Rules of Golf: Some Vital Rules to Note

This guide is just a simple and straightforward explanation about some vital rules of golf, especially for beginners, when they tend to find themselves in some precarious situations during their rounds. This is just a guide with limited rules mentioned. Therefore, if any problem arises, please make reference to the original rule book.

All Players Are Supposed to Play in the Spirit of Golf

Playing with integrity – players show integrity by following the rules of the game, applying all penalties, and showing honesty in all aspects of play.
Having regard for others – for instance, playing at a timely pace, watching out for the well-being of others, and not interrupting the play of another player.
Proper care of the course – watching out for unnecessary damage to the course, smoothing bunkers, fixing ball-marks and restoring divots

There are no penalties in the rules for not acting with respect to the conduct, except that the Council may disqualify any player that acts against the spirit of the game if it figures out that such player has engaged in a serious violation of such spirit.

Before Beginning Your Round, Players Are Suggested

Count their clubs – players are permitted a maximum of 14 clubs.
Put an identification mark on their balls – as many golfers use the same brand of balls, it becomes difficult to identify. And failure to identify the ball means it is considered lost.

During the rounds,

No practice shots during the play of a hole.
Do not ask for or give help to anyone apart from your caddie, your partner, or your partner’s caddie.

The Rules of Play

1. Tee shot

Before you play your tee shot, you are permitted to replace your ball (i.e., the first shot taken on a hole). The preferred boundary for playing your tee shot is from between the tee-markers (make sure not to play in front of them) or about two club-lengths behind the front line of the tee-markers.

Your opponent might need for you to replay your stroke on the condition that he says so instantly if the tee shot is played beyond this area. But there is absolutely no penalty to be given during the match.

2. Playing the ball

If you feel a ball is yours but can’t see the identification mark, you may mark the location of the ball and then raise it to identify it. When it is raised under this rule, the ball must be marked clearly (or there will be a 1-stroke penalty for a loose mark).

One of the main rules of playing the ball is to play it where it lies. Do not raise your line of play or the area of your stance or swing.

If you play the wrong ball,

You lose the whole match.
You can attract the two-stroke penalty. Errors made by playing the wrong ball must be fixed by playing the right ball, or else the strokes won’t be counted in the game.

If you play from the wrong area, it might not be a serious violation, but you will attract the two-stroke penalty, and then you can resume playing the ball from that wrong area. If, however, you gain noticeable merit from playing from the wrong place, it can be regarded as a grave error. You will then incur the general penalty and must correct this error by playing the ball from the right place. You will be disqualified if this error isn’t corrected.

3. “Ball at rest” moved

Usually, a penalty stroke is added, and you have to change your ball when you unintentionally raise it or make it move when your ball is in play. A penalty stroke isn’t added if someone else, your caddie, your partner, your partner’s caddie, or another ball causes it to move, but you have to change the ball.

4. Portable obstacles

If your ball moves as a result of coming into contact with artificial mobile objects such as bottles or stones found anywhere on the course, without any penalty, the ball must be replaced. The obstacle must be cleared if the ball is found to be in or on the obstruction, but the ball must be placed in the exact spot under where the ball was on the obstacle.

5. Lost ball or out of bounds – Provisional ball

The boundaries of the course are generally described by fences, white lines, stakes, or walls and can be checked on the local rules on the scoreboard. After a shot, you may feel that your ball might have been lost outside the penalty area, or it was played out of bounds. You can play a provisional ball (i.e., a second golf ball played by a golfer who believes the first ball has been lost) from the place where the last stroke was made under a one-stroke penalty. You must also announce and use the word ‘provisional” to show that it is a provisional ball.

But before the provisional ball is played, you are allowed a 3-minute time frame to locate the ball, and if it isn’t found by then, the ball is deemed lost, and you may resume playing the provisional ball.

Conclusion

Although not all the rules are stated here, they are still some of the most vital rules and knowing them can really help during your rounds of the game.