Ruling Dispute - Rules
Rulings
When a ruling is required, the referee(s) should interpret all USGA and local rules during tournament play. In stroke play, the members in your group are considered to be the referees. In match play, the two players involved in the match are the referees. The referee’s ruling should be made within 5 minutes. If a player does not agree with the referee’s ruling or is not sure that he/she is proceeding correctly as allowed by the rules, the player can elect to proceed as if “under dispute”. In most cases, the referee’s ruling should be taken as advice since it is ultimately each golfer’s responsibility to follow the rules. However, in the event the ruling is subjective (such as where a ball crossed a lateral hazard), it is in the best interest of the player to accept a ruling of that nature at that time.
Playing under dispute
Playing under dispute may provide the player the option to play a second ball (Rule 3-3). A second ball is not the same as a provisional ball. Before playing a second ball, it must be announced and played in addition to the original ball. The player should also specify in advance which ball to score with if the rules allow. If the player fails to specify which ball is preferred, the original ball is the default. Both balls should be holed out, with both scores noted for review by the committee (prior to signing the official score card). After the round, the committee will rule on the dispute based on guidance by the USGA and local rules. Once the committee decision is made, the correct score for that hole will be noted and the final score will be recorded. If a player fails to proceed as allowed by the rules, the appropriate penalties (up to and including disqualification) must be enforced. These are the rules of golf.