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99 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Which of the following is considered to be an abnormal ground condition? |
B. A hole made by a greenskeeper. |
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During the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, James returned his score card to the scoring tent and then left the defined scoring area. Thirty seconds after walking out of the defined scoring area, James realized that he had failed to sign his score card. What is the ruling? |
D. James is disqualified. |
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Which of the following items all fall under the same definition in the Rules of Golf? |
C. The player’s umbrella, a banana in his golf bag, his golf ball which has been marked and lifted from the putting green. |
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Mike’s tee shot on the third hole at Brookside heads way left and hits the cart path before coming to rest in some leaves left of the cart path. Upon arriving at his ball, Mike notices a large crack in his ball. Without telling his fellow-competitors, Mike lifts the ball, determines that it is unfit for play and substitutes a new ball by placing that new ball at the exact spot where his original ball lay. He then proceeds to play his second shot. As Mike was walking to the green, Matt, his fellow competitor, questions Mike’s action. What is the ruling? |
Mike incurs a penalty of one stroke. His subsequent actions are correct. |
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Which is TRUE regarding a provisional ball? |
D. It becomes the ball in play if it is played from a place where the original ball is likely to be or nearer the hole than that place. |
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Gary’s ball lies on a cart path covered with loose gravel. Gary removes gravel close to the ball without moving the ball and plays it as it lies. What is the ruling? |
A. There is no penalty to Gary. Loose gravel is considered a loose impediment. |
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Which of the following is a ball in play? |
A. A ball substituted for the ball in play when such substitution is not permitted. |
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Dan’s ball is at rest on the putting green. While making a practice swing, Dan accidentally strikes his ball causing it to move 6-inches farther from the hole. Dan plays the ball from its new position into the hole. What is the ruling? |
C. Dan incurs a penalty of two strokes and the ball is holed. (18-2a & 20-7c) |
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Ryan’s ball was on the putting green when the Committee suspended play due to heavy rain. Ryan neither marked nor lifted his ball when the suspension occurred. When play resumed, Ryan found his ball in a bunker. Ryan, unsure of what to do, called over an official. What is the ruling? |
C. Ryan must place a ball on the spot from which the original ball was moved. |
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Which is TRUE regarding when a player has addressed the ball? A. It is when the club head is grounded to the side of the player’s ball during the player’s pre-shot routine. |
B. It is when the club head is grounded immediately in front of or behind the ball. |
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Which of the following, if played, is a wrong ball in which the player incurs a penalty? |
D. A player’s ball which has been lifted from the putting green and set aside on the fringe. |
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Jimmy’s ball comes to rest in a moving maintenance vehicle in the fairway. The vehicle stops, the ball falls out, and comes to rest in the rough. Evan, Jimmy’s fellow-competitor, tells Jimmy that he must play the ball where it came to rest in the rough. Jimmy disagrees and calls over Josh, a knowledgeable rules official, to help settle the debate. How should Josh rule? |
A. Jimmy’s ball must be dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot directly under the place where the vehicle was when the ball came to rest in it. |
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Marty’s tee shot came to rest in a lateral water hazard. There is a large bush adjacent to where the ball last crossed the margin of the lateral water hazard (point A), thus making it impracticable to drop a ball within two club-lengths of point A. Point B, on the opposite margin of the hazard, is determined such that it is equidistant from the hole. Marty drops a ball within two club-lengths of point B and completes the hole in three additional strokes. What is Marty’s score for the hole? |
5 strokes |
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Which action results in a penalty of disqualification? |
B. Agreeing with a fellow-competitor during the round not to hole out short putts, while being fully aware that they were required to hole out. |
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Before a stroke play round, Tim’s caddie was walking around with two putters as Tim was deciding on which one to use. After placing Tim’s bag on the cart and placing one of the putters in Tim’s bag, Tim’s caddie stuck the extra putter in the basket of the cart before the start of Tim’s round (which the caddie assumed Tim would declare out of play, as he already had 14 clubs in his bag). During the play of the second hole, Tim realized that the second putter was in the basket of his cart. Tim calls over a friendly Rules Official to explain why he has two putters. What is the ruling? |
Tim incurs a penalty of four strokes. |
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At U.S. Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifying, Dan’s caddie practices on the first and second greens before Dan’s stipulated round to gauge the speed of the putting greens. The Committee becomes aware of the actions of Dan’s caddie right before Dan’s scheduled starting time. How should the Committee rule? |
There is no penalty to Tim. |
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Which of the following is a valid option when taking relief from a water hazard marked with yellow stakes and lines? |
C. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard between the hole and the spot on which the ball is to be dropped. |
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Which is a TRUE statement regarding out of bounds? |
D. Stakes defining out of bounds are deemed to be fixed. |
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Michael’s ball lies buried in a bunker. After Michael’s first stroke from the bunker, the ball comes to rest 10 yards away in another part of the same bunker. Michael rakes the area where he just played, walks forward while smoothing his footprints along the way solely for the purpose of caring for the course. Patrick, Michael’s fellow-competitor, objects to Michael’s actions and calls over a rules official. What is the ruling? |
