Purpose of Rule: Rule 9 covers a central principle of the game: “play the ball as it lies.” If your ball comes to rest and is then moved by natural forces such as wind or water, you normally must play ...

Purpose of Rule: Rule 14 covers when and how you may mark the spot of your ball at rest and lift and clean your ball and how to put it back into play so that your ball is played from the right place.

The USGA promotes and conserves the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions. It acts in the best interests of the game for the continued enjoyment of those ...

The USGA Experience and World Golf Hall of Fame Experiences are located on the USGA’s Golf House Pinehurst campus, situated between Pinehurst Resort’s Carolina Hotel and its Main Clubhouse. The ...

(*or minus any handicap stroke(s) that a plus handicap player gives back on that hole.) (See Diagram 3.1b.) Finishing positions and prize winners, and Number of strokes given or received for different ...

Purpose of Rule: Rule 5 covers how to play a round – such as where and when a player may practise on the course before or during a round, when a round starts and ends and what happens when play has to ...

Purpose of Rule: This Rule allows you to do things on the putting green that are normally not allowed off the putting green, such as being allowed to mark, lift, clean and replace your ball and to ...

When starting a hole, if you play a ball from outside the teeing areaTeeing Area: The area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing. The teeing area is a rectangle that is two ...

Purpose of Rule: Rule 16 covers when and how the player may take free relief by playing a ball from a different place, such as when there is interference by an abnormal course condition or a dangerous ...

Net double bogey, and Net par. It is important that an accurate par be established for each hole on a golf course for both men and women, and these values should be printed alongside each hole on the ...

Purpose of Rule: Rule 4 covers the equipment that players may use during a round. Based on the principle that golf is a challenging game in which success should depend on the player’s judgment, skills ...

USGA Members are essential to the success of our vision to create a more welcoming, sustainable and accessible game for all golfers. By funding research and innovation to foster the sustainability of ...