The Course

This guide provides a simple explanation of common Rules situations. It is not a substitute for the Rules of Golf, which should be consulted whenever any doubt arises. For more information on the points covered, please refer to the relevant Rule.

Stroke Play

Stroke play is a form of play where a player (or players) competes against all others in the competition by comparing a total score for one or more rounds. In regular, individual stroke play, you need to hole out on every hole. Each hole score for every hole in the round is added up to calculate your final score.

Match Play:

Match play is a form of play where a player (or players) plays directly against an opponent (or opponents) in a head-to-head match. You win a hole by completing it in the fewest number of strokes, and you win a match when you are winning by more holes than remain to be played.

General Play

The game of golf should be played in the correct spirit and in accordance with the Etiquette Section in the Rules of Golf. In particular:

• show consideration to other players,
• play at a good pace and be ready to invite faster moving groups to play through, and
• take care of the course.

Before starting your round you are advised to:

• put an identification mark on your ball; many golfers play the same brand of ball and if you can’t identify your ball, it is considered lost.

During the round:

• don’t ask for advice from anyone except your caddie, your partner (i.e., a player on your side) or your partner’s caddie; don’t give advice to any player except your partner; you may ask for or provide information on the Rules, distances and the position of hazards, the flagstick, etc.

• don’t play any practice shots during play of a hole.

At the end of your round:

• in match play, ensure the result of the match is posted.
• in stroke play, ensure that your scorecard is completed properly and signed by you and your marker, and return it to the Committee as soon as possible.

Tee Shot

You may change your ball before playing your tee shot, but it is good practice to advise a player in your group if you are changing your ball. Play your tee shot from between, and not in front of, the tee- markers. You may play your tee shot from up to two club-lengths behind the front line of the tee-markers.

If you play your tee shot from outside this area:

• in match play there is no penalty, but your opponent may require you to replay your stroke provided he does so immediately.
• in stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty, the stroke itself does not count and you must play a ball from within the correct area.

Playing the Ball

If you think a ball is yours but cannot see your identification mark, after notifying your marker or opponent, you may mark the position of the ball and lift it to identify it. When lifted under this Rule, the ball may not be cleaned except to the extent necessary to identify it

Play the ball as it lies. Don’t improve your lie, the area of your intended stance or swing, or your line of play by:

• moving, bending or breaking anything fixed or growing, except in fairly taking your stance or making your swing, or pressing anything down.

If you play a wrong ball (i.e., stray ball or ball being used by another player):

• in match play you lose the hole
• in stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty, the strokes made with the wrong ball do not count and you must correct the mistake by playing the correct ball.

On the Putting Green

On the putting green, you may:

• mark, lift and clean your ball (always replace it on the same spot), and
• repair ball marks and old hole plugs, but not any other damage, such as spike marks.

When making a stroke on the putting green, you should ensure that the flagstick is removed or attended. The flagstick may also be removed or attended when the ball lies off the putting green.

Ball at rest Moved

Generally, when your ball is in play, if you accidentally cause it to move, or you lift it when not permitted, add a penalty stroke and replace your ball.

If someone other than you, your caddie, your partner or your partner’s caddie moves your ball at rest, or it is moved by another ball, replace your ball without penalty.

If a ball at rest is moved by wind or it moves of its own accord, play the ball as it lies without penalty.

Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped

If your ball in motion is deflected or stopped by you, your caddie, your partner, or your partner’s caddie, or by equipment belonging to you or your partner, you incur a penalty of one stroke and play the ball as it lies.

If your ball in motion is deflected or stopped by another ball at rest, there is normally no penalty, and the ball is played as it lies. However, in stroke play only, if both balls lay on the putting green before you made your stroke, you incur a two-stroke penalty.

Lifting, Dropping and Placing the Ball

Prior to lifting a ball that has to be replaced (e.g., when you lift your ball on the putting green to clean it), the position of the ball must be marked.

