Rules FAQ’s

This is the first central principle of the game of golf. See the purpose of Rule 1. Applying this principle is essential to understanding the rules.

“If a player knows or believes that another player has breached or might have breached the Rules and that the other player does not recognize or is ignoring this, the player should tell the other player, the player’s marker, a referee or the Committee.” (See rule 20.1c(2).)

In stroke play,[1] “you must hole out.” There are no “gimme’s.” A player who picks up without holing out must replace the ball and complete the hole. Also, add a penalty stroke for touching the ball (see FAQ below). If the player does not hole out before teeing off on the following hole, he is disqualified. (See rules 3.3c and 9.4b.)

[1] This is true for any tournament format in which a player’s individual hole score counts.

There is no maximum hole score in normal stroke play competitions. Keep playing until the ball is holed. (There is a maximum score that may be posted for handicap, but the actual score counts in competition.)

Putt out as on all greens. There is no maximum number of putts.

See rule 1.1 - The Game of Golf.

A ball is lost if it is not found in a total of three minutes of searching. If found after, it cannot be played. (See the definition of Lost and rule 18.2.)

You may play a provisional ball (remember to announce "provisional") if your ball may be out of bounds or lost outside a penalty area.[2]

“But if you are aware that the only possible place the original ball could be lost is in a penalty area, a provisional ball is not allowed....” (See rule 18.3.)

For example, on hole #4 there is tall grass near the penalty area. If it is difficult to tell whether a ball is in the penalty area or lost outside the penalty area, you may play a provisional ball. This is different from the right side of the 16th fairway - a ball to the right is either in the penalty area or not. It will not be lost outside the penalty area. You may not play a provisional ball in this situation.

What to do next:

If the original ball is out of bounds, the provisional ball becomes the ball in play. Or, if the original ball is not found and it is not known or virtually certain that it is in a penalty area (or abnormal course condition), then the ball is lost, and the provisional ball becomes the ball in play.

Otherwise, if the original ball is found on the golf course or it becomes known or virtually certain that the original ball is in a penalty area (or abnormal course condition), the provisional ball must be abandoned.

Remember you “may continue to play the provisional ball without it losing its status as a provisional ball so long as it is played from a spot that is the same distance or farther from the hole than where the original ball is estimated to be.” (from rule 18.3c(1).)

[2] There is also the Stroke and Distance Alternative local rule. See Local Rules.

“If it is not known or virtually certain that your ball came to rest in a penalty area and the ball is lost, you must take stroke-and-distance relief.” (See rule 17.1c)

There are many penalty areas adjoining tall grass or brush where there can be a lack of certainty and stroke-and-distance is the only option. (Or see the Stroke and Distance Alternative local rule in Local Rules.)

"At any time, a player may take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing ... from where the previous stroke was made." (See rule 18.1)

This may be the best option in many situations. For example, instead of chasing down his moving putt, Phil Mickelson could have taken a one stroke penalty and putted again.

Unless it was accidental.[1] This includes the ball must be marked before lifting or moving it or while rotating it in place (See rules 13.1d and 9.4b.)

[1] A mental lapse is not considered "accidental".

The driving range fence is a boundary object - there is no free relief. Same applies to all the course boundaries.

There is usually free relief from immovable obstructions outside of penalty areas. Examples of immovable obstructions[1] at Jackson Park: all paved or gravel cart paths[2], irrigation system components, shed on the left of #1 layup area, fence on the right of #3, bathroom behind the 6th green, rock wall left of the 11th green, water fountain behind the 15th green, power poles, etc.

Relief is available when there is “interference”[3] for playing a "reasonable" shot. The obstruction must be in bounds. (See rule 16.1.)

NOTE: The fences surrounding the course and the driving range are boundary objects, not obstructions. Boundary objects are defined as: "Artificial objects defining or showing out of bounds, such as walls, fences, stakes and railings, from which free relief is not allowed."

[1] An obstruction is "any artificial object except for integral objects and boundary objects". An immovable obstruction is an obstruction that cannot be easily moved or is intended not to be moved (such as a rock that is part of a rock wall).

[2] Bare ground, such as from cart traffic, is not an immovable obstruction because it is not artificial. There is no free relief.

[3] Interference means “your ball touches or is in or on the abnormal course condition, or the abnormal course condition physically interferes with your area of intended stance or area of intended swing”. Interference does not include visual distraction or line of play (possibly confusing because the PGA Tour has a local rule allowing line of play relief). See rule 16.1 and rules definitions for more, including relief exceptions and procedure.

