief based on the point where the ball entered the obstruction.
(24-2c)
Abnormal
Ground Conditions
If your ball
is in casual water, ground under repair or, except in a water hazard, a
hole, cast or runway made by a burrowing animal, you may drop without penalty
within one club-length of the nearest point of relief not nearer the hole,
except (a) in a hazard drop in the nearest position in the hazard which
affords maximum relief and is not nearer the hole or, under penalty of
one stroke, drop any distance behind the hazard or (b) on the putting green
place in the nearest position which affords maximum relief and is not nearer
the hole. (25-lb)
If your ball
is lost in such condition (except in a burrowing animal hole in a water
hazard), take the same relief based on the point where the ball last crossed
the margin of the area. (25-lc)
Water
Hazards
You may play
the ball as it lies or, under penalty of one stroke, drop any distance
behind the water hazard keeping the point at which the original ball last
crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the
spot on which the ball is dropped, or replay the shot. (26-1a,b).
In a lateral
water hazard, you may also, under penalty of one stroke, drop within two
club-lengths of (a) the point where the ball last crossed the hazard margin
or (b) a point on the opposite hazard margin equidistant from the hole.
(26-1c)
Lost
or Out of Bounds
If your ball
may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds, you may play a provisional
ball before you go forward to look for the original, provided you announce
your intention to do so. If your original ball turns out to be in a water
hazard or is found outside a water hazard, you must abandon the provisional
ball. (27-2)
If your ball
is lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, add one penalty stroke
and play the provisional or, if you did not play a provisional, replay
the shot. (27-1)
Unplayable
If you believe
your ball is unplayable outside a water hazard you may add one penalty
stroke and (a) drop within two club-lengths of where the ball lies not
nearer the hole, (b) drop any distance behind the point where the ball
lay (keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which
the ball is dropped), or (c) replay the shot. If your ball is in a bunker
you may proceed under (a), (b) or (c), however, if you elect to proceed
under (a) or (b), you must drop in the bunker. (28)
Etiquette
Don’t move,
talk or stand close to or directly behind a player making a stroke.
Don’t play until
the group in front is out of the way.
Always play
without delay. Leave the putting green as soon as all players in your group
have holed out.
Invite faster
groups to play through.
Replace divots.
Smooth out footprints in bunkers.
Don’t step on
the line of another’s putt.
Don’t drop clubs
on a putting green.
Replace the
flagstick carefully in an upright position.
Leave the course
in the condition in which you’d like to find it. |
DEFINITIONS
Addressing
the Ball
A player has "addressed the ball"
when he has taken his stance and has also grounded
his club, except that in a hazard a player has addressed
the ball when he has taken his stance.
Advice
"Advice" is any counsel or suggestion
which could influence a player in determining his play, the choice of a
club or the method of making a stroke.
Ball
Deemed to Move
See "Move
or Moved."
Ball Holed
See "Holed."
Ball Lost
See "Lost Ball."
Ball
in Play
A ball is "in play as soon as the
player has made a stroke on the teeing
ground. It remains in play until holed out, except when it is , lost,
out of bounds or , or aliftednother ball has
been substituted whether or not such substitution is permitted; a ball
so substituted becomes the ball in play.
Bunker
A "bunker" is a hazard
consisting of a prepared area of ground often a hollow, from which turf
or soil has been removed and replaced with sand or the like. Grass-covered
ground bordering or within a bunker is not part of the bunker. The margin
of a bunker extends vertically downwards, but not upwards. A ball is in
a bunker when it lies in or any part of it touches the bunker.
Caddie
A "caddie" is one who carries or handles
a player's clubs during play and otherwise assists him accordance with
the Rules.
When one caddie is employed by more
than one player, he is always deemed to be the caddie of the player whose
ball is involved, and equipment carried by him
is deemed to be that player's equipment, except when the caddie acts upon
specific directions of another player, in which case he is considered to
be that other player's caddie.
Casual
Water
"Casual water" is any temporary accumulation
of water on the course which is visible before or
after the player takes his stance and is not in a
water hazard. Snow and natural ice, other than
frost, are either casual water or loose impediments,
at the option of the player. Manufactured ice is an obstruction.
Dew and frost are not casual water. A ball is in casual water when it lies
in or any part of it touches the casual water.
Committee
The "Committee" is the committee in
charge of the competition or, if the matter does not arise in a competition,
the committee in charge of the course.
Competitor
A "competitor" is a player in a stroke
competition. A "fellow competitor" is any person with whom the competitor
plays. Neither is partner of the other.
In stroke play foursome and four-ball
competitions, where the context so admits, the word "competitor" or "fellow-competitor"
includes his partner.
