Other Forms of Play-Rules Of Golf

Rule 29. Threesomes and Foursomes

Definitions

All defined terms are in italics and are listed alphabetically in the Definitions section.

29-1. General

In a threesome or a foursome, during any stipulated round the Partners must play alternately from the teeing grounds and alternately during the play of each hole. Penalty strokes do not affect the order of play.

29-2. Match Play

If a player plays when his partner should have played, his Side loses the hole.

29-3. Stroke Play

If the Partners make a stroke or strokes in incorrect order, such stroke or strokes are canceled and the Side incurs a penalty of two strokes. The Side must correct the error by playing a ball in correct order as nearly as possible at the spot from which it first played in incorrect order (see Rule 20-5). If the Side makes a stroke on the next teeing ground without first correcting the error or, in the case of the last hole of the round, leaves the putting green without declaring its intention to correct the error, the Side is disqualified.

Rule 30. Three-Ball, Best-Ball and Four-Ball Match Play

Definitions

All defined terms are in italics and are listed alphabetically in the Definitions section.

30-1. Rules of Golf Apply

The Rules of Golf, so far as they are not at variance with the following specific Rules, apply to three-ball, best-ball and four-ball matches.

30-2. Three-Ball Match Play

a. Ball at Rest Moved by an Opponent

Except as otherwise provided in the Rules, if the player's ball is touched or moved by an opponent, his caddie or equipment other than during search, Rule 18-3b applies. That opponent incurs a penalty of one stroke in his match with the player, but not in his match with the other opponent.

b. Ball Deflected or Stopped by an Opponent Accidentally

If a player's ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by an opponent, his caddie or equipment, there is no penalty. In his match with that opponent the player may, before another stroke is made by either Side, cancel the stroke and play a ball, without penalty, as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5) or he may play the ball as it lies. In his match with the other opponent, the ball must be played as it lies.

Exception: Ball striking person attending or holding up flagstick or anything carried by him - see Rule 17-3b.

(Ball purposely deflected or stopped by opponent - see Rule 1-2.)

30-3. Best-Ball and Four-Ball Match Play

a. Representation of Side

A Side may be represented by one partner for all or any part of a match; all Partners need not be present. An absent partner may join a match between holes, but not during play of a hole.

b. Order of Play

Balls belonging to the same Side may be played in the order the Side considers best.

c. Wrong Ball

If a player incurs the loss of hole penalty under Rule 15-3a for making a stroke at a wrong ball, he is disqualified for that hole, but his partner incurs no penalty even if the wrong ball belongs to him. If the wrong ball belongs to another player, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played.

d. Penalty to Side

A side is penalized for a breach of any of the following by any partner:

· Rule 4 - Clubs
· Rule 6-4 - Caddie
· Any Local Rule or Condition of Competition for which the penalty is an adjustment to the state of the match.

e. Disqualification of Side

(i)A Side is disqualified if any partner incurs a penalty of disqualification under any of the following:

· Rule 1-3 - Agreement to Waive Rules
· Rule 4 - Clubs
· Rule 5-1 or 5-2 - The Ball
· Rule 6-2a - Handicap
· Rule 6-4 - Caddie
· Rule 6-7 - Undue Delay; Slow Play
· Rule 11-1 - Teeing
· Rule 14-3 - Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual Use of Equipment
· Rule 33-7 - Disqualification Penalty Imposed by Committee

(ii) A Side is disqualified if all Partners incur a penalty of disqualification under any of the following:

· Rule 6-3 - Time of Starting and Groups
· Rule 6-8 - Discontinuance of Play

(iii) In all other cases where a breach of a Rule would result in disqualification, the player is disqualified for that hole only.

f. Effect of Other Penalties

If a player's breach of a Rule assists his partner's play or adversely affects an opponent's play, the partner incurs the applicable penalty in addition to any penalty incurred by the player.

In all other cases where a player incurs a penalty for breach of a Rule, the penalty does not apply to his partner. Where the penalty is stated to be loss of hole, the effect is to disqualify the player for that hole.

Rule 31. Four-Ball Stroke Play

Definitions

All defined terms are in italics and are listed alphabetically in the Definitions section.

31-1. General

The Rules of Golf, so far as they are not at variance with the following specific Rules, apply to four-ball stroke play.

31-2. Representation of Side

A Side may be represented by either partner for all or any part of a stipulated round; both Partners need not be present. An absent competitor may join his partner between holes, but not during play of a hole.

31-3. Scoring

The marker is required to record for each hole only the gross score of whichever partner's score is to count. The gross scores to count must be individually identifiable; otherwise, the Side is disqualified. Only one of the Partners need be responsible for complying with Rule 6-6b.

(Wrong score - see Rule 31-7a.)

31-4. Order of Play

Balls belonging to the same Side may be played in the order the Side considers best.

31-5. Wrong Ball

If a competitor is in breach of Rule 15-3b for making a stroke at a wrong ball, he incurs a penalty of two strokes and must correct his mistake by playing the correct ball or by proceeding under the Rules. His partner incurs no penalty even if the wrong ball belongs to him.

If the wrong ball belongs to another competitor, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played.

31-6. Penalty to Side

A side is penalized for a breach of any of the following by either partner:

· Rule 4 - Clubs
· Rule 6-4 - Caddie
· Any Local Rule or Condition of Competition for which there is a maximum penalty per round.

