A player is entitled to know the status of their match at all times or that a ruling request will be settled later in the match. A request for a ruling must be made in time to prevent a player from trying to apply penalties later in the match. Whether a ruling will be given depends on when the player becomes aware of the facts (not when they learned that something was a penalty) and when the request for a ruling was made.
For example, during the first hole of a match without a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued), Player A properly lifts their ball to check for damage under Rule 4.2c(1), determines that it is cut and substitutesSubstitute: To change the ball the player is using to play a hole by having another ball become the ball in play.(...Continued) a new ball under Rule 4.2c(2). Unknown to Player A, Player B sees the condition of the original ball and privately disagrees with Player A’s assessment. However, Player B decides to overlook the possible breach and says nothing to Player A. Both players hole outHoled: When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green.(...Continued) and play from the next teeing areaTeeing Area: The area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing.(...Continued).
At the conclusion of the final hole, Player A is the winner of the match, 1up. Walking off the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued), when the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. is readily available, Player B changes their mind and tells Player A that they disagree with the substitutionSubstitute: To change the ball the player is using to play a hole by having another ball become the ball in play.(...Continued) that Player A made on the first hole and is making a request to the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. for a ruling.
The CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. should determine that the ruling request by Player B was not made in time as Player B was aware of the facts during play of the first hole and, subsequently, a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) was made on the second hole (Rule 20.1b(2)). Therefore, the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. should decide that no ruling will be given.
The match stands as played with Player A as the winner.
If a player becomes aware of a possible breach of the Rules by their opponent after completing what they thought was the final hole of the match, the player may make a request for a ruling. If the opponent was in breach of the Rules, the adjusted match score may require that the players return to the courseCourse: The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee:(...Continued) to resume the match.
For example:
In a match between Player A and Player B, Player B wins by a score of 5 and 4. On the way back to the clubhouse and before the result of the match is final, it is discovered that Player B had 15 clubs in their bag. Player A requests a ruling, and the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. determines correctly that the ruling request by Player A was made in time. The players must return to the 15th hole and resume the match. The score in the match is adjusted by deducting two holes from Player B (Rule 4.1b(4)), and Player B is now 3 up with four holes to play.
In a match between Player A and Player B, Player B wins by a score of 3 and 2. On the way back to the clubhouse, Player A discovers that Player B hit the sand with a practice swing in a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed.(...Continued) on the 14th hole. Player B had won the 14th hole. Player A requests a ruling, and the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. determines correctly that the ruling request by Player A was made in time, and that Player B lost the 14th hole for failing to tell Player A about the penalty (Rule 3.2d(2)). The players must return to the 17th hole and resume the match. As the score in the match is adjusted by changing Player B’s win of the 14th hole to a loss of hole, Player B is now 1 up with two holes to play.
The playing of two balls is limited to stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued) because, when a match is being played, any incidents in that match concern only the players involved in it and the players in the match can protect their own interests.
However, if a player in a match is uncertain about the right procedure and plays out the hole with two balls, the score with the original ball always counts if the player and opponent refer the situation to the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. and the opponent has not objected to the player playing the second ball.
However, if the opponentOpponent: The person a player competes against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. objects to the player playing a second ball and makes a ruling request in time (Rule 20.1b(2)), the player loses the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) for playing a wrong ballWrong Ball: Any ball other than the player’s:(...Continued) in breach of Rule 6.3c(1).
In stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued), when a player is uncertain of what to do and decides to play two balls, they get no penalty if one of the balls played was their original ball that is no longer 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:(...Continued).
For example, a player’s ball is not found in a penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) after a three-minute search, so the player properly takes relief from the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) under Rule 17.1c and plays a substitutedSubstitute: To change the ball the player is using to play a hole by having another ball become the ball in play.(...Continued) ball. Then, the original ball is found in the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued). Not sure what to do, the player decides to play the original ball as a second ball before making any further strokesStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued), and chooses to score with the original ball. The player holes out with both balls.
The ball played under Rule 17.1c became the 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:(...Continued) and the score with that ball is the player’s score for the hole. The score with the original ball could not count because the original ball was no longer 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:(...Continued). However, the player gets no penalty for playing the original ball as a second ball.
Rule 20.1c(3) requires a player to decide to play two balls before making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) so that their decision to play two balls or the choice of which ball to count is not influenced by the result of the ball just played. DroppingDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play.(...Continued) a ball is not equivalent to making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued).
Examples of the application of that requirement include:
A player’s ball comes to rest on a paved cart path in the general areaGeneral Area: The area of the course that covers all of the courseexcept for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.(...Continued). In taking relief, the player lifts the ball, dropsDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play.(...Continued) it outside the required relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. With the exception of back-on-the-line relief (see Rules 16.1c(2), 17.1d(2), 19.2b and 19.3), each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:(...Continued) and plays it. The player’s 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.(...Continued) questions the dropDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play.(...Continued) and advises the player that they may have played from a wrong placeWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where the player is required or allowed to play their ball under the Rules.(...Continued).
Uncertain what to do, the player would like to complete the hole with two balls. However, it is too late to use Rule 20.1c(3) since a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) has already been made and the player must add the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. for playing from a wrong placeWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where the player is required or allowed to play their ball under the Rules.(...Continued) (Rule 14.7). If the player believes this may be a serious breachSerious Breach: In stroke play, when playing from a wrong place could give the player a significant advantage compared to the stroke to be made from the right place.(...Continued) of playing from a wrong placeWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where the player is required or allowed to play their ball under the Rules.(...Continued), the player should play a second ball under Rule 14.7 to avoid possible disqualification.
