Golf Rules in Brief
INTRODUCTION
Golf is a game in which a ball is struck with a club from a prepared
area, known as the "teeing ground", across fairway and
rough to a second prepared area, which has a hole in it, known as
the "putting green". The object of the game is to complete
what is known as a hole by playing a ball from the teeing ground
into the hole on the putting green in the fewest possible number
of strokes. A "round of golf' consists of playing 18 such holes.
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There are basically two forms of play, one which is decided by holes won and lost (match play) and the other which is decided by the total number of strokes taken to complete the round (stroke play).
There are three important principles to remember when playing golf:
Play the course as you find it. Play the Ball as it lies.
And if you can't do either, do what's fair."
To do what's fair you need to know the Rules. The following is a summary of the Rules of Golf, simplified where possible.
ETIQUETTE
Etiquette covers both Courtesy and Priority on the Course as well as Care of the Course. Whilst the following points are not Rules as such they are an important part of the game.
1. Don't move, talk or stand close to a player making a stroke.
2. Don't play until the group in front is out of the way.
3. Always play without delay. Leave the putting green as soon as all players in your
group have holed out.
4. Invite faster groups to play through.
5. Replace divots. Smooth footprints in bunkers.
6. Don't step on the line of another player's putt.
7. Don't drop clubs on the putting green.
8. Replace the flagstick carefully. |
DEFINITIONS
The Definitions section of the Rules of Golf contains over forty
Definitions which form the foundation around which the Rules of
play are written. A good knowledge of the defined terms will help
in the correct application of the Rules. These include:
Teeing Ground - the starting place for the hole,
defined by two tee-markers.
Through the Green - the whole area of the golf
course except the teeing ground and putting green of the hole being
played and all hazards.
Hazards - any bunker or water hazard.
Putting Green - an area specially prepared for
putting and containing a 41/2 inch diameter hole.
Out of Bounds - ground on which play is prohibited
i.e. not part of the course. A ball is out of bounds when all of
it lies out of bounds.
Loose Impediments - natural objects such as stones,
leaves and twigs provided they are not fixed or growing, are not
solidly embedded and are not sticking to the ball.
Obstructions - any man-made object, except:
(1) objects defining out of bounds
(2) any part of an immovable man-made object which is out of bounds;
and
(3) any construction declared by the Committee in the Local Rules
to be an integral part of the course.
Casual Water - any temporary accumulation of water on the course
which is visible before or after the player takes his stance (dew
and frost are not casual water).
Ground Under Repair - any portion of the course
so marked by the Committee. Also includes material piled for removal
and a hole made by a greenkeeper, even if not so marked. |
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