The rules of golf

[ Decision 10/1	Order of Play When Two Balls Lie in Ground Under Repair and Both Players Take Relief ]
[ Decision 10/2	Order of Play When Two Balls Lie in Lateral Water Hazard and Both Players Take Relief ]
[ Decision 10/3	Order of Play When Two Balls Are Lost in Lateral Water Hazard ]

TEEING GROUND:

Rule 11 - Teeing Ground

11-1 Teeing

11-2 Tee-Markers

11-3 Ball Falling Off Tee

11-4 Playing from Outside Teeing Ground

11-5 Playing from Wrong Teeing Ground

PLAYING THE BALL:

Rule 12 - Searching for and Identifying Ball

12-1 Searching for Ball; Seeing Ball

12-2 Identifying Ball

Rule 13 - Ball Played as It Lies

13-1 General

13-2 Improving Lie, Area of Intended Stance or Swing, or Line of Play

13-3 Building Stance

13-4 Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions

[ Decision 13/1	Sand Spilling Over Margin of Bunker ]
[ Decision 13/2	Status of Tree in Bunker ]
[ Decision 13/3	Ball on Edge of Bunker Overhanging Sand ]
[ Decision 13/4	Ball Completely Embedded in Lip of Bunker ]
[ Decision 13/5	Ball Lying on Obstruction in Bunker ]

Rule 14 - Striking the Ball

14-1 Ball to Be Fairly Struck At

14-2 Assistance

14-3 Artificial Devices and Unusual Equipment

14-4 Striking the Ball More than Once

14-6 Ball Moving in Water

[ Decision 14/1	Club Stopped on Downswing by Agency Other Than Player ]
[ Decision 14/1.5	Intent to Strike Ball Ceases During Downswing; Club Not Stopped But Path of Clubhead Altered to Avoid Striking Ball ]
[ Decision 14/2	Club Breaks During Backswing; Swing Completed ]
[ Decision 14/3	Clubhead Separates from Shaft on Downswing ]
[ Decision 14/4	Club Breaks During Downswing; Swing Stopped Short of Ball; Clubhead Falls and Moves Ball ]
[ Decision 14/5	Club Breaks During Downswing; Swing Completed But Misses Ball; Clubhead Falls and Moves Ball ]
[ Decision 14/6	Ball Popped Up Swung at in Disgust ]
[ Decision 14/7	Striking at Tree Branch to Move Ball Lodged Higher in Branch ]

Rule 15 - Substituted Ball; Wrong Ball

15-1 General

15-2 Substituted Ball

15-3 Wrong Ball

[ Decision 15/1	Stroke Misses Wrong Ball ]
[ Decision 15/2	Player�s Stroke at Own Ball Dislodges Concealed Ball ]
[ Decision 15/3	Player Plays Stroke at Part of Abandoned Ball Which Had Broken into Pieces ]
[ Decision 15/4	Player Lifts Ball, Sets It Aside and Plays It from Where Set Aside ]
[ Decision 15/5	Original Ball Found and Played After Another Ball Put into Play ]
[ Decision 15/6	Stroke Played with Ball Lying Out of Bounds ]
[ Decision 15/6.5	Ball Changed During Play of Hole to Aid Identification ]
[ Decision 15/7	Wrong Ball Played in Belief It Is Provisional or Second Ball ]
[ Decision 15/8	Ball Played Under Rule for Ball Lost in Ground Under Repair After Another Ball Played Under Stroke-and-Distance Procedure ]
[ Decision 15/9	Ball Thrown into Bounds by Outside Agency and Played; Caddie Aware of Action of Outside Agency ]
[ Decision 15/10	Ball Thrown into Bounds by Outside Agency and Played; Neither Player Nor His Caddie Aware of Action of Outside Agency ]
[ Decision 15/11	Wrong Ball Hit Out of Bounds; Another Ball Played Under Rule 27-1; Original Ball Then Found Nearby ]
[ Decision 15/12	Wrong Ball Found Out of Bounds Played Under Stroke-and-Distance Procedure; Original Ball Then Found in Bounds ]
[ Decision 15/13	Wrong Ball Dropped Under Unplayable Ball Rule But Not Played ]
[ Decision 15/14	Ball in Bunker Deemed Unplayable, Dropped in Bunker and Played; Ball Then Discovered to Be Wrong Ball ]

