Rules of Golf Tips

Video Tips on Rules of Golf

What is the penalty for teeing and hitting a ball ahead of the designated tee area? When should the offending golfer be notified of the penalty?

Rules of Golf Tips from the Ask Maria Archive

• Hello, A friend was standing on the edge of a hazard by his cart and his ball was in the hazard. He dropped his club to adjust his glove (club was in hazard) and his opponent assessed a penalty. Is this penalty justified if he wasn't taking a practice swing or near his ball?
• In matchplay, player A tees off outside the tee markers and puts the ball out of bounds. Player B does not recall the shot, for obvious reasons. But unfortunately then she herself , in error, also tees off outside the tee markers. How is this situation resolved ?
• if i stroke my putt towards the hole and it hits my playing partners ball and rebounds into the hole.. is there a penalty on either one of us..
• Is it always legal to fix ball marks on the green? How about if you are not on the green yet?
• In 4-Ball Matchplay I hit the wrong ball so did my opponent, solution?
• Maria, Playing in a stiff wind the ball flies over the hazard and then the wind pulls it back and the ball drops in the hazard. Where do you make your drop for your next shot?
• My drive lands in bounds. My swing for my second shot is inhibited by the rope that extends between two out of bounds posts. What is the rule? Do I get a free drop? Thank you. Bob
• Is it a rule of golf that you MUST make an identifying mark on your golf ball?
• Hi Maria, I really enjoy and learn a lot from your website. My question today deals with the correct Tee box to use. I play to an 11.5 HC index and select the tee box I used based on slope (around mid 130s) and rating (just under 72). I do not worry about distance too much but do stay under 7000 yards. My golfing buddies always want to play forward tees even though they are capable of driving a ball just about as far as I can (between 200 -220 yds). What is the correct way to select the appropriate tee box.?: Thank you. Patrick Faivre
• 4 golfers all hit into the same green-side bunker and came to rest like a clutch of eggs, all touching. Whats the rules or protocol? We all agreed to pick up our balls and each play from the same spot, but I'm wondering what the official ruling would have been.
• How do I calculate 9 hole handicap from an 18 hole handicap?
• HI Maria, If I tee off, and my ball goes into the hole, and bounces out again, would this be a hole in one. ( the ball did not bounce on the green, went straight into the hole, and then bounced out.) Thank you. Iris
• A person is chipping or putting while off the green. One person is tending the flag and pulls it as the ball hits the green. Is this legal?
• Am I allowed to brush away loose sand on the green even though my ball is somewhat off the green?
• Are you allowed to repair/fix the hole before or during play if there was damage from flag,club etc?
• How do you handle a semi-plugged lie in a wet fairway?
• If your ball has mud on it while it sits in the fairway or rough can you clean the mud off or must you play it how it lies?
• Is there a maximum number of golf balls a player can go through in a round of golf?
• Can I line up my putt while other players in my group are putting?
• How close to the edge of a green should a hole be cut? Is there a rule that the hole can be no closer than say 5 feet from the edge of a green?
• Is there a standard height to a golf pin and if so why?
• Can you switch balls on a hole? In other words I've seen golfers pull out an old ball to hit over water because they don't want to lose a good one. I've also seen players switch to putt with a different ball on the greens.
• How many balls are you allowed to carry in your bag? Is there a limit like there is on clubs?
• Can you carry a left handed club if you are right handed and vice versa?
• What happens if someone, or something, picks up your golf ball while you are playing? Do you get penalized a stroke or can you set a new ball down around where it originally lied?
• Do the flag colors always mean the same thing - red = front, blue = back?
• When should you hit from the designated drop area? How do you know if there is one?
• If I want to play from different tees than my playing partner, but he wants to play from up tees, how do we handle it? We usually play from the same set of tees.
• Is it okay to request to play alone on a course at times even if you don't have a foursome? Sometimes we get partnered with other golfers who seem to invite themselves into our twosome. How should we handle that?
• Is there a max that a player can take on a hole instead of haplessly trying to finish it?
• Is there a rule for the specific type of ball marker you can use? I have seen people use coins and even tees. What is legal to use?
• If you are on the tee box and swing and miss and the ball doesn't move off the tee, does that count as a stroke?
• Should average golfers play the ball where it lies or do you feel its ok to improve the lie?
• Does it matter what side of the tee box I stand on when hitting a tee shot?
• What is a provisional shot and when should I use one?
• When should I mark my golf ball?
• What happens if my golf ball lands in a divot in the fairway? Can I fix it?
• I know I can't ground my club in a bunker, but what about in tall grass that is marked by red stakes?
• When should I remove the flag for my playing partner? When is it a penalty to hit the flag with your shot?
• When is there a penalty for holing out while the flag is still in the cup? Do I need to remove the flag before taking my ball out of the cup?
• Can you hit a shot from the wrong green?
• Is it a rule that you must be behind the tee markers on a tee box? How far can you tee the ball up behind the markers?

More Info on Rules of Golf

• Rules of Golf Tips
• Rules of Golf Lessons
• Ball in Motion Stopped or Deflected
• Ball Moving After Address
• Grounding Your Club in a Hazard
• Hitting the Flagstick
• Hitting the Wrong Ball
• Lateral Water Hazards
• Out of Bounds
• Play It As It Lies
• Playing Outside the Tee Markers
• Quick Tips to Play Golf the Right Way
• Searching For and Identifying Your Ball
• Taking Relief From a Cart Path
• The 14 Club Rule
• The Double Hit
• Unplayable Lie
• Water Hazards