Michael incurs no penalty. |
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Jeff tops his second shot on the 3rd hole from the fairway but it magically rolls onto the putting green 35 feet away from the hole. After reaching the putting green, Jeff marks the position of the ball, lifts it and examines it. Jeff then tosses the ball into a deep water hazard from which the ball cannot be retrieved telling his fellow-competitor, Frank, that it was damaged. Jeff then substitutes a new ball and holes his putt. Jeff then tees off on the 4th hole. What is Jeff’s score for the 3rd hole? |
Jeff's score is a 5. (Decision 5-3/3.5) |
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Mark is on the 17th fairway during a stroke play round. His ball comes to rest against a movable obstruction. Mark lifts the ball and drops it away from the movable obstruction. He then play his next stroke onto the putting green. John, his fellow competitor, witnesses Mark’s actions and thinks he may have proceeded incorrectly. He calls over a rules official. What is the ruling? |
Mark incurs a penalty of two strokes and must finish the hole with the ball on the putting green. |
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Robert’s second shot is hit into an area in which he thinks the ball may be lost. Robert searches for his ball briefly and then goes back to where he played his second shot and drops another ball in accordance with Rule 27-1. Before Robert plays the dropped ball, and within the five-minute search period, a spectator finds Robert’s ball. Elated that his original ball has been found, Robert picks up the dropped ball, plays his original ball onto the green, completes play of the hole and tees off from the next teeing ground. What is the ruling? |
D. Robert is disqualified. Once he dropped a ball, that ball became the ball in play. Since he played with the original ball, he played a wrong ball and was required to correct the mistake. Since he did not, he is disqualified. (Decision 27-1/2) |
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Which of the following is considered to be “advice” under the Rules of Golf? |
B. Asking what club a fellow-competitor used before a player makes his stroke. |
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Which of the following types of damage to the putting green may NOT be repaired? |
C. The depression in which a stone was partially embedded. |
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T.J.’s tee shot lies in very thick rough on the left side of the fairway. She arrives to her ball and as she is taking her stance, she notices that she is standing on a sprinkler head. T.J. determines her nearest point of relief and then drops the ball within one club-length of her nearest point of relief in the fairway, no nearer the hole. She plays her second shot onto the putting green and takes two putts to complete play of the hole. What is T.J.’s score for the hole? |
Her score is 4. |
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Kelly marks the position of her ball on the putting green, lifts the ball and sets it aside on the fringe. By mistake, she putts the ball from the spot at which she set it aside and holes the putt. She then proceeds to tee off on the next hole after which her fellow-competitor, Fiorella, tells her that she may have proceeded incorrectly. What is the ruling? |
Kelly is disqualified. When a ball is lifted under Rule 20-1, it is out of play. When Kelly played a stroke with her ball while it was out of play, she played a wrong ball. She incurred a penalty of two strokes and was required to correct the error before playing from the next tee; Since she didn't, she is disqualified (Rule 15-3b). |
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Bob’s approach shot came up short and landed in a water hazard. As an additional option to those listed under Rule 26-1, the Committee established a Local Rule permitting the use of a dropping zone which Bob elected to use. Which of the following circumstances, while taking relief from the lateral water hazard, would require Bob to re-drop his ball? A. After landing within the dropping zone, the dropped ball rolls one club-length closer to the hole, coming to rest outside the dropping zone. |
C. After landing within the dropping zone, the dropped balls rolls three club-lengths away from the hole but remains within the dropping zone. (D is not correct because when a dropping zone is used, the ball may come to rest nearer the hole than where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard.) |
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After searching for his tee shot in tall grass for two minutes, Huey walked back to the tee and dropped another ball within the teeing ground with the intent to put that ball into play under penalty of stroke and distance. Prior to the five minute search expiring (and prior to him making a stroke at the dropped ball), a fellow-competitor alerted Huey that they had found a ball that they believed could be his. What is the ruling? |
Huey is required to go identify the found ball. If it is his, he may play it as the dropped ball is not yet his ball in play since he is on the Teeing ground. If he had dropped the ball through the green under stroke and distance, the ball would then have been in play. |
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In a stroke play competition, Jeremy broke his club in anger, finished the round with 13 clubs and then learned he would be involved in a hole-by-hole playoff for the Green Jacket title. Before the playoff, Jeremy adds an additional club to bring his total to 14 clubs for the playoff. James, his fellow-competitor in the playoff, claims that he is not entitled to add a club in these circumstances. What is the ruling? |
Jeremy is entitled to add the club without penalty. |
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While searching for his ball in heavy fescue bordering a bunker, Bill found a ball in an unplayable position and assumed it was his. Bill proceeded to lift that ball and drop it within two club-lengths of the spot where it lay. After making a stroke at the dropped ball, Bill finally realized that the ball he found (and played) was not in fact his original ball. What is the ruling? |
Bill incurs a total of three penalty strokes and may be guilty of a serious breach, which would require him to correct the error before teeing off at the next hole. |
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During a Four-Ball (Stroke Play) Championship, Dan and Mark are partners. On the 11th hole, Dan picked up and Mark holed out in 4 strokes. The marker inadvertently recorded a score of 4 for Dan. No score was entered for Mark on the 11th hole. The card was signed by both sides and returned to the Committee and all players left the scoring area. What is the ruling? |
Dan and Mark are disqualified. |
