Definitions

Question 1

Abnormal Ground Conditions

Answer 1

An “abnormal ground condition” is any casual water, ground under repair or hole, cast or runway on the course made by a burrowing animal, a reptile or a bird.

Question 2

Addressing the Ball

Answer 2

A player has “addressed the ball” when he has grounded his club immediately in front of or immediately behind the ball, whether or not he has taken his stance.

Question 3

Advice

Answer 3

“Advice’’ is any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in determining his play, the choice of a club or the method of making a stroke.

Information on the Rules, distance or matters of public information, such as the position of hazards or the flagstick on the putting green, is not advice.

Question 4

Ball Deemed to Move

Answer 4

See “Move or Moved.’’

Question 5

Ball Holed

Answer 5

See “Holed.”

Question 6

Ball Lost

Answer 6

See “Lost Ball.”

Question 7

Ball in Play

Answer 7

A ball is “in play” as soon as the player has made a stroke on the teeing ground. It remains in play until it is holed, except when it is lost, out of bounds or lifted, or another ball has been substituted, whether or not the substitution is permitted; a ball so substituted becomes the ball in play.

Exception in match play: Ball in play includes a ball played by the player from outside the teeing ground when starting play of a hole if the opponent does not require the stroke to be canceled in accordance with Rule 11-4a.

Question 8

Best-Ball

Answer 8

See “Forms of Match Play.”

Question 9

Bunker

Answer 9

A “bunker” is a hazard consisting of a prepared area of ground, often a hollow, from which turf or soil has been removed and replaced with sand or the like.

Grass-covered ground bordering or within a bunker, including a stacked turf face (whether grass-covered or earthen), is not part of the bunker. A wall or lip of the bunker not covered with grass is part of the bunker. The margin of a bunker extends vertically downwards, but not upwards.

A ball is in a bunker when it lies in or any part of it touches the bunker.

Question 10

Burrowing Animal

Answer 10

A “burrowing animal” is an animal (other than a work, insect or the like) that makes a hole for habitation or shelter, such as a rabbit, mole, groundhog, gopher or salamander.

Note: A hole made by a non-burrowing animal, such as a dog, is not an abnormal ground condition unless marked or declared as ground under repair.

Question 11

Caddie

Answer 11

A “caddie” is one who assists the player in accordance with the Rules, which may include carrying or handling the player’s clubs during play.

When one caddie is employed by more than one player, he is always deemed to be the caddie of the player sharing the caddie whose ball (or whose partner’s ball) is involved, and equipment carried by him is deemed to be that player’s equipment, except when the caddie acts upon specific directions or another player (or the partner of another player) sharing the caddie, in which case he is considered to be that other player’s caddie.

Question 12

Casual Water

Answer 12

“Casual water” is any temporary accumulation of water on the course that is not in a water hazard and is visible before or after the player takes his stance. Snow and natural ice, other than frost, are either casual water or loose impediments, at the option of the player. Manufactured ice is an obstruction. Dew and frost are not casual water.

A ball is in casual water when it lies in or any part of it touches the casual water.

Question 13

Committee

Answer 13

The “Committee” is the committee in charge of the competition or, if the matter does not arise in a competition, the committee in charge of the course.

Question 14

Competitor

Answer 14

A “competitor” is a player in a stroke-play competition. A “fellow-competitor” is any person with whom the competitor plays. Neither is partner or the other.

In stroke play foursome and four-ball competitions, where the context so admits, the word “competitor” or “fellow-competitor” includes his partner.

Question 15

Course

Answer 15

The “course” is the whole area within any boundaries established by the Committee. (see Rule 33-2).

Question 16

Equipment

Answer 16

“Equipment” is anything used, worn or carried by the player or anything carried for the player by his partner or either of their caddies, except any ball he has played at the hole being played and any small object, such as a coin or a tee, when used to mark the position of a ball or the extent of an area in which a ball is to be dropped. Equipment includes a golf cart, whether or not motorized.

Note 1: A ball played at the hole being played is equipment when it has been lifted and not put back into play.

Note 2: When a golf cart is shared by two or more players, the cart and everything in it are deemed to be the equipment of one of the players sharing the cart.

If the cart is being moved by one of the players (or the partner of one of the players) sharing it, the cart and everything in it are deemed to be that player’s equipment. Otherwise, the cart and everything in it are deemed to be the equipment of the player sharing the cart whose ball (or whose partner’s ball) is involved.

Question 17

Fellow-Competitor

Answer 17

See “Competitor.”

Question 18

Flagstick

Answer 18

The “flagstick” is a movable straight indicator, with or without bunting or other material attached, centered in the hole to show its position. It must be circular in cross-section. Padding or shock absorbent material that might unduly influence the movement of the ball is prohibited.

Question 19

Forecaddie

Answer 19

A “forecaddie” is one who is employed by the Committee to indicate to players the position of balls during play. He is an outside agency.

Question 20

Forms of Match Play (6)

Answer 20

Single: A match in which one player plays against another player.

Threesome: A match in which one player plays against two other players, and each side plays one ball.

Foursome: A match in which two players play against two other players, and each side plays one ball.

Three-Ball: Three players play a match against one another, each playing his own ball. Each player is playing two distinct matches.

