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

(1) Deciding Issues by Agreement. During a roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee., the players in a match may agree how to decide a Rules issue:

• The agreed outcome is conclusive even if it turns out to have been wrong under the Rules, so long as the players did not agree to ignore any Rule or penalty they knew applied (see Rule 1.3b(1)).

• But if a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued) is assigned to the match, the refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued) must rule on any issue that comes to their attention in time (see Rule 20.1b(2))and the players must follow that ruling.

In the absence of a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued), if the players do not agree or have doubt about how the Rules apply, either player may request a ruling under Rule 20.1b(2).

(2) Ruling Request Made Before Result of Match Is Final. When a player wants a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued) or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. to decide how to apply the Rules to their own play or the opponent’sOpponent: The person a player competes against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. play, the player may make a request for a ruling.

If a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued) or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. is not available in a reasonable time, the player may make the request for a ruling by notifying the opponentOpponent: The person a player competes 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.(...Continued) or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. becomes available.

If a player makes a request for a ruling before the result of the match is final:

• A ruling will be given only if the request is made in time, which depends on when the player becomes aware of the facts creating the Rules issue:

  • When Player Becomes Aware of the Facts Before Either Player Starts the Final Hole of the Match. When the player becomes aware of the facts, the ruling request must be made before either player makes a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) to begin another hole.

  • When Player Becomes Aware of the Facts During or After Completion of the Final Hole of the Match. The ruling request must be made before the result of the match is final (see Rule 3.2a(5)).

• If the player does not make the request in this time, a ruling will not be given by a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued) or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. and the result of the hole(s) in question will stand even if the Rules were applied in the wrong way.

If the player requests a ruling about an earlier hole, a ruling will be given only if all three of these apply:

• The opponentOpponent: The person a player competes against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. breached Rule 3.2d(1) (giving wrong number of strokes taken) or Rule 3.2d(2) (failing to tell the player about a penalty),

• The request is based on facts the player was not aware of before either player made a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) to begin the hole being played or, if between holes, the hole just completed, and

• After becoming aware of these facts, the player makes a request for a ruling in time (as set out above).

(3) Ruling Request Made After Result of Match Is Final. When a player makes a request for a ruling after the result of the match is final:

• The CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. will give the player a ruling only if both of these apply:

  • The request is based on facts the player was not aware of before the result of the match was final, and

  • The opponentOpponent: The person a player competes against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. breached Rule 3.2d(1) (giving wrong number of strokes taken) or Rule 3.2d(2) (failing to tell the player about a penalty) and knew of the breach before the result of the match was final.

• There is no time limit on giving such a ruling.

(4) No Right to Play Two Balls. A player who is uncertain about the right procedure in a match is not allowed to play out the hole with two balls. That procedure applies only in stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued) (see Rule 20.1c).

(1) 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.(...Continued) 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:

• The players are encouraged to help each other in applying the Rules, but they have no right to decide a Rules issue by agreement and any such agreement they 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.(...Continued) or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course..

• A player should raise any Rules issues with the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. before returning their scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued).

(2) Players Should Protect Other Players in the Competition. To protect the interests of all other players:

• If a player knows or believes that another player has breached or might have breached the Rules and that the other player does not recognize or is ignoring this, the player should tell the other player, 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), a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued) or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course..

• This should be done promptly after the player becomes aware of the issue, and no later than before the other player returns their scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued) unless it is not possible to do so.

If the player fails to do so, the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. may disqualify the player under Rule 1.2a if it decides that this was serious misconduct contrary to the spirit of the game.

(3) Playing Two Balls When Uncertain What to Do. A player who is uncertain about the right procedure while playing a hole may complete the hole with two balls without penalty:

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

• The player should choose which ball will count if the Rules allow the procedure used for that ball, by announcing that choice to their 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) or to another player before making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued).

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

• The player must report the facts of the situation to the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. before returning the scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued), even if the player scores the same with both balls. The player is disqualified if they fail to do so.

• If the player made a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) before deciding to play a second ball:

  • This Rule does not apply at all and the score that counts is the score with the ball played before the player decided to play the second ball.

  • But the player gets no penalty for playing the second ball.

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.

(4) Committee Decision on Score for Hole. When a player plays two balls under (3), the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. will decide the player’s score for the hole in this way:

• The score with the ball chosen (whether by the player or by default) counts if the Rules allow the procedure used for that ball.

• If the Rules do not allow the procedure used for that ball, the score with the other ball played counts if the Rules allow the procedure used for that other ball.

• If the Rules do not allow the procedures used for each of the two balls, the score with the ball chosen (whether by the player or by default) counts unless there was 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) in playing that ball 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), in which case the score with the other ball counts.

• If there was 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) in playing each ball 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 is disqualified.

• All strokes with the ball that does not count (including strokesStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count in the player’s score for the hole.

“Rules allow the procedure used” means that either: (a) the original ball was played as it lies and play was allowed from there, or (b) the ball that was played was 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 the right procedure, in the right way and in the right place under the Rules.

(1) Wrong Rulings. A wrong ruling has occurred when a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued) or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. has attempted to apply the Rules but has done so incorrectly. Examples of wrong rulings include:

• Applying a wrong penalty or failing to apply a penalty,

• Applying a Rule that does not apply or does not exist, and

• Misinterpreting a Rule and applying it incorrectly.  

If a ruling by a refereeReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued) or the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. is later found to be wrong, the ruling will be corrected if possible under the Rules. If it is too late to do so, the wrong ruling stands.

If a player takes an action in breach of a Rule based on a reasonable misunderstanding of a referee’sReferee: An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.(...Continued) or Committee’sCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. instruction during a roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. or while play is stopped under Rule 5.7a (such as lifting 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)  when not allowed under the Rules), there is no penalty and the instruction is treated like a wrong ruling. 

See Committee Procedures, Section 6C (what the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. should do when there has been a wrong ruling).

(2) Administrative Mistakes. An administrative mistake is a procedural error in relation to the administration of the competition and there is no time limit for correcting such a mistake, even after the result of a match is final or a stroke-playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued) competition has closed. An administrative mistake is different to a wrong ruling. Examples of administrative mistakes include:

• Miscalculating the result of a tie in stroke-playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued),

• Miscalculating a handicap resulting in the wrong player winning the competition, and

• Awarding a prize to the wrong player after failing to post the winner’s score.

In these situations, the mistake should be corrected and the results of the competition should be amended accordingly.

(1) Match Play. There is no time limit on disqualifying a player under Rule 1.2 (serious misconduct) or Rule 1.3b(1) (deliberately failing to apply a penalty, or agreeing with another player to ignore any Rule or penalty they know applies).

This may be done even after the result of the match is final (see Rule 3.2a(5)).

For when the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. will give a ruling when a request is made after the result of the match is final, see Rule 20.1b(3).

(2) Stroke Play. Normally, a penalty must not be added or corrected after a stroke-playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued) competition has closed, which is:

• When the result becomes final in the way set by the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. or,

• In stroke-playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued) qualifying followed by 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:(...Continued), when the player has teed off to start their first match.

But a player must be disqualified even after the competition is closed if they:

• Returned a score for any hole lower than actually taken. Except the player is not disqualified if the reason for the lower score is the exclusion of one or more penalty strokes that they did not know about before the competition closed (see Rule 3.3b(3)),

• Knew before the competition had closed that they were in breach of any other Rule with a penalty of disqualification, or

• Agreed with another player to ignore any Rule or penalty they knew applied (see Rule 1.3b(1)).

The CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. may also disqualify a player under Rule 1.2 (serious misconduct) after the competition has closed.