PART C:
CONDITIONS OF THE COMPETITION
Rule 33-1 provides, “The Committee must establish the conditions
under which a competition is to be played.” These conditions
should include many matters such as method of entry,
eligibility, number of rounds to be played, etc., which it is not
appropriate to deal with in the Rules of Golf or this Appendix.
Detailed information regarding these conditions is provided in
“Decisions on the Rules of Golf” under Rule 33-1 and in “How
to Conduct a Competition.”
However, there are a number of matters that might be covered
in the Conditions of the Competition to which the Committee’s
attention is specifically drawn. These are:
1. Specifications of Clubs and the Ball
The following conditions are recommended only for competitions
involving expert players:
g a. List of Conforming Driver Heads
On its Web site (http://www.usga.org) the USGA periodically
issues a List of Conforming Driver Heads that lists driving clubheads
that have been evaluated and found to conform to the
Rules of Golf. If the Committee wishes to limit players to drivers
that have a clubhead, identified by model and loft, that is on the
List, the List should be made available and the following condition
of competition used:
“Any driver the player carries must have a clubhead, identified
by model and loft, that is named on the current List of
Conforming Driver Heads issued by the USGA.
Exception: A driver with a clubhead that was manufactured
prior to 1999 is exempt from this condition.
*PEN ALTY FOR CARRYIN G, BUT NOT MAKIN G STROKE WITH,
CLUB OR CLUBS IN BREACH OF CONDI TION:
Match play — At the conclusion of the hole at which the
breach is discovered, the state of the match is adjusted by
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deducting one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred;
maximum deduction per round — Two holes.
Stroke play — Two strokes for each hole at which any breach
occurred; maximum penalty per round — Four strokes.
Match or stroke play — In the event of a breach between the
play of two holes, the penalty applies to the next hole.
Bogey and par competitions — See Note 1 to Rule 32-1a.
Stableford competitions — See Note 1 to Rule 32-1b.
*Any club or clubs carried in breach of this condition must be
declared out of play by the player to his opponent in match
play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play immediately
upon discovery that a breach has occurred. If the player
fails to do so, he is disqualified.
PEN ALTY FOR MAKIN G STROKE WITH CLUB IN BREACH OF
CONDI TION:
Disqualification.”
g b. List of Conforming Golf Balls
On its Web site (http://www.usga.org) the USGA periodically
issues a List of Conforming Golf Balls that lists balls that have
been tested and found to conform with the Rules of Golf. If
the Committee wishes to require players to play a brand and
model of golf ball on the List, the List should be made available
and the following condition of competition used:
“The ball the player plays must be named on the current List
of Conforming Golf Balls issued by the United States Golf
Association.
PEN ALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDI TION:
Disqualification.”
g c. One Ball Condition
If it is desired to prohibit changing brands and models of
golf balls during a stipulated round, the following condition
is recommended:
“Limitation on Balls Used During Round (Note to Rule 5-1):
(i) One Ball Condition
During a stipulated round, the balls a player plays must
be of the same brand and model as detailed by a single
entry on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls.
Note: If a ball of a different brand and/or model is dropped or
placed, it may be lifted, without penalty, and the player must
then proceed by dropping or placing a proper ball (Rule 20-6).
PEN ALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDI TION:
Match play — At the conclusion of the hole at which the breach
is discovered, the state of the match is adjusted by deducting
one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred; maximum
deduction per round — Two holes.
Stroke play — Two strokes for each hole at which any breach
occurred; maximum penalty per round — Four strokes.
(ii) Procedure When Breach Discovered
When a player discovers that he has played a ball in breach
of this condition, he must abandon that ball before playing
from the next teeing ground and complete the round with
a proper ball; otherwise, the player is disqualified. If discovery
is made during play of a hole and the player elects
to substitute a proper ball before completing that hole, the
player must place a proper ball on the spot where the ball
played in breach of the condition lay.”
2. Time of Starting (Note to Rule 6-3a)
If the Committee wishes to act in accordance with the Note, the
following wording is recommended:
“If the player arrives at his starting point, ready to play, within
five minutes after his starting time, in the absence of circumstances
that warrant waiving the penalty of disqualification as
provided in Rule 33-7, the penalty for failure to start on time is
loss of the first hole to be played in match play or two strokes
in stroke play. Penalty for lateness beyond five minutes is disqualification.”
3. Caddie (Note to Rule 6-4)
Rule 6-4 permits a player to use a caddie, provided he has only
one caddie at any one time. However, there may be circumstances
where a Committee may wish to prohibit caddies or restrict a
Appendix I 119
120 Appendix I
player in his choice of caddie, e.g., professional golfer, sibling,
parent, another player in the competition, etc. In such cases,
the following wording is recommended:
Use of Caddie Prohibited
“A player is prohibited from using a caddie during the stipulated
round.”
