Addressing
the ball
A player has "address the ball"
when he has taken his stance and has
also grounded his club, except that
in a hazard a player has addressed
the ball when he has taken his stance.
Advice
"Advise" is any counsel
or suggestion which could influence
a player in determining his play,
the choice of a club or the method
of making a stroke.
Information on the Rules or on the
matters of public information, such
as the position of hazards or the
flagstick on the putting green, is
not advice.
Ball
Deemed to Move
See " Move or Moved".
Ball Holed
See "Holed".
Ball Lost
See "Lost Ball".
Ball in
Play
A ball is "in play" as soon
as the player has made a stroke on
the teeing ground. It remains in play
until holed out, except when it is
lost, out of bounds or lifted, or
another ball has been substituted
whether or not such substitution is
permitted, a ball so substituted becomes
the ball in play.
Bunker
A "bunker is a hazard consisting
of a prepared area of ground, often
a hollow, from which turf or soil
has been removed and replaced with
sand or the like. Gras-covered ground
bordering or within a bunker is not
part of the bunker. The margin of
a bunker extends vertically downwards,
but not upwards. A ball is in a bunker
when it lies in or any part of it
touches the bunker.
Caddie
A "caddie" is one who carries
or handles a player's clubs during
play and otherwise assists him in
accordance with the Rules.
When one caddie is employed by more
than one player, he is always deemed
to be the caddie of the player whose
ball is involved, and equipment carried
by him is deemed to be that player's
equipment, except when the caddie
acts upon specific directions of another
player, in which case he is considered
to be that other player's caddie.
Casual
Water
"Casual Water" is any temporary
accumulation of water on the course
which is visible before or after the
player takes his stance and is not
in a water hazard. Snow and natural
ice, other than frost, are either
casual water or loose impediments
at the option of the player. Manufactured
ice is an obstruction. Dew and frost
are not casual water. A ball is in
casual water when it lies in or any
part of it touches the casual water.
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Committee
The "Committee" is the committee
in charge of the competition or, if
the matter does not arise in a competition,
the committee in charge of the course.
Competitor
A "competitor" is a player
in a stroke competition. A "fellow-competitor"
is any person with whom the competitor
plays. Neither is partner of the other.
In stroke play foursome and four-ball
competitions, where the context so
admits, the word "competitor"
or "fellow-competitor" includes
his partner.
Course
The "course" is the whole
area within which play is permitted.
Equipment
"Equipment" is anything
used, worn or carried by or for the
player except any ball he has played
at the hole being played and any small
object, such as a coin or a tee, when
used to mark the position of a ball
or the extent of an area in which
a ball is to be dropped. Equipment
includes a golf cart, whether or not
motorised. If such a cart is shared
by two or more players, the cart and
everything in it are deemed to be
the equipment of the player whose
ball is involved except, when the
cart is being moved by one of the
players sharing it, the cart and everything
in it are deemed to be that player's
equipment.
Note: A ball at the hole being
played is equipment when it has been
lifted and not put back into play.
Fellow-Competitor
See "Competitor".
Flagstick
The "flagstick" is a movable
straight indicator, with or without
bunting or other material attached,
centered in the hole to show its position.
It shall be circular in cross-section.
Forecaddie
A "forecaddie" is one who
is employed by the Committee to indicate
to players the position of balls during
play. He is an outside agency.
Ground
under Repair
"Ground under repair"
is any portion of the course so marked
by order of the Committee or so declared
by its authorised representative.
It includes material piled for
removal and a hole made by a greenkeeper,
even if not so marked. Stakes and
lines defining ground under repair
are in such ground. Stakes defining
ground under repair are obstructions.
The margin of ground under repair
extends vertically downwards, but
not upwards. A ball is in ground under
repair when it lies in or any part
of it touches the ground under repair.
Note 1: Grass cutting and other
material left on the course which
have been abandoned and are not intended
to be removed are not ground under
repair unless so marked.
Note 2: The committee may make a Local
Rule prohibiting play from ground
under repair or an environmentally-sensitive
area which has been defined as ground
under repair.
