Golf (PGA/R&A) — Official Rules

Golf is played in a round of 18 holes (or as fixed by the Committee) on a course, by striking a ball with a club. Each hole starts from the teeing area and ends when the ball is holed on the putting green. The goal is to play the ball into each hole in as few strokes as possible. A 'stroke' is the forward movement of the club made to strike the ball. Players are expected to play the course as they find it and play the ball as it lies, except where a Rule allows otherwise.

All players are expected to play in the spirit of the game: acting with integrity (following the Rules, applying penalties to themselves), showing consideration to others (playing at a prompt pace, caring for the course), and showing good care of the course (replacing divots, smoothing bunkers). There is no general penalty under Rule 1.2 for failing this standard, but the Committee may disqualify a player for serious misconduct, and may adopt a Code of Conduct with its own penalties.

Players are responsible for applying the Rules to themselves and must not agree to ignore a Rule or penalty. There are three main penalty levels: one-stroke penalty (applies in both match play and stroke play); the general penalty = loss of hole in match play or two strokes (penalty strokes) in stroke play; and disqualification for the most serious breaches. If two breaches result from a single act, only the higher penalty usually applies; if from separate acts, penalties are normally combined.

A course consists of all the area inside its boundary edges, divided into five areas: (1) the general area (covering most of the course); (2) the teeing area the player must play from to start the hole; (3) all penalty areas; (4) all bunkers; and (5) the putting green of the hole being played. The area in which the ball lies often determines which Rules apply. Areas outside the boundary edges are out of bounds.

The hole on the putting green must be 4.25 inches (108 mm) in diameter and at least 4 inches (101.6 mm) deep; a lining may be used and must be sunk at least 1 inch below the surface unless the soil prevents it. The teeing area is a rectangle two club-lengths deep, with its front and side edges defined by two tee-markers; the player may tee the ball anywhere inside it and stand outside it. Course length and par are set by the Committee / course design, not fixed by the Rules (typical full courses run from roughly 5,000 to over 7,000 yards).

The Committee defines course features by marking: out of bounds is shown by stakes, lines or walls; penalty areas are marked red or yellow (stakes or lines); bunkers and ground under repair are also defined by marking. Where a line is used, the line itself is in the area it defines. Out-of-bounds objects are not obstructions, and a ball is out of bounds only when all of it lies outside the boundary edge.

In stroke play, a player competes against all other players in the competition. The winner is the player who completes all rounds in the fewest total strokes (gross score), or fewest net strokes in a handicap event. The player must hole out on every hole; failing to hole out before starting the next hole (or, for the last hole, leaving the green) results in disqualification. A marker records the player's score for each hole, and the player is responsible for the correctness of the returned scorecard.

In match play, a player competes head-to-head against an opponent hole by hole. A hole is won by the side holing out in fewer strokes; a hole is halved (tied) when both sides take the same number of strokes. The match score is the number of holes a side is 'up' (ahead). A match is won when one side leads by more holes than remain (e.g. '3 & 2'). In match play a player may concede a stroke, a hole or the match. The general penalty in match play is loss of hole.

In a handicap competition, each player has a Course Handicap (number of strokes) under the World Handicap System. Strokes are received on the holes shown on the scorecard's stroke-index. The net score is the gross score minus handicap strokes. Under the 2023 Rules, the player does not need to show their handicap on the scorecard, and the Committee is responsible for calculating handicap strokes and the net result.

A player must use conforming clubs that meet the Equipment Rules. The player is limited to a maximum of 14 clubs for the round and must not add to or share clubs. The penalty for carrying excess clubs is the general penalty per hole at which a breach occurred (maximum two holes / four strokes per round). A club damaged during the round in normal play may be used, repaired, or replaced (replacement is allowed under the 2023 Rules, but not if the player damaged it through abuse).

The ball played must be conforming to the Equipment Rules. A player must hole out with the same ball played from the teeing area unless a Rule allows substitution. A ball that is cut or cracked may be replaced; a ball merely scuffed or with worn paint may not. Distance-measuring devices are allowed to gauge distance only (not slope or wind) unless the Committee prohibits them. A player must not use equipment to gain an unfair advantage (e.g. unauthorized alignment aids).

Balls are tested against the Overall Distance Standard (ODS); clubs and balls must appear on conforming lists. Announced future change (not in force in 2026): the R&A and USGA will revise the ball test conditions (to roughly 125 mph clubhead speed, 11° launch, 2200 rpm), reducing distance. Implementation is staggered — affecting elite competition from 2028 and all players from 2030 — with a proposal to align all players in 2030. Recreational golfers may continue to use balls conforming under the current standard during the transition.

A round is the 18 holes (or fewer/more set by the Committee) played in the correct order. A player must start at the assigned time (no earlier, no later); being late up to five minutes is the general penalty rather than disqualification. Players should play at a prompt pace, ideally no more than about 40 seconds to make a stroke when it is their turn, and 'ready golf' is encouraged in stroke play. Penalties may be imposed for undue delay (one stroke first breach, general penalty for the second).

A ball is holed when it is at rest within the hole after a stroke and the whole ball is below the surface of the putting green. The player must hole out on every hole in stroke play. Order of play is by 'honour' (the player with the best score on the previous hole tees off first) and thereafter the ball farthest from the hole is played first. Playing out of turn carries no penalty in stroke play, but in match play the opponent may require the stroke to be cancelled and replayed.

A player may take reasonable actions to find and identify their ball (move sand, grass, water). A ball is lost if not found within three minutes of the player or caddie beginning to search. If the ball is accidentally moved while searching, there is no penalty, and the ball must be replaced on its original spot (estimated if unknown). The player is entitled to identify the ball and, if needed, may lift it to do so (after marking its spot).

