How good is your understanding of the game's laws? Test your knowledge with our Rules of Golf Quiz
Rules of Golf Quiz: How Well Do You Know The Rules?
How do you rate your grasp of the Rules? Try our quiz, then check your answers at the bottom of the page to see how you’ve scored
Photography: Kenny Smith, shot on location at the PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles
1) In stroke play, Jezz’s ball lies in a bunker. He touches the sand in the bunker on his backswing. What is the ruling?
A) There is no penalty.
B) Jezz incurs a two-stroke penalty.
C) There is no penalty provided Jezz does not discontinue his swing and completes the stroke.
2) In a match, Fergus putts to two feet. Jezz concedes Fergus’ next stroke and out of courtesy he knocks Fergus’ ball back to him.
A) Jezz loses the hole for testing the surface of the putting green.
B) Jezz loses the hole for practising.
C) There is no penalty.
3) In stroke play, Fergus’ ball comes to rest in a tree. By standing on his golf cart he will be able to make a stroke at his ball. What is the ruling?
A) There is no penalty if Fergus makes a stroke at his ball while standing on the cart.
B) There is no penalty provided Fergus removes the cart before making a stroke at his ball.
C) Fergus will be penalised two strokes for building his stance, irrespective of whether he removes the cart or not.
4) In stroke play, Fergus’ ball comes to rest just outside a lateral water hazard. He removes a lateral water hazard stake that interferes with his swing.
A) There is no penalty.
B) Fergus incurs a penalty of one stroke.
C) Fergus incurs a penalty of two strokes.
Answers:
1. B – Jezz incurs a two-stroke penalty (Rule 13-4). Before making a stroke at a ball in a hazard (i.e. a bunker or water hazard) you must not touch the ground in the hazard with your club. The backswing is not part of the “stroke” (as defined).
2. C – There is no penalty (Decision 16-1d/1). There is no penalty for casually rolling or knocking a ball back to your opponent in such circumstances.
3. B – There is no penalty provided Fergus removes the cart before making a stroke at his ball (Decision 13-3/5). You are not allowed to build a stance; however, if you build a stance through use of an object such as a cart, you incur no penalty if you remove the object before making your next stroke.
4. A – There is no penalty (Rule 24-1). The stake is an obstruction and if it is movable, it may be removed without penalty (unless the Committee has declared it to be an immovable obstruction; check the Local Rules).
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