Stakes used to define the margin of or identify ground under
repair are obstructions.
Note: The Committee may make a Local Rule prohibiting play
from ground under repair or an environmentally-sensitive area
defined as ground under repair.
Hazards
A “hazard” is any bunker or water hazard.
Hole
The “hole” must be 41⁄4 inches (108 mm) in diameter and at least
4 inches (101.6 mm) deep. If a lining is used, it must be sunk
at least 1 inch (25.4 mm) below the putting green surface, unless
the nature of the soil makes it impracticable to do so; its outer
diameter must not exceed 41⁄4 inches (108 mm).
Holed
A ball is “holed” when it is at rest within the circumference of
the hole and all of it is below the level of the lip of the hole.
Honor
The player who is to play first from the teeing ground is said to
have the “honor.”
Lateral Water Hazard
A “lateral water hazard” is a water hazard or that part of a water
hazard so situated that it is not possible, or is deemed by the
Committee to be impracticable, to drop a ball behind the water
hazard in accordance with Rule 26-1b. All ground and water
within the margin of a lateral water hazard are part of the lateral
water hazard.
When the margin of a lateral water hazard is defined by stakes,
the stakes are inside the lateral water hazard, and the margin of
the hazard is defined by the nearest outside points of the stakes
at ground level. When both stakes and lines are used to indicate
a lateral water hazard, the stakes identify the hazard and the
lines define the hazard margin. When the margin of a lateral
water hazard is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is
in the lateral water hazard. The margin of a lateral water hazard
extends vertically upwards and downwards.
10 Definitions
A ball is in a lateral water hazard when it lies in or any part of it
touches the lateral water hazard.
Stakes used to define the margin of or identify a lateral water
hazard are obstructions.
Note 1: That part of a water hazard to be played as a lateral water
hazard must be distinctively marked. Stakes or lines used to
define the margin of or identify a lateral water hazard must be
red.
Note 2: The Committee may make a Local Rule prohibiting play
from an environmentally-sensitive area defined as a lateral
water hazard.
Note 3: The Committee may define a lateral water hazard as a
water hazard.
Line of Play
The “line of play” is the direction that the player wishes his ball
to take after a stroke, plus a reasonable distance on either side
of the intended direction. The line of play extends vertically
upwards from the ground, but does not extend beyond the hole.
Line of Putt
The “line of putt” is the line that the player wishes his ball to
take after a stroke on the putting green. Except with respect to
Rule 16-1e, the line of putt includes a reasonable distance on
either side of the intended line. The line of putt does not extend
beyond the hole.
Loose Impediments
“Loose impediments” are natural objects including:
• stones, leaves, twigs, branches and the like,
• dung, and
• worms, insects and the like, and the casts and heaps made
by them,
provided they are not:
• fixed or growing,
• solidly embedded, or
• adhering to the ball.
Definitions 11
12 Definitions
Sand and loose soil are loose impediments on the putting green,
but not elsewhere.
Snow and natural ice, other than frost, are either casual water
or loose impediments, at the option of the player.
Dew and frost are not loose impediments.
Lost Ball
A ball is deemed “lost” if:
a. It is not found or identified as his by the player within
five minutes after the player’s side or his or their caddies
have begun to search for it; or
b. The player has made a stroke at a provisional ball from the
place where the original ball is likely to be or from a
point nearer the hole than that place (see Rule 27-2b); or
c. The player has put another ball into play under penalty of
stroke and distance (see Rule 27-1a); or
d. The player has put another ball into play because it is
known or virtually certain that the ball, which has not
been found, has been moved by an outside agency (see Rule
18-1), is in an obstruction (see Rule 24-3), is in an abnormal
ground condition (see Rule 25-1c) or is in a water hazard (see
Rule 26-1); or
e. The player has made a stroke at a substituted ball.
Time spent in playing a wrong ball is not counted in the
five-minute period allowed for search.
Marker
A “marker” is one who is appointed by the Committee to record a
competitor’s score in stroke play. He may be a fellow-competitor. He
is not a referee.
Move or Moved
A ball is deemed to have “moved” if it leaves its position and
comes to rest in any other place.
Nearest Point of Relief
The “nearest point of relief” is the reference point for taking
relief without penalty from interference by an immovable
obstruction (Rule 24-2), an abnormal ground condition (Rule 25-1)
or a wrong putting green (Rule 25-3).
It is the point on the course nearest to where the ball lies:
(i) that is not nearer the hole, and
(ii) where, if the ball were so positioned, no interference by
the condition from which relief is sought would exist
for the stroke the player would have made from the original
position if the condition were not there.
Note: In order to determine the nearest point of relief accurately,
the player should use the club with which he would have made
his next stroke if the condition were not there to simulate the
address position, direction of play and swing for such a stroke.
Observer
An “observer” is one who is appointed by the Committee to assist
a referee to decide questions of fact and to report to him any
breach of a Rule. An observer should not attend the flagstick,
stand at or mark the position of the hole, or lift the ball or
mark its position.
Obstructions
An “obstruction” is anything artificial, including the artificial
surfaces and sides of roads and paths and manufactured
ice, except:
a. Objects defining out of bounds, such as walls, fences,
stakes and railings;
b. Any part of an immovable artificial object that is out of
bounds; and
c. Any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral
part of the course.
An obstruction is a movable obstruction if it may be moved
without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play
and without causing damage. Otherwise, it is an immovable
obstruction.
Note: The Committee may make a Local Rule declaring a movable
obstruction to be an immovable obstruction.
Definitions 13
14 Definitions
Out of Bounds
“Out of bounds” is beyond the boundaries of the course or any
part of the course so marked by the Committee.
