In the UK, follow these essential golf rules on the green – they’re pretty simple once you’ve got into the swing of things (sorry, the opportunity was irresistible).
Rule 1: You must play the same ball from the teeing ground into the hole. Change only when the rules allow.
Rule 2: You must hole out on each hole. If you don’t, you don’t have a score and are thus disqualified.
Rule 3: You are responsible for playing your own ball. Put an identification mark on it.
Rule 4: You must play the ball as it lies.
Rule 5: When your ball is in a hazard, whether a bunker or a water hazard, you cannot touch the ground or water in the hazard with your club before impact.
Rule 6: You cannot improve the line of a putt by repairing marks made by the spikes on a player’s shoes.
Rule 7: Obstructions are anything artificial. Some obstructions are moveable. Others aren’t, so you must drop your ball within one club length of your nearest point of relief.
Rule 8: If your ball is lost in a water hazard, you can drop another ball behind the hazard, keeping the point where the ball last crossed the hazard between you and the hole.
Rule 9: If you lose your ball anywhere else other than in a hazard, return to where you hit your previous shot and hit another – with a one-stroke penalty.
Rule 10: If your ball is unplayable, you have three options:
Play from where you hit your last shot.
Drop the ball within two club lengths of where your ball is now.
Keep the point where the ball is between you and the hole and drop your ball on that line. You can go back as far as you want.
