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Definitions
Definitions
Abnormal Course Condition
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
Advice
Any verbal comment or action (such as showing what club was just used to make a stroke) that is intended to influence you or another player in choosing a club, making a stroke, or deciding how to play during a hole or round. But advice does not include public information, such as the location of things on the course, the distance from one point to another, or the Rules.
Animal
Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans).
Animal Hole
Any hole dug in the ground by an animal, except for holes dug by animals that are also defined as loose impediments (such as worms or insects).
The term animal hole includes:
The loose material the animal dug out of the hole,
Any worn-down track or trail leading into the hole, and
Any area on the ground pushed up or altered as a result of the animal digging the hole underground.
Areas of the Course
The five defined areas that make up the course: (1) the general area, (2) the teeing area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing, (3) all penalty areas, (4) all bunkers, and (5) the putting green of the hole you are playing.
Ball-Marker
An artificial object when used to mark the spot of your ball to be lifted, such as a tee, a coin, an object made to be a ball-marker or another small piece of equipment.
Boundary Object
Artificial objects defining or showing out of bounds, such as walls, fences, stakes and railings, from which free relief is not allowed.
This includes any base and post of a boundary fence, but does not include angled supports or guy wires that are attached to a wall or fence, or any steps, bridge or similar construction used for getting over the wall or fence.
Boundary objects are treated as immovable even if they are movable or any part of them is movable (see Rule 8.1a).
Boundary objects are not obstructions or integral objects.
Bunker
A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed. These are not part of a bunker:
A lip, wall or face at the edge of a prepared area and consisting of soil, grass, stacked turf or artificial materials,
Soil or any growing or attached natural object inside the edge of a prepared area (such as grass, bushes or trees),
Sand that has spilled over or is outside the edge of a prepared area, and
All other areas of sand on the course that are not inside the edge of a prepared area (such as deserts and other natural sand areas or areas sometimes referred to as waste areas).
Caddie
Someone who helps you during a round to carry, transport or handle your clubs and/or give you advice. A caddie may also help you in other ways allowed by the Rules (see Rule 10.3b).
Club-Length
The length of the longest club of the 14 (or fewer) clubs you have during the round (as allowed by Rule 4.1b(1)), other than a putter. For example, if the longest club (other than a putter) you have during a round is a 43-inch (109.22 cm) driver, a club-length is 43 inches for you for that round.
Committee
The person or group in charge of the competition or the course.
Conditions Affecting the Stroke
The lie of your ball at rest, the area of your intended stance, the area of your intended swing, your line of play and the relief area where you will drop or place a ball.
Course
The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee. The boundary edge extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
Drop
To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play. Each relief Rule identifies a specific relief area where your ball must be dropped and come to rest.
In taking relief, you must let go of the ball from a location at knee height so that the ball:
Falls straight down, without you throwing, spinning or rolling it or using any other motion that might affect where the ball will come to rest, and
Does not touch any part of your body or equipment before it hits the ground (see Rule 14.3b).
Embedded
When your ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground. Your ball does not necessarily have to touch soil to be embedded (for example, grass and loose impediments may be between your ball and the soil).
Equipment
Anything used, worn, held or carried by you or your caddie. Objects used for the care of the course, such as rakes, are equipment only while they are being held or carried by you or your caddie.
Equipment Rules
The specifications and other regulations for clubs, balls and other equipment that you are allowed to use during a round. The Equipment Rules are found at usga.org.
Flagstick
A movable pole provided by the Committee that is placed in the hole to show you where the hole is.
General Area
The area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole you are playing.
The general area includes all teeing locations on the course other than the teeing area, and all wrong greens.
General Penalty
Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play.
Ground Under Repair
Any part of the course the Committee defines to be ground under repair (whether by marking it or otherwise).
Ground under repair also includes the following things, even if the Committee does not define them as such:
Any hole made by the Committee or the maintenance staff in:
Setting up the course (such as a hole where a stake has been removed or the hole on a double green being used for the play of another hole), or
Maintaining the course (such as a hole made in removing turf or a tree stump or laying pipelines, but not including aeration holes).
