The phrase “serious misconduct” in Rule 1.2a is intended to cover player misconduct that is so far removed from the expected norm in golf that the most severe sanction of removing a player from the competition is justified. This includes dishonesty, deliberately interfering with another player’s rights, or endangering the safety of others.
The CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. must determine if the misconduct is serious considering all the circumstances. Even if the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. determines that the misconduct is serious, it may take the view that it is more appropriate to warn the player that a repeat of the misconduct or similar misconduct will result in disqualification, instead of disqualifying him or her in the first instance.
Examples of actions by a player that are likely to be considered serious misconduct include:
Deliberately causing serious damage to a putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:.
Disagreeing with the course setup and taking it on himself or herself to move tee-markers or boundary stakes.
Throwing a club towards another player or spectator.
Deliberately distracting other players while they are making strokes: .
Removing loose impediments: or movable obstructions: to disadvantage another player after that other player has asked him or her to leave them in place.
Repeatedly refusing to lift a ball at rest when it interferes with another player in stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition..
Deliberately playing away from the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: and then towards the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: to assist the player’s partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. (such as helping the player’s partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. learn the break on the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:).
Deliberately not playing in accordance with the Rules and potentially gaining a significant advantage by doing so, despite incurring a penalty for a breach of the relevant Rule.
Repeatedly using vulgar or offensive language.
Using a handicap that has been established for the purpose of providing an unfair advantage or using the roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. being played to establish such a handicap.
Examples of actions by a player that, although involving misconduct, are unlikely to be considered serious misconduct include:
Slamming a club to the ground, damaging the club and causing minor damage to the turf.
Throwing a club towards a golf bag that unintentionally hits another person.
Carelessly distracting another player making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball..
If two or more players deliberately agree to ignore any Rule or penalty they know applies, they will be disqualified unless the agreement is made before the roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. and is cancelled before any player involved in the agreement begins his or her roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee..
For example, in stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition., two players agree to consider putts within a club-length of the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: holedHoled: When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green., when they know that they must holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: out on each holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:.
While on the first putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:, another player in the group learns of this agreement. That player insists the two players who made the agreement holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: out, and they do so.
Even though neither player who made the agreement acted on it by failing to holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: out, they are still disqualified because they deliberately agreed to ignore Rule 3.3c (Failure to Hole Out).
Rule 1.3b(1) does not apply and there is no penalty if players agree to waive a Rule that they are not aware of or fail to apply a penalty that they do not know exists.
Examples where two players are unaware of a Rule, or where they have failed to apply a penalty, and therefore are not disqualified under Rule 1.3b(1), include:
In a match, two players agree in advance to concede all putts within a specific length but are unaware that the Rules prohibit them from agreeing to concede putts in this way.
Before a 36-hole match, two players agree that they will play only 18 holes and whoever is behind at that point will concede the match, not knowing that this agreement does not comply with the Terms of the Competition.
The match goes forward on that basis and the player behind after 18 holes concedes the match. Since the players do not know such an agreement is not allowed, the concession stands.
In a stroke-play: competition, a player and his or her markerMarker: In stroke play, the person responsible for entering a player’s score on the player’s scorecard and for certifying that scorecard. The marker may be another player, but not a partner., who is also a player, are unsure if the relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors: for ground under repairGround Under Repair: Any part of the course the Committee defines to be ground under repair (whether by marking it or otherwise). Any defined ground under repair includes both: is one club-lengthClub-Length: The length of the longest club of the 14 (or fewer) clubs the player has during the round (as allowed by Rule 4.1b(1)), other than a putter. or two. Unaware of the Rule, they agree that it is two club-lengths: and the player takes relief by dropping: a ball almost two club-lengths: from the nearest point of complete reliefNearest Point of Complete Relief: The reference point for taking free relief from an abnormal course condition (Rule 16.1), dangerous animal condition (Rule 16.2), wrong green (Rule 13.1f) or no play zone (Rules 16.1f and 17.1e), or in taking relief under certain Local Rules.. Later in the round the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. becomes aware of this.
