Decoding the rules: 10 basic golf rules every beginner should know

If you’ve just taken up golf, welcome! We know you’re itching to get out on the course but, before you do, there are some of PGA Play's basic rules you need to know.

But don’t worry, you don’t need to spend hours reading the Rules of Golf to get started. Here are the 10 essential things every beginner needs to remember…

Key Takeaways

• Always play the ball where it lies unless a specific rule allows you to lift or move it.
• Tee shots must start from inside the teeing area, a rectangle up to two club-lengths behind the tee markers.
• Don't bend, move, or break anything growing or attached if it could improve your lie, stance, swing, or line of play.
• A missed swing still counts as a stroke if you intended to hit the ball.
• Dropped balls must fall from knee height, straight down, without spin or interference.
• You're allowed a maximum of 14 clubs in your bag during a round.
• You have three minutes to search for a lost ball before it's officially lost.
• Hitting out of bounds costs a penalty stroke and requires replaying from the previous spot.
• Playing the wrong ball costs two strokes in stroke play, or the hole in match play.
• Mark your ball's position before lifting it, or you'll incur a one-shot penalty.

Play the ball as it lies

‘Play the course as you can find it and play the ball as it lies”. These are the first words written in the Rules of Golf and you’ll rarely go wrong if you keep them in mind.

You must normally play your ball from where it has come to rest, unless another rule allows you to lift, drop, or move it.

Tee off between the markers

When you start a hole, you must play a ball from anywhere inside the teeing area. That’s a rectangle defined by tee markers and which goes back two club-lengths from them.

While your ball must be inside the teeing area, you are allowed to stand outside it when making a stroke.

Don’t improve your lie in the fairway

Unless a rule allows it, you can’t move, bend, or break anything growing or attached if it might improve:

•    The lie of your ball
•    Where you’re standing
•    Where you will swing the club
•    The line you’re going to hit the ball towards

A missed swing counts as a shot

If you’re trying to hit the ball and start your downswing with the intention of striking it, you’ve made a stroke – even if you completely miss the ball.

So if you whiff your tee shot, your next attempt will be your second stroke, not your first.

You must drop the ball from knee height

Whenever a Rule allows or requires you to drop a ball, you must do so from knee height.

When you drop, the ball has to fall straight down. Don’t spin it, throw it or roll it. Don’t do anything that might affect where the ball lands.

The ball can’t touch any part of your body or your equipment before it hits the ground.

You can carry up to 14 clubs

You can bring fewer if you wish, but you can only carry a maximum of 14 clubs in your bag during a round.  

You have three minutes to find your ball

If you can’t find your ball within three minutes of starting your search, it is lost. Unless you’ve already played a provisional ball, you must add one penalty stroke and go back to the spot of your previous stroke to play again. This is known as taking stroke-and-distance relief.

Ball out of bounds? Play it again

If your ball goes out of bounds, you must add a penalty shot and play again from where you hit your previous shot.

Make sure you play your own ball

Put a clear identifying mark on your ball before your round so you know it’s yours. If you play the wrong ball – whether it belongs to another player or is a stray ball you thought was yours – you will receive a two-shot penalty in stroke play. In match play, you’ll lose the hole.

Mark your ball before you lift it

If you are picking up your ball to see if its yours, or lifting it on the putting green, you need to mark its position first or you’ll get a one-shot penalty. You can use a ball-marker, a coin, or even a tee, to mark that spot.