If you're within five minutes you'll get away with just a penalty. Any longer and it's a DQ...
What Happens If You Miss Your Tee Time?
In the opening round of the 2020 WGC-Mexico Championship, Paul Casey almost missed his tee time after believing it was 10 minutes later than what it actually was.
The Englishman thought he was off at 10.37am when in fact his tee time was actually 10.27am.
Luckily for Casey, thanks to some running, he just about made the time and then proceeded to birdie the opening hole.
But what happens if a player does miss their tee time?
Rule 5.3a states that golfers must tee off at the exact time of their allotted tee time, no earlier or no later.
If a golfer tees off less than five minutes early, they receive a general penalty, which is two strokes.
It is the same if a golfer tees off less than five minutes later, too.
However, if a golfer tees off more than five minutes earlier or later than the allotted tee time, the player is disqualified.
The general penalty in match play is a loss of hole, so if your opponent arrives to the tee a couple of minutes late or even tees off slightly early from your allotted time, you can consider yourself 1-up.
This nearly happened at the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah when Rory McIlroy had to receive a police escort to the course.
The Northern Irishman thought he was out an hour later due to TV broadcasts stating he was off at 12.25pm when he was actually off an hour earlier.
Thet TV broadcasts were correct, but Rory didn't realise they were stating the time in Eastern Time, not Chicago's Central Time.
It resulted quite well for him in the end, as he beat Keegan Bradley to help inspire the 'Miracle at Medinah', a stunning comeback for Team Europe from 10-6 down.
He also met his future wife Erica Stoll thanks to that mix up, as she was the PGA of America employee who helped him make the tee time.
For all the latest golf news, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels @golfmonthlymagazine on Facebook and @golfmonthly on Twitter and Instagram
-
How Adam Scott Helped Shape The Design Of The Two New L.A.B. Golf PuttersToday marks the exciting release of the L.A.B. Golf OZ.1 collection. Let’s take a closer look at what golfers can expect…
-
The Three Most Confusing Rules In Golf And How To Interpret ThemAt times, golf’s rules can be complex and confusing. Here we look at three of the most confusing rules in golf and give you the info you need to understand them.
-
7 Most Annoying Golf Playing PartnersWe showcase the seven most annoying playing partners that golfers can have the misfortune of teeing it up with!
-
Who Hits It Further - Bryson DeChambeau Or Rory McIlroy?It's Rory McIlroy v Bryson DeChambeau as we look at the driving distances, longest drives and stock yardages to see who hits it further
-
How To Clean Golf Clubs And GripsIf you want to know how to clean golf clubs and grips, check out this step-by-step guide
-
In Praise Of Golfing In WinterFergus Bisset on why he enjoys playing golf through the winter months
-
'Why Do Golfers Only Wear One Glove?' You Asked Google And We've Got The Answer...You asked Google and we've got the answer...
-
How To Regrip Golf ClubsKnowing how to regrip golf clubs means you can afford to replace them as and when they need replacing
-
The 7 Scariest Shots in GolfWith Halloween creeping up, we have selected the 7 scariest shots in golf
-
17 Ways To Tell You're Obsessed With GolfThe tell-tale signs that you are a true golf fanatic