A ball at rest must be played as it lies. If natural forces (wind, water) move it, it is played from the new spot (no penalty); but if it had been dropped, placed or replaced and natural forces then move it to another area of the course or out of bounds, it must be replaced. If a player, opponent, or outside influence lifts or moves the ball, the rules differ: a player who moves their own ball (other than during search) gets a one-stroke penalty and must replace it. Improving the lie, area of stance or swing carries the general penalty.

If a ball in motion accidentally hits any person, animal, equipment or the player themselves, there is no penalty and the ball is normally played as it lies. If a ball played from the putting green hits an unattended flagstick in the hole, there is no penalty (a 2019 change retained in 2023). A player must not deliberately deflect or stop a ball in motion; doing so incurs the general penalty and the ball is placed as it would have come to rest.

A bunker is a specially prepared area of sand. Before a stroke, a player must not touch the sand to test its condition, nor ground the club in the sand right in front of or behind the ball, nor make a practice swing touching the sand. Breach incurs the general penalty. The player may remove loose impediments and movable obstructions. For an unplayable ball in a bunker, the usual relief options apply for one stroke, plus an option to take back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker for two penalty strokes.

On the putting green a player may mark, lift and clean the ball, and repair damage including spike marks, shoe damage, animal damage and old hole plugs (expanded since 2019). The player must not test the surface by rubbing or rolling a ball. There is no penalty if the ball or marker is accidentally moved on the green; it is replaced. The flagstick may be left in or removed; either choice is allowed, and a ball striking a flagstick left in the hole incurs no penalty.

Before lifting a ball that must be replaced, the player must mark its spot. When taking relief, the ball must be dropped from knee height (a 2019 change retained in 2023) so it falls straight down without touching the player or equipment, and it must come to rest in the relief area (re-drop if it rolls out). When replacing, the ball is set on its original spot. Playing from a wrong place incurs the general penalty; if it is a 'serious breach', it must be corrected.

A loose impediment (natural loose object such as a stone, leaf, twig, dead animal) may be removed anywhere without penalty, but if removing it causes the ball to move, there is a one-stroke penalty and the ball is replaced (except on the teeing area and putting green, where there is no penalty). A movable obstruction (artificial object that can be moved, e.g. a rake, bottle) may be removed without penalty anywhere, and if the ball moves in the process it is replaced with no penalty.

Free relief (no penalty) is available from an abnormal course condition: an animal hole, ground under repair, immovable obstruction (e.g. cart path, sprinkler head), or temporary (casual) water. The player drops within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief, no nearer the hole. Free relief is not allowed when the ball is in a penalty area. A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the general area also gets free relief. Relief is also available from a dangerous animal condition.

A penalty area is any body of water or area (marked red or yellow) from which relief is allowed for one penalty stroke. A player may play the ball as it lies for no penalty, or take relief for one stroke using: (a) stroke-and-distance (replay from the previous spot); or (b) back-on-the-line relief (drop on the line from the hole through where the ball last crossed the edge, going back as far as desired). For a red penalty area only, there is a third option: (c) lateral relief within two club-lengths of where the ball last crossed the edge, no nearer the hole.

A player may play a ball as it lies in a penalty area without penalty and, since 2019, may touch the ground or water and remove loose impediments there without penalty (a change retained in 2023). However, a player may not take free relief from abnormal course conditions while in a penalty area, and may not deem the ball unplayable while it lies in a penalty area — only the penalty-area relief options apply.

If a ball is lost (not found in three minutes) or out of bounds, the player must take stroke-and-distance relief: add one penalty stroke and play again from where the previous stroke was made. To save time, a player who thinks the ball may be lost or out of bounds may play a provisional ball (announced as such) before going forward to search. If the original is found in bounds within three minutes, the provisional must be abandoned; otherwise the provisional becomes the ball in play under stroke-and-distance.

A player may deem their ball unplayable anywhere on the course except in a penalty area — and is the only person who can decide this. For one penalty stroke, there are three options: (a) stroke-and-distance (replay from previous spot); (b) back-on-the-line relief (drop on the line from the hole through the ball's spot, going back as far as desired); or (c) lateral relief within two club-lengths, no nearer the hole. In a bunker, these apply, plus an extra option to drop outside the bunker on the back-on-the-line for two penalty strokes.

Players must not unreasonably delay play while resolving a Rules question. In stroke play, if unsure of the correct procedure, a player may complete the hole with two balls and have the Committee decide which score counts. A referee's ruling is final for the points it covers. There is no video-replay or 'challenge' system in golf; rulings come from the referee or Committee, and the Committee's decision is final. A player may be disqualified for a serious or repeated breach.

Besides standard stroke and match play, the Rules cover other formats. Stableford scores points per hole against a fixed target (e.g. par/net par) — most points wins. Maximum Score caps the score on each hole. Foursomes (alternate shot) has partners playing one ball, alternating strokes. Four-Ball has each partner play their own ball and the side counts the better score on each hole. These formats stand in for the team play and 'substitution-style' partner rules of other sports.

Rule 24 governs team competitions (multiple players or sides whose results combine into a team score), allowing a team captain and, if the Committee permits, advice from a team adviser. Rule 25 makes the Modifications for Players with Disabilities a full part of the Rules (a key 2023 change), applying automatically to eligible players in blind, amputee, wheelchair and other categories — for example permitting an aide, allowing a club to be used as a support, and adapting certain procedures without penalty.