Best-Ball: A match in which one player plays against the better ball of two other players or the best ball of three other players.

Four-Ball: A match in which two players play their better ball against the better ball of two other players.

Question 21

Forms of Stroke Play (3)

Answer 21

Individual: A competition in which each competitor plays as an individual.

Foursome: A competition in which two competitors play as partners and play one ball.

Four-Ball: A competition in which two competitors play as partners, each playing his own ball. The lower score of the partners is the score for the hole. If one partner fails to complete the play of a hole, there is no penalty.

Question 22

Four-Ball

Answer 22

See “Forms of Match Play” and “Forms of Stroke Play”

Question 23

Foursome

Answer 23

See “Forms of Match Play” and “Forms of Stroke Play”

Question 24

Ground Under Repair

Answer 24

“Ground under repair” is any part of the course so marked by order of the Committee or so declared by its authorized representative. All ground and any grass, bush, tree or other growing thing within the ground under repair are part of the ground under repair. Ground under repair includes material piled for removal and a hole made by a greenkeeper, even if not so marked. Grass cuttings and other material left on the course that have been abandoned and are not intended to be removed are not ground under repair unless so marked.

When the margin of ground under repair is defined by stakes, the stakes are inside the GIR, and the margin of the GIR is defined by the nearest outside points of the stakes at ground level. When both stakes and lines are used to indicate GIR, the stakes identify the GIR and the lines define the margin of the GIR. When the margin of GIR is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is in the GIR. The margin of GIR extends vertically downwards, but not upwards.

A ball is in GIR when it lies in or any part of it touches the GIR.

Stakes used to define the margin of or identify GIR are obstructions.

Note: The Committee may make a Local Rule prohibiting play from GIR or an environmentally-sensitive area defined as GIR.

Question 25

Hazards

Answer 25

A “hazard” is any bunker or water hazard.

Question 26

Hole

Answer 26

The “hole” must be 4 1/4 inches (108mm) in diameter and at least 4 inches (101.6) deep. If a lining is used, it must be sunk at least 1 inch (25.4mm) below the putting green surface, unless the nature of the soil makes it impracticable to do so; its outer diameter must not exceed 4 1/4 inches (108mm).

Question 27

Holed

Answer 27

A ball is “holed” when it is as rest within the circumference of the hole and all of it is below the level of the lip of the hole.

Question 28

Lateral Water Hazard

Answer 28

A “lateral water hazard” is a water hazard or that part of a water hazard so situated that it is not possible, or is deemed by the Committee to be impracticable, to drop a ball behind the water hazard in accordance with Rule 26-1b. All ground and water within the margin of a lateral water hazard are part of the lateral water hazard.

When the margin of a LWH is defined by stakes, the stakes are inside the LWH, and the margin of the hazard is defined by the nearest outside points of the stakes at ground level. When both stakes and lines are used to indicate a LWH, the stakes identify the hazard and the lines define the hazard margin. When the margin of a LWH is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is in the lateral water hazard. The margin of a LWH extends vertically upwards and downwards.

A ball is in the LWH when it lies in or any part of it touches the LWH.

Stakes used to define the margin or identify a LWH are obstructions.

Note 1: The part of a water hazard to be played as a LWH must be distinctively marked. Stakes or lines used to defined the margin or identify a LWH must be red.

Note 2: The Committee may make a Local Rule prohibiting play from an environmentally-sensitive area defined as a lateral water hazard.

Note 3: The Committee may define a LWH as a water hazard.

Question 29

Line of Play

Answer 29

The “line of play” is in the direction that the player wishes his ball to take after a stroke, plus a reasonable distance on either side of the intended direction. The line of play extends vertically upwards from the ground, but does not extend beyond the hole.

Question 30

Line of Putt

Answer 30

The “line of putt” is the line that the player wishes his ball to take after a stroke on the putting green. Except with respect to Rule 16-1e, the line of putt includes a reasonable distance on either side of the intended line. The line of putt does not extend beyond the hole.

Question 31

Loose Impediments

Answer 31

“Loose impediments” are natural objects, including:

• stones, leaves, twigs, branches and the like,
• dung, and
• worms, insects and the like, and the casts and heaps made by them,

provided they are not:

• fixed or growing,
• solidly embedded, or
• adhering to the ball.

Sand and loose soil are loose impediments on the putting green, but not elsewhere.

Snow and natural ice, other than frost, are either casual water or loose impediments, at the option of the player.

Dew and frost are not loose impediments.

Question 32

Lost Ball

Answer 32

A ball is deemed “lost” if:
a. It is not found or identified as his by the player within five minutes after the player’s side or his or their caddies have begun to search for it; or

b. The player has made a stroke at a provisional ball from the place where the original ball is likely to be or from a point nearer the hole than that place (see Rule 27-2b); or
c. The player has put another ball into play under penalty of stroke and distance under rule 26-1a, 27-1, or 28a; or
d. The player has put another ball into play because it is known or virtually certain that the ball, which has not been found, has been moved by an outside agency (see Rule 18-1), is in an obstruction (24-3), is in an abnormal ground condition (see Rule 25-1c) or is in a water hazard (see Rule 26-1b or c); or
e. The player has made a stroke at a substituted ball.

Time spent in playing a wrong ball is not counted in the five-minute period allowed for search.