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Pat’s third shot came to rest 30 yards short of the putting green. After surveying her next shot, Pat had her caddie, Michelle, attend the flagstick. Pat played her fourth stroke and the ball accidentally struck Michelle in the foot and came to rest three feet from the hole. Pat proceeded to play the next stroke into the hole. What is Pat’s score for the hole? |
Her score is 7. (Rule 17-3) |
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During the 18th hole of a singles match, Bob hit his tee shot way left towards the lateral water hazard. Disgusted with himself, Bob intentionally kicked the tee marker down towards the cart path. His opponent, Andy, immediately states that Bob loses the hole for moving the tee-marker intentionally. Bob disagrees and he replaces the tee marker. Lee is the referee for the match and is asked by Andy what the ruling is. How should Lee rule? |
Bob incurs no penalty. (Decision 11-2/2 (d)) |
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While taking relief from an immovable obstruction, Michael’s dropped ball landed at an acceptable position but rolled more than two club-lengths from the spot at which it first struck the course. He lifted the ball and re-dropped it, which this time landed within the prescribed dropping area and then bounced and struck the tee he used to mark the area in which he could drop. The ball ultimately came to rest within one club-length of where it first struck the course – no nearer the hole. Because his ball struck the tee, Michael lifted the ball once again and dropped it a third time within the one-club length area as prescribed by the Rule. Now satisfied, Michael played a stroke onto the putting green. What is the ruling? |
Michael incurs a penalty of two strokes and must finish the hole with the ball played to the green. He was not entitled to a re-drop after the ball hit the tee, because a tee is not considered equipment when used to mark the area for dropping. |
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At the SCGA Senior Net Championship, Steve, upon completing play of the 4th hole, decided to work on his bunker game and dropped a few balls in the bunker and took some practice strokes out of the bunker. Al, his fellow-competitor, told Steve that he is not entitled to practice out of a bunker and that he would incur a two- stroke penalty. Steve accepted the penalty and changed his score from a 4 to a 6 on the 4th hole. Following the round, Steve returned his card and left the scoring area without discussing the situation with the Committee. Prior the competition closing, the Committee becomes aware of this sequence of events. What is the ruling? |
Steve is disqualified. The 2 stroke penalty should have applied to the 5th hole. |
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Jim’s tee shot is struck towards a large lateral water hazard left of the 6th hole. It is neither known nor virtually certain that Jim’s ball is in the lateral water hazard, but he drops a ball under Rule 26-1c. Before Jim plays the dropped ball, Gary finds Jim’s ball outside of the water hazard within the five minute search period. Jim abandons the dropped ball, plays his original ball onto the putting green and holes out in two strokes. What is Jim’s score for the hole? |
Jim's score is 4. |
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In stroke play, Brett played two strokes on the 14th hole and then played a wrong ball for what he believed to be his third stroke. He played a total of four strokes with the wrong ball, eventually holing out with it. Brett then discovered the error. Before teeing off on the 15th hole, he asks a rules official as to the procedure and the referee told Brett to proceed playing the 15th hole and consult with the Committee when the round was over. At the scoring area and before his card was returned, Brett consults the Committee. What is Brett’s score for the 14th hole? |
Brett's score is 8. (In the circumstances, Brett should incur a penalty of two strokes for playing a wrong ball. The disqualification penalty that he also incurred should be waived by the Committee under Rule 33-7, since Brett's failure to correct his mistake was due to the error of the referee.) |
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In a match between Larry and Robert, Larry scores 6 on the 16th hole and Robert scores 5. When leaving the putting green, Robert commented to Larry: “Larry, we halved the hole right?” and Larry replied “Yes.” Larry won the match on the 20th hole and the result was posted. Later while having lunch, Robert realized that he had won the 16th hole and if the mistake had not been made, he would have won the match 1 up. Larry admits that he made a mistake. Robert reports the matter to the Committee and claims the match. What is the ruling? |
Since the match result was already posted, Robert’s claim cannot be considered and the match stands as played. |
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Emily’s tee shot on the 3rd hole came to rest in heavy rough. She played her second shot onto the putting green 15 feet from the hole. When she reaches the putting green, she marks her ball, lifts it, and substitutes a new ball at the spot where the original ball lay. She removes the mark, and holes the putt. Emily tees off on the next hole and proceeds on with her round. What is Emily’s score for the 3rd hole? |
Emily's score is a 5. |
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At U.S. Open Local Qualifying, Lucky, Dusty, and Ned were scheduled to start at 9:00 am. All players were present at the 1st tee at 8:56 am. Without being given authority to do so by the starter or the Committee, Lucky tees off at 8:58 am, Dusty tees off at 8:59 am, and Ned tees off at 9:00 am. The starter who had his back turned talking to a caddie the entire time realizes what has happened. The starter contacts the Committee to explain the situation. How should the Committee rule? |
Lucky and Dusty each incur a penalty of two strokes; Ned incurs no penalty. |
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In a stroke play competition, Reggie hits his tee shot into a greenside bunker. Once he arrives to his ball, he takes a few practice swings in the bunker touching the sand with his club head each time. Then he notices a shrub on his area of intended swing and breaks it to improve his area of intended swing. Reggie then plays his shot onto the green and holes the putt. Standing on the 18th tee, Mike questions Reggie’s actions on the 17th hole as they try to figure out his score for the hole. What is Reggie’s score for the hole? |
Reggie's score is a 7. |
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In stroke play, Linda’s ball came to rest on an artificially-surfaced road which had not been declared an integral part of the course. Without announcing her decision to invoke Rule 3-3 or the ball with which Linda would score if the Rules permitted, Linda dropped and played a second ball in accordance with Rule 24-2b. She then played the original ball as it lay and completed the play of the hole with both balls, scoring a 4 with the original ball and a 5 with the dropped ball. Linda then returned her score card to the Committee with a score of 4 on the hole in question and failed to report the facts to the Committee. How should the Committee rule? |
