The Rulings
Welcome to a new feature courtesy of Robin Farran.
There will be periodic updates to this page.
Abbreviations that you may encounter:
- TA - Teeing Area
- PG - Putting Green
- PA - Penalty Area
- KVC in PA - Known or Virtually Certain in the Penalty Area
- MLR - Model Local Rule
Now What – March 2, 2022 – The Rulings
Incidents are stroke play.
Incident 1
Player A's tee shot heads into bad country in the general area of the course. Player A announces and plays a provisional ball which heads toward the same bad country. Player A announces and plays a second provisional ball.
Player A finds all three balls within the 3-minute search time and is not able to determine which ball is the original ball or which ball is the first or second provisional ball.
**Since Player A was unable to identify which ball was which, Player A must choose one of the balls to be treated as the second provisional ball which is now in play, and the other balls are treated as lost and must not be played. Player A lies 5 with the chosen ball. See Rule 18.3c(2).
Incident 2
Player A's ball lies in the general area; Player A's stance is on an animal hole in a red penalty area.
**Whether a player gets relief from an abnormal course condition (on the course) is determined by where the ball lies. Player A gets free relief under Rule 16.1a following the procedure in Rule 16.1b.
Incident 3
Player A does not search for his or her original ball and assumes that the ball is likely in a red penalty area.
Player A estimates the spot where the original ball likely crossed the red line and dropped a ball in the lateral relief area.
Before playing the dropped ball, another player in the group informs Player A that Player A's original ball is found in the general area some distance ahead of where Player A had dropped a ball.
Player A picks up the dropped ball and continues the hole with his or her original ball.
**Since it was not known or virtually certain that Player A's original ball was in the penalty area, the ball dropped in taking relief was not dropped under a Rule that applied. Player A proceeded correctly in continuing play with the original ball. See Rule 14.5(1).
OK or Not OK – February 10, 2022 – The Rulings
Incidents are stroke play.
Incident 1
Player A's ball is on the fringe of the putting green on Player B's line of play.
Without any dialog with Player B, Player A marks and lifts his ball in play.
After Player B plays his ball and Player A replaces his ball, A gust of wind moves Player A's ball about 2 feet onto the putting green.
Player A replaces his ball on its original spot and completes the hole.
**Not OK! Player A was not allowed to lift his ball in play, in the general area, based on his own belief that his ball might interfere with Player B's ball. Player A gets one penalty stroke. See Rule 9.4 and Rule 15.3b(2).
When Player A's replaced ball was moved by a natural force, Rule 9.3 required the ball to be played from its new spot. Player A gets an additional two-stroke penalty for playing from a wrong place.
Incident 2
Player A is measuring the two club-length relief area for her unplayable ball in a bush in the general area and accidentally moves her ball in play.
**OK! See the 5th bullet in Exception 4 to Rule 9.4b.
Incident 3
The tee shots of Player A and Player B come to rest in the fairway about the same distance from the hole.
After Player B plays one of the balls, Player A sees Player B's ball and realizes that Player B had played his ball.
Player A drops another ball within one club-length of the estimated spot of where his original ball had come to rest and completes the hole.
**Not OK! When Player A's ball was played by Player B, Player A was required to replace the ball on its original spot, which if not known must be estimated.
[As noted in the Exception to Rule 14.2a, another ball may be used if the original ball cannot be recovered with reasonable effort, and in a few seconds.] Player A played from a wrong place and gets a penalty of two strokes under Rule 14.7a.
Player B played a wrong ball, gets a penalty of two strokes, and must correct the mistake. See Rule 6.3c.
Incident 4
Player A, without marking his ball on the putting green, carefully rotates the ball to align the line on his ball with his line of play.
**Not OK! Deliberately rotating the ball in play is considered the same as lifting a ball. See Rule 9.4b and Interpretation 9.4b/1. Player A gets a penalty of one stroke.
True or False – January 31, 2022 – The Rulings
Incidents are stroke play.
Incident 1
Player A's ball is in the general area close to a red penalty area, and Player A's stance is on a sprinkler head in the red penalty area.
Player A is not allowed to take free relief since the obstruction is in the red penalty area.
**False – The ball is in the general area and the obstruction, an abnormal course condition, is on the course – see Rule 16.1b.
