Rules of the Game

How Well Do You Know Your Rules?

1. In stroke play, you hit your approach shot into a red penalty area. In taking lateral relief, you drop a ball that lands inside the two-length relief area but rolls just outside it, but not nearer the hole. You play the ball, finish the hole, and tee off on the next hole. What is the ruling?

Story by Don Shell

Preview 2021

By John Morrissett

1. In stroke play, you hit your approach shot into a red penalty area. In taking lateral relief, you drop a ball that lands inside the two-length relief area but rolls just outside it, but not nearer the hole. You play the ball, finish the hole, and tee off on the next hole. What is the ruling?

A. There is a total penalty of one stroke.

B. There is a total penalty of three strokes.

C. You are disqualified.
Answer: b

2. Your ball is in a bunker. During your backswing, your club brushes the sand. What is the ruling?

1. There is no penalty.

2. Loss of the hole in match play or a two-stroke penalty in stroke play.

Answer: b

3. Your ball lies in a bunker and is resting against a rake. You remove the rake, and the ball rolls two inches, staying in the bunker. What is the ruling?

  1. Thereisnopenalty,andyoumust play the ball from its new position.
  2. There is no penalty, and you must replace the ball.
  3. There is a one-stroke penalty, and you must play the ball from its new position.
  4. Thereisaone-strokepenalty,and you must replace the ball.Answer: b

4. Your ball lies in the rough and is resting against a pine cone. You remove the pine cone, but the ball moves. What is the ruling?

A. Thereisnopenalty,andyoumust play the ball from its new position.

B. There is no penalty, and you must replace the ball.

C. There is a one-stroke penalty, and you must play the ball from its new position.

D. There is a one-stroke penalty, and you must replace the ball.

Answer: d

 

5. In stroke play, during play of the 14th hole you realize that you started the round with 15 clubs. What is the penalty and where is it applied?

  1. Four strokes at the first hole.
  2. Two strokes at the first hole and two strokes at the second hole.
  3. Four strokes at the 14th hole.
  4. Two strokes at the 13th hole and two strokes at the 14th hole.Answer: b

 

6. Your ball lies inside a red penalty area and the red stake interferes with your backswing. May you remove it?

A. Yes.

B. No.

Answer: a

 

John Morrissett is Competitions Director at Erin Hills and former Director of Rules of Golf for the USGA.