Linda is disqualified. (Although Linda did not announce her decision to invoke Rule 3-3, it is clear from the facts that she intended to invoke such Rule. As she did not report the facts of the situation to the Committee before returning her score card, she is disqualified under Rule 3-3a.) |
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John’s tee shot comes to rest on a sprinkler head located in the rough. Before deciding whether to take relief under Rule 24-2b(i), he surveys the area in which he is about to drop. John removes some small loose impediments from the area in which he may potentially drop and then he decides that he would like to take relief. John lifts his ball, cleans it and places it within one club length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole. This area happens to be in the fairway. John then proceeds to hit his second shot onto the green and holes the putt for a birdie-3. As they are walking to the next hole, John’s fellow-competitor, Larry, is unsure that John proceeded properly. He waives over a rules official and explains the situation. What is John’s score for the hole? |
John's score is 5. (Ball should have been dropped, not placed. Therefore, John incurs a penalty of 2 strokes.) |
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In stroke play, Bill has a short pitch shot into the 12th green. He makes a stroke and while the ball is still in motion, he makes a subsequent swing and takes a divot out of the ground with his club. The divot deflects the moving ball which comes to rest 20 feet from the hole. What is the ruling? |
Bill is deemed to have accidentally deflected or stopped his ball in motion. He incurs a penalty of one stroke and must play the ball as it lies (Rule 19-2). |
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Paul, after a search of less than one minute, decides that his tee shot is lost in ground under repair. It is neither known nor virtually certain that this is actually the case. The ground under repair is 275 yards away from the teeing ground. He drops a ball under Rule 25-1c and plays it. He holes out from the putting green with his next stroke and then plays from the next teeing ground. As he is walking down the next fairway, his fellow-competitor, Harley, tells Paul that he believes that he may have proceeded incorrectly. What is Paul’s score for the hole? |
Paul is disqualified. He played from the wrong place and committed a serious breach. |
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In match play, Mikey and Rick were all square after 18 holes and were playing the 19th hole. Mikey incurred a penalty stroke on the 19th hole but was unaware of that fact. Mikey holed out and told Rick that he had scored a 6. Rick then played his sixth shot, missed the hole, tapped in for a 7, and conceded the match to Mikey. When returning to the clubhouse, Mikey learned that he had incurred a penalty stroke and that his score had been 7, not 6. Rick claimed the match on the ground that Mikey gave wrong information. What is the ruling? |
Rick's claim was valid since the result had not been announced – see Rule 2-5. Mikey lost the hole for giving wrong information, even though he may not have been aware that he had incurred a penalty (Rule 9-2). |
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Joe is playing with Bob in a stroke play Stableford event. On the 14th hole, Bob’s ball was lifted from the putting green (without his authority) by Joe’s caddie. Joe’s caddie proceeded to then substitute a different ball when attempting to replace Bob’s ball back onto the green. Without knowledge of the substitution, Bob made a stroke at the substituted ball, leaving it five feet short of the hole. The error was then discovered. What is the ruling? |
There is no penalty to either player. |
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Jen’s second shot came to rest 20 yards over the green and beyond a white stake, which her caddie, Lexie, said was a boundary stake. Jen played a provisional ball which came to rest short of the green, but closer to the hole than the original ball. Jen then played the provisional ball onto the green. At that point, Julia, Jen’s fellow competitor, walked over to look for Jen’s original ball, which had been visible all along, and discovered that the white stake was not a boundary stake and that Jen’s original ball was in bounds. How must Jen now proceed? |
Jen should have determined the status of her original ball before playing a second stroke with the provisional ball and, since the original ball was not out of bounds, she should have abandoned the provisional ball. When she failed to do so, the second stroke with the provisional ball was a stroke with a wrong ball – Rule 27-2c. Therefore, Jen is penalized 2 strokes and must hole out with the original ball. All strokes with the provisional ball are disregarded. |
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Mark’s third stroke comes to rest through the green. He deems the ball unplayable and decides that he will proceed under Rule 28c. He cleans the original ball and notices a scuff mark on the side of the ball. Without announcing his intention to anyone else in his group, he substitutes a new ball and drops the ball in an adjacent lateral water hazard within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball originally lay. The ball when dropped rolls into a position where Mark is unable to play the ball within the lateral water hazard. Not knowing what to do, Mark returns to the area where he played his third stroke, substitutes a new ball, drops it as near as possible to where his last stroke was played and plays it onto the putting green. He takes 3 more strokes to finish the hole. What is his score for the hole? |
Mark's score is 9. |
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During the first round of the California Senior Amateur Championship, John plays a wrong ball from the bunker on the 6th hole and the ball comes to rest on the green. John realizes that he has played a wrong ball and corrects his mistake. John reports the facts to the Committee before returning his card. Ryan, a friendly NCGA Rules Official, tells John that he has not incurred a penalty since the wrong ball was played from a hazard. During the second round, Jimmy, a SCGA member of the Committee, becomes aware of the incident and retroactively adds two penalty strokes to John’s first-round score at the 6th hole, but does not disqualify John. John objects saying that the Committee reached a decision on the previous day and that decision is final. What is the ruling? |
