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Golf Glossary

Q to Z

R

A "referee'' is one who is appointed by the Committee to accompany players to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. He must act on any breach of a Rule that he observes or is reported to him.

A referee should not attend the flagstick, stand at or mark the position of the hole, or lift the ball or mark its position.

A "rub of the green'' occurs when a ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by any outside agency (see Rule 19-1).

The term "Rule'' includes:

• The Rules of Golf and their interpretations as contained in "Decisions on the Rules of Golf";
• Any Conditions of Competition established by the Committee under Rule 33-1 and Appendix I;
• Any Local Rules established by the Committee under Rule 33-8a and Appendix I; and
• The specifications on clubs and the ball in Appendices II and III.

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S

A "side" is a player, or two or more players who are partners.

See "Matches."

Taking the "stance'' consists in a player placing his feet in position for and preparatory to making a stroke.

The "stipulated round'' consists of playing the holes of the course in their correct sequence unless otherwise authorized by the Committee. The number of holes in a stipulated round is 18 unless a smaller number is authorized by the Committee. As to extension of stipulated round in match play, see Rule 2-3.

A "stroke'' is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball he has not made a stroke.

A "substituted ball" is a ball put into play for the original ball that was either in play, lost, out of bounds or lifted.

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T

A "tee" is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground. It must not be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm) and it must not be designed or manufactured in such a way that it could indicate the line of play or influence the movement of the ball.

The "teeing ground'' is the starting place for the hole to be played. It is a rectangular area two club-lengths in depth, the front and the sides of which are defined by the outside limits of two tee-markers. A ball is outside the teeing ground when all of it lies outside the teeing ground.

See Matches.

See Matches.

"Through the green'' is the whole area of the course except:

• The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played; and
• All hazards on the course.

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W

A "water hazard'' is any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (whether or not containing water) and anything of a similar nature on the course.

All ground or water within the margin of a water hazard is part of the water hazard. The margin of a water hazard extends vertically upward and downward. Stakes and lines defining the margins of water hazards are in the hazards. Such stakes are obstructions. A ball is in a water hazard when it lies in or any part of it touches the water hazard.

Note 1: Stakes or lines used to define a water hazardmust be yellow. When both stakes and lines are used to define water hazards, the stakes identify the hazard and the lines define the hazard margin.

Note 2: The Committee may make a LocalRule prohibiting play from an environmentally-sensitive area defined as a water hazard.

A "wrong ball'' is any ball other than the player's:

• Ball in play,
• Provisional ball, or
• Second ball played under Rule 3-3 or Rule 20-7c in stroke play; and includes:
  • another player's ball,
  • an abandoned ball, and
  • the player's original ball when it is no longer in play.

Note: Ball in play includes a ball substituted for the ball in play whether or not the substitution is permitted.

A "wrong putting green" is any putting green other than that of the hole being played. Unless otherwise prescribed by the Committee, this term includes a practice putting green or pitching green on the course.

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