Course
The "course" is the whole area within
which play is permitted (see Rule 33-2).
Equipment
"Equipment" is anything used, worn
or carried by or for the player except any ball he has played at the hole
being played and any small object, such as a coin or a tee, when used to
mark the position of a ball or the extent of an area in which a ball is
to be dropped. Equipment includes a golf cart, whether or not motorized.
If such a cart is shared by two or more players, the cart and everything
in it are deemed to be the equipment of the player whose ball is involved
except that, when the cart is being moved by one of the players sharing
it, the cart and everything in it are deemed to be that player's equipment.
Note: A ball played at the hole
being played is equipment when it has been lifted and not put back into
play.
Fellow-Competitor
See "Competitor."
Flagstick
The "flagstick" is a movable straight
indicator, with or without bunting or other material attached, centered
in the hole to show its position. It shall be circular in cross-section.
Forecaddie
A "forecaddie" is one who is employed
by the Committee to indicate to players the position of balls during play.
He is an outside agency.
Ground
Under Repair
"Ground under repair" is any portion
of the course so marked by order of the Committee or so declared by its
authorized representative. It includes material piled for removal and a
hole made by a greenkeeper, even if not so marked. Stakes and lines defining
ground under repair are in such ground. Stakes defining ground under repair
are obstructions. The margin of ground under
repair extends vertically downwards, but not upwards. A ball is in ground
under repair when it lies in or any part of it touches the ground under
repair.
Note 1: Grass cuttings and other
material left on the course which have been abandoned and are not intended
to be removed are not ground under repair unless so marked.
Note 2: The Committee may make
a Local Rule prohibiting play from ground under repair or an environmentally-sensitive
area which has been defined as ground under repair.
Hazards
A "hazard" is any bunker
or water hazard.
Hole
The "hole" shall be 4 1/4 inches (108mm)
in diameter and at least 4 inches (100mm) deep. If a lining is used, it
shall be sunk at least 1 inch (25 mm) below the putting
green surface unless the nature of the soil makes it impracticable
to do so; its outer diameter shall not exceed 4 1/4 inches (108mm).
Holed
A ball is "holed" when it is at rest
within the circumference of the hole and all of it is below the level of
the lip of the hole.
Honor
The side entitled to play first from
the teeing ground is said to have the "honor."
Lateral
Water Hazard
A "lateral water hazard" is a water
hazard or that part of a water hazard so situated that it is not possible
or is deemed by the Committee to be impracticable to drop a ball behind
the water hazard in accordance with Rule 26-1b.
That part of a water hazard to
be played as a lateral water hazard should be distinctively marked. A ball
is in a lateral water hazard when it lies in or any part of it touches
the lateral water hazard.
Note 1: Later water hazards should
be defined by red stakes or lines.
Note 2: The Committee may make
a Local Rule prohibiting play from an environmentally-sensitive area which
has been defined as a lateral water hazard.
Line
of Play
The "line of play" is the direction
which the player wishes his ball to take after a stroke, plus a reasonable
distance on either side of the intended direction. The line of play extends
vertically upwards from the ground, but does not extend beyond the hole.
Line
of Putt
The "line of putt" is the line which
the player wishes his ball to take after a stroke on the putting
green. Except with respect to Rule 16-1e, the line of putt includes
a reasonable distance on either side of the intended line. The line of
putt does not extend beyond the hole.
Loose
Impediments
"Loose impediments" are natural objects
such as stones, leaves, twigs, branches and the like, dung, worms and insects
and casts or heaps made by them, provided they are not fixed or growing,
are not solidly embedded and do not adhere to the ball.
Sand and loose soil are loose impediments
on the putting green, but not elsewhere.
Snow and natural ice, other than frost,
are either casual water or loose impediments,
at the option of the player. Manufactured ice is an obstruction.
Dew and frost are not loose impediments.
Lost Ball
A ball is "lost" if:
a. It is not found or identified as
his by the player within five minutes after the player's side or his or
their caddies have begun to search for it; or
b. The player has put another
ball into play under the Rules, even though he may not have searched for
the original ball; or
c. The player has played any
stroke with a provision ball from the place
where the original ball is likely to be or from a point nearer the hole
than that place, whereupon the provisional ball become the ball
in play.
Time spent in playing a wrong
ball is not counted in the five-minute period allowed for search.
Marker
A "marker" is one who is appointed
by the Committee to record a competitor's score
in stroke play. He may be a fellow-competitor.
He is not a referee.
Matches
See "Sides and Matches."
Move
or Moved
A ball is deemed to have "moved if
it leaves its position and comes to rest in any other place.