Grass cuttings, leaves and any other material piled for later removal. But:
Any natural materials that are piled for removal are also loose impediments, and
Any materials left on the course that are not intended to be removed are not ground under repair unless the Committee has defined them as such.
Any animal habitat (such as a bird’s nest) that is so near your ball that your stroke or stance might damage it, except when the habitat has been made by animals that are defined as loose impediments (such as worms or insects).
The edge of ground under repair should be defined by stakes or lines:
Stakes: When defined by stakes, the edge of the ground under repair is defined by the line between the outside points of the stakes at ground level, and the stakes are inside the ground under repair.
Lines: When defined by a painted line on the ground, the edge of the ground under repair is the outside edge of the line, and the line itself is in the ground under repair.
Hole
The finishing point on the putting green for the hole you are playing.
Holed
When your ball is at rest in the hole after your stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green. When the Rules refer to “holing out ” or “hole out,” it means when your ball is holed.
For the special case of a ball resting against the flagstick in the hole, see Rule 13.2c (your ball is treated as holed if any part of your ball is below the surface of the putting green).
Honour
Your right to play first from the teeing area (see Rule 6.4).
Immovable Obstruction
Any obstruction that cannot be moved without unreasonable effort or without damaging the obstruction or the course, and otherwise does not meet the definition of a movable obstruction.
Improve
To alter one or more of the conditions affecting your stroke or other physical conditions affecting your play so that you gain a potential advantage for your stroke.
In Play
The status of your ball when it lies on the course and is being used in the play of a hole.
Your ball first becomes in play on a hole:
When you make a stroke at it from inside the teeing area, or
In match play, when you make a stroke at it from outside the teeing area and your opponent does not cancel the stroke under Rule 6.1b.
That ball remains in play until it is holed, except that it is no longer in play:
When it is lifted from the course,
When it is lost (even if it is at rest on the course) or comes to rest out of bounds, or
When another ball has been substituted for it, even if not allowed by a Rule.
A ball that is not in play is a wrong ball.
When a ball-marker is in place to mark the spot of your ball in play:
If your ball has not been lifted, it is still in play, and
If your ball has been lifted and replaced, it is in play even if the ball-marker has not been removed.
Integral Object
An artificial object defined by the Committee as part of the challenge of playing the course from which free relief is not allowed.
Artificial objects defined by the Committee as integral objects are treated as immovable (see Rule 8.1a). But if part of an integral object (such as a gate or door or part of an attached cable) meets the definition of movable obstruction, that part is treated as a movable obstruction.
Integral objects are not obstructions or boundary objects.
Known or Virtually Certain
The standard for deciding what happened to your ball – for example, whether your ball came to rest in a penalty area, whether it moved or what caused it to move.
Known or virtually certain means more than just possible or probable. It means that either:
There is conclusive evidence that the event in question happened to your ball, such as when you or other witnesses saw it happen, or
Although there is a very small degree of doubt, all reasonably available information shows that it is at least 95% likely that the event in question happened.
Lie
The spot on which your ball is at rest and any growing or attached natural object, immovable obstruction, integral object, or boundary object touching your ball or right next to it. Loose impediments and movable obstructions are not part of the lie of a ball.
Line of Play
The line where you intend your ball to go after a stroke, including the area on your line that is a reasonable distance up above the ground and on either side of your line.
The line of play is not necessarily a straight line between two points (for example, it may be a curved line based on where you intend the ball to go).
Loose Impediment
Any unattached natural object such as:
Stones, loose grass, leaves, branches and sticks,
Dead animals and animal waste,
Worms, insects and similar animals that can be removed easily, and the mounds or webs they build (such as worm casts and ant hills), and
Clumps of compacted soil (including aeration plugs).
Such natural objects are not loose if they are:
Attached or growing,
Solidly embedded in the ground (that is, cannot be picked out easily), or
Sticking to the ball.
