ADDRESSING THE BALL
The ball has been “addressed” when the player has taken the stance preparatory to making a stroke and has also grounded the club. However, in a hazard, the player has "addressed the ball" when the stance has been taken preparatory to making a stroke.
ADVICE
Advice is any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in determining his play or method of making a stroke. Information on the rules and matters of public information is not advice.
BALL IN PLAY
A ball is ”in play” as soon as the player has made a stroke on the teeing ground. It remains in play (as the player's ball) until holed out, except when it is out of bounds, lost or lifted or another ball has been substituted in accordance with these rules. A ball so substituted becomes the ball in play.
BALL LOST
A ball is deemed “lost” on the course:
- if it not found or identified as his by within three minutes after the players side have begun to search for it; or
- the player has made a stroke with a substituted ball under the rules with the corresponding loss of distance and one stroke penalty.
BALL MOVED
A ball is deemed to have “moved” if it leaves its original position even if only a fraction of its circumference.
BUNKER
A “bunker” is a hazard consisting of an area of ground where turfor soil has been replaced with sand or the like. A wall or lip of the bunker not covered with grass is part of the bunker. The margin of the bunker extends vertically downwards, but not upwards. A ball is in a bunker when it lies in or any part of it touches the bunker.
CASUAL WATER
“Casual Water” is any temporary accumulation of water or snow or natural ice on the course that is not in a water hazard.
COMMITTEE
The “committee” is the duly nominated committee of the club or association organizing the competition. The committee has no power to waive a rule of Pitch & Putt. The committee may establish Local Rules consistent with the Rules of Pitch & Putt.
COURSE
The “course” is the whole area within which play is permitted.
ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
"Environmentally Sensitive Areas" are those areas of the course so designated and identified by stakes with red/green tops.
EQUIPMENT
“Equipment” is anything used, worn or carried by the player or playing partner.
FLAGSTICK
The “flagstick” is a movable straight indicator placed in the centre of the hole to show its position.
GROUND UNDER REPAIR
"Ground Under Repair" is any portion of the course so marked by order of the committee concerned or so declared by its authorised representative. Any grass, bush, tree or anything growing within the ground under repair is part of the ground under repair. It includes material piled for removal and a hole made by a greenkeeper, even if not so marked. Stakes and lines defining "ground under repair" are within such ground. Such stakes are obstructions. A ball is in ground under repair when it lies in or any part of it touches the ground under repair. The margin of ground under repair extends vertically downwards, but not upwards. The committee may make a Local Rule prohibiting play from ground under repair.
HAZARDS
A "hazard" is any bunker or water hazard. A ball is in a hazard when it lies in or any part of it touches the hazard.
HOLE
The “hole” must be 108 mm in diameter and at least 101.6 mm deep. If a lining is used, it must be sunk at least 25.4 mm below the putting surface unless the nature of the soil makes it impracticable to do so.
HOLED
A ball is “holed” when it is at rest within the circumference of the hole and all of it is below the level of the lip of the hole.
LINE OF PLAY
The “line of play” is the direction that the player wishes his ball to take after a stroke, plus a reasonable distance on either side of the intended direction. The line of play extends vertically upwards from the ground, but does not extend beyond the hole.
LINE OF PUTT
The “line of putt” is the line which the player wishes his ball to take after a stroke on the Putting Green. The line of putt does not extend beyond the hole.
LOOSE IMPEDIMENTS
The term “loose impediments” denotes natural objects not fixed or growing and not adhering to the ball, and includes stones not solidly embedded, leaves, twigs, branches and the like, dung, worms, insects and casts or heaps made by them. Sand and loose soil are loose impediments on the putting green but not elsewhere. Dew and frost are not loose impediments.
MARKER
A “marker” is one who is appointed by the committee to record a competitor’s score in stroke play. He is not a referee.
NEAREST POINT OF RELIEF
The "nearest point of relief" is the point on the course, nearest to where the ball lies, which is not nearer the hole, and where there is no longer the interference from which relief is permitted.
OBSTRUCTIONS
An "obstruction" is anything artificial, whether erected, placed or left on the course except:
- Objects defining out of bounds such as walls, fences, stakes and railings,
- Any obstruction declared by the committee to be an integral part of the course.
- Any part of an immovable artificial object that is out of bounds.
OUT OF BOUNDS
"Out of bounds" is defined by all boundary fences and play outside these boundaries is prohibited. The committee may define and mark areas within the course as out of bounds. A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies out of bounds. A player may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds. Objects defining out of bounds are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed. The out of bounds line extends vertically upwards and downwards.
OUTSIDE AGENCY
An “outside agency” is any agency not part of the match or, in stroke play, not part of the competitor’s side. Neither wind or water is an outside agency.
PENALTY STROKE
A “penalty stroke” is one added to the score of a player or player’s side under the rules.
PRACTICE
“Practice” is defined as the deliberate striking of a ball in a manner the player may wish to replicate in the course of normal play.
PRACTICE SWING
A “practice swing” is not a practice stroke and may be taken at any place, provided the player does not breach the Rules.
PROVISIONAL BALL
A “provisional ball” is a ball played under these rules in place of a ball which may be lost outside a water hazard or may be out of bounds.
PUTTING GREEN
The “putting green” is all ground of the hole being played which is specially prepared for putting. A ball is on the putting green when any part of it touches the putting green.
REFEREE
A “referee” is one who is appointed by the Committee to accompany players to decide questions of fact and apply the rules. He must act on any breach of a Rule that he observes or is reported to him. The referee’s decision is final.
STANCE
Consists in a player placing his feet in position for and preparatory to making a stroke.
STIPULATED ROUND
The “stipulated round” consists of playing the holes of the course in their correct sequence unless otherwise authorised by the Committee.
STROKE
A “stroke” is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball. A stroke shall be counted as soon as the downswing commences. But If a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball he is deemed not to have made a stroke.
TEE
A “tee” is an artificial device, designed to raise the ball off the ground. The minimum height requirement of the device is 5mm.
TEEING GROUND
The “teeing ground” is the starting place for the hole to be played and is common to all players. If the starting place is a mat, the defined area of the teeing ground is the mat itself. Otherwise, the front and sides must be defined and the back of the teeing area shall be no more than two club lengths from the front.
THROUGH THE GREEN
“Through the green” is the whole area of the course except:
- The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played.
- All hazards on the course.
- Flower beds, staked trees, clearly defined vegetative areas and environmentally sensitive areas.
WATER HAZARD
A “water hazard” is any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (whether containing water or not). All ground or water within the margin of a water hazard is part of the water hazard. If the margin of the water hazard is not otherwise defined, it shall be where the downward depression of the ground commences.
The margin of a water hazard extends vertically upwards and downwards. Stakes identifying water hazards and lines, beams, stones, walls, fences etc. defining the margins of water hazards are in the hazards and are deemed to be obstructions. The margin of such hazards are defined as the exterior points of the objects marking the hazard.
Stakes to identify and/or lines used to define a water hazard should be red.
Note 1. The Committee may declare any part of the course to be a water hazard and may make a local rule prohibiting play from an environmentally-sensitive area defined as a water hazard.
WRONG BALL
“Wrong Ball” is any ball other than the player’s ball in play or his provisional ball.
