The Rules Of Golf
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- 1.
You’re on the 8th green with a long putt down the hill. After setting the ball in motion you hear a shout of ‘FORE’ off the 10th tee. The ball from the 10th rolls onto the green and collides with your ball, knocking it off line (it was probably on the wrong line anyway!). What should you do?
- A.
Shout some verbal abuse down to the player on the 10th
- B.
Replace you ball as close as possible to the original spot, with no penalty
- C.
Play your ball from where it lies, with no penalty
- D.
Play your ball from where it lies, with a one stroke penalty
Correct Answer
B. Replace you ball as close as possible to the original spot, with no penaltyExplanation
If another player's ball interferes with your ball on the putting green, you are allowed to replace your ball as close as possible to the original spot without incurring any penalty. This is covered under Rule 9.6 in the Rules of Golf, which states that if a ball at rest is moved by another ball, the moved ball must be replaced. In this situation, shouting verbal abuse or playing the ball from its new position would not be the correct course of action.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Your exact handicap is 9.4, but you had a poor round in the Saturday competition. When you turn up play on Sunday the revised handicap sheet has not been published and you are not certain of the CSS for Saturday. What handicap do you play off?
- A.
9, You are not permitted to put your handicap up, only down.
- B.
10, You are responsible for your own handicap adjustment
- C.
11, you need every shot you can get
Correct Answer
A. 9, You are not permitted to put your handicap up, only down.Explanation
The correct answer is 9 because according to the given information, the revised handicap sheet has not been published and the CSS for Saturday is uncertain. In such a situation, the player is not allowed to increase their handicap, only decrease it. Therefore, the player would continue to play off their exact handicap of 9.4.Rate this question:
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- 3.
You turn up to play the Summer Cup straight after work on a Tuesday night. You rush down to the first tee with your usual 3 ball (not renowned for their fast play) to get ahead of the field. By the time you get to the 4th the whole field is backed up behind you and the group behind have been waiting to play every shot. What is the correct etiquette?
- A.
You only let the group behind through if you lose a ball
- B.
Do nothing, you got to the tee first
- C.
Stand aside to let the group behind play through
- D.
You have no idea what's going on behind you
Correct Answer
C. Stand aside to let the group behind play throughExplanation
The correct etiquette in this situation is to stand aside and let the group behind play through. Even though you arrived at the tee first, it is important to consider the pace of play and the inconvenience caused to other golfers. By allowing the group behind to play through, you can help maintain a smooth flow of play and prevent further delays for everyone involved.Rate this question:
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- 4.
You hit a great drive down the 16th and the ball comes to rest near the road. As you walk down the fairway (thinking, ‘that was the best drive I hit all night’) you see a dog pick up your ball and walk off the course. What do you do?
- A.
Drop a ball a close as possible to where the original ball was lying, without penalty
- B.
Chase the dog to get that brand new Pinnacle back and write a strong letter of complaint to the club
- C.
Go back to the tee and replay the shot without penalty
- D.
Go back to the tee and replay the shot with a one stroke penalty
Correct Answer
A. Drop a ball a close as possible to where the original ball was lying, without penaltyExplanation
In this situation, the correct action is to drop a ball as close as possible to where the original ball was lying without penalty. This is in accordance with the rules of golf (Rule 18.1) which allows a player to take relief when their ball is moved by an outside agency, such as a dog. By dropping a ball without penalty, the player can continue the game without being unfairly penalized for the dog's interference.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Elsie misses her birdie putt at the 10th, and in a fit a rage lashes out at the ball. The ball comes to rest on the 14th fairway. What is the ruling?
- A.
There is no penalty and Elsie must play her 5th shot from where the ball lies
- B.
Elsie must replace her ball and incur a 1 stroke penalty
- C.
Elsie must replace her ball and incur a 2 stroke penalty
- D.
Elsie is disqualified and must attend anger management counselling and be forced to wear a tartan mirkin
Correct Answer
B. Elsie must replace her ball and incur a 1 stroke penaltyExplanation
According to the rules of golf, when a player's ball is moved by the player in anger, the player must replace the ball to its original position and incur a one-stroke penalty. Therefore, Elsie must replace her ball and add one stroke to her score.Rate this question:
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- 6.
In preparation for the Safari Open, Ewan has been practicing all week. On the day of the competition he walks on to the fourth tee after a level par start, only to discover he has left his spare wedge and driver in his bag and is carrying a total of 16 clubs. What is the ruling?
- A.
A two stroke penalty for every club over 14, giving a 4 stroke penalty
- B.