Incident 2
Player A may reach across the hole on the putting green and tap in a short putt.
**True – Player A did not make the stroke while standing across the line of play behind the ball (Rule 10.1c) and did not breach Rule 10.1a.
Incident 3
Player A swings and misses his ball on a tee on the teeing ground.
Although he intended to hit the ball the "whiff" does not count as a stroke, since the ball was not in play.
**False – Player A's intent was to make a stroke, therefore, the stroke counts and the ball is now in play - see Rule 6.2b(5) and the Definitions of "Stroke" and "In Play".
Incident 4
In taking relief from a paved cart path in the general area, Player A's relief area is on a sloped part of the fairway.
After the two drops rolled out of the relief area and after two attempts to place a ball on the spot where the second drop first touched the ground, the ball would not stay at rest on the spot.
In continuing to find the nearest spot where the ball would stay at rest, Player A did find a spot in the general area outside the relief area, not nearer the hole, where there was no interference from the cart path and where the ball would stay at rest.
Player A did not proceed correctly.
**False – Player A did proceed correctly – see Rule 14.3(2) and Rule 14.2e.
Incident 5
Player A and Player B are partners in four-ball stroke-play.
Player A's tee shot heads toward "bad country". During search, Player B marks and picks up a ball that could be Player A's ball, determines that the ball is Player A's original ball and replaces the ball.
Player B then decides that the ball is unplayable, picks up the ball and drops the ball in the correct relief area for back-on-the-line relief.
If Player A plays the dropped ball, the side would get three one-stroke penalties.
**False – In four-ball stroke-play, Player B may take any action concerning Player A's ball that Player A is allowed to take before making a stroke – see Rule 23.5a.
Player A gets a one-stroke penalty under Rule 19.2b for relief for an unplayable ball.
OK or Not OK – August 22, 2020 – The Rulings
Incident 1
Player A's ball is on a sprinkler head in the general area close to the putting green.
Player A determines the correct reference point for free relief, measures the one club-length area, not nearer the hole, and drops a substituted ball on the putting green within the measured relief area. The ball comes to rest on the putting green within the relief area.
Player A plays the ball.
**Not OK! Player A gets a penalty of two strokes in stroke play or loss-of-hole penalty in match play for playing from a wrong place. See Rule 16.1b and Rule 14.7a.
When taking relief for a ball in the general area, the relief area must be in the general area and the ball when dropped must land in and come to rest in the relief area.
Incident 2
Player A's ball comes to rest in a pond marked as a red penalty area close to the putting green.
Player A, in taking lateral relief, measures the two club-length relief area from the reference point, not nearer the hole, and drops a substituted ball on the putting green within the relief area. The ball comes to rest on the putting green within the relief area.
Player A plays the ball.
**OK! Player A has proceeded as required by Rule 17.1.d.
Incident 3
Player A's ball comes to rest in a pond marked as a red penalty area close to the putting green.
Player A, in taking lateral relief, measures the two club-length relief area from the reference point, not nearer the hole, and drops a substituted ball on the putting green within the relief area. The ball rolls off the putting green and comes to rest in the general area within the relief area.
Player A plays the ball.
**Not OK! Player A gets a penalty of two strokes in stroke play or loss-of-hole penalty in match play for playing from a wrong place. See Rule 17.1d and Rule 14.7a.
Order of Play – August 12, 2020 – The Rulings
All Incidents are in Match Play.
Incident 1
Player A's ball is in the fairway 150 yards from the hole and Player B's ball is in the fairway 160 yards from the hole. Player B plays his ball.
Player B's ball lands beyond the putting green and is likely out of bounds. Player B informs Player A that he will play a provisional ball.
What is the order of play for the next stroke?
** It is Player B's turn to play. When playing a provisional ball, the order of play is for the player to play the provisional ball right after making the previous stroke and before anyone else plays a ball. See Rule 6.4d(1) and Rule 6.4d(2).
Incident 2
Player A's ball is in a bunker 40 yards from the hole. Player B's ball lands in a yellow penalty area about 15 yards from the hole. Player B, proceeding under back-on-the-line relief, drops another ball in the relief area about 70 yards from the hole.
What is the order of play for the next stroke?