THE PUTTING GREEN:

Rule 16 - The Putting Green

16-1 General

16-2 Ball Overhanging Hole

[ Decision 16/1	Mud on Ball Touches Putting Green But Ball Itself Does Not Touch Green ]
[ Decision 16/2	Ball Embedded in Side of Hole; All of Ball Below Lip of Hole ]
[ Decision 16/3	Ball Embedded in Side of Hole; All of Ball Not Below Lip of Hole ]
[ Decision 16/4	Hole-Liner Not Sunk Deep Enough ]
[ Decision 16/5	Ball Strikes Edge of Hole-Liner and Bounces Out of Hole ]
[ Decision 16/5.5	Player Holes Short Putt and Allegedly Removes Ball from Hole Before It Is at Rest ]
[ Decision 16/6	Cutting Hole on Slope ]
[ Decision 16/7	Two Holes on Each Green of Nine-Hole Course ]

Rule 17 - The Flagstick

17-1 Flagstick Attended, Removed or Held Up

17-2 Unauthorized Attendance

17-3 Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant

17-4 Ball Resting Against Flagstick

[ Decision 17/1	Attachment to Flagstick to Indicate Position of Hole on Green ]
[ Decision 17/2	Different Colored Flags Used to Indicate Position of Hole on Green ]
[ Decision 17/3	Flagstick Tapered or of Varying Diameters ]
[ Decision 17/4	Adjustment of Flagstick; Player�s Rights ]
[ Decision 17/5	Reserved ]
[ Decision 17/6	Ball Lodged in Flag Attached to Flagstick ]
[ Decision 17/7	Hole-Liner Pulled Out by Flagstick Attendant and Ball Falls into Unlined Hole ]
[ Decision 17/8	Ball Strikes Hole-Liner Pulled Out with Flagstick ]
[ Decision 17/9	Attendant Removes Flagstick Whereupon Knob Falls from Top of Flagstick and Deflects Ball ]

BALL MOVED DEFLECTED OR STOPPED:

Rule 18 - Ball at Rest Moved

18-1 By Outside Agency

18-2 By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment

18-3 By Opponent, Caddie or Equipment in Match Play

18-4 By Fellow-Competitor, Caddie or Equipment in Stroke Play

18-5 By Another Ball

18-6 Ball Moved in Measuring

[ Decision 18/1	Ball Moves Vertically Downward ]
[ Decision 18/2	Ball Oscillates During Address ]
[ Decision 18/3	Ball in Fork of Tree Moves in Relation to Ground But Not in Relation to Fork ]
[ Decision 18/4	Reserved ]
[ Decision 18/5	Reserved ]
[ Decision 18/6	Reserved ]
[ Decision 18/7	Explanation of �Any Ball He Has Played� ]
[ Decision 18/7.5	Player�s Ball Moved by Ball Accidentally Dropped by Opponent or Fellow-Competitor ]
[ Decision 18/8	Ball Moved by Golf Cart Shared by Two Players ]
[ Decision 18/9	Reserved ]
[ Decision 18/10	Ball Falls into Bunker When Person Walks Nearby ]
[ Decision 18/11	Meaning of �Immediately Recoverable� ]

Rule 19 - Ball in Motion 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

[ Decision 19/1	Ball Deflected or Stopped by Golf Cart Shared by Two Players ]
[ Decision 19/2	Status of Person in Shared Golf Cart ]

RELIEF SITUATIONS AND PROCEDURE:

Rule 20 - Lifting, Dropping and Placing; Playing from Wrong place

20-1 Lifting and Marking

20-2 Dropping and Re-Dropping

20-3 Placing and Replacing

20-4 When Ball Dropped or Placed is in Play

20-5 Making Next Stroke from Where Previous Stroke Made

20-6 Lifting Ball Incorrectly Substituted, Dropped or Placed

20-7 Playing from Wrong Place

[ Decision 20/1	Club to Be Used in Measuring ]
[ Decision 20/2	Borrowing Club for Measuring Purposes ]

