Golf rules, explained plainly

Out of bounds, lost balls and the provisional ball

White stakes or lines mark out of bounds. If your ball is beyond them, or you cannot find it within three minutes of starting to search, you take stroke and distance: one penalty stroke, and you play again from the spot of your previous stroke. Our guide to the out of bounds rule covers the white-stake line, the local rule that lets casual rounds drop near where the ball went out for two strokes, and how to count your score. The lost ball rule covers the search time and what counts as finding your ball.

If you think your ball may be lost or out of bounds, hit a provisional ball before you walk forward and say clearly that it is a provisional (Rule 18.3). It saves the walk back to the tee.

Penalty areas: red and yellow stakes

Water hazards became penalty areas in 2019, and they need not contain water. Yellow means you can go back on a line from the flagstick through the spot where your ball crossed the edge, or take stroke and distance. Red adds a third option: lateral relief within two club-lengths of where the ball crossed, no nearer the hole. Each option costs one penalty stroke. You may also play the ball as it lies without penalty, and you may ground your club in a penalty area.

Unplayable lies, embedded balls and free relief

You can declare your ball unplayable anywhere on the course except in a penalty area. For one penalty stroke you choose stroke and distance, back on the line, or a drop within two club-lengths (Rule 19.2). In a bunker there is a fourth option for two strokes in total: drop back on the line outside the bunker.

Some situations are free. A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the general area gets free relief (Rule 16.3). So do abnormal course conditions such as ground under repair, temporary water, animal holes and immovable obstructions like a cart path (Rule 16.1). You find the nearest point of complete relief, measure one club-length from it, no nearer the hole, and drop from knee height.

Bunkers, the flagstick and the 14-club limit

In a bunker you may remove loose impediments such as leaves and stones, but you may not touch the sand with your club right in front of or behind the ball, in a practice swing or in your backswing (Rule 12.2b). On the green you may leave the flagstick in when you putt, with no penalty if the ball hits it (Rule 13.2). You may carry at most 14 clubs; see how many clubs you can carry for the penalty if you start with more.

Etiquette and pace of play

Rule 1.2 asks players to act with integrity, show consideration for others and take care of the course: repair pitch-marks, replace divots, rake bunkers and keep up with the group ahead. It even names the warning to shout when a ball might hit someone: see why golfers say fore. The Rules recommend making each stroke in no more than 40 seconds once it is your turn (Rule 5.6b).