A two stroke penalty for every hole played under breach, giving a 6 stroke penalty
- C.
A two stroke penalty for every hole played under breach up to a maximum of 4 strokes
- D.
Ewan is disqualified and must explain his misdemeanour to the rest of his Safari team mates
Correct Answer
C. A two stroke penalty for every hole played under breach up to a maximum of 4 strokes -
- 7.
At the 3rd hole, Fred played his third shot into a stiff breeze and the ball came to rest a 6 feet from the hole leaving a tricky downhill putt. Fred marked the position of the ball, lifted and cleaned it, then replaced it. Without lifting the marker, the Fred prepared to make a nervy par putt, but before he had addressed the ball, it rolled into the hole. What is the ruling?
- A.
There is no penalty and the ball must be replaced at the marker
- B.
The ball is deemed to have been holed by the last stroke for three
- C.
The ball is holed and the player must add a penalty stroke, making the score for the hole four
- D.
There is no penalty. The ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole and must be putt out for four
Correct Answer
B. The ball is deemed to have been holed by the last stroke for threeExplanation
Rule 20-3d. The fact that the marker was left in place is irrelevantRate this question:
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- 8.
At the 7th hole Willie decides to lay up, but he hits a belter! His ball comes to rest on the bridge over the water hazard. He decides to play the ball as it lies but in so doing, he grounds his club at the address. What is the penalty?
- A.
There is no penalty
- B.
One stroke penalty
- C.
Two stroke penalty
- D.
Willie is disqualified and must repair the damage he caused to the bridge
Correct Answer
A. There is no penaltyExplanation
There is no penalty. He does not get a free relief from an immovable obstruction in a water hazard, but grounding his club on it, does not count as grounding his club in the hazard. Decision 13-4/30Rate this question:
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- 9.
In a foursome stroke play competition, at the 9th hole Murray puts his tee shot into the right hand bunker. His partner, Lee, fails to get the ball out of the bunker with his shot and in throwing a tantrum hits the sand with his club. Murray rakes over Lee's footprints in the sand (without improving the lie of the ball or the area of his stance) before playing the ball from the bunker onto the green, where Lee holes out with a single putt. What is their score for the hole?
- A.
5
- B.
6
- C.
8
- D.
10
Correct Answer
C. 8Explanation
tee shot + bunker shot + 2 PS by Lee hitting sand while still in bunker + 2PS by Murray for raking sand before playing a shot from bunker + bunker shot + putt
See Rule 13-4 and Decision 29/5Rate this question:
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- 10.
In a match, Billy removed the flagstick, places it on the putting green behind the hole and putts. Alistair, believing that Billy's ball will strike the flagstick, picks it up, allowing Billy's ball to roll beyond the place where Billy and placed the flagstick. What is the ruling?
- A.
Billy must replay the stroke
- B.
Alistair loses the hole
- C.
There is no penalty
- D.
Billy loses the hole (and loses the plot, he inserts the flag where the sun don't shine!)
Correct Answer
C. There is no penaltyExplanation
Decision 17-1/7. Prior to 1st January 2008. Alistair would have lost the holeRate this question:
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- 11.
In a handicap match play competition, the conditions provide that the full difference between handicaps would be used. However the players in one match, unaware of conditions, use three-quarters of the difference between handicaps and the lower handicap player won giving his opponent 9 shots instead of 12. What is the ruling?
- A.
Both players are disqualified
- B.
The match stands as played
- C.
The match should be replayed
- D.
They work out the probable result of the match over a pint in the clubhouse
Correct Answer
B. The match stands as playedExplanation
See Decision 6-2a/6Rate this question:
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- 12.
In a stroke play competition a competitor returns his scorecard correctly signed by his marker and himself. The hole by hole scores is correct, but he records a total score, which is two strokes lower than his actual score. What is the ruling?
- A.
The competitor is disqualified
- B.
The penalty is disqualification but this may be waived by the committee
- C.
The committee must correct the error, without penalty to the competitor
- D.
Your name is entered on the 'Disco King' leaderboard
Correct Answer
C. The committee must correct the error, without penalty to the competitorExplanation
See Decision 6-6d/2Rate this question:
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- 13.
In a stroke play competition, before he plays, Alistair looks into Billy's bag to see which club Billy has used for his last stroke. What is the ruling?
- A.
There is no penalty
- B.
Alistair is disqualified
- C.
Alistair incurs a penalty of two strokes
- D.
Billy gets a free hit at Alistair with the said club
Correct Answer
A. There is no penaltyExplanation
See Decision 8-1/10Rate this question:
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- 14.
