13.1 Actions Allowed or Required on Putting Greens
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 repair damage and remove sand and loose soil on the putting green. There is no penalty for accidentally causing your ball or ball-marker to move on the putting green.
a. When Your Ball Is on Putting Green
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). when any part of it:
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Lies on or in anything (such as a loose impedimentLoose Impediment: Any unattached natural object such as:(...Continued) or an obstructionObstruction: (see also immovable and movable obstruction): Any artificial object except for integral objects and boundary objects.(...Continued)) and is inside the edge of 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)..
b. Marking, Lifting and Cleaning Your Ball on Putting Green
Your ball 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). may be lifted and cleaned. The spot of your ball must be markedMark: 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. before it is lifted and the ball must be replacedReplace: To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play..
c. Improvements Allowed on Putting Green
During a roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee., you may take these two actions 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)., no matter whether your ball is 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).:
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Sand and loose soil 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). (but not anywhere else 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.) may be removed without penalty.
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You may repair damage 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). without penalty by taking reasonable actions to restore 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). as nearly as possible to its original condition, but only:
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By using your hand, foot or other part of your body or a normal ball-mark repair tool, teeTee: 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., club or similar item of normal 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., and
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Without unreasonably delaying play.
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But if you 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 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). by taking actions that exceed what is reasonable to restore 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 its original condition, you get the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play..
“Damage 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). ” means any damage caused by a person or outside influenceOutside Influence: Any of these people or things that can affect what happens to your ball or equipment or to the course:, such as:
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Ball marks, shoe damage (such as spike marks) and scrapes or indentations caused by 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. or a flagstickFlagstick: A movable pole provided by the Committee that is placed in the hole to show you where the hole is.,
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Old holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole you are playing. plugs, turf plugs, seams of cut turf and scrapes or indentations from maintenance tools or vehicles,
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AnimalAnimal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans). tracks or hoof indentations, and
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Embedded objects (such as a stone, acorn or teeTee: 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.).
But “damage 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). ” does not include any damage or conditions that result from:
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Normal practices for maintaining the overall condition of 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). (such as aeration holes and grooves from vertical mowing),
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Irrigation or rain or other natural forcesNatural Forces: The effects of nature such as wind, water or when something happens for no apparent reason because of the effects of gravity.,
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Natural surface imperfections (such as weeds, bare or diseased areas or areas of uneven growth), or
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Natural wear of the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole you are playing..
d. When Your Ball or Ball-Marker Moves on Putting Green
There is no penalty if you, your opponentOpponent: The person you compete against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. or another player in stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where you or your side competes against all other players or sides in the competition. accidentally moveMoved: 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).(...Continued) your ball or ball-markerBall-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. 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)..
You must replaceReplace: To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play. your ball on its original spot (which if not known must be estimated) or place a ball-markerBall-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. to mark that original spot.
Exception – Your Ball Must Be Played as It Lies When It Begins to Move During Your Backswing or Stroke and the Stroke Is Made.
If natural forcesNatural Forces: The effects of nature such as wind, water or when something happens for no apparent reason because of the effects of gravity. cause your ball 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 moveMoved: 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).(...Continued), where you must play from next depends on whether your ball had already been lifted and replacedReplace: To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play. on its original spot:
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Ball already lifted and replaced – Your ball must be replacedReplace: To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play. on its original spot (which if not known must be estimated).
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Ball not already lifted and replacedReplace: To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play. – The ball must be played from its new spot.
e. No Deliberate Testing of Greens
If, during a roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee., you deliberately rub the surface or roll a ball to test 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). or a wrong greenWrong 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., you get the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play..
Exception – Testing Green of Hole Just Completed or Practice Green When between Two Holes is Allowed.
f. Relief Must Be Taken from Wrong Green
Interference under this Rule exists when your ball is on a wrong greenWrong 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. or a wrong greenWrong 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. physically interferes with your area of intended stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. or area of intended swing.
When there is interference by a wrong greenWrong 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., you must not play the ball as it lies. Instead, you must take free relief by droppingDrop: 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.(...Continued) the original ball or another ball in the relief areaRelief 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: as shown in Diagram 13.1f.
There is no relief under this Rule if interference exists only because you choose a club, type of stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. or swing or direction of play that is clearly unreasonable under the circumstances.
Penalty for Playing Incorrectly SubstitutedSubstitute: To change the ball you are using to play a hole by having another ball become your ball in play. Ball or Playing Ball from a Wrong PlaceWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where you are required or allowed to play your ball under the Rules. in Breach of Rule 13.1: General PenaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play..