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Hazards
A "hazard" is any bunker
or water hazard.
Hole
The "hole" shall be 4.25
inches (108mm) in diameter and at
least 4 inches (100mm) deep. If a
lining is used, it shall be sunk at
least 1 inch (25mm) below the putting
green surface unless the nature of
the soil makes it impractical to do
so, its outer diameter shall not exceed
4.25 inches (108mm).
Holed
A ball is "holed" when it
is at rest within the circumference
of the hole and all of it is below
the level of the lip of the hole.
Honor
The sided entitled to play first from
the teeing ground is said to have
the "honor".
Lateral
Water Hazard
A "lateral water hazard"
is a water hazard or that part of
a water hazard so situated that it
is not possible or is deemed by the
Committee to be impracticable to drop
a ball behind the water hazard in
accordance with Rule 26-1b.
The part of a water hazard to be played
as a lateral water hazard should be
distinctively marked. A ball is in
a lateral water hazard when it lies
in or any part of it touches the lateral
water hazard.
Note 1: Lateral water hazards should
be defined by red stakes or lines.
Note 2: The Committee may make a Local
Rule prohibiting play from an environmentally-sensitive
area which has been defined as a lateral
water hazard.
Line of
Play
The "line of play" is the
direction which the player wishes
his ball to take after a stroke, plus
a reasonable distance on either side
of the intended direction. The line
of play extends vertically upwards
from the ground, but does not extend
beyond the hole.
Line of
Put
The "line of put" is the
line which the player wishes his ball
to take after a stroke on the putting
green. Except with respect to Rule
16-1e, the line of putt includes a
reasonable distance on either side
of the intended line. The line of
putt does not extend beyond the hole.
Loose
Impediments
"Loose impediment" are natural
objects such as stones, leaves, branches
and the like, dung, worms and insects
and casts or heaps made by them, provided
they are not fixed or growing, are
not solidly embedded and do not adhere
to the ball.
Sand and loose soil are impediments
on the putting green, but not elsewhere.
Snow and natural ice, other than frost,
are either casual water or loose impediments,
at the option of the player.
Manufactured ice is an obstruction.
Dew and frost are not loose impediments.
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Lost Ball
A ball is "lost" if:
a. It is not found or identified as
his by the player within five minutes
after the player's side or his or
their caddies have begun to search
for it, or
b. The player has put another ball
into play under the Riles, even though
he may not have searched for the original
ball, or
c. The player has played any stroke
with a provisional ball from the place
where the original ball is likely
to be or from a point nearer the hole
than that place, whereupon the provisional
ball becomes the ball in play.
Time spent in playing a wrong ball
is not counted in the five-minutes
period allowed for search.
Marker
A "marker" is one who is
appointed by the Committee to record
a competitor's score in stroke of
play. He may be a fellow-competitor.
He is not a referee.
Matches
See "Sides and Matches"
Move or
Moved
A ball is deemed to have "moved"
if it leaves its position and comes
to rest in any other place.
Observer
An "observer" is one who
is appointed by the Committee to assist
a referee to decide questions of fact
and to report to him any breach of
a Rule. An observer should not attend
the flagstick, stand at or mark the
position of the hole, or lift the
ball or mark its position.
Obstructions
An "obstruction" is anything
artificial, including the artificial
surfacing and sided of roads and paths
and manufactured ice, except:
a. Objects defining out of bounds,
such as walls, fences, stakes and
railings.
b. Any part of an immovable artificial
object which is out of bounds, and
c. Any construction declared by the
Committee to be an integral part of
the course.
Out of
Bounds
"Out of bounds" is ground
on which play is prohibited.
When out of bounds is defined by reference
to stakes or a fence or as being beyond
stakes or a fence, the out of bounds
line is determined by the nearest
inside points of the stakes or fence
posts at ground level excluding angled
supports.
When out of bounds is defined by a
line on the ground, the line itself
is out of bounds.
The out of bounds line extends vertically
upwards and downwards.