Restriction on Who May Serve as Caddie
“A player is prohibited from having ___________ serve as his
caddie during the stipulated round.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDITION:
Match play — At the conclusion of the hole at which the
breach is discovered, the state of the match is adjusted by
deducting one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred;
maximum deduction per round — Two holes.
Stroke play — Two strokes for each hole at which any breach
occurred; maximum penalty per round — Four strokes.
Match or stroke play — In the event of a breach between the
play of two holes, the penalty applies to the next hole.
A player having a caddie in breach of this condition must
immediately upon discovery that a breach has occurred ensure
that he conforms with this condition for the remainder of the
stipulated round. Otherwise, the player is disqualified.”
4. Pace of Play (Note 2 to Rule 6-7)
The Committee may establish pace of play guidelines to help
prevent slow play, in accordance with Note 2 to Rule 6-7.
5. Suspension of Play Due to a Dangerous Situation
(Note to Rule 6-8b)
As there have been many deaths and injuries from lightning
on golf courses, all clubs and sponsors of golf competitions
are urged to take precautions for the protection of persons
against lightning. Attention is called to Rules 6-8 and 33-2d. If
the Committee desires to adopt the condition in the Note under
Rule 6-8b, the following wording is recommended:
“When play is suspended by the Committee for a dangerous
situation, if the players in a match or group are between
the play of two holes, they must not resume play until the
Committee has ordered a resumption of play. If they are in the
process of playing a hole, they must discontinue play immediately
and not resume play until the Committee has ordered
a resumption of play. If a player fails to discontinue play
immediately, he is disqualified, unless circumstances warrant
waiving the penalty as provided in Rule 33-7.
The signal for suspending play due to a dangerous situation
will be a prolonged note of the siren.”
The following signals are generally used and it is recommended
that all Committees do similarly:
• Discontinue Play Immediately:
One prolonged note of siren.
• Discontinue Play:
Three consecutive notes of siren, repeated.
• Resume Play: Two short notes of siren, repeated.
6. Practice
g a. General
The Committee may make regulations governing practice in
accordance with the Note to Rule 7-1, Exception (c) to Rule 7-2,
Note 2 to Rule 7 and Rule 33-2c.
g b. Practice Between Holes (Note 2 to Rule 7)
If the Committee wishes to act in accordance with Note 2 to Rule
7-2, the following wording is recommended:
“Between the play of two holes, a player must not make any
practice stroke on or near the putting green of the hole last
played and must not test the surface of the putting green of the
hole last played by rolling a ball.
PEN ALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDI TION:
Match play — Loss of next hole.
Stroke play — Two strokes at the next hole.
Match or stroke play — In the case of a breach at the last hole of
the stipulated round, the player incurs the penalty at that hole.”
Appendix I 121
122 Appendix I
7. Advice in Team Competitions (Note to Rule 8)
If the Committee wishes to act in accordance with the Note
under Rule 8, the following wording is recommended:
“In accordance with the Note to Rule 8 of the Rules of Golf,
each team may appoint one person (in addition to the persons
from whom advice may be asked under that Rule) who
may give advice to members of that team. Such person (if
it is desired to insert any restriction on who may be nominated,
insert such restriction here) must be identified to the
Committee before giving advice.”
8. New Holes (Note to Rule 33-2b)
The Committee may provide, in accordance with the Note to
Rule 33-2b, that the holes and teeing grounds for a single-round
competition being held on more than one day may be differently
situated on each day.
9. Transportation
If it is desired to require players to walk in a competition, the
following condition is recommended:
“Players must not ride on any form of transportation during a
stipulated round unless authorized by the Committee.
PEN ALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDI TION:
Match play — At the conclusion of the hole at which the
breach is discovered, the state of the match is adjusted by
deducting one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred;
maximum deduction per round: Two holes.
Stroke play — Two strokes for each hole at which any breach
occurred; maximum penalty per round: Four strokes.
Match or stroke play — In the event of a breach between the
play of two holes, the penalty applies to the next hole. Use of
any unauthorized form of transportation must be discontinued
immediately upon discovery that a breach has occurred.
Otherwise, the player is disqualified.”
Appendix I 123
10. Anti-Doping
The Committee may require, in the conditions of competition,
that players comply with an anti-doping policy.
11. How to Decide Ties
In both match play and stroke play, a tie can be an acceptable
result. However, when it is desired to have a sole winner, the
Committee has the authority, under Rule 33-6, to determine how
and when a tie is decided. The decision should be published in
advance.
The USGA recommends:
Match Play
A match that ends all square should be played off hole by
hole until one side wins a hole. The play-off should start
on the hole where the match began. In a handicap match,
handicap strokes should be allowed as in the stipulated round.
