Basic USGA Rules for PAR Players - Version 1.0 Dropping Ball (USGA Rules 20-2 and 20-6) What is the correct way to drop my ball? 1. Stand erect. 2. Hold the ball at shoulder height and at arm s length and drop it as near as possible to the spot where it is supposed to land no nearer to the hole. 3. If you drop your ball in the wrong manner and do not correct your mistake before playing it, you must add one penalty stroke to your score. 4. If you drop your ball in the wrong place and do not correct your mistake before playing it, you must add two penalty strokes to your score. Immovable Obstruction (USGA Rule 24.2) and Abnormal Ground Conditions (USGA Rule 25.1) What is an Immovable Obstruction? It is an artificial object or surface on the course that cannot be moved (such as a building, road or cart path). Objects that mark Out of Bounds, such as stakes, fences and walls are not Immovable Obstructions. What are Abnormal Ground Conditions? They are things such as temporary water that is not in a Water Hazard or Lateral Water Hazard, ground under repair (GUR) or a hole made by a burrowing animal, reptile or bird. If the ground being repaired is marked by a line, the line is the boundary of the area being repaired. If the ground being repaired is marked by stakes, the stakes are inside the area being repaired. So, if your ball touches either the line or an imaginary line connecting the fairway sides of the stakes, it is in the ground being repaired. When you lift and move your ball from an Abnormal Ground Condition you may clean it. If you correctly move your ball away from an Immovable Obstruction or Abnormal Ground Conditions according to the Rules, you will receive no penalty.
What is the correct way to move my ball? 1. First, do not pick up your ball. Leave it where it lies until it is time to move it to its new place. 2. The new place must be as close as possible to your original ball (B1 or B2). 3. The new place must not be nearer to the hole than your original ball is. 4. The new place may be one where nothing is in the way of your stance, your swing or the new lie of the ball. 5. If the new place for your ball is between you and the Immovable Obstruction or Abnormal Ground Condition when you are in your new stance, take your stance with any club and mark the position of the clubface with a tee (P1). You may drop your ball inside the shaded area (A). You may 6. If the new place for your ball is not between you and the Immovable Obstruction or Abnormal Ground Condition when you are in your new stance, take your new stance with the club you plan to play your next shot with (X) and mark the position of the clubface with a tee (P2). Now, using any club, you may drop your ball inside the shaded area (B). You may 7. You get two tries to drop and land the ball in the shaded area. If you cannot, you are allowed to bend down and place the ball where it hit the ground on your second drop. Water Hazards (USGA Rule 26) What are Water Hazards? Water Hazards are areas on the course. They include such things as a lake, pond, river or drainage ditch, whether or not they have water in them. Water Hazards are usually marked by yellow lines or stakes. Lateral Water Hazards are usually marked by red lines or stakes. The hazard line is the boundary of the hazard. The hazard stakes are in the hazard. If any part of your ball touches either the hazard boundary line or an imaginary line drawn between the fairway sides of the hazard stakes, it is in the hazard. If you correctly play your ball according to the Rules, you will either receive no penalty or you must add one penalty stroke to your score. If you break the Rules you must add two penalty strokes to your score in Stroke Play or lose the hole in What is the correct way to play when my ball is in a Water Hazard?
When your ball is in a Water Hazard (usually marked by yellow stakes or yellow lines): (1) You may play your ball from where it lies in the Water Hazard with no penalty, as long as you do not allow your club to touch the hazard until you make your actual stroke at the ball. If it does, you must add two penalty strokes to your score. (2) You may go back and hit a ball from the spot from where you played your last shot, but you must add one penalty stroke to your score. You may clean your ball before playing it. (3) You may drop a ball as far behind the spot where your ball entered the hazard as you wish, as long as it lies on an imaginary line drawn from the flagstick through the spot where your ball entered the hazard. But you must add one penalty stroke to your score. You may clean your ball before dropping it. Sometimes the course will mark a special drop zone away from the Water Hazard. You may drop your ball in that zone and play it from there, but you must add one penalty stroke to your score. You may The yellow marker stakes are Movable Obstructions, so if they interfere with the ball or your stance, you can usually move them with no penalty. But don t forget to put them back when you have played your shot. When your ball is in a Lateral Water Hazard (usually marked by red stakes or red lines): (1) You may play your ball from where it lies in the Lateral Water Hazard with no penalty, as long as you do not allow your club to touch the hazard until you make your actual stroke at the ball. If it does, you must add two penalty strokes to your score. (2) You may go back and hit a ball from the spot from where you played your last shot, but you must add one penalty stroke to your score. You may (3) You may drop a ball as far behind the spot (A) where your ball entered the hazard as you wish, as long as it lies on an imaginary line drawn from the flagstick through the spot where your ball entered the hazard. But you must add one penalty stroke to your score. You may (4) You may drop your ball within two club lengths from the spot (A) where your ball entered the hazard and no nearer to the hole. But you must add one penalty stroke to your score. You may use any club to measure with. (5) You may drop your ball within two club lengths from the opposite edge of the hazard (B), and no nearer to the hole. But you must add one penalty stroke to your score.
Ball Lost or Out of Bounds Provisional Ball (USGA Rule 27) What is Out of Bounds? Out of Bounds is either an area beyond the boundaries of the course or a part of the course that has been marked as Out of Bounds. Out of Bounds is usually marked by white lines, white stakes or boundary fence posts. The line is the boundary of the Out of Bounds area. An imaginary line connecting the fairway sides of the white stakes or fence posts marks the boundary of the Out of Bounds area. Your ball is Out of Bounds only when all of it lies Out of Bounds. What is a Provisional Ball? A Provisional Ball is a ball played for a ball that may be lost outside a Water Hazard or may be Out of Bounds. If you correctly play your ball according to the Rules, you must add one penalty stroke to your score. What is the correct way to play when my ball is Lost or Out of Bounds? 1. You can not play your ball from Out of Bounds. 2. If you are sure your ball is Lost or Out of Bounds (A), you must play a new ball from the spot where your last shot was played, and add one penalty stroke to your score. 3. If you are not sure your ball is Lost or Out of Bounds (A), you may play a Provisional Ball (B) from the spot where your last shot was played. But you must tell the others playing with you that you are doing so or you must add two penalty strokes to your score. 4. You have 5 minutes to search for your original ball. 5. If your original ball is not Lost or Out of Bounds, continue playing with your original ball with no penalty. 6. If your original ball is Lost or Out of Bounds, you must continue playing with either your new or Provisional Ball and add one penalty stroke to your score.
Ball Unplayable (USGA Rule 28) When is my Ball Unplayable? You are the referee and may declare your ball is Unplayable at anytime and anywhere on the course, except when it is in a Water Hazard. If you correctly play your ball according to the Rules, you must add one penalty stroke to your score. What is the correct way to play when my ball is Unplayable? (A) You may drop and play a ball from the spot where your last shot was played and add one penalty stroke to your score. You may (B) You may drop a ball as far behind the spot where your original ball lies as you wish, as long as it lies on an imaginary line drawn from the flagstick through the spot where your original ball lies. You must add one penalty stroke to your score. You may (C) You may drop a ball within two club lengths from where your original ball lies - but no nearer to the hole and add one penalty stroke to your score. You may use any club to measure with. If your original ball is in a bunker, you must correctly move and drop your ball in the bunker but no nearer the hole. You may