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The Rules of Golf
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About The Rules of Golf
The Rules of Golf content is intended for those who administer the game and who need to answer the variety of questions that can arise in relation to golf competitions. If you are a player, it is recommended that you should first consult 'The Player's Edition'.
1
Purpose: Rule 1 introduces these central principles of the game for the player:
Play the course as you find it and play the ball as it lies.
Play...
2
Purpose: Rule 2 introduces the basic things every player should know about the course:
There are five defined areas of the course, and
There are ...
3
Purpose: Rule 3 covers the three central elements of all golf competitions:
Playing either match play or stroke play,
Playing either as an indivi...
4
Purpose: Rule 4 covers the equipment that players may use during a round. Based on the principle that golf is a challenging game in which success shou...
5
Purpose: Rule 5 covers how to play a round – such as where and when a player may practise on the course before or during a round, when a round starts ...
6
Purpose: Rule 6 covers how to play a hole – such as the specific Rules for teeing off to start a hole, the requirement to use the same ball for an ent...
7
Purpose: Rule 7 allows the player to take reasonable actions to fairly search for his or her ball in play after each stroke.
But the player still m...
8
Purpose: Rule 8 covers a central principle of the game: “play the course as you find it”. When the player’s ball comes to rest, he or she normally has...
9
Purpose: Rule 9 covers a central principle of the game: “play the ball as it lies.”
If the player’s ball comes to rest and is then moved by natural...
10
Purpose: Rule 10 covers how to prepare for and make a stroke, including advice and other help the player may get from others (including caddies). The ...
11
Purpose: Rule 11 covers what to do if the player’s ball in motion hits a person, animal, equipment or anything else on the course. When this happens a...
12
Purpose: Rule 12 is a specific Rule for bunkers, which are specially prepared areas intended to test the player’s ability to play a ball from the sand...
13
Purpose: Rule 13 is a specific Rule for putting greens. Putting greens are specially prepared for playing the ball along the ground and there is a fla...
14
Purpose: Rule 14 covers when and how the player may mark the spot of a ball at rest and lift and clean the ball and how to put a ball back into play s...
15
Purpose: Rule 15 covers when and how the player may take free relief from loose impediments and movable obstructions.
These movable natural and art...
16
Purpose: Rule 16 covers when and how the player may take free relief by playing a ball from a different place, such as when there is interference by a...
17
Purpose: Rule 17 is a specific Rule for penalty areas, which are bodies of water or other areas defined by the Committee where a ball is often lost or...
18
Purpose: Rule 18 covers taking relief under penalty of stroke and distance. When a ball is lost outside a penalty area or comes to rest out of bounds,...
19
Purpose: Rule 19 covers the player’s several relief options for an unplayable ball. This allows the player to choose which option to use – normally wi...
20
Purpose: Rule 20 covers what players should do when they have questions about the Rules during a round, including the procedures (which differ in matc...
21
Purpose: Rule 21 covers four other forms of individual play, including three forms of stroke play where scoring is different than in regular stroke pl...
22
Purpose: Rule 22 covers Foursomes (played either in match play or stroke play), where two partners compete together as a side by alternating in making...
23
Purpose: Rule 23 covers Four-Ball (played either in match play or stroke play), where partners compete as a side with each playing a separate ball. Th...
24
Purpose: Rule 24 covers team competitions (played in either match play or stroke play), where multiple players or sides compete as a team with the res...