Special cases:
Sand and loose soil are not loose impediments.
Dew, frost and water are not loose impediments.
Snow and natural ice (other than frost) are either loose impediments or, when on the ground, temporary water, at your option.
Spider webs are loose impediments even though they are attached to another object.
Lost
The status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after you or your caddie (or your partner or partner’s caddie) begin to search for it.
Mark
To show the spot where a ball is at rest by either placing a ball-marker right behind or right next to the ball, or holding a club on the ground right behind or right next to the ball.
Marker
In stroke play, the person responsible for entering your score on your scorecard and for certifying that scorecard. The marker may be another player, but not your partner.
Match Play
A form of play where you or your side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match of one or more rounds.
Movable Obstruction
An obstruction that can be moved with reasonable effort and without damaging the obstruction or the course.
If part of an immovable obstruction or integral object (such as a gate or door or part of an attached cable) meets these two standards, that part is treated as a movable obstruction. But this does not apply if the movable part of an immovable obstruction or integral object is not meant to be moved (such as a loose stone that is part of a stone wall).
Moved
When your ball at rest has left its original spot and come to rest on any other spot, and this can be seen by the naked eye (whether or not anyone actually sees it do so).
This applies whether your ball has gone up, down or horizontally in any direction away from its original spot.
If your ball only wobbles (sometimes referred to as oscillating) and stays on or returns to its original spot, your ball has not moved.
Natural Forces
The effects of nature such as wind, water or when something happens for no apparent reason because of the effects of gravity.
Nearest Point of Complete Relief
Your reference point for taking free relief from an abnormal course condition (Rule 16.1), dangerous animal condition (Rule 16.2), wrong green (Rule 13.1f) or no play zone (Rules 16.1f and 17.1e), or in taking relief under certain Local Rules.
It is the estimated point where your ball would lie that is:
Nearest to your ball’s original spot, but not nearer the hole than that spot,
In the required area of the course, and
Where the condition does not interfere with the stroke you would have made from the original spot if the condition was not there.
Estimating this reference point requires you to identify the choice of club, stance, swing and line of play you would have used for that stroke.
No Play Zone
A part of the course where the Committee has prohibited play. A no play zone must be defined as part of either an abnormal course condition or a penalty area.
Obstruction
(see also immovable and movable obstruction): Any artificial object except for integral objects and boundary objects.
Examples of obstructions:
Artificially surfaced roads and paths, including their artificial borders.
Buildings and vehicles.
Sprinkler heads, drains and irrigation or control boxes.
Player equipment, flagsticks and rakes.
Opponent
The person you compete against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play.
Outside Influence
Any of these people or things that can affect what happens to your ball or equipment or to the course:
Any person (including another player), except you or your caddie or your partner or opponent or any of their caddies,
Any animal, and
Any natural or artificial object or anything else (including another ball in motion), except for natural forces.
Out of Bounds
All areas outside the boundary edge of the course as defined by the Committee. All areas inside that edge are in bounds.
The boundary edge of the course extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
The boundary edge should be defined by boundary objects or lines:
Boundary objects: When defined by stakes or a fence, the boundary edge is defined by the line between the course -side points of the stakes or fence posts at ground level (excluding angled supports), and those stakes or fence posts are out of bounds.
When defined by other objects such as a wall or when the Committee wishes to treat a boundary fence in a different way, the Committee should define the boundary edge.
Lines: When defined by a painted line on the ground, the boundary edge is the course -side edge of the line, and the line itself is out of bounds.
When a line on the ground defines the boundary edge, stakes may be used to show where the boundary edge is, but they have no other meaning. Boundary stakes or lines should be white.
Partner
A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play.
Penalty Area
An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if your ball comes to rest there.
There are two different types of penalty areas, distinguished by the colour used to mark them:
Yellow penalty areas (marked with yellow lines or yellow stakes) give you two relief options ((Rules 17.1d(1) and (2)).
