Agreement to Ignore Rules in Match Play
2 min read
Situation:
In match play, if Player A's ball strikes Player B's ball on the putting green and they disagree on the correct ruling, can they agree to halve the ho...
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Opponent Refuses to Lift Interfering Ball on Putting Green
2 min read
Situation:
In match play, my opponent's ball is on the putting green and directly in my line. I asked him to lift it, but he refused, and I proceeded to play my ...
Applicable Rules:
Adding a Club After Damaging One in Anger
3 min read
Situation:
If a player begins a round with fewer than 14 clubs, breaks their putter in anger, then adds a club from their locker and proceeds to make a stroke, i...
Touching Sand During Practice Swing in Bunker; Multiple Penalties
2 min read
Situation:
In stroke play, a player's ball is in a bunker. The player makes several practice swings, touching the sand each time. Another player points out that ...
Relief from No Play Zone Interference in Penalty Area
3 min read
Situation:
If a ball lies in a penalty area near a bird nest (defined as a no-play zone by the Committee), and the nest interferes with my swing, am I required t...
Applicable Rules:
Using a Cart for Stance and Removing it Before Stroke
2 min read
Situation:
If a player moves a motorized cart to help take a stance for a shot, but removes the cart before making the stroke, is there a penalty?
Deliberately Deflecting Partner's Ball in Four-Ball Match Play
3 min read
Situation:
In Four-Ball match play, if my partner deliberately strikes my moving ball on the green, what are the consequences?
Shielding Ball from Wind with Golf Bag on Green
3 min read
Situation:
Is it permissible for a player to place their golf bag parallel to the line of play on the putting green to shield the ball from the wind?
Penalty for Moving Attached Object for Another Player
2 min read
Situation:
In stroke play, Player A's ball lies near a partially detached tree branch. Player B, attempting to help A get relief, lifts the branch, inadvertently...
Deliberate Damage to Line of Play and Restoration
2 min read
Situation:
In stroke play, if Player A deliberately damages Player B's line of play on the putting green before Player B makes their stroke, what are the penalti...
Smoothing Bunker Footprints and Affecting Another Player
1 min read
Situation:
If I smooth footprints in a bunker after playing my shot, is there a penalty if it affects another player's subsequent shot?
Applicable Rules:
Deliberately Stopping a Moving Ball: Penalty and Procedure
2 min read
Situation:
If a golfer deliberately stops their ball while it's in motion, what is the penalty, and how should they proceed according to the Rules of Golf?
Preferred Lies within Ground Under Repair
3 min read
Situation:
If my ball is in Ground Under Repair (GUR), can I use take 'Preferred Lies' within the GUR?
Preferred Lies - Application and Subsequent Ball Movement
7 min read
Situation:
Understanding Preferred Lie Rules
Bryson DeChambeau's Rules Mix-Up at the 2025 U.S. Open: A Near Disaster Averted
2 min read
Situation:
What rules controversy did Bryson DeChambeau face during the first round of the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, and how was it resolved?
Lowry Picks Up Ball, Picks Up Laughs at the US Open
2 min read
Situation:
Did Shane Lowry really forget to mark his ball at the US Open? What happened?
Accidental Ball Movement During Practice Swing
2 min read
Situation:
What happens if I accidentally hit my ball during a practice swing?
Out of Bounds from Bunker
2 min read
Situation:
A player hits a shot from the greenside bunker and it went out of bounds, the player is required to play again from the bunker. Before dropping the ba...
Showing 1 to 18 of 18 golf rules scenarios