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SECTION 4: (Rules 7; 8-1; 11-4; 16-1; 17; 18-2)
Rule 7 – PRACTICE
7-1. Before or Between Rounds
a. Match Play
On any day of a match-play competition, a player may practice on the competition course before a round.
b. Stroke Play
Before a round or play-off on any day of a stroke-play competition, a competitor must not practice on the competition course or test the surface of any putting green on the course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface.
When two or more rounds of a stroke-play competition are to be played over consecutive days, a competitor must not practice between those rounds on any competition course remaining to be played, or test the surface of any putting green on such course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface.
Exception: Practice putting or chipping on or near the first teeing ground or any practice area before starting a round or play-off is permitted.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 7-1b: Disqualification.
Note: The Committee may, in the conditions of a competition (Rule 33-1), prohibit practice on the competition course on any day of a match-play competition or permit practice on the competition course or part of the course (Rule 33-2c) on any day of or between rounds of a stroke-play competition.
7-2. During Round
A player must not make a practice stroke during play of a hole. Between the play of two holes a player must not make a practice stroke, except that he may practice putting or chipping on or near:
a. the putting green of the hole last played,
b. any practice putting green, or
c. the teeing ground of the next hole to be played in the round, provided a practice stroke is not made from a hazard and does not unduly delay play (Rule 6-7).
Strokes made in continuing the play of a hole, the result of which has been decided, are not practice strokes.
Exception: When play has been suspended by the Committee, a player may, prior to resumption of play, practice (a) as provided in this Rule, (b) anywhere other than on the competition course and (c) as otherwise permitted by the Committee.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 7-2: Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.
In the event of a breach between the play of two holes, the penalty applies to the next hole.
Note 1: A practice swing is not a practice stroke and may be taken at any place, provided the player does not breach the Rules.
Note 2: The Committee may, in the conditions of a competition (Rule 33-1), prohibit:
(a) practice on or near the putting green of the hole last played, and
(b) rolling a ball on the putting green of the hole last played.
Rule 8 – ADVICE
8-1. Advice
During a stipulated round, a player must not:
a. give advice to anyone in the competition playing on the course other than his partner, or
b. ask for advice from anyone other than his partner or either of their caddies.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE: Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.
Rule 11 – TEEING GROUND
11-4. Playing from Outside Teeing Ground
a. Match Play
If a player, when starting a hole, plays a ball from outside the teeing ground, there is no penalty, but the opponent may immediately require the player to cancel the stroke and play a ball from within the teeing ground.
b. Stroke Play
If a competitor, when starting a hole, plays a ball from outside the teeing ground, he incurs a penalty of two strokes and must then play a ball from within the teeing ground.
If the competitor makes a stroke from the next teeing ground without first correcting his mistake or, in the case of the last hole of the round, leaves the putting green without first declaring his intention to correct his mistake, he is disqualified.
The stroke from outside the teeing ground and any subsequent strokes by the competitor on the hole prior to his correction of the mistake do not count in his score.
Rule 16 – THE PUTTING GREEN
16-1. General
a. Touching Line of Putt
The line of putt must not be touched except:
(i) the player may remove loose impediments, provided he does not press anything down;
(ii) the player may place the club in front of the ball when addressing it, provided he does not press anything down;
(iii) in measuring – Rule 18-6;
(iv) in lifting or replacing the ball – Rule 16-1b;
(v) in pressing down a ball-marker;
(vi) in repairing old hole plugs or ball marks on the putting green – Rule 16-1c; and
(vii) in removing movable obstructions – Rule 24-1.
b. Lifting and Cleaning Ball
A ball on the putting green may be lifted and, if desired, cleaned. The position of the ball must be marked before it is lifted and the ball must be replaced (see Rule 20-1). When another ball is in motion, a ball that might influence the movement of the ball in motion must not be lifted.
c. Repair of Hole Plugs, Ball Marks and Other Damage
The player may repair an old hole plug or damage to the putting green caused by the impact of a ball, whether or not the player’s ball lies on the putting green. If a ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved in the process of the repair, the ball or ball-marker must be replaced. There is no penalty, provided the movement of the ball or ball-marker is directly attributable to the specific act of repairing an old hole plug or damage to the putting green caused by the impact of a ball. Otherwise, Rule 18 applies.
Any other damage to the putting green must not be repaired if it might assist the player in his subsequent play of the hole.
d. Testing Surface
During the stipulate round, a player must not test the surface of any putting green by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface.
EXCEPTION: Between the play of two holes, a player may test the surface of any practice putting green and the putting green of the hole last played, unless the committee has prohibited such action.
e. Standing Astride or on Line of Putt
The player must not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride, or with either foot touching, the line of putt or an extension of that line behind the ball.
EXCEPTION: There is no penalty of the stance is inadvertently taken on or astride the line of putt (or an extension of that line behind the ball) or is taken to avoid standing or another player’s line of putt or prospective line of putt.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 16-1. Match Play- Loss of hole; Stroke play- Two strokes.
Rule 17 – THE FLAGSTICK
17-1. Flagstick Attended, Removed or Held Up
Before making a stroke from anywhere on the course, the player may have the flagstick attended, removed or held up to indicate the position of the hole.
If the flagstick is not attended, removed or held up before the player makes a stroke, it must not be attended, removed or held up during the stroke or while the player’s ball is in motion if doing so might influence the movement of the ball.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 17-1. Match Play- Loss of hole; Stroke play- Two strokes.
17-3. Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant
The player’s ball must not strike:
a. The flagstick when is attended, removed or held up:
b. The person attending or holding up the flagstick or anything carried by him: or
c. The flagstick in the hole, unattended, when the stroke has been made on the putting green.
EXCEPTION: When the flagstick is attended, removed or held up without the player’s authority.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 17-3: Match Play- Loss of hole; Stroke play- Two strokes and the ball must be played as it lies
Rule 18 – BALL AT REST MOVED
18-2a. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment
Except as permitted by the Rules, when a player’s ball is in play, if
(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies:
• lifts or moves the ball,
• touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing the ball), or
• causes the ball to move, or
(ii) the equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.
If the ball is moved, it must be replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.
Under the Rules there is no penalty if a player accidentally causes his ball to move in the following circumstances:
• In searching for a ball covered by sand, in the replacement of loose impediments moved in a hazard while finding or identifying a ball, in probing for a ball lying in water in a water hazard or in searching for a ball in an obstruction or an abnormal ground condition – Rule 12-1
• In repairing a hole plug or ball mark – Rule 16-1c
• In measuring – Rule 18-6
• In lifting a ball under a Rule – Rule 20-1
• In placing or replacing a ball under a Rule – Rule 20-3a
• In removing a loose impediment on the putting green – Rule 23-1
• In removing movable obstructions – Rule 24-1
b. Ball Moving After Address
If a player’s ball in play moves after he has addressed it (other than as a result of a stroke), the player is deemed to have moved the ball and incurs a penalty of one stroke. The ball must be replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.
Exception: If it is known or virtually certain that the player did not cause his ball to move, Rule 18-2b does not apply.
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