In a stroke play Open competition, visitors Richard and Dick are confused after finishing the 7th hole and play from the 12th tee instead of the 8th. After much scratching of heads they realised their error, collected their balls (that they had hooked onto the 11th fairway) and played from the 8th tee and completed their round. What is the ruling?
- A.
Richard and Dick are disqualified
- B.
Richard and Dick each incur a penalty of two strokes at the 8th
- C.
Richard and Dick should have completed the 12th hole before returning to the 8th tee
- D.
There is no penalty
Correct Answer
B. Richard and Dick each incur a penalty of two strokes at the 8thExplanation
see Decision 11-5/4Rate this question:
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- 15.
In a stroke play competition, Alistair slices his drive up the 14th and lands in a rabbit scrape. Having told Billy his intentions to take relief from the scrape, he removes sand and loose soil from the area where he intends to drop the ball. What is the ruling?
- A.
There is no penalty
- B.
Alistair incurs a penalty of one stroke
- C.
Alistair incurs a penalty of two strokes
- D.
Alistair must re-drop the ball in a different location
Correct Answer
C. Alistair incurs a penalty of two strokesExplanation
See Decision 13-2/11Rate this question:
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- 16.
In a stroke play competition, Billy snap-hooks his drive off the first towards the out of bounds. To play his next shot he removes a white stake, defining out of bounds, which is interfering with his swing. What is the ruling?
- A.
A penalty of one stroke
- B.
A penalty of two strokes
- C.
There is no penalty
- D.
Billy is disqualified and joins the disco king leaderboard
Correct Answer
B. A penalty of two strokesExplanation
See Decision 13-2/25Rate this question:
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- 17.
In a stroke play event, a pool of casual water on the putting green lies between Colin's ball, which is on the green, and the hole. Rather than move his ball, Colin mops up the casual water with his conveniently placed towel. What is the ruling?
- A.
There is no penalty
- B.
Colin is disqualified
- C.
A penalty of one stroke
- D.
A penalty of two strokes
Correct Answer
D. A penalty of two strokesExplanation
See Decision 13-2/34Rate this question:
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- 18.
Billy, thinking he was getting a bargain, bought a set of imitation Callaway irons from a golf sale in the Weigh Inn. In the Saturday medal, playing his second shot at the first, the shaft of his 7 iron broke during his downswing. He continued his swing but missed the ball. Unfortunately, the separated fake clubhead fell on the ball and moved it. What is the ruling?
- A.
Billy made a legitimate stroke with no penalty
- B.
The ball should be replaced with a penalty one stroke
- C.
A two stroke penalty
- D.
Billy is disqualified for playing with sub-standard equipment
Correct Answer
A. Billy made a legitimate stroke with no penaltyExplanation
See Rule 14---See Decision 14/5Rate this question:
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- 19.
A player and fellow competitor signed his score card in the wrong place. What is the ruling?
- A.
They are both disqualified
- B.
The committee should accept the card
- C.
The player is disqualified
- D.
Both players should be sent for basic literary training
Correct Answer
B. The committee should accept the cardExplanation
According to the rules of golf, if a player and fellow competitor sign the scorecard in the wrong place, the committee should still accept the card. This is because the signing of the scorecard is a formality to verify the player's score, and as long as the score is accurate, the committee should not penalize the players for signing in the wrong place. The focus is on the accuracy of the score, not the placement of the signature. Therefore, the committee should accept the card.Rate this question:
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- 20.
In a stroke play competition, Murray moves one of the tee-markers before playing a stroke from the teeing ground because, in his view, the tee-markers are aimed in the wrong direction. The tee-marker is not replaced. What is the ruling?
- A.
There is no penalty
- B.
He incurs a penalty of two strokes
- C.
He is disqualified and joins the masses already on the Disco King leaderboard
- D.
He's the Captain (allegedly!) and has the right to alter anything on the course (and are you going to argue?)
Correct Answer
C. He is disqualified and joins the masses already on the Disco King leaderboardExplanation
According to the rules of golf, moving a tee-marker before playing a stroke without replacing it is considered a breach of Rule 8.1a. This rule states that a player must not take an action with the intent to influence the movement of a ball in play or alter physical conditions with the potential to affect the playing of a hole. In this case, Murray's action of moving the tee-marker without replacing it is a violation of this rule. As a result, he is disqualified from the competition.Rate this question:
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Quiz Review Timeline +
Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.
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Current Version
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Feb 14, 2024Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team -
May 11, 2011Quiz Created by
Steveefemey
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