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| INTRODUCTION |
| Golf
is a game in which a ball is struck with a club from a
prepared area, known as the "teeing ground", across fairway
and rough to a second prepared area, which has a hole
in it, known as the "putting green". The object of the
game is to complete what is known as a hole by playing
a ball from the teeing ground into the hole on the putting
green in the fewest possible number of strokes. A "round
of golf' consists of playing 18 such holes. There are
basically two forms of play, one which is decided by holes
won and lost (match play) and the other which is decided
by the total number of strokes taken to complete the round
(stroke play). There are three important principles to
remember when playing golf: Play the course as you find
it. Play the Ball as it lies. And if you can't do either,
do what's fair." To do what's fair you need to know the
Rules. The following is a summary of the Rules of Golf,
simplified where possible. |
| ETIQUETTE |
|
Etiquette
covers both Courtesy and Priority on the Course as well
as Care of the Course. Whilst the following points are
not Rules as such they are an important part of the
game
| 1
Don't move, talk or stand close to a player making
a stroke. |
| 2
Don't play until the group in front is out of the
way. |
| 3
Always play without delay. Leave the putting green
as soon as all players in your group have holed
out. |
| 4
Invite faster groups to play through. |
| 5
Replace divots. Smooth footprints in bunkers. |
| 6
Don't step on the line of another player's putt.
|
| 7
Don't drop clubs on the putting green. |
| 8
Replace the flagstick carefully. |
|
| DEFINITIONS |
| The
Definitions section of the Rules of Golf contains over
forty Definitions which form the foundation around which
the Rules of play are written. A good knowledge of the
defined terms will help in the correct application of
the Rules. These include: |
| Teeing
Ground - the starting place for the hole, defined
by two tee-markers. |
| Through
the Green - the whole area of the golf course except
the teeing ground and putting green of the hole being
played and all hazards. |
| Hazards
- any bunker or water hazard. |
| Putting
Green - an area specially prepared for putting and
containing a 41/2 inch diameter hole. |
| Out
of Bounds - ground on which play is prohibited i.e.
not part of the course. A ball is out of bounds when all
of it lies out of bounds. |
| Loose
Impediments - natural objects such as stones, leaves
and twigs provided they are not fixed or growing, are
not solidly embedded and are not sticking to the ball. |
| Obstructions
- any man-made object, except: |
| (1)
objects defining out of bounds |
| (2)
any part of an immovable man-made object which is out
of bounds; and |
| (3)
any construction declared by the Committee in the Local
Rules to be an integral part of the course. |
| Casual
Water - any temporary accumulation of water on the
course which is visible before or after the player takes
his stance (dew and frost are not casual water). |
| Ground
Under Repair (GUR) - any portion of the course so
marked by the Committee. Also includes material piled
for removal and a hole made by a greenkeeper, even if
not so marked. |
| THE
RULES OF PLAY GENERAL POINTS |
| Before
commencing your round: |
| (1)
Read the Local Rules on the score card. |
| (2)
Put an identification mark on your ball. Many golfers
play the same brand of ball and if you can't identify
your ball, it's lost. |
| (3)
Count your clubs. You are allowed a maximum of 14 clubs. |
| During
the round, don't ask for "advice" from anyone except your
partner or caddie. Don't give advice to anyone except
your partner. During a hole you may not play a practice
stroke. |
| TEEING
OFF Tee off between and not in front of the tee-markers.
You may tee off up to two club-lengths behind the front
line of the tee-markers. Teeing off outside this area
- in match play there is no penalty but your opponent
may ask you to replay your stroke; in stroke play you
incur a two-stroke penalty and must then play from within
the proper area. |
| PLAYING
THE BALL Play the ball as it lies. Don't improve your
lie, the area of your intended 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.