Jimmy’s ruling is correct and John is retroactively assessed a penalty of two strokes on the 6th hole for the first round. (Under Rule 34-3, a Committee's decision is final in that the competitor has no right to appeal. However, Rule 34-3 does not prevent a Committee from correcting an incorrect ruling and imposing or rescinding a penalty provided that no penalty is imposed or rescinded after the competition is closed, except in the circumstances set forth in Rule 34-1b.) |
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In a match between Players A and B, both players’ balls lie on the putting green with B away. Player A marks his ball with a coin and B asks him to move it one putter-head to the right and A complies. When it is A’s turn to putt, he places the ball where his coin indicates and lifts the coin. B reminds him he had moved the coin from where it marked the position of his ball. A lifts his ball and places it back on its original position and plays it from there. What penalty, if any, is applicable? |
A has proceeded properly and incurs no penalty. |
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In match play, a player tees off from the wrong tee and his opponent immediately claims the hole. The player disputes this claim believing that he must simply replay the tee shot from the correct tee, which he does. After a brief discussion, the players agree that if the opponent is incorrect in his knowledge of the Rules they will agree to use the player's score from the correct tee. The player holes out with the ball played from the correct tee in four strokes. His opponent completes the hole in six strokes. The players find an official and describe the situation. The result of the hole is: |
The ball played from the correct teeing ground counts without penalty and the player wins the hole. |
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In a match between Adam and Bob, Adam believes his ball has become unfit for play. He marks its position, lifts the ball and confirms that it is unfit for play. He substitutes another ball for the original and completes the hole. At the conclusion of the hole, he shows the ball to Bob, who confirms the ball was unfit for play. What is the ruling? |
Adam loses the hole. |
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A competitor starts his round with a stroke from the ‘blue tees’. He is informed by his fellow-competitors that play is from the ‘white tees’ and that he has incurred a penalty of two strokes and should continue with the ball he played. When he finds his original ball he decides it is unplayable and Rule 28a is his best option. He goes back and plays a ball from the ‘white tees’, which are closer to the hole than the ‘blue tees’. His fellow-competitors then inform him he should have played from the blue tee, and therefore has committed a serious breach. He abandons the ball played from the white tee and plays a ball from the blue tee. He then holes out in three more strokes. His score for the hole is: |
His score for the hole is 9. |
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Player A is in a very deep bunker below the left side of the green. He lies two on the par 4 in a stroke play competition. He asks Player B to hold the flagstick above the hole, which B does. A plays the ball onto the green. Player B then puts the flagstick back into the hole and walks five paces from the flagstick. The ball rolls up to the hole, hesitates and then falls to the bottom of the hole. What is the ruling? |
A incurs a penalty of two strokes. There is no penalty on B. |
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In a four-ball stroke play tournament, Anna and Barb are partners and are paired with Callie and Debra. As the group approaches the 13th tee, Debra realizes she left her driver on the tee of the 12th hole, a par 5. With both Callie’s and Debra’s clubs in the cart, Debra drives back to the 12th hole as the group in front of them completes play of the 13th hole. When Debra returns, Anna and Barb have played and are talking with the group behind them, who arrived at the tee two minutes earlier. What penalty, if any, is applicable? |
Callie and Debra are penalized two strokes each for the 13th hole. |
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On the tee of the 17th hole of a match where Mike is 1 up and the “One Ball” Condition is in effect, Mike notices that he is playing his last Titleist ProV1 ball. He makes a stroke from the tee and the ball comes to rest in a water hazard. He asks Jeff if he has any ProV1s he could borrow, but unfortunately the opponent only has ProV1x balls. Jeff believes this is sufficient, so he gives him a ProV1x. Mike proceeds under R26-1a. His next stroke lands on the putting green. As he prepares to mark his ball, his coin falls out of his hand and moves the ball, which he immediately replaces and all of which is observed by Jeff. He completes the hole in two more strokes. After they have walked off the green, Mike asks Jeff what he scored, to which Jeff replies, “eight”. What is the status of the match? |
The match is All Square. Mike breached the one ball rule and loses the hole. If he plays the ProV1x on the 18th hole, he will lose that hole also. |
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Luke and John are playing a four-ball match against Matthew and Mark. All four balls lie on the green with Luke’s ball away. Luke arrives at the green first and unobserved he marks Matthew’s ball and sets it aside. When Matthew arrives at the green, he marks and lifts his ball from where it lay. When it is his turn to play, Matthew replaces his ball where he marked it and holes out. Luke then informs Matthew that he had moved his ball. At that point the players summon a Committee member and ask for a ruling. How should the Committee member rule? |
Luke and John are disqualified for the hole. In this case, the applicable penalty is loss of hole because Luke gave wrong information when he failed to inform Matthew that he had incurred a penalty for moving his opponent’s ball in play in breach of Rule 18-3. John also incurs the penalty, per 30-3f if a player’s action adversely affects his opponent, his partner incurs the applicable penalty as well. |
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In a match, Stan attempts to reach the green of a par 5 with his second shot. The green is protected by a creek which runs across the fairway. The player, not sure if he carried the creek, walks forward to search for his ball. After searching for three minutes and not finding his ball, A walks back to where he played his second shot and drops a ball properly. Before playing the dropped 'substituted' ball his opponent, Allen, finds Stan's original ball in the bank of the creek in the water hazard. Allen informs Stan that his original ball is playable. Stan picks up the dropped ball, plays his original ball and halves the hole. Three holes later Allen questions whether Stan proceeded properly on the par 5 and states he is making a claim. What should be the outcome of the claim? |
No change to the status of the match.