Divots are part of golf’s "fundamental challenge" to play the ball as it lies.[1]

[1] See "Play the ball as it lies" in section 2 of this article.

If it is not marked, it is not ground under repair (GUR).

The only exceptions are a hole made by staff[1] while maintaining the course, material piled for removal, or animal habitat. For example, unless marked, the following are not GUR: bare ground, mud, tire tracks, fairway ruts or depressions, irregular turf, tilled area, etc. These are all part of the "fundamental challenge of the game" to play the ball as it lies.[2] (See the definition of Ground Under Repair.)

A common misconception is that anything "abnormal" is GUR. But the definition of abnormal in the rules of golf is not the dictionary definition. The word is used only as part of the term abnormal course condition, which is any of these defined conditions: animal hole, GUR, immovable obstruction, or temporary water.

Also, if it is not marked as GUR, but used to be or "should" be, it is still not GUR.

The first central principle of golf is, "Play the course as you find it and play the ball as it lies."

[1] Where “hole made by staff” can be as shallow as made by “removing turf”. The "hole" is no longer GUR after maintenance is finished, even if scars or remnants of the hole remain.

[2] See the parallel discussion of divots in the "Play the ball as it lies" section of this article.

An area is considered Temporary Water – from which free relief is allowed – only if water is remains visible before or after taking a stance. "It is not enough for the ground to be merely wet, muddy or soft or for the water to be momentarily visible as the player steps on the ground."

A ball that is not found because it embedded is lost.[1] The penalty is stroke and distance.[2] (See rule 18.2.)

Only exception is if it is known or virtually certain that it is lost in an abnormal course condition. (See rule 16.1e.)

[1] See USGA Embedded Ball FAQ.

[2]  Or the Stroke and Distance alternative local rule. See Local Rules.

Areas to be used for free relief or penalty relief[1] - “may result in better or worse conditions.”[2] And may be in or on an abnormal course condition, such as a cart path, temporary water, etc. After taking relief, if there is interference by an (another) abnormal course condition, further relief may be taken. (See the definition of Nearest Point of Complete Relief.)

For example, while taking lateral relief from the penalty area to the left of #16, the relief area may be on the cart path. Immediately dropping and playing from right of the cart path (more than two club-lengths from the penalty area) is not allowed.[3] (See rule 14.7 – Playing from Wrong Place.)

[1] The penalty relief area for an unplayable ball or a ball in a penalty area may be in any area of the course. The nearest point of complete relief from an abnormal course condition for a ball in the general area must be in the general area. (There are separate rules for bunkers.)

[2] See Clarification 16.1/1.

[3] Here is a video explanation: https://youtu.be/D8YTvGDIApg.

The player is not required to take relief from an abnormal course condition (immovable obstruction, ground under repair, temporary water, or animal hole). May choose to play the ball as it lies instead. For example, when the relief area is in a worse lie or behind an obstacle.

Here is a summary of how to drop, when required for free or penalty relief:

• • Determine the relief area according to the rule being followed. (For example, for an abnormal course condition, penalty area, unplayable ball, etc.)
  • Drop the ball from knee height in the relief area.
  • If the ball first strikes the ground in the relief area and comes to rest in the relief area it is a legal drop and the ball is in play. It does not matter if the ball was accidentally deflected during this process. (If deliberately deflected or stopped - see rule 14.3d.)
  • If the ball first strikes the ground in the relief area, but comes to rest outside the relief area, drop again. If the same happens on the second drop, the ball must be placed on the spot where it first touched the ground on the second drop.

For complete details see rule 14.3.

Rule 5.5 prohibits practicing during a round. However, there is an exception in rule 5.5b that allows practice between holes - putting on the green of the just completed hole and and chipping in the teeing area of the next hole.

Many are confused about this because the PGA Tour has a local rule prohibiting such practice. And be aware that, while JPMGC has no such local rule, other clubs might.

Play is prohibited from all practice greens (as from all wrong greens). For a ball or stance on a practice green, take free relief by dropping within one club length of the nearest point of complete relief, not nearer the hole.[1] (See rule 13.1f.)

For safety, please notify others in the area before playing.

[1] Because of the size and location of the practice greens at Jackson Park, the required relief area may be undesirable, such as behind trees and further from the hole. Taking a penalty of stroke and distance for the previous shot is also an option. (See rule 18.1.)