| The rules of golf are very complicated and not | | | | Options 2 & 3 will cost you a penalty |
| very easy to read. There are many books | | | | stroke. |
| available that explain the rules, but you need to | | | | Red stakes means a lateral "water" hazard (not |
| put aside a good few hours to tackle them. | | | | necessarily with water) you have five options to |
| I have detailed below the most common | | | | choose from. |
| 'unintentionally broken' rules on the golf course. It | | | | 1. Play the ball as it lies, do not ground your club |
| should be a good starting point for anybody new | | | | or touch or clear away any debris i.e. stones |
| to the golf game. | | | | twigs etc. |
| Penalty & Free Drops | | | | 2. Drop a ball at the point of entry into the hazard |
| When dropping a ball a free drop is one club | | | | (two club lengths) no nearer to the hole. |
| length and a penalty drop is two club lengths. | | | | 3. Drop a ball on the other side of the hazard |
| You must drop the ball at the nearest point of | | | | equidistant from the hole. |
| relief not nearer to the hole. | | | | 4. Take a line from point of entry and the flag |
| If your ball is in a bush you get a penalty drop of | | | | and drop as far back as you like. |
| two club lengths from where your ball lies, if that | | | | 5. Go back to where you last played your shot. |
| still puts you into the bush then you take one of | | | | Options 2, 3, 4 & 5 will cost you a penalty |
| the other two options available to you. You can | | | | stroke. |
| go back in line with your ball and the flag as far as | | | | If you see your ball go into a hazard you cannot |
| you like (One penalty stroke). Or you can go back | | | | play a provisional ball. You must follow the rules |
| and play from where you played your last shot. | | | | above for yellow or red stakes. |
| (One penalty stroke). | | | | If your ball is in a sand bunker and it is in a |
| If your ball lands on a bridge over a hazard you | | | | machine made mark or a footprint, you do not |
| do not get a free drop unless it is a local rule of | | | | get a free drop. The bunker is a hazard and the |
| that course, you must play the ball as it lies or | | | | rules are the same as a staked hazard, the only |
| take a penalty drop. | | | | one exception is if the ball is in water in a bunker |
| If you cannot find your ball, you cannot go back | | | | then you get a free drop but it must be dropped |
| and play a provisional ball whilst your playing | | | | in the bunker not nearer to the hole. |
| partners carry on looking for your original ball. | | | | Putting Green |
| You cannot play a provisional ball once you have | | | | A ball may be lifted and cleaned on the putting |
| left the last place you played your shot. If you do | | | | green providing the position of the ball is marked |
| go back and play a second ball that is the ball in | | | | before it is lifted. |
| play even if you or your playing partners find | | | | If you or your caddie marks the ball on the green |
| your original ball, once you play that second ball | | | | in the wrong position, i.e. not directly behind the |
| that is the ball you complete the hole with. With a | | | | ball, you will incur a two stroke penalty |
| penalty of one stroke. | | | | You can repair hole plugs and damage made by |
| Tree basins are not a free drop, unless it is on | | | | the impact of a ball on the putting green, whether |
| the scorecard under local rules. | | | | or not your ball is on the green. Any other |
| Hazards | | | | damage may not be repaired as it might assist |
| The following details the difference in the colour | | | | you in subsequent play. |
| of the stakes and what they mean. | | | | Not knowing the rules of golf is no excuse; if you |
| White stakes means out of bounds and you have | | | | break the rules then you have to give yourself |
| to go back to where you last played your ball and | | | | the necessary penalty strokes. If you are in |
| play another stroke (one penalty stroke). | | | | doubt about what to do, whilst playing in a |
| Yellow stakes means a hazard across the playing | | | | competition, you can play a second ball and put |
| area, you have three options: | | | | down two scores and the rules committee of the |
| 1. Play the ball as it lies, do not ground your club | | | | day will make a judgment. |
| or touch or clear away any debris i.e. stones | | | | The above just skims the rule book and as you |
| twigs etc | | | | get more involved in the game you will need to |
| 2. Take a line from point of entry and the flag | | | | read up on all the rules, particularly if you plan to |
| and drop as far back as you like. | | | | play at a competitive level. |
| 3. Go back to where you last played your shot. | | | | |