Golf Ball Rules

Before beginning a match, check your golf balls carefully - they must be regulation size and easily identifiable. And to avoid penalty during play, know exactly when you can clean or change your ball.

Before a ball is used in competitive play, it must conform to the tests approved by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R and A) or the United States Golf Association.

Every manufacturer of golf balls could produce a ball that can fly further than the best of the current balls, but the rules would not permit its use.

It's possible to buy illegal balls because many manufacturers sell balls rejected by the R and A. These are clearly marked as rejects and are perfectly good to use when practising but never in a match. If you use an illegal ball - even innocently - you'll be disqualified.

Regulation of equipment and balls in particular, is one of the reasons why golf courses that have been played for over a hundred years are still a challenge today.

Although the larger golf ball, with a diameter of 1.68in (4.3cm), is nearly always used these days, you may occasionally come across the smaller ball with a diameter of 1.62in (4.1cm).

Both sizes were used in British competitions during the 1970s and 1980s, but today both professional and amateur competitions require that players use the larger ball. This 1.68in ball must weigh 1.62oz (46g).

Identifying your ball
Inform your opponent or marker of the make and number of the ball you are playing before you start a round. You should also place your own identification mark on the ball. Dot or initial your ball with a permanent marker. Marking is often ignored, but it's surprising how often balls of the same make and number surface during searches.

The responsibility for playing the proper ball rests with you alone. You may lift a ball to identify it as your own anywhere on the course, except in a hazard. If you ball lands in a bunker you may brush aside enough sand to identify the ball. If you do lift your ball, you must first tell your opponent in match-play or your marker or a fellow competitor in strokeplay.

You may clean the ball only enough to identify it. Once you have confirmed that it's your ball, replace it exactly where it lay. Make sure that the other player is able to watch the whole procedure. If you don't say what you're doing or you lift the ball to identify in a hazard, you incur a penalty of one stroke.

It may be impossible to make sure you are addressing your own ball in a bunker- in this case; you can make the shot without penalty. If it's found that the ball belongs to another player he can place it where it originally lay.

Unfit for play
You may change your ball at any time between holes whatever its condition. If it becomes unfit for play during a hole, you may lift and inspect it as long as you have told your fellow players.

A ball must be visibly cracked, chipped or out of shape to qualify as unfit - superficial scratches are not reason enough to replace a ball.

If everyone agrees that the ball was damaged during the play of the hole, you may place another ball on the same spot.

It's not unusual for certain types of ball to become unfit for play. Professional golfers who use balata balls which mark easily often use eight or more balls during a round.

Cleaning your ball
There's often confusion about when you are allowed to clean your ball. Remember, to avoid penalty, it's your responsibility to know the rules. You may clean your ball before each putt when you are on the green.

Out of courtesy to your fellow players make sure that you don't overdo the cleaning - once is usually enough.You may also clean your ball when you're taking relief from an unplayable lie.

You may not clean your ball if you are lifting it for identification, to determine if it is unfit for play, or if it's interfering with or helping play.

Questions and Answers
Illegal ball

Q
Quite unwittingly, 1 played a stroke with an illegal ball – one that was rejected by the R and A - in our medal competition. I substituted a correct ball as soon as my marker pointed out the error. What is the correct penalty?

A
Disqualification is the .A. penalty. If you use an illegal ball during a match, you are automatically disqualified. To avoid an upset like this, it's essential that you check your balls carefully before playing.

Broken ball

Q
When I was playing the other x}£ day with a solid ball, it split in two with part of it going out of bounds. 1 counted the shot, and played my next shot from where the biggest fragment lay. Was I correct?

A
No, you shouldn't have .A. continued with the shot. The stroke that broke the ball must be replayed without penalty. You should drop a ball as near as possible to the original spot.