Rule 21 - Cleaning Ball

21- Cleaning Ball

[ Decision 21/1	Removing Lime from Ball ]
[ Decision 21/2	Removing Grass Adhering to Ball ]
[ Decision 21/3	Whether Ball Cleaned Through Act of Caddie Throwing It to Player ]
[ Decision 21/4	Position of Ball Lifted for Identification Not Marked, Intention to Lift Not Announced and Ball Cleaned Beyond Extent Necessary to Identify It ]
[ Decision 21/5	Player Lifts Ball Under Rule Not Permitting Cleaning and Rotates It When Replaced ]

Rule 22 - Ball Assisting or Interfering with Play

22-1 Ball Assisting Play

22-2 Ball Interfering with Play

[ Decision 22/1	Mental Interference by Another Ball ]
[ Decision 22/2	Player Claims That Another Ball Lying 30 Yards Away Interferes with His Play ]
[ Decision 22/3	Player Requests Another Player to Lift His Ball in Absence of Reasonable Possibility Ball Might Interfere or Assist ]
[ Decision 22/4	Reserved ]
[ Decision 22/5	Assisting Ball Lifted by Opponent Replaced on Request; Player�s Ball Then Strikes Opponent�s Ball and Opponent Lodges Claim ]
[ Decision 22/6	Competitor Requests That Ball in Position to Assist Him Should Not Be Lifted ]
[ Decision 22/7	Ball Assisting Fellow-Competitor on Putting Green; Procedure for Committee Member If Competitor Does Not Lift Ball ]

Rule 23 - Loose Impediments

23-1 Relief

[ Decision 23/1	When Loose Impediment Transformed into Obstruction ]
[ Decision 23/2	Meaning of �Solidly Embedded� in Definition of �Loose Impediments� ]
[ Decision 23/3	Half-Eaten Pear ]
[ Decision 23/4	Fruit Skins ]
[ Decision 23/5	Ant Hill ]
[ Decision 23/6	Dead Land Crab ]
[ Decision 23/6.5	Snake ]
[ Decision 23/7	Fallen Tree ]
[ Decision 23/8	Worm Partially Underground ]
[ Decision 23/9	Embedded Acorn ]
[ Decision 23/10	Ball Embedded in Fruit ]
[ Decision 23/11	Loose Soil from Cast of Hole Made by Burrowing Animal ]
[ Decision 23/12	Aeration Plugs ]
[ Decision 23/13	Clod of Earth ]
[ Decision 23/14	Gravel Used to Surface Road ]

Rule 24 - Obstructions

24-1 Movable Obstruction

24-2 Immovable Obstruction

24-3 Ball Lost in Obstruction

[ Decision 24/1	Stile Attached to Boundary Fence ]
[ Decision 24/2	Angled Supports or Guy Wires Supporting Boundary Fence ]
[ Decision 24/3	Concrete Bases of Boundary Fence Posts ]
[ Decision 24/4	Part of Boundary Fence Within Boundary Line ]
[ Decision 24/5	Boundary Stakes Having No Significance in Play of Hole Being Played ]
[ Decision 24/6	Stone Broken Away from Retaining Wall in Water Hazard ]
[ Decision 24/7	Stone Serving as Part of Drain in Bunker ]
[ Decision 24/8	Parked Car ]
[ Decision 24/9	Artificially-Surfaced Road or Path ]
[ Decision 24/10	Paved Area ]
[ Decision 24/11	Wooden Planks ]
[ Decision 24/12	Wooden or Earthen Steps ]
[ Decision 24/13	Reserved ]
[ Decision 24/14	Turf Raised by Underground Pipe ]
[ Decision 24/15	Reserved ]
[ Decision 24/16	Opponent or Fellow-Competitor Removes Obstruction Affecting Player�s Play ]

Rule 25 - Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and Wrong Putting Green

