Rule 20 - Resolving Rules Issues During Round; Rulings by Referee and Committee

a. You Must Avoid Unreasonable Delay

You must not unreasonably delay play when seeking help with the Rules during a roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee.. If a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. is not available in a reasonable time to help with a Rules issue, you must decide what to do and play on.

You may protect your rights by asking for a ruling in match playMatch Play: A form of play where you or your side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match of one or more rounds. or by playing two balls in stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where you or your side competes against all other players or sides in the competition..

b. Rules Issues in Match Play

Deciding Issues by Agreement. During a roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. without a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. assigned to your match, you and your opponentOpponent: The person you compete against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. may agree how to decide a Rules issue.

The agreed outcome stands provided you and your opponentOpponent: The person you compete against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. did not deliberately agree to ignore any Rule or penalty you both knew applied.

Ruling Request Made Before Result of Match Is Final. When you want a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. to decide how to apply the Rules but neither is available in a reasonable time, you may make the request for a ruling by notifying your opponentOpponent: The person you compete against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. that a later ruling will be sought when a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. becomes available.

 For information on making a request in time and how your ruling request will be handled by the referee or Committee.

c. Rules Issues in Stroke Play

No Right to Decide Rules Issues by Agreement. If a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. is not available in a reasonable time to help with a Rules issue you have no right to decide a Rules issue by agreement and any such agreement you may reach is not binding on any player, a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course..

You should raise any Rules issues with the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. before returning your scorecardScorecard: The document where your score for each hole is entered in stroke play..

You Should Protect Other Players in the Competition. If you know or believe that another player has breached the Rules and does not recognize or is ignoring this, you should tell that player, the player’s markerMarker: In stroke play, the person responsible for entering your score on your scorecard and for certifying that scorecard. The marker may be another player, but not your partner., a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course.. You should do this promptly, and certainly before the player returns his or her scorecardScorecard: The document where your score for each hole is entered in stroke play.. Your failure to do so could be serious misconduct resulting in disqualification.

Playing Two Balls. If you are uncertain about the right procedure while playing a hole, you may complete the hole with two balls without penalty:

• You must decide to play two balls after the uncertain situation arises and before making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball..

• You should choose which ball will count if the Rules allow the procedure used for that ball, by announcing that choice to your markerMarker: In stroke play, the person responsible for entering your score on your scorecard and for certifying that scorecard. The marker may be another player, but not your partner. or to another player before making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball..

• If you do not choose in time, the ball played first is treated as the ball chosen by default.

• You must report the facts of the situation to the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. before returning your scorecardScorecard: The document where your score for each hole is entered in stroke play., even if you score the same with both balls. You are disqualified if you fail to do so.

 For more information on playing two balls in stroke play, including how the Committee will determine your score for the hole.