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Golf Tips For Beginners
The Rules Of The Game Of Golf
(Rules 1, 2 & 3)
The first three rules for the game of golf cover a simple definition of the game and how the rules shall apply to it, together with details of what is meant by match play and stroke play.
Rule 1. The Game.
In essence the game of golf consists of using a stroke or series of strokes with a club to play a ball from a teeing ground to a hole in accordance with a set of prescribed rules.
The manner in which a ball may be moved from the teeing ground to the hole is clearly defined by the rules and players and caddies are expressly required to take no action to influence the movement of a ball other than as allowed by the rules.
Finally, players are expressly forbidden from excluding any of the rules of the game or from waiving any of the penalties laid down by the rules for an infringement of the rules.
In short, if you want to play golf then you have to play by the established rules and not by your own version of the rules!
Rule 2. Match Play.
In match play two teams (each consisting of an equal number of one or more players) compete against each other over an agreed number of holes on a hole by hole basis.
The score is calculated on the basis of the number of holes won with the winning team on a hole being the team which completes the hole in the fewest number of strokes (or the net lowest number of holes where playing with a handicap).
The team winning the first hole will go 'one up'. If they subsequently win the second hole they will go 'two up'. If, however, they lose the second hole the game will then be 'all square'. Where teams play a hole in the same number of strokes (or net strokes where playing with a handicap) the hole is said to be 'halved'. A team is said to be 'dormie' when it is as many holes up as there are holes left to play.
A team will win when it is up by a number of holes which is greater than the number of holes left to play.
Where teams are 'all square' at the end of the game, the committee may allow the match to be extended by as many holes as are necessary to produce a winner.
A player may concede a match at any time during play and once a concession has been made it cannot be denied or withdrawn.
Rule 3. Stroke Play.
In stroke play players compete on an individual basis over a stipulated round (normally of 18 holes) or number of rounds and score each hole on an individual basis recording the number of strokes taken for each hole on a score card. At the end of the round (or rounds) the player with the lowest total number of strokes (or lowest total net number of strokes where playing with a handicap) is the winner.
Where a player in stroke play is uncertain about his rights or procedures under the rules during play he may play a hole with two balls, providing he announces his intention to his marker or a fellow competitor and indicates which ball he wishes to score if the rules permit.
The two ball provision of this rule is complex but is essentially designed to allow play to continue in a situation where a player may have hit a ball out of play or into a position from which it is unplayable. For example, if a player hits his ball and believes that it may have fallen into water from where it may not be playable, he may play a second ball rather than advance down to course only to find that his ball is indeed unplayable.
Next: Clubs and Balls
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