Definitions
This is the area on each hole where a player starts the play of that hole.
What is the teeing area?
A player gets free relief from this type of interference caused by cart paths, sprinkler heads, and other non-natural objects.
What is abnormal course condition relief?
The color of the stakes or lines that identify a lateral penalty area.
What is red?
You must play the ball from where it lies unless the Rules allow this type of relief.
What is free or penalty relief?
This is the maximum allowed time (in seconds) a player may reasonably search for a ball.
What is 180 seconds (three minutes)?
The term for the specially prepared area containing the hole.
What is the putting green?
This type of drop requires the player to identify the nearest point where the ball's condition no longer interferes with stance or swing.
What is the nearest point of complete relief?
This is one of the two relief options available in both red and yellow penalty areas.
What is stroke and distance?
If your ball moves on the putting green after being replaced, this many penalty strokes apply if you did not cause it to move.
What is zero?
The player farther from the hole played first under the old Rules, but this method is now recommended for faster play.
What is ready golf?
This term refers to the entire area of the course except the teeing area, penalty areas, bunkers, and putting green of the hole being played.
What is the general area?
When taking unplayable ball relief, the stroke-and-distance option adds this many penalty strokes.
What is one stroke?
In a yellow penalty area, this option - allowed in red - is not available: dropping within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball last crossed the edge.
What is lateral relief?
Accidentally hitting your ball during a practice swing in the teeing area results in this consequence.
What is no penalty; the ball may be re-teed?
If a fellow competitor is in danger of being hit by your ball, you must shout this word.
What is "Fore"?
This is the term for any artificial object on the course except integral objects and boundary objects.
What is an obstruction?
If a ball lies in the fairway and a sprinkler head within two club-lengths of both the ball and the green blocks the line of play, the Rules allow the player to do this without penalty.
What is free relief?
A ball officially enters a penalty area when this part of the ball touches or lies over the edge.
What is any part of the ball?
If you make a stroke at a wrong ball in stroke play, this many penalty strokes apply.
What are two strokes?
What is its spot?
According to the Rules, this is the status of the ball when it is in motion after a stroke and not yet at rest.
What is a ball in motion?
When a ball is lost outside a penalty area, the player must proceed under this procedure.
What is stroke and distance?
If a ball last crossed the edge of a red penalty area in a spot far forward of the flagstick, this special option - introduced in 2019 - may be used.
What is the optional back on the line lateral relief?
When identifying your ball, you may do this without penalty if you follow the proper marking and replacement procedure.
What is lift the ball?
In match play, you may concede one of these at any time - whether long or short.
What is a putt (or stroke)?