** It is player A's turn to play. See Rule 6.4d(1). The order of play is based on where the original ball lies.
Incident 3
Player A's ball is in the fairway 70 yards from the hole. Player B's ball is 55 yards from the hole in an unplayable location. Player B elects to proceed under back-on-the-line relief for an unplayable ball and drops another ball in the relief area about 90 yards from the hole.
What is the order of play for the next stroke?
** It is player A's turn to play. See Rule 6.4d(1).
Incident 4
Player A's ball is in the fairway 70 yards from the hole. Player B's ball is in the fairway 90 yards from the hole. Player B calls to Player A, "Go ahead a play if you are ready. I need to get a different club from my cart". Player A plays her ball onto the putting green.
Any penalties?
**No penalties. The Exception to Rule 6.4a(2) permits playing out of turn to save time.
Incident 5
In Four-Ball match play, side A-B vs side C-D, Player A's ball is 5 feet from the hole and partner Player B is 10 feet from the hole. Player C is 3 feet from the hole and Player D is on the fringe, 20 feet from the hole. Player C played his ball and then Player D played his ball.
OK or Not OK?
** OK. In partner play, the side may play in the order the side chooses. As Player D was farthest from the hole, Player C may play first. See Rule 23.6.
True or False – August 2, 2020 – The Rulings
In Four-Ball Stroke Play, Player A and Player B are a side, and both players have caddies.
1. Player B's caddie is permitted to mark and lift Player A's ball on the putting green
**True – See Rule 23.5a and Rule 10.3b(1).
2. Player A is contemplating the club to use on a par-3 hole. Either Player B or Player B's caddie may suggest what club Player A should use for the stroke.
**True – See Rule 10.3b(1) and Rule 23.5a.
3. Player A, by mistake, marks and lifts Player B's ball on the putting green. Player A gets a penalty of one stroke.
**False – See Rule 23.5a .
4. Player A sees a ball in the rough and believing it is a stray ball, picks up the ball. The ball is Player B's ball in play. Player A gets a penalty of one stroke.
**False – See Rule 23.5b. Player B gets a penalty of one stroke.
5. Player A sees Player B's ball in a bush, decides that the ball is unplayable and drops another ball as required in Rule 19.2c. Player B arrives and plays the ball. The side has proceeded correctly.
**True – See Rule 23.5a.
OK or Not OK – July 24, 2020 – The Rulings
Incident 1
Player A's ball is on the putting green. A sprinkler head on the putting green is on his or her line of play. Player A lifts the ball without marking its position and places the ball on the green at the nearest spot of complete relief. A minute or two later, Player A's ball is moved about 12 inches by a gust of wind.
Player A plays the ball from its new location.
**Not OK! Player A gets the general penalty for playing from a wrong place. Player A proceeded correctly in taking relief from the sprinkler head on his or her line of play. However, when a ball is lifted from the putting green in taking relief and placed on the putting green, the ball "owns" that spot until the stroke is made. See Rule 13.1d(2) and Interpretation 13.1d(2)/1.
Incident 2
Player A's ball is in temporary water in a bunker. Believing that he or she is entitled to relief from the temporary water, Player A drops another ball in a one club-length relief area outside the bunker in the general area on a line behind the original spot of the ball in the bunker and the flagstick.
Player A plays the ball from the relief area.
**OK! Rule 16.1c(2) permits Player A to proceed as described in Incident 2 under a penalty of one stroke.
Incident 3
Player A's ball comes to rest in a concrete paved trench at the bottom of a recessed desert area marked as a red penalty area. Player A determines the nearest point of complete relief from the concrete trench and using that point as the reference point for relief, takes relief from the concrete trench by dropping another ball in the penalty area within the relief area measured from the reference point.
Player A plays the ball from the relief area.
**Not OK! A player is not entitled to relief from an obstruction when the ball is in a penalty area – See Rule 16.1a(2). Player A is permitted to play the ball from the penalty area or take relief under Rule 17.1d.
Player A, in stroke play, gets one penalty stroke under Rule 17.1d and two penalty strokes for playing from a wrong place (Rule 14.7a).
In match play, Player A gets a loss-of-hole penalty for playing from a wrong place.
True or False – July 14, 2020 – The Rulings
Incident 1
Player A's approach shot to the putting green lands in the fairway short of the putting green and embeds in the soft turf.
Player A may take free relief for an embedded ball.