When out of bounds is defined by reference to stakes or a fence
or as being beyond stakes or a fence, the out of bounds line is
determined by the nearest inside points at ground level of the
stakes or fence posts (excluding angled supports). When both
stakes and lines are used to indicate out of bounds, the stakes
identify out of bounds and the lines define out of bounds. When
out of bounds is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is
out of bounds. The out of bounds line extends vertically upwards
and downwards.
A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies out of bounds. A player
may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds.
Objects defining out of bounds such as walls, fences, stakes and
railings, are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed. Stakes
identifying out of bounds are not obstructions and are deemed to
be fixed.
Note 1: Stakes or lines used to define out of bounds should be
white.
Note 2: A Committee may make a Local Rule declaring stakes
identifying but not defining out of bounds to be movable obstructions.
Outside Agency
In match play, an “outside agency” is any agency other than
either the player’s or opponent’s side, any caddie of either side,
any ball played by either side at the hole being played or any
equipment of either side.
In stroke play, an outside agency is any agency other than the
competitor’s side, any caddie of the side, any ball played by the side
at the hole being played or any equipment of the side.
An outside agency includes a referee, a marker, an observer and a
forecaddie. Neither wind nor water is an outside agency.
Partner
A “partner” is a player associated with another player on the
same side.
In threesome, foursome, best-ball or four-ball play, where the context
so admits, the word “player” includes his partner or partners.
Penalty Stroke
A “penalty stroke” is one added to the score of a player or side
under certain Rules. In a threesome or foursome, penalty strokes do
not affect the order of play.
Provisional Ball
A “provisional ball” is a ball played under Rule 27-2 for a ball that
may be lost outside a water hazard or may be out of bounds.
Putting Green
The “putting green” is all ground of the hole being played that is
specially prepared for putting or otherwise defined as such by
the Committee. A ball is on the putting green when any part of it
touches the putting green.
Referee
A “referee” is one who is appointed by the Committee to accompany
players to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.
He must act on any breach of a Rule that he observes or is
reported to him.
A referee should not attend the flagstick, stand at or mark the
position of the hole, or lift the ball or mark its position.
Rub of the Green
A “rub of the green” occurs when a ball in motion is accidentally
deflected or stopped by any outside agency (see Rule 19-1).
Rule or Rules
The term “Rule” includes:
a. The Rules of Golf and their interpretations as contained
in “Decisions on the Rules of Golf ”;
b. Any Conditions of Competition established by the
Committee under Rule 33-1 and Appendix I;
Definitions 15
c. Any Local Rules established by the Committee under Rule
33-8a and Appendix I; and
d. The specifications on clubs and the ball in Appendices
II and III and their interpretations as contained in “A
Guide to the Rules on Clubs and Balls.”
Side
A “side” is a player, or two or more players who are partners.
Single
See “Forms of Match Play” and “Forms of Stroke Play.”
Stance
Taking the “stance” consists in a player placing his feet in position
for and preparatory to making a stroke.
Stipulated Round
The “stipulated round” consists of playing the holes of the course
in their correct sequence, unless otherwise authorized by the
Committee. The number of holes in a stipulated round is 18 unless
a smaller number is authorized by the Committee. As to extension
of stipulated round in match play, see Rule 2-3.
Stroke
A “stroke” is the forward movement of the club made with the
intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player
checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches
the ball he has not made a stroke.
Substituted Ball
A “substituted ball” is a ball put into play for the original ball
that was either in play, lost, out of bounds or lifted.
Tee
A “tee” is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground. It
must not be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm), and it must not
be designed or manufactured in such a way that it could indicate
the line of play or influence the movement of the ball.
Teeing Ground
The “teeing ground” is the starting place for the hole to be
played. It is a rectangular area two club-lengths in depth, the
front and the sides of which are defined by the outside limits
16 Definitions
Definitions 17
of two tee-markers. A ball is outside the teeing ground when all
of it lies outside the teeing ground.
Three-Ball
See “Forms of Match Play.”
Threesome
See “Forms of Match Play.”
Through the Green
“Through the green” is the whole area of the course except:
a. The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being
played; and
b. All hazards on the course.
Water Hazard
A “water hazard” is any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage
ditch or other open water course (whether or not containing
water) and anything of a similar nature on the course. All
ground and water within the margin of a water hazard are part
of the water hazard.
When the margin of a water hazard is defined by stakes, the
stakes are inside the water hazard, and the margin of the hazard
is defined by the nearest outside points of the stakes at ground
level. When both stakes and lines are used to indicate a water
hazard, the stakes identify the hazard and the lines define the
hazard margin. When the margin of a water hazard is defined
by a line on the ground, the line itself is in the water hazard.
The margin of a water hazard extends vertically upwards and
downwards.
A ball is in a water hazard when it lies in or any part of it touches
the water hazard.
Stakes used to define the margin of or identify a water hazard
are obstructions.
Note 1: Stakes or lines used to define the margin of or identify
a water hazard must be yellow.
Note 2: The Committee may make a Local Rule prohibiting
play from an environmentally-sensitive area defined as a
water hazard.
18 Definitions
Wrong Ball
A “wrong ball” is any ball other than the player’s:
• ball in play;
• provisional ball; or
• second ball played under Rule 3-3 or Rule 20-7c
in stroke play;
and includes:
• another player’s ball;
• an abandoned ball; and
• the player’s original ball when it is no longer in play.
Note: Ball in play includes a ball substituted for the ball in play,
whether or not the substitution is permitted.
Wrong Putting Green
A “wrong putting green” is any putting green other than that
of the hole being played. Unless otherwise prescribed by the
Committee, this term includes a practice putting green or pitching
green on the course.
