Rule 20: Resolving Rules Issues During Round; Rulings by Referee and Committee
R. 20.1b: In match play, players may agree how to decide a Rules issue, even if they are wrong, provided they do not deliberately agree to ignore a Rule or penalty that they know applied. A player uncertain of a Rule may protect his rights by asking for a ruling in a timely manner [generally before either player makes a stroke to begin the next hole – see R. 20.1b(2)] and resolving the issue with a referee or the Committee at the earliest opportunity. If the outcome of the ruling affects the match score, the players need to continue the match alert to the existence of more than one possible match score.
Int. 20.1b(4)/1: Playing out a hole with two balls when you are uncertain of the correct procedure is not allowed in match play. If you do so, the score with your original ball will always count, assuming your opponent did not object to your playing two balls. If your opponent objected, and requested a ruling in time (generally before either player makes a stroke to begin the next hole), you would lose the hole for playing a wrong ball.
R. 20.1c(2): In stroke play, if you know or believe another player has breached a Rule, and that other player is not aware or is ignoring his breach, you should tell the other player, his marker, a referee, or the Committee as soon as possible. If you fail to do so, you may be subject to disqualification.
R. 20.1c(3) and Int. 20.1c(3)/4: In stroke play, when you are not sure how to proceed, you may play two balls. This is basically the same Rule as the old 3–3, with one notable change: If you do not choose which ball to count in time (i.e., before you make a stroke), the ball you play first will be treated as the ball you chose to count. You are not required to play the original ball first, followed by the second ball. You may play the two balls in the order you choose. If you play two balls, you must report the facts to the Committee or you are disqualified.
R. 20.2c: Use of video evidence is limited to the “naked eye” standard. Video evidence of a breach will be disregarded if the incident could not reasonably have been seen with the naked eye. However, if you are aware of the breach, even though it could not be seen, the breach will count (e.g., you feel your club dislodge sand on your backswing in a bunker).
R. 20.2d: If you breach a Rule because of a reasonable misunderstanding of a referee’s or a Committee’s instruction, there is no penalty.
Int. 20.2d/2: There is no time limit on correcting administrative mistakes, such as the Committee miscalculating one player’s handicap that results in another player winning the competition, or giving a prize to the wrong player because the Committee failed to post the winner’s score.
R. 20.2e(1): In match play, there is no time limit on disqualifying a player for serious misconduct, for deliberately ignoring a penalty he knew about, or for agreeing with another player to ignore any Rule or penalty they both know applies.
R. 20.2e(2): In stroke play, a player must be disqualified after the competition is closed if he recorded a score for any hole lower than actually taken (unless he failed to include a penalty he was unaware of); if his scorecard showed a handicap higher than his actual handicap and this affected the adjustment of his score; if he knew before the competition closed that he had breached a Rule that had a disqualification penalty; or if he deliberately agreed with another player to ignore a Rule or penalty they both knew about. A player may also be disqualified for serious misconduct.
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