Rules Decisions

The fellow-competitor is disqualified (Rule 3-2)

The term "Normal Course of Play" is intended to cover all reasonable acts but specifically excludes cases of abuse.

In addittion to making a stroke, practice swing or practice stroke, examples of acts that are in the "normal course of play" include the following:

• removing or replacing a club in the bag;
• using a club to search for or retrieve a ball (except by throwing the club);
• leaning on a club while waiting to play, teeing a ball or removing a ball from the hole; or
• accidently dropping a club.

Examples of acts that are NOT in the "normal course of play" include the following:

• throwing a club whether in anger, in retrieving a ball, or otherwise;
• 'slamming' a club into a bag; or
• intentionally striking something (e.g. the ground or a tree)  with the club other than during a stroke, practice swing or practice stroke.

Yes

Before starting a match in a handicap competition, the players should determine from one another their respective handicaps.  If a player begins a match having declared a handicap higher than that to which he is entitled and this affects the number of strokes given or recieved, he is disqualified; otherwise, the player must play off the declared handicap.

• Recording scores- After each hole the marker should check the score with the competitor and record it.  On completion of the round, the marker must sign the score card and hand it to the competitor.  If more than one marker records the scores, each must sign for the part for which he is responsible.
• Signing and returning score card- After completion of the round, the competitor should check his score for each hole and settle any doubtful points with the Committee.  He must ensure that the marker or markers have signed the score card, sign the score card himself and return it to the Committee as soon as possible.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 6-6b:

Disqualification.

• Alteration of score card- No alteration may be made on a score card after the competitor has returned it to the Committee.
• Wrong score for hole- The Competitor is responsible for the correctness of the score recorded for each hole on his score card.  If he returns a score for any hole lower than actually taken, he is disqualified.  If he returns a score for any hole higher than actually taken, the score as returned stands.

The player must play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guidelines the the Committee may establish.  Between completition of a hole and playing from the next teeing ground, the player must not unduly delay play.

• Match Play- On any day of a match play competition, a player may practice on the competition course before a round.
• Stroke Play- Before a round or play-off on any day of a stroke play competition, a competitor must not practice on the competition course or test the surface of any putting green on the course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface.   When 2 or more rounds of a stroke play competition are to be played over consecutive days, a competitor must not practice between these rounds on any competition course remaining to be played, or test the surface of any putting green on such course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface.
• Exception- Practice putting or chipping on or near the first teeing ground or any practice area before starting a round or play-off is permitted.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 7-1b:

Disqualification.

During a stipulated round, a player must not:

• Give advice to anyone in the competition playing on the course other than his partner, or 
• Ask for advice from anyone other than his partner or either of their caddies.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 8-1:

Match play- Loss of hole; Stroke play- two strokes.

• Other than on putting green- Except on the putting green, a player may have the line of play indicated to him by anyone, but no-one may be positioned by the player for that purpose on or close to the line or an extension of the line beyond the hole while the stroke is being made.  Any mark placed by the player or with his knowledge, for the purpose of indicating the line of play, must be removed before the stroke is made.

Exception: Flagstick attended or held up - see Rule 17-1.

• On the putting green- When the players ball is on the putting green, the line of putt may be indicated before, but not during, the stroke by the player, his partner or either of their caddies; in doing so the putting green must not be touched.  A mark must not be placed anywhere for the purpose of indicating a line of putt.   (Touching line of putt - see Rule 16-1a)

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 8-2:

Match play- Loss of hole; Stroke play- two strokes.

A player incurs no penalty for giving incorrect information on the Rules (see definition of "Rules"); this is not wrong information as that term is used in Rule 9.  It is up to each player to know the Rules (Rule 6-1).  However, if it is established that a player has knowingly given incorrect information on the Rules, the Committee would be justified in imposing a penalty of disqualification under Rule 33-7.

Match play

• Information as to strokes taken- An opponent is entitled to ascertain from the player, during the play of a hole, the number of strokes he has taken and, ater play of a hole, the number of strokes taken on the hole just completed.
• Wrong information- A player must not give wrong information to his opponent. If a player gives wrong information, he loses the hole.

A player is deemed to have given wrong information if he:

• Fails to inform his opponent as soon as practicable that he has incurred a penalty, unless (a) he was obviously proceeding ander a Rule involving a penalty and this was observed by his opponent, or (b) he corrects the mistake before his opponent makes his next stroke; or
• Gives incorrect information during play of a hole regarding the number of strokes taken and does not correct the mistake before his opponent makes his next stroke; or
• Gives incorrect information regarding the number of strokes taken to complete a hole and this affects the opponents understanding of the result of the hole, unless he corrects the mistake before any player makes a stroke from the next teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the match, before all players leave the putting green.

Stroke play

• A competitor who has incurred a penalty should inform his marker as soon as practicable.

A player has given wrong information even if it is due to the failure to include a penalty that he did not know he had incurred.  It is the players responsibility to know the Rules of Golf.

Match play

• When starting play of hole- The side that has the honour at the first teeing ground is determined by the order of the draw.  In the absence of a draw, the honour should be decided by lot.  The side that wins a hole takes the honour at the next teeing ground.  If a hole has been halved, the side that had the honour at the previous teeing ground retains it.
• During play of hole- After both players have started play of the hole, the ball farther from the hole is played first.  If the balls are equidistant from the hole or their positions relative to the hole are not determinable, the ball to be played first should be decided by lot.
• Playing out of turn- If a player plays when his opponent should have played, there is no penalty, but the opponent may immediately require the player to cancel the stroke so made and, in correct order, play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5)

Stroke play

• When starting play of hole- The competitor who has the honour at the first teeing ground is determined by the order of the draw.  In the absence of a draw, the honour should be decided by lot.  The competitor with the lowest score at a hole takes the honour at the next teeing ground.  The competitor with the second lowest score plays next and so on.  If two or more competitors have the same score at a hole, they play from the next teeing ground in the same order as at the previous teeing ground.  Exception Rule 32-1 (handicap bogey, par and stableford competitions and ready golf)
• During play of hole- After the competitors have started play of the hole, the ball farthest from the hole is played first.  If two or more balls are equidistant from the hole or their positions relative to the hole are not determinable, the ball to be played first should be decided by lot.
• Playing out of turn- If a competitor plays out of turn, there is no penalty and the ball is played as it lies.  If, however, the Committee determines that competitors have agreed to play out of turn to give one of them an advantage, they are disqualified.

A player may stand outside the teeing ground to play a ball from within it.

If a ball, when not in play, falls off a tee or is knocked off a tee by the player in addressing it, it may be re-teed, without penalty.  However, if a stroke is made at the ball in these circumstances, whether the ball is moving or not, the stroke counts, but there is no penalty.

Under Rule 11-2, tee markers are deemed to be fixed before making the first stroke with any ball from the teeing ground.  Are tee markers movable obstructions thereafter?

Yes.

Playing from outside teeing ground.

​Match play

If a player, when starting a hole, plays a ball from outside the teeing ground, there is no penalty, but the opponent may immediately require the player to cancel the stroke and play a ball from within the teeing ground.

Stroke play

If a competitor, when starting a hole, plays a ball from outside the teeing ground, he incurs a penalty of two strokes and must then play a ball from within the teeing ground.

If the competitor makes a stroke from the next teeing ground without first correcting his mistake or, in the case of the last hole of the round, leaves the putting green without first declaring his intention to correct his mistake, he is disqualified.

The stroke from outside the teeing ground and any other subsequent strokes by the competitor on the hole prior to his correction of the mistake do no count in his score.