Stan did not proceed properly in playing his original ball, because the substituted ball became the ball in play as soon as he dropped it. However, Allen was too late in making his claim, so the status of the match does not change. |
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Multiple times during the first six holes of a stroke play competition, Player B requested that Player A lift his ball because it distracted him, even though it was never near Player B’s ball or line of play. On the 7th hole, Player A drives the ball just short of the putting green of a short par 4 and Player B again requests that Player A lift his ball due to interference. Player A drives his cart to his ball and complies by marking his ball, lifting it, and placing it in his pocket as he has done each time Player B has made this request. Which of the following is true? A) There is no infraction of the Rules. |
B) Player B is penalized two strokes on the 7th hole for a breach of Rule 6-7, undue delay. |
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In stroke play, a player’s second shot comes to rest on the putting green two feet from the hole. The player putts his ball. As the ball is rolling, a gust of wind blows a leaf that hits the ball and deflects it into the hole. After he retrieves his ball from the hole, the player moves on to the next hole and tees off. What does the player score for the hole? |
The score is 5. The stroke that was deflected by the leaf does not count in the player's score, and the player was required to cancel and replay the stroke. However, since he did not and teed off at the next hole, the score with the original ball counts and he incurs a penalty of two strokes for breach of Rule 19. |
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A competitor plays his approach shot toward the green. His view of the ball flight is obstructed and prevents him from seeing a water hazard in front of the green. The player's caddie has virtual certainty of the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard and reports this point to the player. The player drops a ball properly under Rule 26-1b and plays his next shot to the green. After crossing over the hazard the player finds his original ball in the high rough just short of the green. Not knowing how to proceed, the player announces to his fellow-competitor that he will play out the hole with his original ball, which he would prefer to score with if the Rules allow, as well as the ball dropped under R26-1b . The player completed the hole with both balls. He then asked the Committee for a ruling on what his score for the hole should be. The Committee should rule: |
The score with the dropped ball counts. |
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Donna and Jeanne are playing in a stroke play event. Donna is away and plays a stroke from the putting green. While Donna’s ball is moving, Jeanne plays a ball from a greenside bunker and the two balls collide. What is the ruling? |
Jeanne incurs a penalty of two strokes. Donna must replay her stroke. |
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Johnny searches for his ball in a greenside bunker covered by leaves. As he moves the leaves in search, he finds the ball, which moves. He replaces the ball but in attempting to cover it with leaves, it moves again. He replaces the ball again but does not cover it with leaves. He plays the ball and scatters leaves everywhere with his stroke. The shot lands in another similar bunker behind the green. Before leaving the first bunker he makes several practice swings touching the sand and displacing leaves each time. What is the ruling? |
Johnny incurs a penalty of one stroke under Rule18-2 for moving the ball and a penalty of two strokes under Rule 12-1b for failing to cover it with leaves for a total of three penalty strokes. |
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A competitor plays his tee shot into a rutted area in the fairway. He plays his second shot into an area of dense woods and out of bounds left of the green. After playing his shot he realizes the rutted area might be considered ground under repair, so he drops a ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief from the ground under repair and plays it. He plays the hole out with the dropped ball in three additional strokes. While playing the next hole he finds a member of the Committee, who confirms with the official in charge that the area is ground under repair. The player’s score for the hole is: |
The score is 9. (6 played strokes, 1 stroke & distance penalty stroke, 2 penalty strokes for playing from a wrong place.) |
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A competitor plays a tee shot on a par three hole that lands on a sprinkler head just off the back of the green. The ball bounces straight off the sprinkler head and comes to rest in deep woods approximately 20 yards from the green. He properly plays a provisional ball that comes up short on the front apron approximately 15 feet below the hole. While lining up the uphill putt he asks for advice from his fellow-competitor’s caddie, and the caddie complies. Before he can make a stroke, a fellow-competitor calls out that he has found a ball behind a tree root. The competitor identifies the ball, declares it unplayable, chips his next stroke onto the green, and makes the putt. The player’s score for the hole is: |
The score is 6. (The stroke with the Provisional ball does not count, but the player is penalized for asking for advice from his fellow-competitor's caddie. Also, 1 penalty stroke for ball unplayable) |
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Both players in a match have reached the green. Player A is away and putts his ball. As the ball is rolling towards the hole, Player B putts his ball and it strikes A’s ball, leaving it a few inches from the hole. Player A believes he must play the ball as it lies so he taps his putt into the hole. Player B informs A that he was supposed to cancel the stroke and replay the ball. Believing Player A played his ball from a wrong place, Player B claims the hole and picks up his ball. After they tee off on the next hole, they find a member of the Committee who rules that: |
Player A wins the hole as Player B made a stroke while Player A’s ball was in motion. |
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In a singles match, Vinnie and Dick are all square after 18 holes. As the players walk to the teeing ground for their first extra hole, Dick runs into the clubhouse and Vinnie stops at a nearby practice putting green, where his teaching pro works with him on his putting stroke. When Dick emerges from the clubhouse, Vinnie is already on the teeing ground. On the 19th hole, Vinnie makes four and Dick makes six. As the players walk back to the clubhouse, a member of the gallery tells Dick about Vinnie’s practice on the putting green and that he asked the pro to look at his stroke and let him know what he thought. Dick tells Vinnie he is making a claim thinking this might be “advice”. How will the Committee rule? |
Dick wins the match. In Match play, extra holes constitute an extension of the stipulated round and Vinnie was prohibited from seeking advice from anyone other than his Caddie. Therefore, Vinnie loses the hole and the match. |