Observer
An "observer" is one who is appointed
by the Committee to assist a referee to decide questions
of fact and to report to him any breach of a Rule. An observer should not
attend the flagstick, stand or mark the position of the hole, or lift the
ball or mark its position.
Obstructions
An "obstruction" is anything artificial,
including the artificial surfaces and sides of roads and paths and manufactured
ice, except:
a. Objects defining out
of bounds, such as walls, fences, stakes and railings;
b. Any part of an immovable artificial
object which is out of bounds; and
c. Any construction declared
by the Committee to be an integral part of the course.
Out
of Bounds
"Out of bounds" is ground on which
play is prohibited.
When out of bounds is defined
by reference to stakes or a fence or as being beyond stakes or a fence,
the out of bounds line is determined by the nearest inside points of the
stakes or fence posts at ground level excluding angled support.
When out of bounds is defined by a
line on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds.
The out of bounds line extends vertically
upwards and downwards.
A ball is out of bounds when all of
it lies out of bounds.
A player may stand out of bounds to
play a ball lying within bounds.
Outside
Agency
An "outside agency " is any agency
not part of the match or, in stroke play, not part of the competitor's
side, and includes a referee, a marker, an observer and a forecaddie. nether
wind nor water is an outside agency.
Partner
A "partner" is a player associated
with another player on the same side. In a threesome, foursome, best-ball
or four-ball match, where the context so admits, the word "player" includes
his partner or partners.
Penalty
Stroke
A "penalty stroke" is one added to
the score of a player or side under certain
Rules. In a threesome or foursome, penalty strokes do not affect the order
of play.
Provisional
Ball
A "provisional ball" is a ball played
under Rule 27-2 for a ball which may be lost outside
a water hazard or may be out
of bounds.
Putting
Green
The "putting green" is all ground
of the hole being played which is specially prepared for putting or otherwise
defined as such by the Committee. A ball is on the putting green when any
part of it touches the putting green.
Referee
A "referee" is one who is appointed
by the Committee to accompany players to decide questions of fact and apply
the Rules. He shall act on any breach of a Rule which he observes or is
reported to him.
A referee should not attend the flagstick,
stand at or mark the position of the hole, or lift the ball or mark its
position.
Rub
of the Green
A "rub of the green" occurs when a
ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by any outside
agency (see Rule 19-1).
Rule
The term "Rule" includes Local Rules
made by the Committee under Rule 33-8a.
Sides
and Matches
Side: A player, or two or more players
who are partners.
Single: A match in which one
plays against another.
Threesome: A match in which one plays
against two, and each side plays one ball.
Foursome: A match in which two play
against two, and each side plays one ball.
Three-Ball: A match play competition
in which three play against one another, each playing his own ball. Each
player is playing two distinct matches.
Best-Ball: A match in which one
plays against the better ball of two or the best ball of three players.
Four-Ball: A match in which two
play their better ball against the better ball of two other players.
Stance
Taking the "stance" consists in a
player placing his feet in position for and preparatory to making a stroke.
Stipulated
Round
The "stipulated round" consists of
playing the holes of the course in their correct sequence unless otherwise
authorized by the Committee. The number of holes in a stipulated round
is 18 unless, a small number is authorized by the Committee. As to extension
of stipulated round in match play, see Rule 2-3.
Stroke
A "stroke" is the forward movement
of the club made with the intention of fairly striking at and moving the
ball, but if a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead
reaches the ball he is deemed not to have made a stroke.
Teeing
Ground
The "teeing ground" is the start place
for the hole to be played. It is a rectangular area two club-lengths in
depth, the front and the sides of which are defined by the outside limits
of two tee-markers. A ball is outside the teeing ground when all of it
lies outside the teeing ground.
Through
the Green
"Through the green" is the whole area
of the course except:
a. The teeing
ground and putting green of the hole being
played; and
b. All hazards
on the course.
Water
Hazard
A "water hazard" is any sea, lake
pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (whether
or not containing water) and anything of a similar nature.
All ground or water within the
margin of a water hazard is part of the water hazard. The margin of a water
hazard extends vertically upwards and downwards. Stakes and the lines defining
the margins of water hazards are in the hazards. Such stakes are obstructions.
A ball is in a water hazard when it lies in or any part of it touches the
water hazard.
Note 1: Water hazards (other
than lateral water hazards) should
be defined by yellow stakes or lines.
Note 2: The Committee may make
a Local Rule prohibiting play from an environmentally-sensitive area which
has been defined as a water hazard.
Wrong
Ball
A "wrong ball" is any ball other than
the player's: a. Ball in play, b. Provisional
ball, or c. Second ball played under Rule 3-3 or Rule 20-7b in stroke
play.
Note: Ball in play includes a
ball substituted for the ball in play whether or not such substitution
is permitted.
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