Golf scoring
Lost Golf Ball vs Out of Bounds: What Should You Do Next?
Understand lost-ball and out-of-bounds relief, the three-minute search limit, stroke-and-distance scoring and when a local two-stroke alternative applies.
Read articleLearn the game
Practical answers for your first rounds and beyond.
Browse by topic
Find practical explanations of scoring, formats, etiquette and getting ready to play. These guides help golfers work through the questions that come up before a first round and as their game develops.
The reading room
Learn the game
Showing 1–12 of 27 guides
Golf equipment
How Many Golf Clubs Can You Carry? Understanding the 14-Club Limit
The golf club limit is 14, but fewer are allowed. Learn what counts, why two players cannot usually share a full set and what to do about an extra club.
Read articleGolf scoring
How to Mark, Lift and Replace Your Golf Ball Without Guessing
Learn when a golf ball may be lifted, how to mark and replace it, when cleaning is restricted and why the fringe differs from the putting green.
Read articleGolf scoring
Unplayable Ball in Golf: Three Options Before You Attempt the Shot
Compare stroke-and-distance, back-on-the-line and lateral unplayable-ball relief, plus the special bunker options and penalty-area exception.
Read articleGolf scoring
Cart Path Relief in Golf: Find the Nearest Point, Then the Relief Area
Understand when a cart path permits free relief, why the nearest point is not the nicest lie and how to drop correctly without choosing the wrong side.
Read articleBeginner golf
Shotgun Start vs Tee Times: Where Does Your Golf Round Begin?
Learn how shotgun starts differ from sequential tee times, how starting holes affect your round and what players and event organisers should confirm.
Read articleBeginner golf
Which Golf Tees Should You Play? Colours, Distance and Course Difficulty
Choose a suitable set of golf tees using the course’s actual lengths, your usual distances and local advice rather than assuming tee colours mean the same everywhere.
Read articleGolf scoring
Preferred Lies and Winter Rules: When Can You Lift, Clean and Place?
Understand preferred lies in golf: when the Local Rule applies, where you may place the ball, and why wet weather alone does not give permission to move it.
Read articleGolf scoring
Red vs Yellow Penalty Areas: Your Golf Relief Options Explained
Learn the difference between red and yellow penalty areas, the one-stroke relief options, the last crossing point and the checks to make before dropping a ball.
Read articleGolf equipment
Golf GPS vs Rangefinder: What They Show and What the Rules Allow
Understand golf GPS and laser rangefinder information, why distances can differ, and which functions and Local Rules to check before competition.
Read articleGolf equipment
Links, Parkland and Desert Golf Courses: What Changes for a Visiting Golfer?
Understand links, parkland and desert golf landscapes, then check the course’s actual conditions, routes, Local Rules and equipment arrangements before visiting.
Read articleGolf scoring
Mulligan vs Provisional Ball: Which Golf Shot Counts?
Learn the difference between an informal mulligan and a provisional ball, including the announcement, a simple scoring example and when to seek a ruling.
Read article