Preparation is important in golf. Making sure you are mentally and physically ready for a competitive round could give you the edge. Ensuring you have all your kit ready to go, having a clear game plan and a positive mindset will stand you in good stead to perform at your best. One thing you might like to do is to get out on the course to play at least a few holes as a warm-up and to get an idea how the layout is playing. How receptive are the greens and how quick are they? Are the fairways running? This would be useful information to have – but are you allowed to go out and play the course before a competition?
Stroke Play
Tyrrell Hatton practising at The Open
In stroke play, the answer is no. You are not permitted to play/practise on the course on the day of a competition before you play. You are permitted to play on the course on the day of a competition after your competitive effort is over. If you are playing a 36-hole competition you can’t play on the course between rounds.
In The Rules of Golf – Rule 5.2b states on stroke play competition: “Players must not practise on the course before a round on the day of a competition, as they may not have an equal chance to do so because they usually play in different groups at different times. But they are allowed to practise on a day of the competition after their competition play for the day is complete.”
You can, of course, play on the course in the days leading up to a stroke play competition, just not on the day of the comp itself.
Match Play
Jack Dyer and Tyler Strafaci shake hands after Dyer won their match in The Walker Cup at Seminole
In match play, the answer is yes. You are permitted to play/practise on the course on the day of a competition.
Rule 5.2a states on match play competition: “Players in a match may practise on the course before or between rounds, as they usually will have an equal chance to do so because they play at the same time.”
Generally speaking then, you can play the course on the days leading up to a competition whether stroke play or match play. On the day of the competition, you can’t play beforehand if it’s stroke play, you can play beforehand if it’s match play.
Local Rule
Club committees may on occasion adopt a Local Rule that modifies those default rulings to either allow or prohibit practise on the course, either completely or by clearly indicating when, where or how such practice can take place.
The Rules of Golf give the following examples:
To prevent players practising on the course before match play -
"Rule 5.2a is modified in this way: A player must not practise on the competition course before or between rounds. [Or, if players are allowed to practise in limited ways: Describe those limits and when, where and how a player may practise on the course.]”
To allow players to practise on the course before or between competition stroke play rounds -
"Rule 5.2b is modified in this way: A player may practise on the competition course before or between rounds. [Or, if players are allowed to practise in limited ways: Describe those limits and when, where and how a player may practise on the course.]
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