Examples of expenses include transportation (e.g., airfare and rental car), lodging, meals, the entry fee, and caddie fees.

A junior golfer (defined as one who has not reached his 19 ^th birthday during the calendar year ending December 31st prior to a competition requiring that golfer to be a junior in order to participate may accept help from outside his family to all competitions. If the outside help with expenses is for a junior competition, the expenses do not need to go through the player's state or regional golf association. If the expenses are to a non-junior competition (e.g., the U.S. Amateur or the U.S. Open), the junior golfer may accept expenses, but the expenses must be paid through his state or regional golf association.

All amateur golfers have the ability to have their expenses to a competition reimbursed. For example, a friend could, through the player's state or regional golf association, assist the player with his expenses to play in a competition.

The USGA wants to ensure that Rule 4 (Expenses) is not abused and that a player is merely reimbursed for what he spent and does not receive additional payment.