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On the first green, both Player A and Player B lie one. Player A replaces his ball in front of Player B's ball-marker by mistake. He lifts B’s marker and then realizes that he has put his ball back in a wrong place. He informs his opponent of his error. Player A replaces his opponent’s marker to its original position, lifts the ball, finds his own marker, and replaces his ball properly. He then two-putts for a three. Player B properly replaces his ball and completes the hole in four strokes. What penalty, if any, is Player A assessed for lifting B’s ball-marker? |
A incurs a penalty of one stroke and the hole is halved. |
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A player makes a stroke and the ball is headed towards a greenside bunker. When the player arrives at the bunker, he finds his ball resting inside an empty wheelbarrow that touches the course through the green. The ball lies in a part of the wheelbarrow that is overhanging the margin of the bunker. What must the player do if he wishes to take relief from the wheelbarrow? |
The player must remove the wheelbarrow and drop the ball in the bunker as near as possible to the point directly under the place where the ball lay in the wheelbarrow but not nearer the hole. |
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A player’s tee shot is known or virtually certain to have gone into a water hazard. The player finds a ball moving in the water and makes a stroke at it and the ball lands in the fairway. He then plays a stroke to the green where he discovers it was not his ball he played from the hazard. He then proceeds under 26-1a and holes out after four strokes with his ball. The player’s score for the hole is: |
His score is 8. 5 played strokes and 3 penalty strokes. (Two strokes for playing a wrong ball and 1 stroke for getting out of the hazard.) The strokes made with the wrong ball do not count in the score. |
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In a match between players Adam and Bill, Adam has holed out for a 4. Bill is putting for a 3. Bill putts and the ball is slowing down as it approaches the hole. Adam, thinking Bill’s putt will stop within inches of the hole, says “the rest of that is good”. However, the ball hits a slope and rolls to a point 6 feet away from the hole. Adam states that he has now changed his mind and that Bill must putt from where the ball came to rest. Bill picks up his ball and claims the hole as halved. Is Bill correct? |
No. Adam's concession was not valid as Bill's ball was not at rest when he made it. Bill incurs a one stroke penalty for lifting his ball without marking it and must replace the ball, which would mean that he loses the hole. |
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A player’s ball carries a water hazard but bounces back into the hazard. The player chooses to take relief on the green side of the hazard. His caddie drops a ball from waist high, the player addresses the ball and it moves. At this point, he is informed that he must drop behind the hazard. In addition to the one-stroke penalty under R26-1b, the player is assessed how many penalty strokes? |
1 additional penalty stroke because the Caddie dropped the ball on the green side of the hazard. Only the player can drop a ball. |
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Which of the following situations will result in the side losing the hole? |
C) The player gave advice which in this instance results in the side losing the hole. |
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In which of the following situations will a player incur an additional penalty for substituting a ball when not permitted? |
D) None of the Above. |
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In Four-Ball Match Play, my ball at rest is moved by me. What is the penalty? |
1 stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced. |
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In Four-Ball match play, my putt from the green hits another ball. What is the penalty? |
There is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies. |
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In Match Play, a player who is 1 up in the match learns on the 15th Tee that he has been carrying 15 clubs in his bag. What is the status of the match? |
The penalty for carrying too many clubs is loss of hole with a maximum of two holes. The player is now 1 down in the match. |
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In Four-Ball match play, John and Stan are partners. Stan is on the green in five strokes. John has holed out in four strokes. May Stan attempt his putt for a 6? |
Yes. As long as the putt does not cause an undue delay. |
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Mary and Martha are partners in a Four-Ball match against Ruth and Esther. Mary hits a shot on the 10th hole that careens off of Ruth and Esther's cart. What is the penalty on Mary? |
There is no penalty on Mary. She may play the ball as it lies, or immediately cancel the stroke and play a ball as nearly as possible from the spot where the original ball was last played. |
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Allen hits his tee shot toward an area of tall grass. He tells his fellow-competitors that he is hitting a provisional, which he hits down the middle of the fairway. He searches for and finds the original ball within five minutes in the tall grass, in bounds. He declares his original ball unplayable and says he wants to proceed with the provisional ball. Is this allowed? |
No. Once the original ball is found, the provisional must be abandoned. Allen must proceed under Rule 28 after declaring his ball unplayable. |
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Ron and Jerry are partners in a four-ball match. They both hit their tee shots down the right-side of the fairway. Ron arrives at a ball he believes is his and plays it onto the green. Jerry finds a ball on the right-side of the fairway, but it is not his ball and is eventually identified as Ron's ball. Both partners now realize that Ron hit Jerry's ball. How must Ron and Jerry proceed? |
Ron has hit a wrong ball and is disqualified for the hole. Jerry must place a ball as near as possible on the spot from which Ron hit the wrong ball. |
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Which of the following are valid reasons for a player to mark and lift his ball? A) The ball is on the putting green. B) The player needs to identify the ball. C) The player believes the ball will assist the play of another player. D) The player believes the ball is in a burrowing animal hole. E) All of the above. |
E) All of the above. |
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Eldon and Daniel are fellow competitors. Eldon has a long putt for eagle on the 5th hole. He putts and the ball rolls around the edge of the cup coming to rest overhanging the hole. As Eldon is walking toward the hole he slams his putter into the ground creating a gouge in Daniel's line of putt. May Daniel fix the gouge before he putts? |
Yes. Since the damage to the green occurred after Daniel's ball came to rest, and before he hit his next stroke he is allowed to repair the damage. Daniel is entitled to the lie and line of play he had when his ball came to rest on the putting green. |
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In four-Ball match play, Sheila putts and it appears that the ball will roll past the hole and my strike the flagstick, which had been removed and placed behind the hole. Sharon, who is Sheila's partner, picks up the flagstick while the ball is still rolling. What penalty is incurred by Sheila and Sharon? |