31-7. Disqualification Penalties

a. Breach by One Partner

A Side is disqualified from the competition if either partner incurs a penalty of disqualification under any of the following:

· Rule 1-3 - Agreement to Waive Rules
· Rule 3-4 - Refusal to Comply with a Rule
· Rule 4 - Clubs
· Rule 5-1 or 5-2 - The Ball
· Rule 6-2b - Handicap
· Rule 6-4 - Caddie
· Rule 6-6b - Signing and Returning Score Card
· Rule 6-6d - Wrong Score for Hole
· Rule 6-7 - Undue Delay; Slow Play
· Rule 7-1 - Practice Before or Between Rounds
· Rule 11-1 - Teeing
· Rule 14-3 - Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual Use of Equipment
· Rule 22-1 - Ball Assisting Play
· Rule 31-3 - Gross Scores to Count Not Individually Identifiable
· Rule 33-7 - Disqualification Penalty Imposed by Committee

b. Breach by Both Partners

A Side is disqualified from the competition:

(i) if each partner incurs a penalty of disqualification for a breach of Rule 6-3 (Time of Starting and Groups) or Rule 6-8 (Discontinuance of Play), or

(ii) if, at the same hole, each partner is in breach of a Rule the penalty for which is disqualification from the competition or for a hole.

c. For the Hole Only

In all other cases where a breach of a Rule would result in disqualification, the competitor is disqualified only for the hole at which the breach occurred.

31-8. Effect of Other Penalties

If a competitor's breach of a Rule assists his partner's play, the partner incurs the applicable penalty in addition to any penalty incurred by the competitor.

In all other cases where a competitor incurs a penalty for breach of a Rule, the penalty does not apply to his partner.

Rule 32. Bogey, Par and Stableford Competitions

Definitions

All defined terms are in italics and are listed alphabetically in the Definitions section.

32-1. Conditions

Bogey, par and Stableford competitions are forms of stroke play in which play is against a fixed score at each hole. The Rules for stroke play, so far as they are not at variance with the following specific Rules, apply.

In handicap bogey, par and Stableford competitions, the competitor with the lowest net score at a hole takes the honor at the next teeing ground.

a. Bogey and Par Competitions

The scoring for bogey and par competitions is made as in match play. Any hole for which a competitor makes no return is regarded as a loss. The winner is the competitor who is most successful in the aggregate of holes.

The marker is responsible for marking only the gross number of strokes for each hole where the competitor makes a net score equal to or less than the fixed score.

Note 1: The competitor's score is adjusted by deducting a hole or holes under the applicable Rule when a penalty other than disqualification is incurred under any of the following:

· Rule 4 - Clubs
· Rule 6-4 - Caddie
· Any Local Rule or Condition of Competition for which there is a maximum penalty per round.

The competitor is responsible for reporting the facts regarding such a breach to the Committee before he returns his score card so that the Committee may apply the penalty. If the competitor fails to report his breach to the Committee, he is disqualified.

Note 2: If the competitor is in breach of Rule 6-7 (Undue Delay; Slow Play), the Committee will deduct one hole from the aggregate of holes. For a repeated offense, see Rule 32-2a.

b. Stableford Competitions

The scoring in Stableford competitions is made by points awarded in relation to a fixed score at each hole as follows:

Hole Played In	Points
More than one over fixed score or no score returned	0
One over fixed score	1
Fixed score	2
One under fixed score	3
Two under fixed score	4
Three under fixed score	5
Four under fixed score	6

The winner is the competitor who scores the highest number of points.

The marker is responsible for marking only the gross number of strokes at each hole where the competitor's net score earns one or more points.

Note 1: If a competitor is in breach of a Rule for which there is a maximum penalty per round, he must report the facts to the Committee before returning his score card; if he fails to do so, he is disqualified. The Committee will, from the total points scored for the round, deduct two points for each hole at which any breach occurred, with a maximum deduction per round of four points for each Rule breached.

Note 2: If the competitor is in breach of Rule 6-7 (Undue Delay; Slow Play), the Committee will deduct two points from the total points scored for the round. For a repeated offense, see Rule 32-2a.

32-2. Disqualification Penalties

a. From the Competition

A competitor is disqualified from the competition if he incurs a penalty of disqualification under any of the following:

· Rule 1-3 - Agreement to Waive Rules
· Rule 3-4 - Refusal to Comply with Rule
· Rule 4 - Clubs
· Rule 5-1 or 5-2 - The Ball
· Rule 6-2b - Handicap
· Rule 6-3 - Time of Starting and Groups
· Rule 6-4 - Caddie
· Rule 6-6b - Signing and Returning Score Card
· Rule 6-6d - Wrong Score for Hole, i.e., when the recorded score is lower than actually taken, except that no penalty is incurred when a breach of this Rule does not affect the result of the hole
· Rule 6-7 - Undue Delay; Slow Play
· Rule 6-8 - Discontinuance of Play
· Rule 7-1 - Practice Before or Between Rounds
· Rule 11-1 - Teeing
· Rule 14-3 - Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual Use of Equipment
· Rule 22-1 - Ball Assisting Play
· Rule 33-7 - Disqualification Penalty Imposed by Committee

b. For a Hole

In all other cases where a breach of a Rule would result in
disqualification, the competitor is disqualified only for the hole at which the breach occurred.