Don't press anything down or build a stance. If your ball
lies 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 your downswing. The ball must be fairly struck,
not pushed or spooned. Playing a wrong ball (except in
a hazard) - in match play you lose the hole; in stroke
play you incur a two-stroke penalty and you must then
play the correct ball. |
| ON
THE PUTTING GREEN You may repair ball marks and old
hole plugs on the line of your putt but not any other
damage, including spike marks. You may mark, lift and
clean your ball on the putting green. Always replace it
on the exact spot. Don't test the putting surface by scraping
it or rolling a ball over it. Ball played from putting
green strikes flagstick - in match play you lose the hole;
in stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty. |
| BALL
AT REST MOVED If your ball is at rest and it 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. If your
ball is at rest and is moved by someone else or another
ball, replace it without penalty to you. |
| BALL
IN MOTION DEFLECTED OR STOPPED Ball struck by you
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. Ball struck by you 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
the ball you have an option to replay the stroke or (b)
in stroke play, if the ball is deflected after a stroke
from on the putting green, you must replay it. Ball struck
by you is deflected or stopped by another ball at rest-
in match play, no penalty and the ball is played as it
lies except. In stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty
if your ball and the other ball were on the putting green
before you played. |
| LIFTING,
DROPPING AND PLACING THE BALL If a lifted ball is
to be replaced, its position must be marked. If a ball
is to be dropped or placed in any other position (e.g.
taking relief from GUR, etc.) it is recommended that the
ball's original position be marked. When dropping, stand
erect, hold the ball at shoulder height and arm's length
and drop it. If a dropped ball strikes you or your partner,
caddie or equipment it must be re-dropped without penalty.
There are eight instances where a dropped ball rolls to
such a position that it must be re-dropped - see Rules
of Golf Rule 20 - 2c |
| BALL
INTERFERING WITH OR ASSISTING PLAY You may lift your
ball if it might assist any other player. You may have
any ball lifted if it might interfere with your play or
assist any other player. |
| LOOSE
IMPEDIMENTS You may move a loose impediment unless
it and your ball are in a hazard. However, if you have
touched 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. |
| OBSTRUCTIONS
Check the Local Rules on the score card for guidance on
immovable obstructions (e.g. surfaced roads and paths
etc.). Movable obstructions (e.g. rakes, tin cans etc.)
anywhere on the course may be moved. If the ball moves
it must be replaced without penalty. If an immovable obstruction
(e.g. a water fountain) interferes with your stance or
swing, you may drop the ball within one club-length of
the nearest point of 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 putting green.
|
| CASUAL
WATER, GROUND UNDER REPAIR etc. If your ball is in
casual water, ground under repair or a hole or cast made
by a burrowing animal e.g. a rabbit, you may drop without
penalty within one club-length of the nearest point of
relief not nearer the hole. |
| WATER
HAZARDS |
| Check
the Local Rules on the score card to establish whether
the sea,lake, river etc. is a `water hazard' or a `lateral
water hazard'. |
| Ball
in watery hazard - play the ball as it lies or, under
penalty of one stroke, |
| (a)
drop any distance behind the water hazard keeping a straight
line between the hole, the point where the ball crossed
the margin of the water hazard and spot on which the ball
is dropped, or |
| (b)
play again from where you hit the ball into the hazard.
Ball in lateral water hazard - in addition to the options
for a ball in a water hazard (see above), under penalty
of one stroke, you may drop within two club-lengths of
(a) the point where the ball crossed the margin of the
hazard or (b) a point on the opposite side of the hazard
equidistant from the hole. |
| BALL
LOST OR OUT OF BOUNDS |
| Check
the Local Rules on the score card to identify the boundaries
of the course. 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, after which if it is not found or identified
it is lost. If, after playing a shot, you think your ball
may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds you
may play a `provisional ball'. You must state 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 or out of bounds you must continue with the provisional
ball under penalty of one stroke. If the original ball
is not lost or out of bounds, you must continue play of
the hole with it and the provisional ball must be abandoned. |
| BALL
UNPLAYABLE |
| If
you believe your ball is unplayable outside a water hazard
(and you are the sole judge), you may under penalty of
one stroke, |
| (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 a straight line between the hole, the point
where the ball lay 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)
and (c). However, if you elect to proceed under (a) or
(b) you must drop in the bunker. |
| |
| CONCLUSION |
| A
good score may be spoiled, or a match lost, due to a penalty
incurred through ignorance or confusion concerning the
Rules. A sound knowledge of the above summary should aid
the golfer in tackling a "Rules problem". Nevertheless,
the complete Rules of Golf as approved by the Royal and
Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and the United States
Golf Association, should be consulted where any doubt
arises. |
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