the table of contents for

The Rules of Golf in Plain English

Jeffrey S. Kuhn and Bryan A. Garner

Preface

rule 1 the game

1.1 Description
1.2 Primary Rules
1.3 No Agreement to Ignore Rules
1.4 Issues Not Covered by Rules

rule 2 match play

2.1 Scoring and Winning the Match
2.2 Penalties
2.3 Concession
2.4 Claims
2.5 Information About Strokes Taken

rule 3 stroke play

3.1 Scoring
3.2 Penalties
3.3 Failing to Hole Out
3.4 Player's Doubt About Procedures

rule 4 clubs

4.1 Original Design and Changes
4.2 Damaged Clubs: Allowable Repair and Replacement
4.3 Fourteen-Club Maximum

rule 5 the ball

5.1 General
5.2 Foreign-Material Restriction
5.3 Damaged Ball
5.4 Broken Ball

rule 6 the player's responsibilities

6.1 Rules
6.2 Handicap
6.3 Starting Time and Groups
6.4 Caddie
6.5 Ball
6.6 Scoring in Stroke Play
6.7 Undue Delay and Slow Play
6.8 Stopping Play and Resuming Play

rule 7 practice

7.1 Before and Between Rounds
7.2 Restrictions During Round
7.3 During Suspended Play

rule 8 advice and indicating line of play

8.1 Advice Restrictions
8.2 Indicating Line of Play
8.3 Advice Exception for Team Competitions
8.4 Penalty

rule 9 information about strokes taken

[Deleted and incorporated into Rules 3.1(b) and 2.5]

rule 10 order of play

10.1 Match Play
10.2 Stroke Play
10.3 Provisional Ball or Second Ball from Teeing Ground

rule 11 teeing ground

11.1 Teeing the Ball
11.2 Tee-Markers
11.3 Ball Falling Off Tee
11.4 Playing from Outside Teeing Ground
11.5 Playing from Wrong Teeing Ground

rule 12 searching for and identifying ball

12.1 Searching for Ball and Seeing Ball
12.2 Identifying Ball

rule 13 playing the ball as it lies

13.1 General
13.2 Improving Lie, Stance, or Swing, or Line of Play Through the Green
13.3 Building Stance
13.4 Ball in Hazard
13.5 Penalty

rule 14 striking the ball; artificial devices

14.1 Strike with Clubhead Only
14.2 No Assistance
14.3 Artificial Devices and Unusual Equipment
14.4 Multiple Strikes
14.5 Playing a Moving Ball
14.6 Ball Moving in Water in a Water Hazard

rule 15 substituted ball; wrong ball

15.1 General Rule for Substituted Ball
15.2 Wrong Ball in Match Play
15.3 Wrong Ball in Stroke Play

rule 16 the putting green

16.1 General
16.2 Ball Overhanging Hole

rule 17 the flagstick

17.1 Flagstick Attended, Held Up, or Removed
17.2 Unauthorized Attendance
17.3 Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant
17.4 Ball Resting Against Flagstick

rule 18 movement of ball at rest

18.1 Ball Moved by an Outside Agency
18.2 Ball Moved by Player, Partner, Caddie, or Equipment
18.3 Ball Moved by Opponent, Caddie, or Equipment in Match Play
18.4 Ball Moved by a Fellow-Competitor, Caddie, or Equipment in Stroke Play
18.5 Ball Moved by Another Ball
18.6 Ball Moved in Measuring
18.7 Procedures and Penalties

rule 19 moving ball deflected or stopped

19.1 By Outside Agency
19.2 By Player, Partner, Caddie, or Equipment
19.3 By Opponent, Caddie, or Equipment in Match Play
19.4 By Fellow-Competitor, Caddie, or Equipment in Stroke Play
19.5 By Another Ball
19.6 Penalty

rule 20 procedures for lifting, dropping and placing; playing from wrong place

20.1 Marking and Lifting the Ball
20.2 Dropping and Redropping the Ball
20.3 Placing or Returning the Ball
20.4 When Ball Is In Play
20.5 Playing Next Stroke from Where Previous Stroke Played
20.6 Lifting Ball Incorrectly Substituted, Dropped, or Placed
20.7 Playing from Wrong Place