If the player’s 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.(...Continued) questioned the dropDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play.(...Continued) before the player made a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) at the ball and they were uncertain what to do, the player could have completed the hole with two balls under Rule 20.1c(3).
A player’s ball lies in a penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) defined by red stakes. One of the stakes interferes with the player’s area of intended swing and the player is uncertain if they are allowed to remove the stake. The player makes their next strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) without removing a stake.
At this point, the player decides to play a second ball with the stake removed and get a ruling from the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course.. The CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. should rule that the score with the original ball is the score that counts since the uncertain situation arose when the ball was in the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) with interference from the stake, and the player had to make the decision to play two balls before making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) at the original ball.
Rule 20.1c(3) does not require the original ball to be the ball that is played as it lies. Typically, the original ball is played as it lies, and the second ball is put 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:(...Continued) under whatever Rule is being used. However, putting the original 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:(...Continued) under the Rule is also allowed.
For example, if a player is uncertain whether their ball lies in an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: Any of these four defined conditions: in the general areaGeneral Area: The area of the course that covers all of the courseexcept for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.(...Continued), the player may decide to play two balls. The player may then take relief under Rule 16.1b (Relief from Abnormal Course Condition) by lifting, droppingDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play.(...Continued) and playing the original ball and then continuing by placing a second ball where the original ball lay in the questionable area and playing it from there.
In such a case, the player does not need to mark the spot of the original ball before lifting it, although it is recommended that this is done.
After a player has announced their intention to play two balls under Rule 20.1c(3) and has either put 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:(...Continued) or made a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) at one of the balls, the player is committed to the procedure in Rule 20.1c(3). If the player does not play, or does not hole outHoled: When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green.(...Continued) with, one of the balls and that ball is the one the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. rules would have counted, the player is disqualified for failing to hole outHoled: When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green.(...Continued) (Rule 3.3c – Failure to Hole Out). However, there is no penalty if the player does not hole outHoled: When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green.(...Continued) a ball that will not count.
For example, a player’s ball lies in a rut made by a vehicle. Believing that the area should have been marked as 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:(...Continued), the player decides to play two balls and announces that they would like the second ball to count. The player then makes a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) at the original ball from the rut. After seeing the results of this stroke, the player decides not to play a second ball. Upon completion of the round, the facts are reported to the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course..
If the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. decides that the rut is 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:(...Continued), the player is disqualified for failing to hole outHoled: When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green.(...Continued) with the second ball (Rule 3.3c).
However, if the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. decides that the rut is not 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:(...Continued), the player’s score with the original ball counts and they get no penalty for not playing a second ball.
The result would be the same for a player who made a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) or strokesStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) with a second ball but picked it up before completing play of the hole.
Although Rule 20.1c(3) states that a second ball played under this Rule is not the same as a provisional ballProvisional Ball: Another ball played in case the ball just played by the player may be:(...Continued) under Rule 18.3 (Provisional Ball), the reverse is not true. In deciding to play two balls after playing a provisional ballProvisional Ball: Another ball played in case the ball just played by the player may be:(...Continued) and being uncertain whether the original ball is out of boundsOut of Bounds: All areas outside the boundary edge of the course as defined by the Committee. All areas inside that edge are in bounds.(...Continued) or lostLost: The status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after the player or their caddie (or the player’s partner or partner’scaddie) begins to search for it. A ball does not become lost as a result of the player declaring it to be lost.(...Continued) outside a penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued), the player must treat the provisional ballProvisional Ball: Another ball played in case the ball just played by the player may be:(...Continued) as the second ball.
Examples of using a provisional ballProvisional Ball: Another ball played in case the ball just played by the player may be:(...Continued) as a second ball include when:
The player is unsure whether their original ball is out of boundsOut of Bounds: All areas outside the boundary edge of the course as defined by the Committee. All areas inside that edge are in bounds.(...Continued), so they complete the hole with the original ball and the provisional ballProvisional Ball: Another ball played in case the ball just played by the player may be:(...Continued).
The player has knowledge or virtual certaintyKnown or Virtually Certain: The standard for deciding what happened to a player’s ball – for example, whether the ball came to rest in a penalty area, whether it moved or what caused it to move.(...Continued) that their original ball that has not been found is in an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: Any of these four defined conditions: and is unsure what to do, so they complete the hole with the provisional ballProvisional Ball: Another ball played in case the ball just played by the player may be:(...Continued) and a second ball with relief under Rule 16.1e.
When a player is uncertain about the right procedure, it is recommended that they play two balls under Rule 20.1c(3). However, there is nothing that prevents the player from playing one ball under two different Rules and requesting a ruling before returning their scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued).
For example, a player’s ball comes to rest in an unplayable spot in an area that they believe should be 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:(...Continued), but is not marked. Uncertain what to do and willing to accept the one-stroke penalty if it is not 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:(...Continued), the player decides to use one ball and drop it in the relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. With the exception of back-on-the-line relief (see Rules 16.1c(2), 17.1d(2), 19.2b and 19.3), each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:(...Continued) allowed for taking relief from 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:(...Continued) (Rule 16.1) and simultaneously in part of the relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. With the exception of back-on-the-line relief (see Rules 16.1c(2), 17.1d(2), 19.2b and 19.3), each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:(...Continued) allowed for taking unplayable ball relief (Rule 19.2) for one penalty stroke.
If the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. decides that the area is 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:(...Continued), the player does not get a penalty for taking unplayable ball relief. If the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. decides that the area is not 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:(...Continued), the player gets one penalty stroke for taking unplayable ball relief.
If the player used the procedure outlined above and the ball came to rest at a spot where there is interference from the condition (required to drop again for Rule 16.1 but not for Rule 19.2), they should get help from the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. or play two balls under Rule 20.1c(3).