**True - See Rule 16.3.
Incident 2
Player A's approach shot to the putting green bounces off the fairway and embeds in an area of soft turf short of the putting green.
Player A may take free relief for an embedded ball.
**True – See Rule 16.3
Incident 3
Player A's approach shot to the putting green lands in the fairway and rolls and comes to rest in temporary water in the general area.
In taking relief from the temporary water, Player A proceeds correctly with his or her relief procedure and the dropped ball embeds in the soft turf.
Player A may take free relief for an embedded ball.
**False – See Rule 16.3a(2).
Incident 4
Player A's approach shot to the putting green lands on the putting green and embeds on the putting green.
Player A may take free relief for an embedded ball.
**False – See Rule 16.3a(1), Rule 13.1b and Rule 13.1c(2).
Incident 5
In stroke play, Player A's ball in the general area is stepped on by another player in the group and is pressed into the ground, altering the lie.
Player A must drop the ball as nearly as possible to where the original ball was at rest before the ball was stepped-on, not nearer the hole.
**False - Player A's ball was moved by an outside influence and the lie was altered. Rule 14.2d applies. Player A must replace the ball (not drop the ball) and since the lie was altered, the ball must be replaced by placing it on the nearest spot, not nearer the hole, that has a lie most similar to the original le, (2) is within one club-length of its original spot, (3) is not nearer the hole, and (4) is in the general area.
Score for the Hole – July 4, 2020 – The Rulings
Incident 1
Player A's tee shot comes to rest in a relatively dry area in a red penalty area on a par-4 hole. Player A's second shot ends up in deep water.
Player A measures a two club-length relief area with her driver from where the tee shot crossed the red line and drops a ball from shoulder height in the relief area. The dropped ball rolled into the penalty area as did the next drop, also dropped from shoulder height.
After placing the ball on the spot where the second ball landed, another player intervened and reminded Player A that dropping is from knee height is required in the current Rules.
Player A picked up the ball and dropped another ball from knee height. The dropped ball landed in and came to rest in the relief area. Player A played the ball onto the green and completed the hole in two additional strokes.
**Player A's score is 6.
1s from TA, 1s into deep water, 1p for relief from PA and 3 additional strokes. See Rule 17.2a(1). [Player A corrected her dropping errors and corrected the mistakes – see Rule 14.5a.
Incident 2
Player A's tee shot comes to rest in a relatively dry area in a red penalty area on a par-3 hole. Player A's second shot overflies the green and is out of bounds.
Not quite sure what to do, Player A returns to the teeing area, plays his ball onto the green and completes the hole in two additional strokes.
**Player A's score for the hole is 7.
1s from TA, 1s from PA, 1p for stroke-and distance-relief and 1p for relief from PA, plus 3 more strokes. See Rule 17.2b.
Incident 3
Player A is taking back-on-the-line relief for her tee shot which was ball unplayable in the general area. Player A selects a reference point on the line and measures the relief area. Part of the relief area was in the general area and part in a bunker.
Concerned that the ball when dropped might roll into the bunker, Player A drops the ball from about a foot above the ground in the general area and the ball rolls and comes to rest in the relief area in the bunker.
Player A plays the ball just short of the green and completes the hole in 3 additional strokes.
**Player A's score for the hole is 8.
1s from TA, 1p for relief for ball unplayable, 2p for play from a wrong place, 1s for stroke to just short of the green, plus 3s to complete the hole.
See Rule 19.2b, Rule 14.3b and Rule 1.3c(4).
Now What – June 24, 2020 – The Rulings
Incident 1
Player A's tee shot lands in the deep rough right of the fairway. Not sure whether he will find the ball, Player A plays a provisional ball that lands in the fairway. Player A finds the original ball after a two-minute search.
Player A goes out to the fairway to pick up the provisional ball and returns to the rough and again searches for his original ball, requiring an additional two-minutes of search time before the original ball is found.
**Player A's original ball is lost, and he lifted his ball in play. The lifted ball must be replaced on its original spot. Player A gets a penalty of one stroke for lifting his ball in play. Player A will be playing his 5th stroke on the hole.
See Definition of "Lost", Rule 9.4b and Interpretation 18.3c(2)/5.