Red penalty areas (marked with red lines or red stakes) give you an extra lateral relief option (Rule 17.1d(3)), in addition to the two relief options available for yellow penalty areas.
If the colour of a penalty area has not been marked or indicated by the Committee, it is treated as a red penalty area.
The edge of a penalty area extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
The edge of a penalty area should be defined by stakes or lines.
Stakes: When defined by stakes, the edge of the penalty area is defined by the line between the outside points of the stakes at ground level, and the stakes are inside the penalty area.
Lines: When defined by a painted line on the ground, the edge of the penalty area is the outside edge of the line, and the line itself is in the penalty area.
Point of Maximum Available Relief
Your reference point for taking free relief from an abnormal course condition in a bunker (Rule 16.1c) or on the putting green (Rule 16.1d) when there is no nearest point of complete relief.
It is the estimated point where your ball would lie that is:
Nearest to your ball’s original spot, but not nearer the hole than that spot,
In the required area of the course, and
Where that abnormal course condition least interferes with the stroke you would have made from the original spot if the condition was not there.
Estimating this reference point requires you to identify the choice of club, stance, swing and line of play you would have used for that stroke.
Provisional Ball
Another ball played in case the ball just played by you may be out of bounds or lost outside a penalty area.
Putting Green
The area on the hole you are playing that is specially prepared for putting, or the Committee has defined as the putting green (such as when a temporary green is used).
Referee
An official named by the Committee to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules.
Relief Area
The area where you must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires you to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:
Reference Point: The point from which the size of relief area is measured.
Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: The relief area is either one or two club-lengths from the reference point, but with certain limits:
Limits on Location of Relief Area: The location of the relief area may be limited in one or more ways so that, for example:
It is only in certain defined areas of the course, such as only in the general area, or not in a bunker or a penalty area,
It is not nearer the hole than your reference point or must be outside a penalty area or a bunker from which you are taking relief, or
It is where there is no interference (as defined in the particular Rule) from the condition from which you are taking relief.
Replace
To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play.
Round
18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee.
Scorecard
The document where your score for each hole is entered in stroke play.
Serious Breach
In stroke play, when playing from a wrong place could give you a significant advantage compared to your stroke to be made from the right place.
Side
Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.
Stance
The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke.
Stroke
The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball.
Stroke and Distance
The procedure and penalty when you take relief under Rules 17, 18 or 19 by playing a ball from where your previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).
Stroke Play
A form of play where you or your side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.
Substitute
To change the ball you are using to play a hole by having another ball become your ball in play.
Tee
An object used to raise your ball above the ground to play it from the teeing area. It must be no longer than four inches (101.6 mm) and conform with the Equipment Rules.
Teeing Area
The area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing. The teeing area is a rectangle that is two club-lengths deep where:
The front edge is defined by the line between the forward-most points of two tee-markers set by the Committee, and
The side edges are defined by the lines back from the outside points of the tee-markers.
Temporary Water
Any temporary accumulation of water on the surface of the ground (such as puddles from rain or irrigation or an overflow from a body of water) that is not in a penalty area, and can be seen before or after you take a stance (without pressing down excessively with your feet).
It is not enough for the ground to be merely wet, muddy or soft or for the water to be momentarily visible as you step on the ground; an accumulation of water must remain present either before or after your stance is taken.
Special cases:
Dew and frost are not temporary water.
Snow and natural ice (other than frost) are either loose impediments or, when on the ground, temporary water, at your option.
Manufactured ice is an obstruction.
Wrong Ball
Any ball other than your:
Ball in play (whether your original ball or a substituted ball),
Provisional ball (before you abandon it under Rule 18.3c), or
Second ball in stroke play played under Rules 14.7b or 20.1c.
Examples of a wrong ball are another player’s ball in play, a stray ball, and your own ball that is out of bounds, has become lost or has been lifted and not yet put back in play.
Wrong Green
Any green on the course other than the putting green for the hole you are playing. Wrong greens are part of the general area.
Wrong Place
Any place on the course other than where you are required or allowed to play your ball under the Rules.