Rules School

(Effective January 2023) Rule 5 covers how to play a round - such as where and when a player may practise on the course before or during a round, when a round starts and ends and what happens when play has to stop or resume. Players are expected to:

• Start each round on time, and
• Play continuously and at a promt pace during each hole until the round is completed.

When it is a player's turn to play, it is recommended that they make the stroke in no more than 40 seconds, and usually more quickly than that.

(Effective January 2023) Rule 4 covers the equipment that players may use during a round. Based on the principle that golf is a challenging game in which success should depend on the player's judgement, skills and abilities, the player:

• Must use conforming clubs and balls,
• Is limited to no more than 14 clubs, and
• Is restricted in the use of other equipment that gives artificial help to their play.

(Effective January 2023) Rule 3 covers the three central elements of all golf competitions:

• Playing either match play or stroke play,
• Playing either as an individual or with a partner as part of a side, and
• Scoring either by gross scores (no handicap strokes applied) or net scores (handicap stroke applied).

(Effective January 2023) Rule 2 introduces the basic things every player should know about the course:

• There are five defined ares of the course, and
• There are several trypes of defined objects and conditions that can interfere with play.

It is important to know the area of the course where the ball lies and the status of any interfering objects and conditions, because they often affect the player's options for playing the ball or taking relief.

(Effective January 2023) Rule 1 introduces these central principles of the game for the player:

• Play the course as you find it and play the ball as it lies.
• Play by the Rules and in the spirit of the game.
• You are responsible for applying your own penalties if you breach a Rule, so that you cannot gain any potential advantage over your opponent in match play or other players in stroke play.

Rule 24 covers team competitions (played in either match play or stroke play), where multiple players or sides compete as a team with the results of their rounds or matches combined to produce an overall team score.

Rule 23 covers Four-Ball (played either in match play or stroke play), where partners compete as a side with each playing a separate ball. The side's score for a hole is the lower score of the partners on that hole.

Rule 22 covers Foursomes, where two partners compete together as a side by alternating in making strokes at a single ball. The Rules for this form of play are essentially the same as for individual play, except for requiring the partners to alternate in teeing off to start a hole and to play out each hole with alternate shots.

Rule 21 covers four other forms of individual play, including three forms of stroke play where scoring is different than in regular stroke play: Stableford, Maximum Score, and Par/Bogey.

Rule 20 covers what players should do when they have questions about the Rules during a round, including the procedures (which differ in match play and stroke play) allowing a player to protect the right to get a ruling at a later time.

Rule 20 also covers the role of referees who are authorized to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.