Rules
Quick reference
Common situations in stroke play, the penalty that applies, and what to do next.
At the tee ground
| Situation | Penalty | Next shot & remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Play with more than 14 clubs | 2 | 2 strokes per hole, maximum 4 |
| Ball falls off tee when practising | 0 | Tee up again |
| Making stance outside of the tee ground | 0 | OK if the ball lies inside |
| Hitting ball outside of tee ground | 2 | Tee up again |
| Cannot find own ball | 1 | Play from original place |
| Adhere anything to club surface | DQ | |
| Play out of order of honour | 0 | Apologise |
| Talking loudly on the course | 0 | Observe golf etiquette |
| Damage course with practice swing | 0 | Avoid damage to the course |
Through the fairway
| Situation | Penalty | Next shot & remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Hit into out of bounds | 1 | Play from original place |
| Remove OB stake | 2 | Wrong action |
| Ball is moved when addressed | 1 | Play from where it lies |
| Cannot find ball after 3 minutes | 1 | Play from original place |
| Ball is kicked by another player | 0 | Play from original place |
| Replace ball without dropping twice | 2 | Wrong action |
| Play wrong ball | 2 | |
| Ball goes OB after hitting third party | 1 | Play from original place |
| Third party takes ball away | 0 | Play from original place |
| Asking advice from other players | 2 | Same penalty applies to giving advice |
| Remove hood and look in another player's bag | 2 | |
| Ball in hole made by an animal | 0 | Drop within 1 club length |
| Ball hits own cart, club or caddie | 1 | Play from where it lies |
| Ball moves when removing loose impediment | 1 | Play from where it lies |
In a hazard
| Situation | Penalty | Next shot & remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Ground the club in a hazard | 2 | |
| Place the club or rake in the bunker | 0 | |
| Club touches sand on back swing | 2 | Moving sand with the club before play |
| Ground the club in rough within a bunker | 0 | |
| Play wrong ball | 2 | |
| Remove sand or loose impediments to find or identify ball | 0 | Re-cover before making the stroke |
| Remove pine cones or stones in bunker | 2 | |
| Club touches sand while entering bunker | 2 | Rake footprints before playing shots |
| Building a stance | 2 |
On the green
| Situation | Penalty | Next shot & remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Repair spike marks | 2 | |
| Repair ball marks | 0 | |
| Hitting another player's ball while putting | 2 | Replace the ball that was hit |
| Hit ball while it is still moving | 2 | |
| Rain water moves ball | 0 | Play from where it lies |
| Hit the pin while putting | 2 | Play from where it lies |
| Remove water from cup with a towel | 2 | Improving condition |
| Clean ball by rubbing it on the green | 2 | Testing green conditions |
| Remove dew with putter | 2 | No penalty for snow or hail |
| Ball moves while removing loose impediments | 0 | Play from original place |
| Remove sand, loose soil and other loose impediments | 0 | Putting green only, in the line of putt |
| Removing ball from hole with putter | 0 | Observe courtesy and golf etiquette |