Rule of the Month

April 2022

RULE 5.6 UNREASONABLE DELAY; PROMPT PACE OF PLAY

5.6a Unreasonable Delay of Play

You must not unreasonably delay play, either when playing a hole or between two holes.

Penalty for Breach of Rule 5.6a:
• Penalty for first breach: One penalty stroke.
• Penalty for second breach: General Penalty (Loss of Hole in Match Play and 2 strokes in Stroke Play).
• Penalty for third breach: Disqualification.

If you unreasonably delay play between two holes, the penalty applies to the next hole.

5.6b Prompt Pace of Play

A round of golf is meant to be played at a prompt pace. Your pace of play is likely to affect how long it will take other players to play their rounds, including both those in the group and those in following groups. You are encouraged to allow faster groups to play through.

PACE OF PLAY RECOMMENDATIONS – You should play at a prompt pace throughout the round, including the time taken to:
• Prepare for and make each stroke,
• Move from one place to another between strokes,
• Move to the next teeing area having completed the hole.

You should prepare in advance for your next stroke and be ready to play when it is your turn.

When it is your turn to play:
• It is recommended that you make the stroke in no more than 40 seconds after you are (or should be) able to play without interference or distraction, and
• You should usually be able to play more quickly than that and are encouraged to do so.

PLAYING OUT OF TURN TO HELP PACE OF PLAY

In stroke play, play “ready golf” in a SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE WAY.

In match play, you and your opponent may agree that one of you will play out of turn to save time. Otherwise you would not play out of turn in Match Play.

March 2022

Rule 16.2 Dangerous Animal Condition

Rule 16.2a When relief is allowed

A “dangerous animal condition” exists when a dangerous animal (such as poisonous snakes, stinging bees, alligators, fire ants, bears, and rutting deer) near the ball could cause serious physical injury to the player if he or she had to play the ball as it lies.
A player may take relief under Rules 16.2b from interference by a dangerous animal condition no matter where his or her ball lies on the course, except that relief is not allowed:
• When playing the ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something other than the dangerous animal condition (for example the player is unable to make a stroke because of where the ball lies in a bush), or
• When interference exists only because the player chooses a club, type of stance or swing or direction of play that is clearly unreasonable under the circumstances.

Rule 16.2b Relief for Dangerous Animal Condition

Free relief is allowed One Club Length from the Nearest Point of Complete Relief, not nearer the hole, in the area where the ball lies (General Area, Bunker, Putting Green, or Penalty Area). For the purposes of this rule, the nearest point of complete relief means the nearest point (not nearer the hole) where the dangerous animal condition does not exist. This may not be possible in the Penalty Area and, if that is the case, the player must take Penalty Relief in the usual way.

February 2022

BALL OVERHANGING HOLE Rule 13.3

13.3a Waiting time to see if Ball Overhanging Hole Will Fall into the Hole

If any part of a player’s ball overhangs the lip of the hole
• The player is allowed a reasonable time to reach the hole and ten more seconds to wait and see whether the ball will fall into the hole.
• If the ball falls into the hole in this waiting time, the player has holed out with the previous shot.
• If the ball does not fall into the hole in this waiting time; the ball is treated as being at rest. If the ball then falls into the hole before it is played, the player has holed out with the previous stroke, but gets one penalty stroke added to the score for the hole.

13.3b What to do if Ball Overhanging Hole is Lifted or Moved Before Lifting time has ended

If a ball overhanging the hole is lifted or moved before the waiting time under the Rule 13.3a has ended, the ball is treated as having come to rest:
• The ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole and
• The waiting time under Rules 13.3a no longer applies to the ball.

If the opponent in match play or another player in stroke play deliberately lifts or moves the player’s ball before the waiting time has ended:
• In match play, the player’s ball is treated as holed from the previous stroke, and there is no penalty to the opponent.
• In stroke play the player who lifted the moved ball gets the general penalty of 2 strokes. The ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole.

January 2022

SOME EQUIPMENT RULES

There is nothing in the Rules of Golf that would prohibit a player borrowing an umbrella from someone else on the course be it another player, official, or spectator. The Rules of Golf even allow you to use an umbrella to protect yourself from the elements while making a stroke but it must be the player holding the umbrella so it only works when tapping in a putt. Under the Rules of Golf you can borrow anything you want from others apart from CLUBS.

A player is limited to those clubs they have started with, or added when allowed, and must not make a stroke with a club borrowed from someone else playing on the course.

Exception: In Foursomes or Four-ball players can share clubs as long as their total number of clubs does not exceed 14.

Since 2019 there has been no penalty if a ball accidentally hits or is deflected or stopped by any player, partner, caddie or equipment but you have to play the ball as it lies. (Rule 11.1).

If a ball is deliberately deflected or stopped by a player the General Penalty applies – Loss of Hole in Match Play and 2 Strokes penalty in stroke play. (Rule 11.2). On the Putting Green replace the ball and play again from there. Anywhere else on the course estimate where the ball would have come to rest, put a marker down as a reference point, drop a ball within a club length of the reference point and play from there.

December 2021

RULE 18.1 Relief Under Penalty of STROKE-AND-DISTANCE allowed any time.

At any time, a player may take Stroke-and-Distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing the original ball or another ball from where the previous stroke was made. You always have this option no matter where your ball is on the course.

Once you put another ball into play under penalty of Stroke and Distance the original ball is no longer in play and must not be played even if found within 3 minutes. This does not apply if you announce you are playing a Provisional Ball.

