Rule 10 - Preparing for and Making a Stroke; Advice and Help; Caddies

a. Fairly Striking the Ball

In making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball.:

• You must fairly strike at the ball with the head of the club such that there is only momentary contact between the club and the ball and you must not push, scrape or scoop the ball.

• If your club accidentally hits the ball more than once, there has been only one strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. and there is no penalty.

b. Anchoring the Club

In making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball., you must not anchor the club either directly or indirectly.

 For more information on anchoring the club, including the exception for a gripping hand or club merely touching clothing or the body.

c. Making Stroke While Standing Across or on Line of Play

 For the prohibition and penalty for making a stroke while deliberately standing across or on the line of play.

d. Playing Moving Ball

You must not make a strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. at a moving ball.

But there are three exceptions where there is no penalty:

Exception 1 – Ball Begins to Move Only after You Begin Backswing for Stroke.

Exception 2 – Ball Falling Off Tee.

Exception 3 – Ball Moving in Water.

Penalty for Breach of Rule 10.1: General PenaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play..

In stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where you or your side competes against all other players or sides in the competition., a strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. made in breach of this Rule counts and you get two penalty strokes.

a. Advice

During a roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee., you must not:

• Give adviceAdvice: 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. Butadvice does not include public information, such as the location of things on the course, the distance from one point to another, or the Rules. to anyone in the competition who is playing on the courseCourse: 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., or

• Ask anyone for adviceAdvice: 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. Butadvice does not include public information, such as the location of things on the course, the distance from one point to another, or the Rules., other than your caddieCaddie: 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)..

• Touch another player’s equipmentEquipment: 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. to learn information that would be adviceAdvice: 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. Butadvice does not include public information, such as the location of things on the course, the distance from one point to another, or the Rules. if given by or asked of the other player.

b. Other Help

Pointing Out Line of Play for Ball Anywhere Except on Putting Green. This is allowed, but any person must move away or any object must be removed before your strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. is made.

Pointing Out Line of Play for Ball on Putting Green. You or your caddieCaddie: 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). may do this, but:

• Although you or your caddieCaddie: 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). may touch the putting greenPutting 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). with a hand, foot or anything you are holding, you must not improveImprove: 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. the conditions affecting your strokeConditions 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., and

• You or your caddieCaddie: 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). must not set an object down anywhere on or off the putting greenPutting 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). to show your line of playLine 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.(...Continued). This is not allowed even if that object is removed before your strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. is made.

While the strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. is being made, your caddieCaddie: 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). must not deliberately stand on or close to your line of playLine 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.(...Continued) or do anything else (such as pointing out a spot on the putting greenPutting 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).) to point out the line of playLine 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.(...Continued).

Exception – Caddie Attending Flagstick: The caddieCaddie: 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). may stand in a location on or close to the player’s line of playLine 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.(...Continued) to attend the flagstickLine 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.(...Continued).

No Setting Down Object to Help in Taking Stance. You must not take a stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. for the strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. using any object that was set down to help in lining up your feet or body.

Restriction on Your Caddie Standing Behind You. When you begin taking your stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. for the strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. and until your strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. is made:

• Your caddieCaddie: 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). must not deliberately stand on or close to an extension of your line of playLine 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.(...Continued) behind your ball for any reason.

• If you take a stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. in breach of this Rule, you cannot avoid penalty by backing away.

Exception – Ball on Putting Green: When your ball is on the putting greenPutting 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)., there is no penalty under this Rule if you back away from the stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. and do not begin to take your stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. again until after your caddieCaddie: 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). has moved away.

Physical Help and Protection from Elements. You must not make a strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball.:

• While getting physical help from your caddieCaddie: 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). or any other person, or

• With your caddieCaddie: 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). or any other person or object deliberately positioned to give you protection from sunlight, rain, wind or other elements.

Penalty for Breach of Rule 10.2: General PenaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play..

a. Your Caddie May Help You During Round

You may have a caddieCaddie: 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). to carry, transport and handle your clubs, give you adviceAdvice: 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. Butadvice does not include public information, such as the location of things on the course, the distance from one point to another, or the Rules. and help you in other ways allowed during a roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee., but you must not have more than one caddieCaddie: 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). at any one time or change caddiesCaddie: 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). temporarily for the sole purpose of getting adviceAdvice: 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. Butadvice does not include public information, such as the location of things on the course, the distance from one point to another, or the Rules. from the new caddieCaddie: 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)..

 For an explanation of how the Rules apply to the actions of a shared caddie.

Penalty for Breach of Rule 10.3a:

You get the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. for each hole during which you were helped by more than one caddieCaddie: 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). at any one time. If the breach happens or continues between two holes, you get the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. for the next hole.

b. What Your Caddie May Do

 For the list of actions that your caddie is allowed and not allowed to do.

c. You Are Responsible for Caddie’s Actions and Breach of Rules

You are responsible for your caddie’sCaddie: 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). actions during your roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee. but not before or after your roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee.. If your caddie’sCaddie: 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). action breaches a Rule, or would breach a Rule if the action was taken by you, you get the penalty under that Rule.