25-1 Abnormal Ground Conditions

25-2 Embedded Ball

25-3 Wrong Putting Green

[ Decision 25/1	Soft, Mushy Earth ]
[ Decision 25/2	Overflow from Water Hazard ]
[ Decision 25/3	Pitch-Mark Filled with Casual Water ]
[ Decision 25/4	Water Visible as Result of Undue Effort with Feet ]
[ Decision 25/5	Casual Water on Putting Green Visible When Player Walks Beside Line of Putt But Not Visible Elsewhere ]
[ Decision 25/6	Status of Saliva ]
[ Decision 25/7	Fallen Tree in Process of Being Removed ]
[ Decision 25/8	Tree Stump ]
[ Decision 25/9	Fallen Tree Attached to Stump ]
[ Decision 25/9.5	Tree Falls onto Fairway During Stipulated Round ]
[ Decision 25/10	Ball Lost in Tree in Ground Under Repair ]
[ Decision 25/10.5	Ball in Tree in Ground Under Repair ]
[ Decision 25/10.7	Status of Roots Outside Ground Under Repair Growing from Tree Inside Ground Under Repair ]
[ Decision 25/10.9	Status of Non-Growing Plants Within Area of Ground Under Repair ]
[ Decision 25/11	Grass Cuttings ]
[ Decision 25/12	Cracks in Earth ]
[ Decision 25/13	Bunker Totally Under Repair ]
[ Decision 25/14	Explanation of �Hole Made by Greenkeeper� in Definition of �Ground Under Repair� ]
[ Decision 25/15	Aeration Holes ]
[ Decision 25/16	Rut Made by Tractor ]
[ Decision 25/17	Sunken Hole Plug ]
[ Decision 25/18	Hole of Removed Stake Defining Water Hazard ]
[ Decision 25/19	Reserved ]
[ Decision 25/19.5	Footprint of Burrowing Animal, Reptile or Bird ]
[ Decision 25/20	Reserved ]
[ Decision 25/21	Lifting Ball to Determine Whether It Lies in Burrowing Animal Hole ]
[ Decision 25/22	Reserved ]
[ Decision 25/23	Molehills ]

Rule 26 - Water Hazards (Including Lateral Water Hazards)

26-1 Relief for Ball in Water Hazard

26-2 Ball Played Within Water Hazard

[ Decision 26/1	When Ball Is in Water Hazard ]
[ Decision 26/2	Ball Within Natural Margin of Water Hazard But Outside Stakes Defining Margin ]
[ Decision 26/3	Unmarked Water Hazard ]
[ Decision 26/3.5	Lateral Water Hazard Defined as Water Hazard ]
[ Decision 26/4	Man-Made Reservoir ]
[ Decision 26/5	Unidentifiable Ball Played in Water Hazard and Lost ]
[ Decision 26/6	Ball Assumed to Be in Water Hazard Found Outside Hazard After Another Ball Played Under Stroke-and-Distance Procedure ]
[ Decision 26/7	Ball Apparently in Water Hazard Found Outside Hazard After Another Ball Played Under Stroke-and-Distance Procedure ]

Rule 27 - Ball Lost or Out of Bounds; Provisional Ball

27-1 Ball Lost or Out of Bounds

27-2 Provisional Ball

[ Decision 27/1	Player Directs Caddie Not to Search for His Ball Until Others Can Assist ]
[ Decision 27/1.5	Time Permitted for Search for Lost Ball If Play Suspended During Search ]
[ Decision 27/2	Time Permitted for Search for Lost Ball After Wrong Ball Played ]
[ Decision 27/3	Time Permitted for Search When Lost Ball Found and Then Lost Again ]
[ Decision 27/4	Time Permitted for Search for Original Ball and Provisional Ball ]
[ Decision 27/5	Player Searching for Ball Mistakes His Ball for Opponent�s ]
[ Decision 27/5.5	Original Ball Found Within Five-Minute Search Period Not Identified Until After Period Has Elapsed ]
[ Decision 27/6	Player Unable to Find His Ball Because Another Player Played It ]
[ Decision 27/7	Ball Found in Burrowing Animal Hole After Five-Minute Search ]
[ Decision 27/8	Ball Found After Search Exceeding Five Minutes Is Then Played ]
[ Decision 27/9	Player Searches for Lost Ball After Putting Another Ball into Play ]
[ Decision 27/10	Player Unable to Distinguish His Ball from Another Ball ]
[ Decision 27/11	Provisional Ball Not Distinguishable from Original Ball ]
[ Decision 27/12	Identification of Ball Through Testimony of Spectator ]
[ Decision 27/13	Refusal to Identify Ball ]
[ Decision 27/14	Ball in Tree Identified But Not Retrieved ]
[ Decision 27/15	Ball in Tree Visible But Not Identifiable ]
[ Decision 27/16	Ball Declared Lost Is Found Before Another Ball Put into Play ]
[ Decision 27/17	Status of Original Ball if Another Ball Played Under Stroke-and-Distance Procedure ]
[ Decision 27/18	Gate in Boundary Fence ]
[ Decision 27/19	When Ball Inside Boundary Fence Is Out of Bounds ]
[ Decision 27/20	Public Road Defined as Out of Bounds Divides Course; Status of Ball Crossing Road ]

