Rule 13 45
Rule 13. Ball Played as It Lies
Definitions
All defined terms are in italics and are listed alphabetically in
the Definitions section — see pages 5-18.
13-1. General
The ball must be played as it lies, except as otherwise provided
in the Rules.
(Ball at rest moved — see Rule 18.)
13-2. Improving Lie, Area of Intended Stance or Swing,
or Line of Play
A player must not improve or allow to be improved:
• the position or lie of his ball,
• the area of his intended stance or swing,
• his line of play or a reasonable extension of that line
beyond the hole, or
• the area in which he is to drop or place a ball,
by any of the following actions:
• pressing a club on the ground,
• moving, bending or breaking anything growing or fixed
(including immovable obstructions and objects defining out
of bounds),
• creating or eliminating irregularities of surface,
• removing or pressing down sand, loose soil, replaced divots
or other cut turf placed in position, or
• removing dew, frost or water.
However, the player incurs no penalty if the action occurs:
• in grounding the club lightly when addressing the ball,
• in fairly taking his stance,
• in making a stroke or the backward movement of his club
for a stroke and the stroke is made,
46 Rule 13
• in creating or eliminating irregularities of surface within
the teeing ground (Rule 11-1) or in removing dew, frost or
water from the teeing ground, or
• on the putting green in removing sand and loose soil or in
repairing damage (Rule 16-1).
Exception: Ball in hazard — see Rule 13-4.
13-3. Building Stance
A player is entitled to place his feet firmly in taking his stance,
but he must not build a stance.
13-4. Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions
Except as provided in the Rules, before making a stroke at a ball
that is in a hazard (whether a bunker or a water hazard) or that,
having been lifted from a hazard, may be dropped or placed in
the hazard, the player must not:
a. Test the condition of the hazard or any similar hazard;
b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water
hazard with his hand or a club; or
c. Touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching the
hazard.
Exceptions:
1. Provided nothing is done that constitutes testing the condition
of the hazard or improves the lie of the ball, there
is no penalty if the player (a) touches the ground or loose
impediments in any hazard or water in a water hazard as a
result of or to prevent falling, in removing an obstruction,
in measuring or in marking the position of, retrieving,
lifting, placing or replacing a ball under any Rule or
(b) places his clubs in a hazard.
2. After making the stroke, if the ball is still in the hazard or
has been lifted from the hazard and may be dropped or
placed in the hazard, the player may smooth sand or soil
in the hazard, provided nothing is done to breach Rule
13-2 with respect to his next stroke. If the ball is outside
Rule 14 47
the hazard after the stroke, the player may smooth sand or
soil in the hazard without restriction.
3. If the player makes a stroke from a hazard and the ball
comes to rest in another hazard, Rule 13-4a does not
apply to any subsequent actions taken in the hazard from
which the stroke was made.
Note: At any time, including at address or in the backward
movement for the stroke, the player may touch, with a club or
otherwise, any obstruction, any construction declared by the
Committee to be an integral part of the course or any grass, bush,
tree or other growing thing.
Penalty For Breach of Rule :
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes.
(Searching for ball — see Rule 12-1.)
(Relief for ball in water hazard — see Rule 26.)