Although neither player is disqualified under Rule 1.3b(1) because they were unaware of the Rule, the player has played from a wrong placeWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where the player is required or allowed to play his or her ball under the Rules. and gets the penalty under Rule 14.7 (Playing from Wrong Place). There is no penalty for accidentally giving incorrect information on the Rules of Golf.
6.1/1 – What to Do When One or More Tee-Markers Are Missing
9.6/2 – Where to Replace Ball When It Was Moved from Unknown Location
17.1a/2 – Ball Lost in Either Penalty Area or Abnormal Course Condition Adjacent to Penalty Area
17.1d(3)/2 – Player Drops Ball Based on Estimate of Where the Ball Last Crossed Edge of Penalty Area That Turns Out to Be the Wrong Point
A player is responsible when another person’s action breaches a Rule with respect to the player if it is done at the player’s request or if the player sees the action and allows it.
Examples of when a player gets the penalty because he or she requested or allowed the action include:
A player asks a spectator to move a loose impedimentLoose Impediment: Any unattached natural object such as: near his or her ball. If the ball moves the player gets one penalty stroke under Rule 9.4b (Penalty for Lifting or Deliberately Touching Ball or Causing It to Move) and the ball must be replaced: .
A player’s ball is being searched for in tall grass. A spectator finds the ball and presses the grass down around the ball, improving: the conditions affecting the strokeConditions Affecting the Stroke: The lie of the player’s ball at rest, the area of intended stance, the area of intended swing, the line of play and the relief area where the player will drop or place a ball.. If the player, seeing that this is about to happen, does not take reasonable steps to try to stop the spectator, he or she gets the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. for a breach of Rule 8.1a (Player’s Actions That Improve Conditions Affecting the Stroke).
When a player breaches multiple Rules or the same Rule multiple times, any relationship between the breaches is broken by an intervening event and the player will get multiple penalties.
The three types of intervening events where the player will get multiple penalties are:
Making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.. Example: In stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition., a player’s ball is near a bush. The player breaks branches and this improves: the area of intended swing (a breach of Rule 8.1a). The player makes a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball., misses the ball, and then breaks more branches (a breach of Rule 8.1a). In this case, the strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball. that missed the ball is an intervening event between the two breaches. Therefore, the player gets two separate two-stroke penalties under Rule 8.1a: , for four penalty strokes in total.
Putting a ball in playIn Play: The status of a player’s ball when it lies on the course and is being used in the play of a hole:. Examples:
In stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition., a player’s ball is under a tree. The player breaks tree branches, improving: the conditions affecting the strokeConditions Affecting the Stroke: The lie of the player’s ball at rest, the area of intended stance, the area of intended swing, the line of play and the relief area where the player will drop or place a ball., but then decides the ball is unplayable. The player drops: a ball within two club-lengths: under Rule 19.2c (Unplayable Ball Relief) and then breaks more tree branches. In addition to the one penalty stroke under Rule 19.2, the player gets two separate two-stroke penalties under Rule 8.1a for improving: conditions affecting the strokeConditions Affecting the Stroke: The lie of the player’s ball at rest, the area of intended stance, the area of intended swing, the line of play and the relief area where the player will drop or place a ball., for five penalty strokes in total.
A player’s ball lies in the fairway and he or she accidentally moves: the ball at rest. As required by Rule 9.4 (Ball Lifted or Moved by Player), the player replaces: the ball and adds one penalty stroke. Before making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball., the player accidentally moves: the ball again. The player gets an additional penalty stroke and must again replaceReplace: To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play. the ball, for two penalty strokes in total.
Becoming aware of the breach. Example: In stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition., a player’s ball lies in a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. where the player takes several practice swings each time touching the sand. Another player advises the player that this is a breach of the Rules. The player disagrees and takes several more practice swings, again touching the sand before making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.. Correctly informing the player of the breach of the Rules is an intervening event and, therefore, the player gets two separate twostroke penalties under Rule 12.2b (Restrictions on Touching Sand in Bunker), for four penalty strokes in total.
