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Rules and Decisions

The USGA, in conjunction with The R&A in St. Andrews, Scotland, writes, interprets and maintains the Rules of Golf to guard the tradition and integrity of the game. The two organizations are joint authors and owners of The Rules of Golf and Decisions on the Rules of Golf. Through an agreement with The R&A, the Rules jurisdiction of the USGA includes only the United States, its possessions and Mexico. The latest version went into effect Jan. 1, 2008, with the next revision taking effect Jan. 1, 2012.

Additional Rules Notifications

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Browse the Rules

Section I

Etiquette

Section II

Definitions

Section III

The Game

Rule 1

The Game

Rule 2

Match Play

Rule 3

Stroke Play

Clubs and the Ball

Rule 4

Clubs

Rule 5

The Ball

Player's Responsibilities

Rule 6

The Player

Rule 7

Practice

Rule 8

Advice; Indicating Line of Play

Rule 9

Information as to Strokes Taken

Order of Play

Rule 10

Order of Play

Teeing Ground

Rule 11

Teeing Ground

Playing the Ball

Rule 12

Searching for and Identifying Ball

Rule 13

Ball Played as It Lies

Rule 14

Striking the Ball

Rule 15

Substituted Ball; Wrong Ball

The Putting Green

Rule 16

The Putting Green

Rule 17

The Flagstick

Ball Moved, Deflected or Stopped

Rule 18

Ball at Rest Moved

Rule 19

Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped

Relief Situations and Procedure

Rule 20

Lifting, Dropping and Placing; Playing from Wrong Place

Rule 21

Cleaning Ball

Rule 22

Ball Assisting or Interfering with Play

Rule 23

Loose Impediments

Rule 24

Obstructions

Rule 25

Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and Wrong Putting Green

Rule 26

Water Hazards (Including Lateral Water Hazards)

Rule 27

Ball Lost or Out of Bounds; Provisional Ball

Rule 28

Ball Unplayable

Other Forms of Play

Rule 29

Threesomes and Foursomes

Rule 30

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

Rule 31

Four-Ball Stroke Play

Rule 32

Bogey, Par and Stableford Competitions

Administration

Rule 33

The Committee

Rule 34

Disputes and Decisions

Appendices

Appendix I

Local Rules; Conditions of the Competition

Appendix II

Design of Clubs

Appendix III

The Ball

Rules of Amateur Status

Policy on Gambling

Miscellaneous Decisions

Decisions Applicalble Only In The USGA's Rules Jurisdiction

Rule 5. The Ball
Definitions
All defined terms are in italics and are listed alphabetically in the Definitions section.

5-1. General
The ball the player plays must conform to the requirements specified in Appendix III.

Note: The Committee may require, in the conditions of a competition (Rule 33-1), that the ball the player plays must be named on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls issued by the United States Golf Association.

5-2. Foreign Material
Foreign material must not be applied to a ball for the purpose of changing its playing characteristics.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 5-1 or 5-2: Disqualification.

5-3. Ball Unfit for Play
A ball is unfit for play if it is visibly cut, cracked or out of shape. A ball is not unfit for play solely because mud or other materials adhere to it, its surface is scratched or scraped or its paint is damaged or discolored.

If a player has reason to believe his ball has become unfit for play during play of the hole being played, he may lift the ball, without penalty, to determine whether it is unfit.

Before lifting the ball, the player must announce his intention to his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play and mark the position of the ball. He may then lift and examine it, provided that he gives his opponent, marker or fellow-competitor an opportunity to examine the ball and observe the lifting and replacement. The ball must not be cleaned when lifted under Rule 5-3.

If the player fails to comply with all or any part of this procedure or if he lifts the ball without having reason to believe that it has become unfit for play during play of the hole being played, he incurs a penalty of one stroke.

If it is determined that the ball has become unfit for play during play of the hole being played, the player may substitute another ball, placing it on the spot where the original ball lay. Otherwise, the original ball must be replaced. If a player substitutes a ball when not permitted and makes a stroke at the wrongly substituted ball, he incurs the general penalty for a breach of Rule 5-3, but there is no additional penalty under this Rule or 15-2.

If a ball breaks into pieces as a result of a stroke, the stroke is canceled and the player must play a ball, without penalty, as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was played (see Rule 20-5).

*PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 5-3:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes. *If a player incurs the general penalty for breach of Rule 5-3, there is no additional penalty under this Rule.

Note 1: If the opponent, marker or fellow-competitor wishes to dispute a claim of unfitness, he must do so before the player plays another ball.

Note 2: If the original lie of a ball to be placed or replaced has been altered, see Rule 20-3b.

(Cleaning ball lifted from putting green or under any other Rule - see Rule 21.)

Rules

5-1 General
5-2 Foreign Material
5-3 Ball Unfit for Play

Decisions

5-1/1 Use of Ball Not Conforming with Prescribed Specifications
5-1/2 Condition Requiring Use of Ball on List of Conforming Golf Balls; Penalty for Breach
5-1/3 Condition Requiring Use of Ball on List of Conforming Golf Balls; Ball Not on List Played as Provisional Ball
5-1/4 Status of X-out, Refurbished and Practice Balls
5-1/5 Whether Player May Borrow Balls from Another Player
5-3/1 Ball Internally Damaged
5-3/2 Ball Declared Unfit for Play Played at Later Hole
5-3/3 Ball Not Unfit for Play Deemed Unfit
5-3/3.5 Player Lifts Ball on Putting Green, Throws Ball into Lake and Then Announces That Ball Is Unfit for Play
5-3/4 Ball Breaks into Pieces as a Result of Striking Paved Cart Path
5-3/5 Ball Embedded in Hazard Lifted to Determine Whether Unfit for Play
5-3/6 Ball Thought to Be Unfit for Play Lifted Under Another Rule and Cleaned; Ball Then Determined to Be Unfit for Play
5-3/7 Ball Thought to Be Unfit for Play; Committee Involvement When Opponent, Marker or Fellow-Competitor Not Readily Available
5-3/8 Opponent or Fellow-Competitor Disputes Player's Claim That Ball Is Unfit for Play