Incident 2
Player A's tee shot lands in bad country right of the fairway. Player A plays a provisional ball that lands in the fairway. After a brief search, Player A sees a ball that is probably his original ball and tells another player in his group to pick up his provisional ball.
Player A discovers that the ball he found was not his original ball and, after searching for three minutes, returns to the area where his provisional ball had come to rest in the fairway.
** Player A's original ball is lost, and he lifted his ball in play. The lifted ball must be replaced on its original spot. Player A gets a penalty of one stroke for authorizing another player to lift his ball in play. Player A will be playing his 5th stroke on the hole.
See Definition of "Lost", Interpretation 18.2a(1)/1 and Rule 1.3c(1).
Incident 3
Player A's tee shot heads right toward a cart path and area of vegetation. Player A sees a ball on the cart path, assumes that the ball is his ball, picks up the ball and takes relief.
Player A plays the ball toward the green and, preparing for his 3rd stroke on the hole, discovers that the ball is not the ball played from the teeing area.
**When Player A dropped and played a ball substituted for his original ball (location unknown), Player A proceeded under stroke and distance and played from a wrong place, likely a serious breach, and must correct before the start of the next hole.
Player A must return to the teeing area and will be playing his 5th stroke.
Scoring: In stroke play: tee shot, 1p for stroke and distance, 2p for playing from a wrong place. Loss of hole in match play.
See Rule 14.4, Rules 14.7 and 14.7b(1) and Rules 18.1 and 18.2.
OK or Not OK – June 14, 2020 – The Rulings
Incidents are all individual stroke play:
Incident 1
On the practice putting green, moments before his starting time, Player A discovers he has an extra putter he borrowed from the pro shop and has 15 clubs in his bag. Player A turns the club upside down in his golf bag, heads to the starting tee and, without any comments about the extra club to anyone, begins the round.
At Scoring, Player A explains his actions to the Scoring Official.
**OK. Player A has proceeded correctly – see Rule 4.1c(2). Player A must not use the club to make a stroke and the club does not count towards the 14-club limit.
Incident 2
During the 3rd hole of the round, Player A discovers he has 16 clubs, including 2 extra wedges borrowed from the pro shop. Player A turns the two clubs upside down in his golf bag and continues the round without any comments to anyone about the extra clubs.
At Scoring, Player A explains his actions to the Scoring Official.
**Not OK. Player A gets a penalty of two strokes on the 1st and 2nd holes and properly took the two clubs out of play – see penalty statement for Rule 4.1b and Rule 4.1c(1).
Incident 3
On the 5th hole, Player A's shot hits the sharp edge of a concrete wall resulting in a crack in the ball. Player A correctly substitutes another ball and completes the hole. Later in the round, Player A drops the damaged ball in taking relief from a cart path and plays the ball onto the putting green.
After marking and lifting his ball, Player A sees the crack in the ball, replaces another ball on the putting green and completes the hole.
**Player A proceeded correctly on the 5th hole as he was permitted to substitute another ball for a ball damaged during the hole being played – see Rule 4.2c(2).
Later during the round, when Player A substituted another ball for the cracked ball, Player A gets a penalty of two strokes since substitution for a damaged ball is only permitted during the hole when the damage occurs.
Incident 4
During the 18th hole of the round, Player A discovers that he had a weighted club, non-conforming, in his bag. Including the weighted club, which was not used in the round, Player A had 14 clubs in his bag.
**Player A gets no penalty for carrying a non-conforming club as long as the club is not used in making a stroke or used as a swing aid in a practice swing – see Rule 4.1a(1) and Rule 4.3a(6). [The non-conforming club counts as one of Player A's 14 clubs.]
Any Penalties – June 5, 2020 – The Rulings
Incident 1
Player A's ball comes to rest against a bunker rake on a sloped area of turf. Player A marked and lifted the ball, removed the rake and replaced the ball on its original spot. After removing the tee used to mark the position of the ball, Player A completed the hole.
**Player A gets a penalty of one stroke for lifting a ball in play without authorization by a Rule – see Rule 9.4b. Otherwise, Player A proceeded correctly – see Rule 15.2a(1).
Incident 2
Player A's ball comes to rest against a bunker rake on a sloped area in a bunker. When Player A removed the rake, the ball rolled down the sand to a flat area in the bunker. Player A played the ball from its new location.