A single act may breach two different Rules. In this situation, one penalty is applied. In the case of two Rules with different penalties, the higher-level penalty will apply.
For example, a player presses down the grass behind his or her ball in playIn Play: The status of a player’s ball when it lies on the course and is being used in the play of a hole: and improves: the lieLie: The spot on which a ball is at rest and any growing or attached natural object, immovable obstruction, integral object, or boundary object touching the ball or right next to it. in the rough, accidentally moving: the ball as well. This single act (that is, pressing down the grass) breached two Rules, Rule 8.1a (Actions That Improve Conditions Affecting the Stroke) and Rule 9.4b (Lifting or Deliberately Touching Ball or Causing It to Move) and only one penalty applies.
In this case, the penalty under Rule 8.1a is the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. and the penalty under Rule 9.4b is one penalty stroke. Therefore, the higher-level penalty applies and the player loses the hole in match playMatch Play: A form of play where a player or side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match of one or more rounds: or must add a total penalty of two strokes in stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition. under Rule 8.1a and the ball must be replaced: .
Unrelated acts in the context of Rule 1.3c(4) are acts of a player that are of a different type or associated with a different process.
Examples of unrelated acts where multiple penalties apply include:
Making a practice swing that touches sand in a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. and bending an overhanging tree branch that interferes with the player’s swing.
Moving an immovable obstructionImmovable Obstruction: Any obstruction that: that improves: the area of the player’s swing and pressing down grass behind the ball.
Examples of related acts where only one penalty applies include:
Making several practice swings that touch sand in a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed..
Asking for two different pieces of adviceAdvice: Any verbal comment or action (such as showing what club was just used to make a stroke) that is intended to influence a player in:, such as what club the player used and what the wind direction is, both related to the process of selecting what club to use for the next strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball..
In the example given in 1.3c(4)/2, a single act of pressing down grass and moving: the ball breached two Rules (Rule 8.1a and Rule 9.4b) and resulted in a single penalty being applied under Rule 8.1a (Actions That Improve Conditions Affecting the Stroke).
However, Rule 9.4b (Lifting or Deliberately Touching Ball or Causing It to Move) requires that the movedMoved: When a ball at rest has left its original spot and come to rest on any other spot, and this can be seen by the naked eye (whether or not anyone actually sees it do so). ball be replaced: and, if it is not replaced: before the strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball., the player will get an additional penalty of two strokes under Rule 9.4b. The failure to replaceReplace: To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play. the ball is considered a separate and unrelated act.
In competitions where not all rounds: count, a player is not disqualified from the competition for being disqualified from a single roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee..
Examples of when a player is not disqualified from the competition:
In a handicap competition where the two best of four rounds: count, a player mistakenly returns his or her scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play. with a higher handicap that affects how many strokes are received in the first roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee..
Since the higher handicap affected the number of handicap strokes received, the player is disqualified from the first roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. of the competition and now has three rounds: in which to determine his or her two best net scores.
In a team competition with four-player teams, where the three best scores for each roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. are added up to make the team’s score for each roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee., a player is disqualified from the second roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. for not correcting the play of a wrong ballWrong Ball: Any ball other than the player’s:. That player’s score does not count for the team score in the second roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. but the player’s score would count for any other roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. of the competition.
During a play-off in a stroke-play: competition the Rules are applied as follows:
If a player is disqualified (such as for making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball. with a nonconforming club), the player is disqualified from the play-off only and the player is entitled to any prize that may have been won in the competition itself.
If two players are in the play-off, one player is allowed to concede the play-off to the other player.
If Player A mistakenly gives the wrong number of strokes to Player B and that mistake results in Player B lifting his or her ball (such as when Player B thinks he or she has lost the play-off to Player A), Player B is allowed to replaceReplace: To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play. the ball without penalty and complete the hole. There is no penalty to Player A.