Rule 28 - Ball Unplayable

28- Ball Unplayable

[ Decision 28/1	When Necessary to Find and Identify Ball Declared Unplayable ]
[ Decision 28/2	Player Declares First Ball from Tee Unplayable, Abandons Provisional Ball and Claims He Is Lying Three with Third Ball ]
[ Decision 28/3	Ball Dropped Under Unplayable Ball Rule Comes to Rest in Original Position or Another Position at Which Ball Is Unplayable ]
[ Decision 28/4	Ball Declared Unplayable Through the Green Dropped in Hazard ]
[ Decision 28/4.5	Ball Declared Unplayable Through the Green Dropped in Water Hazard; Player Elects Not to Play Ball and Wishes to Proceed Under the Water Hazard Rule ]
[ Decision 28/5	Regression Under Unplayable Ball Rule ]
[ Decision 28/6	Player Plays Second Shot, Declares Ball Unplayable and Returns to Tee ]
[ Decision 28/6.5	Player Declares Ball Unplayable a Second Time and Wishes to Proceed Under Stroke and Distance After Dropping a Ball Under Other Unplayable Option ]
[ Decision 28/7	Player Misses Ball and Declares It Unplayable ]
[ Decision 28/8	Ball Declared Unplayable; Place from Which Previous Stroke Played Is Nearer Hole ]
[ Decision 28/9	Ball Lying on Grass-Covered Ground Within Bunker Declared Unplayable ]
[ Decision 28/10	Ball Dropped Outside Bunker Under Option Requiring Drop in Bunker ]
[ Decision 28/11	Ball Unplayable in Tree and Player Opts to Drop Within Two Club-Lengths ]
[ Decision 28/12	Ball Unplayable at Base of Cliff and Player Wishes to Drop Within Two Club-Lengths of Point Above Ball ]
[ Decision 28/13	After Declaring Ball Unplayable and Lifting It, Player Discovers Ball Was in Ground Under Repair ]
[ Decision 28/14	Wrong Ball Declared Unplayable Played Under Stroke-and-Distance Procedure; Original Ball Then Found ]
[ Decision 28/15	Wrong Ball Deemed Unplayable, Dropped Within Two Club-Lengths and Played Before Error Discovered ]

OTHER FORMS OF PLAY:

Rule 29 - Threesomes and Foursomes

29-1 General

29-2 Match Play

29-3 Stroke Play

[ Decision 29/1	Changing Partners After Driving from First Tee ]
[ Decision 29/2	Mixed Foursome in Which Different Tees Used by Men and Women; Tee Shot Out of Bounds ]
[ Decision 29/3	Player in Foursome Match Practices Putts on Previous Green After Partner Has Driven from Next Tee ]
[ Decision 29/4	Dropping Ball in Foursome Competition ]
[ Decision 29/5	Hitting Sand in Bunker with Club After Failing to Extricate Ball; Foursome Match ]
[ Decision 29/6	Signing of Score Card in Foursome Stroke Play ]

Rule 30 - Three-Ball, Best Ball and Four-Ball Match Play

30-1 Rules of Golf Apply

30-2 Three-Ball Match Play

30-3 Best-Ball and Four-Ball Match Play

[ Decision 30/1	Caddie Shared by Members of Opposite Sides in Four-Ball Match Moves Ball ]
[ Decision 30/2	Caddie Shared by Opponents� Side in Four-Ball Match Moves Player�s Ball ]
[ Decision 30/2.5	Player Touches Putting Green in Pointing Out Line for Putting for Partner and Incidentally Touches Own Line of Putt ]
[ Decision 30/3	Determination of Honor in Four-Ball Match in Which Points Awarded for Both Better-Ball and Aggregate Scores ]
[ Decision 30/4	Player Who Walks Off Green Under Mistaken Impression Partner Halved Hole Returns and Putts for Half ]
[ Decision 30/5	In Four-Ball Match Player with Putt for Half Picks Up in Error at Suggestion of Opponent Based on Misunderstanding ]
[ Decision 30/6	Player Plays Practice Putt After He and Partner Have Holed Out But Before Opponents Hole Out ]