A Few Rules...

Golf is a sport that allows players to network and relax but there are many rules associated with the game. Knowledge of the rules can determine your success as a player.

14-Club Limit

The USGA allows a maximum of 14 clubs to be carried in a bag. Less than 14 is OK. More than 14 will incur a penalty.

Tee Markers

When teeing off, the ball must be behind the Tee markers.

Play the Ball

You may not improve the way the ball is at rest. If you are on the green, you may mark, and pick up your ball to clean it, but while in the fairway, you must play the ball as it lies. See the USGA rule book for special circumstances like winter rules, obstructions, standing water, etc.

Away

The ball farthest from the hole is the one that is played first. The term is "away". The person with the lowest score for the hole has "the honors", and plays first on the next hole.

Sand Traps

If your ball lands in the Sand Trap, remember to rake it after you have played your shot. The groups behind you will appreciate this. Since this is a hazard, you cannot ground your club prior to the swing. Practice swings are OK, as long as you do not contact the sand.

Out of Bounds

If you hit your ball OB, there is a one-stroke penalty, and you must hit another ball. If you are not sure if the ball is OB, hit a "Provisional Ball" just in case. If you determine the first ball is OB, you continue on, and play with the Provisional Ball.

Water Hazards:

If you hit your ball into a Water Hazard, you may play it (could be messy), or with a one-stroke penalty play another ball from where you just hit. Option two is to drop another ball where the original ball entered the Hazard, incur a one-stroke penalty and play on.

Putting Green:

When on the green, never walk across another player's line of putt. In tournament play, this will cost you a two-stroke penalty.

Etiquette

Be considerate, do not distract a player during his/her swing.

Equipment

The USGA allows a maximum of 14 clubs to be carried in a bag. A set will consist of a combination of the clubs listed below.

The Driver

Known as the 1-Wood. The Driver is used for Teeing off on holes of long distances. It is a steeply faced club with not much loft designed to drive the golf ball long distances, at a comparatively low trajectory. This is the largest club in the bag.

Fairway Woods

The numbers for these clubs are usually 3, 4 & 5. They are used for hitting from the fairway, where there is a significant distance to the green after the drive. Each increasing in degree of loft as the number goes up. The 3-Wood is often used off the Tee when accuracy is a must, and distance is not important. Like the irons, a higher number club will be more accurate; a lower number club will hit the ball longer in distance.

Irons

Long Irons are numbered 1, 2, 3 & 4. These clubs are used for long distances anywhere from 180-250 yards. Middle Irons are numbered 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. These clubs will be used for middle distances of 130-180 yards. Short Irons include the pitching wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge. These clubs will be used for short distances of 130 yards or less. These are lofted clubs that cause the ball to have a high trajectory and thus allow the ball to land softly without much roll. These clubs are also used around the green for pitching, getting out of sand traps, and for golf shots that require creativity.

The Putter

The putter is a flat-faced club primarily used on the putting green for putting the ball into the cup. It can also be used when the ball rests just off the green, and the path to the hole is not obstructed.