When your ball is being lifted in order to drop or place it in another position (e.g., dropping within two club-lengths under the unplayable ball Rule), it is not mandatory to mark its position although it is recommended that you do so.

When dropping, stand erect, hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s length and drop it.

Common situations where a dropped ball must be re-dropped include when it:

• rolls to a position where there is interference from the same condition from which free relief is being taken (e.g., an immovable obstruction)
• comes to rest more than two club-lengths from where it was dropped, or
• comes to rest nearer the hole than its original position, the nearest point of relief or where the ball last crossed the margin of a water hazard.

If a ball dropped for a second time rolls into any of these positions, you place it where it first struck the course when re-dropped.

Ball Assisting or Interfering with Play

You may:

• lift your ball or have any other ball lifted if you think the ball might assist another player, or
• have any ball lifted if it might interfere with your play.

You must not agree to leave a ball in position in order to assist another player. A ball that is lifted because it is assisting or interfering with play must not be cleaned, except when it is lifted from the putting green.

 Loose Impediments

You may move a loose impediment (i.e., natural loose objects such as stones, detached leaves and twigs) unless the loose impediment and your ball are in the same hazard (i.e., bunker or water hazard). If you remove a loose impediment and this causes your ball to move, the ball must be replaced and (unless your ball was on the putting green) you incur a one-stroke penalty.

Movable Obstructions

Movable obstructions (i.e., artificial movable objects such as rakes, bottles, etc.) located anywhere may be moved without penalty. If your ball moves as a result, it must be replaced without penalty.

If your ball is in or on a movable obstruction, the ball may be lifted, the obstruction removed and the ball dropped, without penalty, on the spot directly under where the ball lay on the obstruction, except that on the putting green, the ball is placed on that spot.

Immovable Obstructions and Abnormal Ground Conditions

An immovable obstruction is an artificial object on the course that cannot be moved (e.g., a building) or cannot readily be moved (e.g., a firmly embedded direction post). Objects defining out of bounds are not treated as obstructions.

An abnormal ground condition is casual water, ground under repair or a hole or the cast from a hole made by a burrowing animal, a reptile or a bird.

Except when your ball is in a water hazard, relief without penalty is available from immovable obstructions and abnormal ground conditions when the condition physically interferes with the lie of the ball, your stance or your swing. You may lift the ball and drop it within one club- length of the nearest point of relief (see Definition of “Nearest Point of Relief”), but not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief (see diagram below). If the ball is on the putting green, you place it at the nearest point of relief, which may be off the putting green.

There is no relief for intervention on your line of play unless both your ball and the condition are on the putting green.

As an additional option when your ball is in a bunker, you may take relief from the condition by dropping the ball outside and behind the bunker under penalty of one stroke.

Ball Lost or Out of Bounds; Provisional Ball

Check the Local Rules on the score card to identify the boundaries of the course. These are normally defined by fences, walls, white stakes or white lines.

If your ball is lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds you must play another ball from the spot where the last shot was played, under penalty of one stroke, i.e., stroke and distance.

You are allowed 5 minutes to search for a ball. If it is not found within 5 minutes, it is lost.

If, after playing a shot, you think your ball may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds you should play a provisional ball. You must announce that it is a provisional ball and play it before you go forward to search for the original ball.

If the original ball is lost (other than in a water hazard) or out of bounds, you must continue with the provisional ball, under penalty of one stroke. If the original ball is found in bounds within 5 minutes, you must continue play of the hole with it, and must stop playing the provisional ball.

Ball Unplayable

If your ball is in a water hazard and you do not wish to play it as it lies, you must proceed under the water hazard Rule – the unplayable ball Rule does not apply. Elsewhere on the course, if you believe your ball is unplayable, you may, under penalty of one stroke:

• play a ball from where your last shot was played, or
• drop a ball any distance behind the point where the ball lay keeping a straight line between the hole, the point where the ball lay and the spot on which the ball is dropped, or
• drop a ball within two club-lengths of where the ball lay not nearer the hole.

