General Points

 

Before commencing a round do the following:

 

a) read the Local Rules on the score card;

b) Put an identification mark on your ball. Many golfers play the same brand and model of ball and if you can’t identify your ball, it is considered lost;

c) 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 caddy. Don’t give advice to anyone except your partner.

 

Don’t play any practice shots during play of a hole.

 

Tee Shot

 

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-length behind the front line of the tee-markers.

If you play tee shot from outside this area in match play there is no penalty, but your opponent may require you to replay your stroke; in stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty and you must correct the error by playing from within the correct area.

 

Playing the Ball

 

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 a ball, bending or breaking anything fixed or growing, except in fairly taking your stance or making your swing. Don’t press anything down and don’t improve anything artificially by taking your stance.

 

If your ball is in bunker or a water hazard, don’t touch the ground in either type of hazard, or touch water in the water hazard, with your hand or club before your downswing.

 

You must swing the club and make a stroke at the ball, but it is not permissible to push, scrape or spoon the ball.

 

If you play a wrong ball (except when the ball is in any hazard) in match play you lose the hole, an in stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty and then you must correct the mistake by playing the correct ball.

 

On the Putting Green

 

You may repair ball marks and old hole plugs, which are on the line of putt, but not any other damage, including the spike marks.

 

You may mark, lift and clean your ball on the putting green. Always replace it on the exact spot.

 

You must not test the surface of the putting green by your hand or club, or rolling a ball.

 

If a ball, played from the putting green, moved to the flagstick, you lose a hole in match play and in stroke play you incur a two-stroke penalty.

 

Ball at Rest Moved

 

If a ball at rest is moved by you, your partner or a caddy in the way not determined by the Rules or after you took a stance, you should add one-stroke penalty and replace the ball.

 

If a ball at rest moved by someone else or by another ball, it must be replaced. There is no penalty.

 

Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped

 

If a player’s ball in motion is deflected or stopped by the player’s, his partner’s or a caddy’s fault, you lose a hole in match play; in stroke play you incur a penalty of two strokes. The ball must be played as it lies.

 

If a player’s ball in motion is deflected or stopped by any other agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, except:

 

- if a ball is deflected or stopped by your opponent or his caddy you may require to replay the stroke in match play;

- if a ball deflected from the putting green you must replay the stroke in stroke play.

 

If a player’s ball in motion after a stroke is deflected or stopped by a ball at rest, the player must play his ball as it lies. In match play there is no penalty. In stroke play there is no play, unless both balls lay on the putting green prior to the stroke, in which case the player incurs a penalty of two strokes.

 

Lifting, Dropping and Placing a Ball

 

The position of the ball must be marked before it is lifted under a Rule that requires it to be replaced. If a ball dropped or replaced to any other place (e.g., while going out from the ground under repair etc.), it is recommended to mark the previous place of the ball.

 

By dropping the ball you should stand erect, holding the ball at the shoulder height and arm’s length and drop it. If the ball dropped touched you, your partner or a caddy, the ball must be redropped without penalty.

 

There are eight cases in which the ball dropped must be re-dropped.

 

The position of a ball interferes or improves a play

 

It is permitted to lift a ball if its position may improve the play of any other player.

 

You may request to lift any ball, which interferes in your play, or improves the play of any other player.