There is no penalty. Rule 24-1 specifically allows equipment of the players and the flagstick when attended, removed or held up to be moved when a ball is in motion even if doing so could influence the movement of a ball. |
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Joaquin and Manuel are playing a match. They are all square playing the 18th hole. Joaquin holes a putt for a par and thinking he has won the match, picks up Manuel's ball. Manuel then informs Joaquin that he has a putt for birdie to win the hole and the match. Did Joaquin concede Manuel's stroke by picking up the ball? |
No. Joaquin incurred a penalty stroke under Rule 18-3b; Manuel must replace his ball and now has two putts to win the hole and the match. |
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In match play, Faye hits a shot out of turn that lands six inches from the hole. What should Marilyn, Faye's opponent do? |
Marilyn can do nothing and allow Faye to play out the hole OR she can require Faye to cancel the stroke and, in the correct order, play a ball without penalty, as nearly as possible from the spot at which her original ball was last played. |
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Ryan and Sam are playing a match. Sam tees up a ball on the 14th hole that is a few inches in front of the tee markers. He then proceeds to hit the ball out-of-bounds. Ryan does not recall Sam's stroke for playing from the wrong teeing ground. What is the ruling? |
As Ryan did NOT recall Sam's stroke, Sam must proceed under rule 27-1 and must drop a ball, under penalty of one stroke, as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was played, i.e., on the wrong teeing ground. He could not tee the ball because the original ball was not played from the teeing ground of the hole being played (Rule 20-5). |
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Otis is on the fringe of the 14th hole in three strokes. While chipping the ball onto the green, the ball struck the clubface more than once, and landed near the hole. Otis holed the putt. What did Otis score for the 14th hole? |
Otis scored a 6. The chip counted as one stroke, plus a penalty stroke hitting the ball more than once. |
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Phil and Jack are playing a match. On the 1st green, Jack asks Phil to move his ball marker so that Jack can putt without interference. Jack makes his putt for a four. Phil then places his ball in front of his ball marker, picks up the ball marker and makes a putt for a three. What is the score of the match? |
Jack is 1 up. Phil needed to return his ball marker to the original spot before playing. Since he did not, he loses the hole for playing from a wrong place. |
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Sherry and Cindy are playing a match. Sherry makes up scorecards for the match which show that Sherry gets 10 strokes and Cindy gets 11 strokes. The # 1 handicap hole is the 15th hole which Cindy won by one stroke. Cindy wins the match 1 up. However, Cindy should have only gotten 10 strokes for the match. Neither Sherry nor Cindy realize that Cindy should have only gotten 10 strokes until the match was over. What should be done? |
The match should stand as played. It is up to each player to know the holes at which handicap strokes are to be given or received – see Note under Rule 6-2. |
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Tom and Jerry are partners. Tom leaves his sand wedge on the 14th hole. While playing the 15th hole, Tom realizes he is missing his sand wedge. May he use Jerry's wedge? |
No, unless the total number of clubs carried by the Tom and Jerry does not exceed fourteen. |
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Darin hits his ball into a bunker. While walking toward his ball in the bunker, he uses his club to lift the rake from the bunker, touching the sand with his club in the process. Has Darin incurred a penalty? |
No. Darin is allowed to touch the sand while removing an obstruction in the bunker. |
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Brian starts a stipulated round with 13 clubs in his bag. At the turn he goes to his car to get a Driver which he then adds to has bag for the final 9 holes. Does Brian incur a penalty? |
No, as long as he does not delay play, he can add a 14th club at any time during the round. |
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On a calm day, Abby plays her shot to the green, marks the ball, lifts it, cleans it, replaces it and picks up her ball marker. She takes her stance but before grounding her putter, the ball moves. Does Abby incur a penalty for causing the ball to move? |
Abby incurs a penalty of one stroke under rule 18-2b and the ball must be replaced.
It is uncertain what caused the ball to move as the conditions at the time were calm, there were no outside agencies present and the player did nothing obvious to cause the ball to move. The Exception to rule 18-2b only applies when it is known or virtually certain that Abby did not cause his ball to move. In order to meet this standard, it must be known or virtually certain that some other observable factor (e.g., wind, water or an outside agency) caused the ball to move. Otherwise, Abby is deemed to have caused the movement and Rule 18-2b applies. |
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In a bunker, a player's ball moved after he had taken his stance. What is the ruling? |
If the player's approach to the ball or the act of taking his stance caused the ball to move, the player incurred a penalty stroke under Rule 18-2a and the ball must be replaced. Otherwise, he incurs no penalty. |
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Tony, believing his tee shot might be lost or on a road defined as out of bounds, played a provisional ball. He searched for his original ball but did not find it. He went forward and played his provisional ball. Then he went farther forward and found his original ball in bounds. The original ball must have bounced down the road and then come back into bounds, because it was found much farther from the tee than anticipated. Was the original ball still the ball in play? |
No. Tony played a stroke with the provisional ball from a point nearer the hole than the place where the original ball was likely to be. When he did so, the provisional ball became the ball in play and the original ball was lost (Rule 27-2b).
The place where the original ball in fact lay was irrelevant. |
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During play of the 6th hole, Adam asked Bob what club he (Bob) had used on the 4th hole, which is a par-3 of a similar length. Was Adam in breach of Rule 8-1, asking for advice? |
No. See decision 8-1/6. |
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The format for a competition between two teams is as follows: Individual stroke play, with the winner being the team with the lowest aggregate score. Play is in groups of four, with two players from each team in each group. In such an event, may two team members playing in the same group give each other advice? |
No. The team mates are fellow-competitors and not partners in this type of event, which is not the same as four-ball stroke play (Rule 31-1), and they would be penalized for each breach of Rule 8-1. |
