15 RULES EVERY GOLFER SHOULD KNOW

The USGA and The R&A Rules of Golf, effective January 1, 2019.

BALL MOVED PUTTING GREEN BUNKERS AND PENALTY AREAS

1 Ball Moved 3 Repairing 6 Relaxed
During Search Damage Restrictions
● If you move any player's ● You can repair almost in Bunkers
ball (even your own) any damage on the ● You can touch or
while searching for it, putting green, including: move loose
there is no penalty, just impediments in a
replace the ball. ● Spike marks bunker, but be careful
● Animal damage you don't move your ball
● Any damage from a person
when doing so or you'll get
or a ball
one penalty stroke.

2 Ball Moved on ● You cannot touch the sand with your club next to
Putting Green 4 Touching your ball, or during the backswing for your stroke.
You also cannot touch the sand anywhere to test
● If you accidentally move Line of Play ●

its condition or when making a practice swing.

any player's ball (even ● You are allowed to
your own) on the
7
touch your line of play
putting green, there is
no penalty, just replace
for any reason (including Actions
on the putting green).
the ball. Allowed in
● Once you have lifted and replaced your Penalty
ball on the putting green, your ball owns
that spot. If it then moves, you will always 5 Flagstick
●
Areas
You are allowed to:
replace your ball no matter what caused the
movement, including wind or gravity. ● If your ball hits an
unattended flagstick ● Ground your club
in the hole, there is ● Take practice swings
no penalty. ● Take penalty area relief
● Touch water
● Remove loose impediments

TAKING RELIEF PLAYING A BALL EQUIPMENT

8 Dropping and 11 Accidental 14 Club
Measuring Deflections Damage
Relief Area ● There is no penalty if ● You cannot replace
your ball in motion is any club that you
● Drop your ball from
accidentally deflected, damage during
knee height so that it
including by: the round.
lands in and comes to rest
in the relief area. ● Check to see if Model
● You
Local Rule G-9 is in effect,
● Your relief area is either one or ● Your equipment
which would allow you to
two club-lengths, measured from the reference point ● Your partner
Your caddie replace a broken or significantly damaged club.
(based on the Rule you are taking relief under). ●
● A double hit
● Measure club-lengths using the longest club in your
bag other than your putter. ● Generally, your ball
will be played from 15 Yardage
where it comes Books
9 Penalty Area to rest.
● There are limits
on the size and
Relief scale of
● For one penalty stroke, 2 green-reading
you have two relief materials that you
3
options from a yellow are allowed to use.
penalty area and three
12
1 ● This applies to all materials,
relief options from a red
penalty area.
Search Time including yardage books, but only when you use
You have three
●
them to read the green when you're playing from
1 Stroke-and-Distance (red or yellow) minutes to find your it, or when using a putter from anywhere else.
Play from the relief area based on where your ball before it is lost. ● If you have questions, you should ask the
previous stroke was made.
Committee prior to your round.
2 Back-On-the-Line (red or yellow)
Drop a ball within one club-length to either side of a straight
line from the hole through the point where your ball last
crossed the edge of the penalty area, going back as far as
you'd like.
Order your copy of
3 Lateral Relief (red only)
Drop a ball within a two club-length relief area measured 13 Help with
ALLOWED NOT
ALLOWED
the Player’s Edition
of the Rules of Golf
from where your ball last crossed the edge of the penalty
area, and no closer to the hole than that point.
Alignment usgapublications.com
● Your caddie or partner
is not allowed to stand
10 Changing Balls on or close to a line
behind your ball while
Allowed When you are taking your
Taking Relief stance and until your The USGA
stroke is made. Rules of Golf App
● You can use your Available for FREE on
original ball or another ● If you begin taking your stance with your caddie or iOS and Android devices
ball when taking either partner behind your ball, you can back away and
free relief or penalty relief. start over without penalty.

For more information on the Rules of Golf, please visit usga.org/rules.

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