Stroke Play
(a) In the event of a tie in a scratch stroke-play competition,
a play-off is recommended. The play-off may be over 18
holes or a smaller number of holes as specified by the
Committee. If that is not feasible or there is still a tie, a
hole-by-hole play-off is recommended.
(b) In the event of a tie in a handicap stroke-play competition,
a play-off with handicaps is recommended. The
play-off may be over 18 holes or a smaller number of
holes as specified by the Committee. It is recommended
that any such play-off consist of at least three holes.
In competitions where the handicap stroke allocation
table is not relevant, if the play-off is less than 18 holes
the percentage of 18 holes played should be applied
to the players’ handicaps to determine their play-off
handicaps. Handicap stroke fractions of one-half stroke
or more should count as a full stroke and any lesser fraction
should be disregarded.
In competitions where the handicap stroke table is relevant,
such as four-ball stroke play and bogey, par and
124 Appendix I
Stableford competitions, handicap strokes should be
taken as they were assigned for the competition using
the players’ respective stroke allocation table(s).
(c) If a play-off of any type is not feasible, matching score
cards is recommended. The method of matching cards
should be announced in advance and should also provide
what will happen if this procedure does not produce a
winner. An acceptable method of matching the cards is
to determine the winner on the basis of the best score
for the last nine holes. If the tying players have the same
score for the last nine, determine the winner on the
basis of the last six holes, last three holes and finally the
18th hole. If this method is used in a competition with a
multiple tee start, it is recommended that the “last nine
holes, last six holes, etc.” is considered to be holes 10-18,
13-18, etc.
F or competitions where the handicap stroke table is not
relevant, such as individual stroke play, if the last nine,
last six, last three holes scenario is used, one-half, onethird,
one-sixth, etc. of the handicaps should be deducted
from the score for those holes. In terms of the use of
fractions in such deductions, the Committee should act in
accordance with the recommendations of the relevant
handicapping authority.
In competitions where the handicap stroke table is relevant,
such as four-ball stroke play and bogey, par and
Stableford competitions, handicap strokes should be
taken as they were assigned for the competition, using
the players’ respective stroke allocation table(s).
Appendix I 125
12. Draw for Match Play
Although the draw for match play may be completely blind or
certain players may be distributed through different quarters
or eighths, the General Numerical Draw is recommended if
matches are determined by a qualifying round.
General Numerical Draw
For purposes of determining places in the draw, ties in qualifying
rounds other than those for the last qualifying place are
decided by the order in which scores are returned, with the
first score to be returned receiving the lowest available number,
etc. If it is impossible to determine the order in which
scores are returned, ties are determined by a blind draw.
UPPE R HALF_LOWER HALF_UPPE R HALF_LOWER HALF
64 QUALIFIE RS 32 QUALIFIE RS
1 vs. 64 2 vs. 63 1 vs. 32 2 vs. 31
32 vs. 33 31 vs. 34 16 vs. 17 15 vs. 18
16 vs. 49 15 vs. 50 8 vs. 25 7 vs. 26
17 vs. 48 18 vs. 47 9 vs. 24 10 vs. 23
8 vs. 57 7 vs. 58 4 vs. 29 3 vs. 30
25 vs. 40 26 vs. 39 13 vs. 20 14 vs. 19
9 vs. 56 10 vs. 55 5 vs. 28 6 vs. 27
24 vs. 41 23 vs. 42 12 vs. 21 11 vs. 22
4 vs. 61 3 vs. 62 16 QUALIFIE RS
29 vs. 36 30 vs. 35 1 vs. 16 2 vs. 15
13 vs. 52 14 vs. 51 8 vs. 9 7 vs. 10
20 vs. 45 19 vs. 46 4 vs. 13 3 vs. 14
5 vs. 60 6 vs. 59 5 vs. 12 6 vs. 11
28 vs. 37 27 vs. 38 8 QUALIFIE RS
12 vs. 53 11 vs. 54 1 vs. 8 2 vs. 7
21 vs. 44 22 vs. 43 4 vs. 5 3 vs. 6
APPENDICES II and III
The USGA reserves the right, at any time, to change the Rules
relating to clubs and balls and make or change the interpretations
relating to these Rules. For up-to-date information, please
contact the USGA or refer to www.usga.org.
Any design in a club or ball which is not covered by the Rules,
which is contrary to the purpose and intent of the Rules or
which might significantly change the nature of the game, will
be ruled on by the USGA.
The dimensions and limits contained in Appendices II and III
are given in the units by which conformance is determined.
An equivalent imperial/metric conversion is also referenced
for information, calculated using a conversion rate of 1 inch =
25.4 mm.