**Player A gets the general penalty for playing from a wrong place.
Rule 15.2a(1) requires the ball to be replaced.
Incident 3
**Player A proceeded correctly in finding the nearest point, not nearer the hole where the ball would stay at rest – see Rule 14.2e.
Incident 4
Player A's ball comes to rest against a bunker rake on a sloped area in a bunker. When Player A removed the rake, the ball rolled several feet. Player A, after several unsuccessful attempts to replace the ball and have it stay on its original estimated spot, pressed the ball into the sand on the estimated spot and played the ball.
**Player A gets the general penalty. Player A was required to find a spot in the bunker, not nearer the hole, where the ball would stay at rest – see Rule 14.2e.
When Player A pushed the ball into the sand, Player A created an indentation in the surface, a breach of Rule 8.1a(3). When the ball was played from the indentation in the bunker, Player A played from a wrong place as the "spot" included vertical distance - see Interpretation 8.2b/1
Any Penalties - May 27, 2020 – The Rulings
Incident 1
Player A's ball comes to rest on a towel in a bunker. Player A picked up the ball and removed the towel. Player A dropped another ball from knee height on a spot in the bunker about two feet behind the estimated spot under where the ball had come to rest on the towel and played the ball.
**Player A proceeded correctly. Rule 15.2a(2) requires the original ball or another ball to be dropped in the relief area.
Incident 2
Player A's ball comes to rest on a towel in a bunker. Player A picked up the ball and removed the towel. Player A placed the ball in the bunker on the estimated spot directly under where the ball had come to rest on the towel and played the ball.
**Player A gets the general penalty for placing the ball when Rule 15.2(2) required the ball to be dropped in the relief area.
When a ball is placed when required to be dropped, the player gets the general penalty – see Rule 14.3b(3).
Incident 3
Player A's ball comes to rest on a towel on the putting green. Player A picked up the ball and placed another ball on the estimated spot on the putting green directly under where the original ball had come to rest on the towel and completed play of the hole.
**Player A proceeded correctly in placing the original ball or another ball on the spot directly under where the original ball lay on the towel – see Rule 15.2a(3).
Incident 4
Player A's ball comes to rest against a golf club left in a penalty area by a player in a previous group. The removal of the club by Player A causes the ball to move. Player A cleans the ball, replaces the ball on the estimated spot and plays the ball.
**Player A was permitted to remove the club and replace the ball without penalty, and the ball may be cleaned – see Rule 15.2a and Rule 14.1c.
Any Penalties – May 18, 2020 – The Rulings
Incident 1
Player A's ball comes to rest on the putting green near a large cricket. As Player A brushes the cricket away from the ball, his hand moves the ball. Player A replaces the ball on the estimated spot.
**Player A has proceeded correctly without penalty.
When a ball is on a putting green, there is no penalty for moving a ball in play when removing a loose impediment, Rule 15.1 Exception 1, or for accidently moving the ball, Rule 9.4b Exception 3.
Incident 2
Player A's ball comes to rest in the fairway near a large cricket. As Player A brushes the cricket away from the ball, his hand moves the ball. Player A replaces the ball on the estimated spot.
**Player A gets one penalty stroke for moving his ball in play – see Rule 9.4b. As required by Rule 9.4b, Player A replaced the ball.
Incident 3
Player A's ball comes to rest on the putting green on top of a large leaf. Player A removes the leaf, without marking the position of the ball, causing the ball to move.
Player A discards the leaf, cleans the ball, and replaces the ball on the estimated spot.
**Player A has proceeded correctly without penalty.
When a ball is on the putting green, there is no penalty for moving a ball in play when removing a loose impediment, Rule 15.1, or for accidentally moving the ball, Rule 9.4 Exception 3. Additionally, the ball may be cleaned, Rule 13.1b , and the loose impediment is not required to be replaced, Rule 15.1a Exception 1.
Incident 4
Player A's ball comes to rest in the fairway on top of a large leaf. Player A removes the leaf, causing the ball to move.
Player A discards the leaf and replaces the ball on the estimated spot.
**Player A gets a penalty of one stroke. Player A moved his ball in play, Rule 9.4b, and removed a loose impediment prior to replacing the ball, Rule 15.1a Exception 1.
Since the two acts are related, player A gets one penalty stroke – see Rule 1.3c(4)