Rules of Golf

• The Game

  • Rule 1: The Game

  • Rule 2: Match Play

  • Rule 3: Stroke Play

• Clubs and the Ball

  • Rule 4: Clubs

  • Rule 5: The Ball

• Player Responsibilities

  • Rule 6: The Player

  • Rule 7: Practice

  • Rule 8: Advice; Indicating Line of Play

  • Rule 9: Information as to Strokes Taken

• Order of Play

  • Rule 10: Order of Play

• Teeing Ground

  • Rule 11: Teeing Ground

• Playing the Ball

  • Rule 12: Searching for and Identifying Ball

  • Rule 13: Ball Played as it Lies

  • Rule 14: Striking the Ball

  • Rule 15: Substituting Ball; Wrong Ball

• The Putting Green

  • Rule 16: The Putting Green

  • Rule 17: The Flagstick

• Ball Moved, Deflected, or Stopped

  • Rule 18: Ball at Rest Moved

  • Rule 19: Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped

• Relief Situations and Procedure

  • Rule 20: Lifting, Dropping and Placing; Playing from Wrong Place

  • Rule 21: Cleaning Ball

  • Rule 22: Ball Assisting or Interfering with Play

  • Rule 23: Loose Impediments

  • Rule 24: Obstructions

  • Rule 25: Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and Wrong Putting Green

  • Rule 26: Water Hazards (Including Lateral Water Hazards)

  • Rule 27: Ball Lost or Out of Bounds; Provisional Ball

  • Rule 28: Ball Unplayable

• Other Forms of Play

  • Rule 29: Threesomes and Foursomes

  • Rule 30: Three-Ball, Best Ball, and Four-Ball Match Play

  • Rule 31: Four-Ball Stroke Play

  • Rule 32: Bogey, Par and Stableford Competitions

• Administration

  • Rule 33: The Committee

  • Rule 34: Disputes and Decisions

• Appendix I: Local Rules; Conditions of the Competition

  • Part A: Local Rules

  • Part B: Specimen Local Rules

  • Part C: Conditions of the Competition

• Appendix II: Design of Clubs

• Appendix III: The Ball

• Rules of Amateur Status

• Miscellaneous Decisions

• Decisions Applicable Only in the United States of America

• USGA Policy on Gambling