Rule 10 -- When to Play a Shot

• A. The player who has the lowest score on a hole has the right to play first on the next hole . This is called the "honor."
• B. During play of a hole, the player whole ball is farthest from the hole plays first.
• C. If you play out of turn, in match play your opponent may make you replay, but this is not so in stroke play.

• A. Tee your ball between the tee-markers or a little behind them. You may go behind them as two club lengths.
• B. If you ball accidentally falls off the tee, you may replace it without penalty.

• A. A hazard is any bunker (area of sand) or water hazard (lake, pond, creek, etc).
• B. In a bunker or water hazard, if your ball is covered by wand or leaves, you may remove enough of the sand or leaves to be able to see a part of the ball.
• C. You may lift your ball to identify it anywhere except in a hazard. You must tell your opponent or fellow competitor before you lift your ball to identify it.

• A. You must play the ball as it lies. You may not move it to a better spot.
• B. You may not improve your lie by pressing down behind the ball. The club may be grounded only lightly behind the ball.
• C. You may not improve the area of your intended swing or line of play by bending or breaking anything growing, such as tree limbs or weeds.
• D. In a hazard, you may not touch the sand, ground or water with the club before or during your backswing.
• E. In a hazard, you may not remove loose impediments (natural things such as leaves or twigs) but you may remove obstructions (artificial objects such as bottles or rakes.)

• A. You must fairly strike the ball with the head of the club. You may not push, scrape or rake the ball.
• B. You must not hit your ball while it is moving.

• A. In match play, if you play a ball that is not yours, you lose the hole unless the wrong ball in a hazard, you must then play the right ball.
• B. In stroke play, if you play a ball that is not yours, you must take a two-stroke penalty unless the wrong ball was played in a hazard. You must then play out the hole with your own ball. If you do not do so, you are disqualified.

• A. If any part of your ball is touching the green, it is on the green.
• B. When your ball is on the green, you may brush away leaves and other loose Impediments on your line of putt with your hand or a club. Do not fan them with a cap or towel.
• C. You should repair ball marks or old hole plugs but you may not repair marks made by spikes or shoes, if they are on your line of putt.
• D. You may not test the surface of the green by rolling a ball or scraping the surface.
• E. Always mark your ball by putting a small coin or other marker behind it when you want to pick it up to clean or get it out of another player's way.

• If your ball is off the green, there is no penalty if you play and your ball strikes the flagstick, provided no one is holding the flagstick.
• If your ball is on the green, do not putt with the flagstick in the hole. Either take the flagstick out or ask another player to hold it and take it out when you play your ball. If you putt and your ball hits the flagstick when it is in the hole, in match play you lose the hole. In stroke play, you must add two penalty strokes to your score for the hole.

• A. If you or your partner move either of your balls on purpose or accidentally, add a penalty stroke to your score, replace and play it.
• B. If your ball is moved by someone or something other than you or your partner, (An outside agency) there is no penalty, but you must replace it. If the ball is moved by wind or water, you must play it as it lies.
• C. Once you address the ball, if the ball moves, add a penalty stroke and replace the ball.
• D. If you move a loose impediment within one club-length of the ball and the ball moves, add a penalty stroke, replace it and play it. On the putting green, there is no penalty.

• A. If your ball hits an outside agency, (bird, rake, etc.), it is called a "rub of the green." There is no penalty and the ball is played as it lies.
  • "Rub of the green." Play the ball as it lies. No penalty.
  • Hit you, partner, caddie or equipment, you lose the hole. 2 stroke penalty.
  • Hit your opponent, caddie or equipment, you may replay the shot.
  • Hit fellow competitor, caddie or equipment, no penalty.
• B. If your ball hits you, your partner, your caddie, or your equipment in match play you lose the hole. In stroke play, you are penalized two strokes and you must play your ball as it lies.
• C. If your ball hits your opponent, his caddie, or his equipment, there is no penalty; you may play the ball as it lies or replay the shot.
• D. If your ball hits a fellow competitor, caddie or equipment in stroke play, there is no penalty and the ball is played as it lies. These are the same as outside agencies in stroke play.
• E. If your ball hits another ball and moves it, you must play your ball as it lies. The owner of the other ball must replace it. If your ball is on the green when you play and the ball which your ball hits is also on the green, you are penalized two strokes in stroke play. Otherwise, there is no penalty.

• [Page 1]
  Rule 1 through Rule 10
• [Page 2]
  Rule 10 through Rule 19
• [Page 3]
  Rule 20 through Rule 28