rule 21 cleaning ball

21.1 General Rule
21.2 Penalty and Procedures
21.3 Penalty Limits

rule 22 ball interfering with or assisting play

22.1 General Rule
22.2 Exceptions
22.3 No Cleaning
22.4 Penalties

rule 23 loose impediments

23.1 General Rule
23.2 Ball Moving After a Loose Impediment Is Touched
23.3 Exception
23.4 Penalty

rule 24 interference and relief from obstructions

24.1 Movable Obstructions
24.2 Immovable Obstructions
24.3 Ball Not Found in an Obstruction

rule 25 interference and relief from abnormal ground conditions, embedded ball, or wrong putting green

25.1 Abnormal Ground Condition
25.2 Ball Not Found in Abnormal Ground Condition
25.3 Embedded Ball
25.4 Wrong Putting Green
25.5 Penalty

rule 26 water hazards

26.1 Ball in a Water Hazard
26.2 Ball Played from Within a Water Hazard

rule 27 ball lost or out of bounds; provisional ball

27.1 Ball Lost or Out of Bounds
27.2 Provisional Ball

rule 28 unplayable ball

28.1 General Rule and Options
28.2 Bunker Restriction
28.3 Penalty

rule 29 threesomes and foursomes

29.1 General Format
29.2 Incorrect Order in Match Play
29.3 Incorrect Order in Stroke Play

rule 30 three-ball, best-ball, and four-ball match play

30.1 General
30.2 Three-Ball Match Play
30.3 Best-Ball and Four-Ball Match Play

rule 31 four-ball stroke play

31.1 General Format
31.2 Representing a Side
31.3 Scoring
31.4 Order of Play
31.5 Wrong Ball
31.6 Side Penalized
31.7 Disqualification Penalties
31.8 Effect of Other Penalties

rule 32 bogey, par, and stableford competitions

32.1 Definition and Conditions
32.2 Disqualification Penalties

rule 33 the committee

33.1 Authority and Restrictions
33.2 Course Responsibilities
33.3 Starting Times and Groups
33.4 Handicap Stroke Table
33.5 Decision for Ties
33.6 Scorecard Responsibilities

rule 34 disputes and decisions

34.1 Time Limits for Claims and Penalties
34.2 Referee's Decision
34.3 Committee's Decision and Appeal

rule 35 definitions

35.1 Abnormal Ground Condition
35.2 Addressing the Ball
35.3 Advice
35.4 Ball in Play
35.5 Ball Unfit for Play
35.6 Bunker
35.7 Caddie
35.8 Casual Water
35.9 Closely Mown Area
35.10 Club Unfit for Play
35.11 Committee
35.12 Competitor
35.13 Course
35.14 Equipment
35.15 Flagstick
35.16 Forecaddie
35.17 Forms of Match Play
35.18 Forms of Stroke Play
35.19 Ground Under Repair
35.20 Handicap
35.21 Hazard
35.22 Hole
35.23 Hole Out
35.24 Honor
35.25 Lateral Water Hazard
35.26 Line of Play
35.27 Line of Putt
35.28 Loose Impediments
35.29 Lost Ball
35.30 Move
35.31 Nearest Point of Relief
35.32 Observer
35.33 Obstruction
35.34 Opponent
35.35 Out of Bounds
35.36 Outside Agency
35.37 Partner
35.38 Penalty Stroke
35.39 Provisional Ball
35.40 Putting Green
35.41 Referee
35.42 Rule
35.43 Scorer
35.44 Side
35.45 Stance
35.46 Stipulated Round
35.47 Stroke
35.48 Substituted Ball
35.49 Tee
35.50 Teeing Ground
35.51 Through the Green
35.52 Water Hazard
35.53 Wrong Ball
35.54 Wrong Putting Green

Appendix 1. Penalty Summary Chart
Appendix 2. Golf Etiquette
Index