This section provides guidelines on the manner in which the game of golf should be played. If they are followed, all players will gain maximum enjoyment from the game. The overriding principle is that consideration should be shown to others on the course at all times.

• Shirts and shoes are to be worn at all times, and no metal spikes including cleats and golf shoes.
• Respect the turf and the golfers yet to play.
• 6 players per group.
• Par 5+ stroke limits on each hole.
• Please allow faster players to play through.
• All carts must remain on the cart path.
• The pace of play:
  • 9 holes – 1 hour
  • 18 holes – 2 hours

The Spirit of the Game

Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.

Safety

Players should ensure that no one is standing close by or in a position to be hit by the club, the ball or any stones, pebbles, twigs or the like when they make a stroke or practice swing.

Players should not play until the players in front are out of range.

Players should always alert greenstaff nearby or ahead when they are about to make a stroke that might endanger them.

If a player plays a ball in a direction where there is a danger of hitting someone, he should immediately shout a warning. The traditional word of warning in such situations is “fore.”

Consideration for Other Players

No Disturbance or Distraction

Players should always show consideration for other players on the course and should not disturb their play by moving, talking or making unnecessary noise.

Players should ensure that any electronic device taken onto the course does not distract other players.

On the teeing ground, a player should not tee his ball until it is his turn to play.

Players should not stand close to or directly behind the ball, or directly behind the hole, when a player is about to play.

On the Putting Green

On the putting green, players should not stand on another player’s line of putt or, when he is making a stroke, cast a shadow over his line of putt.

Players should remain on or close to the putting green until all other players in the group have holed out.

Scoring

In stroke play, a player who is acting as a marker should, if necessary, on the way to the next tee, check the score with the player concerned and record it.

Be ready to Play

Players should be ready to play as soon as it is their turn to play. When playing on or near the putting green, they should leave their bags or carts in such a position as to enable quick movement off the green and towards the next tee. When the play of a hole has been completed, players should immediately leave the putting green.

Lost Ball

If a player believes his ball may be lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, to save time, he should play a provisional ball.

Players searching for a ball should signal the players in the group behind them to play through as soon as it becomes apparent that the ball will not easily be found. They should not search for five minutes before doing so. Having allowed the group behind to play through, they should not continue play until that group has passed and is out of range.

Priority on the Course

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, priority on the course is determined by a group’s pace of play. Any group playing a whole round is entitled to pass a group playing a shorter round. The term “group” includes a single player.

1. Rabbit

The first player to have the low score on a hole captures the Rabbit (no ties). If on the next hole someone other than the holder of the Rabbit is the low scorer, the Rabbit is set free. Then the Rabbit can be won by the next player to earn the lowest score (again, no ties) on a hole. Before another player can be “holder of the Rabbit” it must first be set free.

For immediate satisfaction you can skip the “set the Rabbit free” step and simply make the person with the lowest score (no ties) on a given hole the immediate holder of the Rabbit.

2. Vegas

This one can get ugly in a hurry if you aren’t careful. Actually, it can get ugly even if you are careful. Two teams, two players each. You play for a team score on each hole. But here’s the twist, rather than adding the two team scores — for example, Player A makes a 4 and Player B makes a 5 — the scores are paired (lowest score in front). So, instead of the team in the example used making a 4-5 for a combined nine, they instead make a “45.”

The team score is representative of the number of points each team earns per hole. The points are tracked throughout the round an.

Just so things don’t get ridiculously out of hand, there is a safeguard in Vegas. If a player on a given team scores a 10 or higher, then the 10+ score comes before the lower score when they’re paired together for points. So, if a team has a 7 and a 10 rather than “710 points” for the hole, it’s “107.” This is the only instance in Vegas when the larger number is paired in front of the lower number.

3. Best Ball

This is one of the most popular games to play on the golf course. Typically, two-person teams are in place. Each player plays out his or her own golf ball. At the end of the hole, the lowest score recorded by the team is used toward the team tally, while the higher score is thrown out.