A ball is out of bounds when all of
it lies out of bounds.
A player may stand out of bounds to
play a ball lying within bounds.
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Outside
Agency
An "outside agency" is any
agency not part of the match or in
stroke play, not part of the competitor's
side and includes a referee, a marker,
an observer and a forecaddie.
Neither wind nor water is an outside
agency.
Partner
A "partner" is a player
associated with another player on
the same side.
In a threesome, foursome, best-ball
or four-ball match, where the context
so admits, the word "player"
includes his partner or partners.
Penalty
Stroke
A "penalty stroke" is one
added to the score of a player or
side under certain Rules. In a threesome
or foursome, penalty strokes do not
affect the order of play.
Provisional
Ball
A "provisional ball" is
a ball played under Rule 27-2 for
a ball which may be lost outside a
water hazard or may be out of bounds.
Putting
Green
The "putting green" is all
ground of the hole being played which
is specifically prepared for putting
or otherwise defined as such by the
Committee. A ball is on the putting
green when any part of it touches
the putting green.
Referee
A "referee" is one who is
appointed by the Committee to accompany
players to decide questions of fact
and apply the Rules. He shall act
on any breach of a Rules which he
observed or is reported to him.
A referee should not attend the flagstick,
stand at or mark the position of the
hole, or lift the ball or mark its
position.
Rub
of the Green
A "rub of the green" occurs
when a ball in motion is accidentally
deflected or stopped by any outside
agency. (see Rule 19-1).
Rule
The term "Rule" includes
Local Rules made by the Committee
under Rule 33-8a.
Sides
and Matches
Side: A player, or two or more players who
are partners.
Single: A match in which one plays against
another.
Threesome: A match in which one plays against
two, and each side plays one ball..
Foursome: A match in which two play against
two, and each side plays one ball.
Three-ball: A match play competition in which
three play against one another, each
playing his own ball. Each player
is playing two distinct matches.
Best ball: A match in which one plays against
the better ball of two or the best
ball of three players.
Four-ball: A match in which two play their better
ball against the better ball of two
other players.
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Stance
Taking the "stance" consists
in a player placing his feet in position
for and preparatory to making a stroke.
Stipulated
Round
A "stipulated round" consists
of playing the holes of the course
in their correct sequence unless otherwise
authorised by the Committee. The number
of holes in stipulated round is 18
unless a smaller number is authorised
by the Committee. As to extension
of stipulated round in match play,
see Rule 2-3.
Stroke
A "stroke" is the forward
movement of the club made with the
intension of fairly striking at and
moving the ball, but if a player checks
his downswing voluntarily before the
club head reaches the ball he is deemed
not to have made a stroke.
Teeing
Ground
The "teeing ground" is the
starting place for the hole to be
played. It is a rectangular area two
club-length in depth, the front and
the sides of which are defined by
the outside limits of two tee-markers.
A ball is outside the teeing ground
when all of it lies outside the teeing
ground..
Through
the Green
"Through the green" is the
whole area of the course except:
a. The teeing ground and the putting
green of the hole being played; and
b. All hazards on the course.
Water Hazard
A "water hazard" is any
sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface
drainage ditch or other open water
course (whether or not containing
water) and anything of a similar nature.
All ground or water within the margin
of a water hazard is part of the water
hazard. The margin of a water hazard
extends vertically upwards and downwards.
Stakes and lines defining the margins
of water hazards are in the hazards.
Such stakes are obstructions. A ball
is in a water hazard when it lies
in or any part of it touches the water
hazard.
Note 1: Water hazards (other than
lateral water hazards) should be defined
by yellow stakes or lines.
Note 2: The Committee may make a Local
Rule prohibiting play from an environmentally-sensitive
area which has been defined as a water
hazard.
Wrong Ball
A "wrong ball" is any ball
other that the player's"
a. Ball in play.
b. Provisional ball or
c. Second ball played under Rule 3-3
or Rule 20-7b in stroke play.
Note: Ball in play included a ball
substituted for the ball in play whether
or not such substitution is permitted.
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