Golf Rules
There are many rules to golf, which players should be aware of before venturing onto the green. The rules of golf are set by St Andrews golf club and the United States Golf Association. Below are a list of standard rules for the game which should be followed at all times, however it is worth checking if the golf course that you are playing on, have their own particular rules which should be obeyed when playing on that specific course.
- The rules state that you can only carry fourteen golf clubs in your bag.
- Ensure you know the etiquette of the game and do not talk, move or distract a player during his swing.
- When teeing off you must ensure that the ball is behind the tee markers.
- The ball must be played as it lies, you can not improve the way the ball is at rest.
- After your first shots, the ball furthest from the hole is one that is played first. The person with the lowest score plays first on the next hole.
- If you have hit your ball out of bounds then you must take a one stroke penalty and hit another ball.
- If you have hit your ball into a water hazard then you can play this ball, or you can take a one stroke penalty and play another ball from where you have just hit. The other option here is to drop another ball close to where the original ball entered into the water and incur a one stroke penalty.
- After taking a shot from a sand bunker ensure that you rake the area after you have played the ball, other golfers following on behind will appreciate this.
- When on the green you should ensure that you do not walk across another player's line of putt, any imprint from your feet that you leave on the green can alter the path of the ball. You should always step over the line of putt or walk around it.
- Leave the golf course in the same way that you find it; ensure that any divots have been replaced and that you have removed all tees.
The fundamental principle of the rules is fairness, the back cover of the rule book reinforces this fact with the statements, 'Play the ball as it lies', 'Play the course as you find it', and 'If you can’t do either do what is fair'.