RULE 14.6 Making Next Stroke from Where Previous Stroke Made

This Rule applies whenever a player is required or allowed under the Rules to make the next stroke from where the previous stroke was made. If the original ball or another ball was played from the Teeing Area the original or another ball must be played from anywhere inside the Teeing Area and may be teed.

If the previous stroke was made from the General Area, a Penalty Area or Bunker, the spot where the previous stroke was made is the Reference Point, and the size of the Relief Area is within one-club length of the Reference Point not nearer the hole. It must be in the same area of the course as the Reference Point (i.e. in the General Area, Penalty Area or Bunker). The ball must be dropped not nearer the hole.

If the previous stroke was made from the Putting Green the original or another ball must be placed on the spot where the previous stroke was made on the Putting Green which if not known must be estimated.

November 2021

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MATCH PLAY AND STROKE PLAY

Match Play and Stroke Play are very different forms of play. In Match Play you and your opponent compete against each other based on holes lost, won or tied. In Stroke Play all players compete with one another based on each player’s total scores. In a Scratch competition your “gross score” for the hole or round is your total. In a Handicap Competition your “net score” for the hole or round is your gross score minus your handicap strokes.

IN MATCH PLAY YOU COMPETE SOLELY AGAINST EACH OTHER, CAN SEE EACH OTHER’S PLAY AND CAN PROTECT YOU OWN INTERESTS.

In a match you can concede your opponent’s next stroke, hole, or the match. A concession must be clearly communicated and it is final – you cannot withdraw it and your opponent cannot decline it.
If your opponent has a short putt that they are definitely unlikely to miss – concede it and move on. You can concede a putt verbally by saying “I give you that”, or by picking the ball up and giving it to your opponent. If you are in a great deal of trouble on a hole and cannot recover with any chance of winning or halving the hole concede the rest of the hole and move on. If you are unable to play a match by a due date concede the match to allow the competition to proceed.
If it is a Handicap Match tell each other your Course Handicap and check your allowance – the percentage of your handicap allowed (100% Difference in singles matches) and decide what holes you will give or receive strokes in accordance with the Stroke Index on the card for the tees you are playing from on a particular course. You are responsible for knowing the holes where you will be receiving your strokes.

ORDER OF PLAY

This is very important in Match Play. In Stroke Play Ready Golf is encouraged, in a safe and responsible way, but in Match Play order of play is fundamental because within the Rules of Golf the opponent can recall an opponent’s shot if played Out of Turn, played from Outside the Teeing Area or played from the Wrong Teeing Area, even though no penalty is incurred.
If you are the top of the Draw in Match Play you play first in Club Matches, if playing other Clubs it is usually courteous to offer visitors the option of teeing first, and thereafter take your honour when you win a hole. After the start of a hole the player furthest away plays first.
When Putting on the Putting Green there is no penalty in Match Play if you hit another ball on the Green, you replace the ball that was at rest and play the other ball as it lies. In Stroke Play it will cost you 2 penalty shots if your ball hits another ball on the Putting Green so it is important to get the ball marked in Stroke Play if you think your ball might hit it.

October 2021

Rule 6.3 Ball Used in Play of Hole

Rule 6.3c THE WRONG BALL

A player must not make a stroke at a Wrong Ball. The stroke does not count and in Stroke Play the player must correct the mistake under the Rules by playing the right ball from its original spot or by taking relief under the Rules.
In Match Play the penalty is Loss of Hole. If the player and opponent play each other’s ball during the play of a hole, the first to make a stroke at a Wrong Ball gets the General Penalty Loss of Hole. If it is not known which Wrong Ball was played first, there is no penalty and the hole must be played out with the balls exchanged.
In Stroke Play the player must correct the mistake by continuing to play with the original ball by playing it as it lies or taking relief under the Rules.
The stroke made with the Wrong Ball and any more strokes before the mistake is corrected (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count. The penalty is the General Penalty - 2 Strokes.
If the player does not correct the mistake before making a stroke to begin another hole or, for the final hole of the round, before returning his or her scorecard the player is Disqualified.
In Stroke Play, if you hit a Wrong Ball, you must go back and try and find the right ball before teeing from the next teeing area. If you searched for 2 minutes before playing the Wrong Ball you have only 1 more minute to search. If you do not find your original ball you have to go back to where you played the previous shot under Stroke and Distance. Total penalty strokes would then be 3 – 2 penalty strokes for playing the wrong ball and one penalty stroke for stroke and distance.

September 2021

Rule 6 Playing a Hole

Rule 6.1 Starting Play of a Hole

A player must start each hole by playing a ball from anywhere inside the teeing area. If a player who is starting a hole plays from outside the teeing area, from a wrong set of tees, or from a different location on the same or different hole;
(1) In MATCH PLAY there is no penalty but the opponent may immediately cancel the stroke before another stroke is played. The player must then play again from inside the teeing area. If the stroke is not cancelled, the ball is in play and must be played as it lies.
(2) In STROKE PLAY the player gets the general penalty (two penalty strokes) and must play again from the correct place before playing from the next teeing area or he/she will be disqualified. It does not matter how many strokes were played down the hole the penalty is still only 2 strokes.

Rule 6.2 Playing Ball from Tee

The dotted line defines the outside edge of the teeing area and a ball is in the teeing area when any part of the ball touches or is above part of the teeing area. The player may stand outside the teeing area to play a ball in the teeing area. The ball may be teed or played from the ground. In the teeing area the player may alter the surface of the ground, move bend or break grass and weeds that are attached or growing in the teeing area and remove sand, soil, dew, frost and water in the teeing area. The player must not move the tee-markers when playing from the teeing area or he/she will be penalised 2 strokes for improving the area of their intended swing.