McIlroy Fires 63 at Abu Dhabi Aldar After Rules Penalty
A day after a two-shot penalty, Rory McIlroy shot a nine-under 63 at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship to reach 11 under.
November 7, 2026
Rules
McIlroy Penalized Two Shots for Improved Lie in Abu Dhabi
A video review found Rory McIlroy flattened grass behind his ball on the 12th hole, turning his opening-round 68 into a 70.
November 6, 2026
Rules of Golf Permit Players to Tap In a Putt While Walking
Rule 10.1 governs how a stroke is made, not whether the golfer is moving, so tapping in a short putt while still walking carries no penalty.
November 6, 2026
Tom Kim, Brian Campbell Each Hit Penalized for Wrong Ball
Kim and Campbell swapped golf balls out of the same bunker at the Mexico Open, each drawing a two-stroke penalty and a double bogey.
October 31, 2026
A Partner Finds Your 'Lost' Golf Ball: What the Rules Say
Under the Rules of Golf, a ball isn't lost until a three-minute search ends. A partner's find can override your call, as Shane Lowry learned at Royal Troon.
October 30, 2026
If Wind Moves Your Ball During a Putt, Is It a Penalty?
Rule 10.1d and Rule 9.1b decide whether a gust that moves your ball mid-stroke costs you a stroke, and the answer usually is no.
October 28, 2026
PGA Tour Let Smotherman Warm Up On-Course Before Playoff
October 27
How the R&A Tests Golf Clubs for Conformance at Kingsbarns
October 27
Red vs. Yellow Penalty Areas: The Key Rules Difference
October 24
Slow-Play Penalties Pile Up on LPGA and LIV, Not PGA Tour
October 21
How Long Can a Golf Ball Wait on the Lip of the Cup?
October 21
LPGA Hits Carlota Ciganda, Yealimi Noh With Slow-Play Penalties
October 18
What the Rules Say When a Golf Ball Won't Stay Put
A rake-assisted bunker save and a wind-blown green ball show how Rule 14.2e and Rule 9.3 handle a ball that refuses to hold its spot.
October 14, 2026
Tyler McCumber Takes Two-Stroke Penalty Over Marker Mix-Up
Tyler McCumber self-reported an uncertain ball-marker replacement at the WA PGA Championship, accepting a two-stroke penalty that cost him a share of the lead.
October 12, 2026
Adam Hadwin Takes Two-Shot Penalty Chasing PGA Tour Card
A relief violation cost Adam Hadwin two strokes at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, where he is trying to win his way back to the PGA Tour.
October 10, 2026
Ball in a Culvert? Why It Gets Free Relief, Not a Penalty
A ball resting inside an underground culvert beneath the fairway counts as an abnormal course condition, entitling the player to free relief.
October 7, 2026
Nate Smith, Andrew Bailey Meet in USGA Mid-Amateur Final
Two former pros face off in the Mid-Amateur final, intensifying scrutiny of USGA reinstatement rules for ex-professionals.
October 1, 2026
Rule 1.3c(4) Caps Penalty Strokes at Three on a Single Shot
Rule 1.3c(4) limits how many penalty strokes stack on one shot, but a nonconforming club skips straight to disqualification.
September 30, 2026
Golf Rules Explained: You Don't Have to Search for Your Ball
The Rules of Golf don't require a player to look for a lost ball, but a three-minute clock applies to anyone who does choose to search.
September 29, 2026
What Happens If the Presidents Cup Ends in a Tie This Week
A 15-15 finish would not trigger a playoff. Here is how the Presidents Cup handles a tie, and how it differs from the Ryder Cup.
September 28, 2026
Tour Winner MJ Maguire Disqualified Over Lost-Ball Ruling
The Asian Tour disqualified MJ Maguire after ruling his ball lost under Rule 18.2a, then a wrong-ball penalty he failed to correct in time.
September 28, 2026
Presidents Cup Fan's Kick Ruled Out of Bounds Under Rule 11.2
A spectator kicked a wayward shot back into play during Presidents Cup foursomes, but officials ruled the ball out of bounds under golf's interference rule.
September 27, 2026
USGA, R&A Propose Three New Rules to Limit Tour Driving Distance
The governing bodies want feedback on ball, driver and club-length limits that could take effect for tour pros as soon as January 2028.
September 24, 2026
Golf Rules: Marking a Ball on a Slope Before It Rolls Back
Rule 14.1 lets a caddie mark and lift a ball on the green before wind sends it rolling back down a slope, plus a second marking scenario explained.
September 23, 2026
Ball on Wooden Steps: When the Rules of Golf Require a Drop
The Rules of Golf let a player choose to play a ball from a set of steps in most cases, but a few exceptions force a drop.
September 22, 2026
MacIntyre Denied Relief Under New 2026 Embedded-Ball Rule
A referee ruled Robert MacIntyre's plugged lie at Wentworth had been repaired, costing him relief under golf's new embedded-ball rule.
September 22, 2026
Max Greyserman Docked a Stroke for Ball Movement at Biltmore
A rules official ruled Max Greyserman caused his ball to move at address on the ninth, costing him a stroke in the Biltmore Championship final round.
September 21, 2026
Rory McIlroy's Puzzling Free Relief Ruling at BMW PGA Explained
A cart path ruling on Wentworth's 14th hole let McIlroy save par during his opening 69, puzzling broadcasters along the way.
September 18, 2026
PGA Tour Rules Preferred Lies for Full Biltmore Event
Citing agronomic damage from rain and heat, the PGA Tour ruled preferred lies for all four Biltmore Championship rounds in advance.
September 18, 2026
Nine Practical Ways to Find a Lost Golf Ball Faster on Course
Know your yardage, search the whole zone in a straight line, and get every playing partner looking to cut search time.
September 17, 2026
Rules of Golf: Can You Deflect a Putt With the Flagstick?
Rule 11.2 spells out the penalty when a player deliberately deflects an opponent's ball with the flagstick, in match and stroke play.
September 17, 2026
Rules of Golf: What If Your Ball Hits a Decoy Bird?
Two real rules questions, answered: relief for a ball that strikes a bird decoy, and why a fence never earns free relief from a penalty area.
September 17, 2026
Haotong Li Hit With Rule 9.4b Penalty at Amgen Irish Open
Haotong Li was penalized a stroke under Rule 9.4b after his ball moved in a stream during Round 3 of the Amgen Irish Open.
September 13, 2026
Rare Golf Rule Lets Boutier Place Her Ball at Solheim Cup
A temporary immovable obstruction and a downslope combined to let Europe's Celine Boutier place, rather than drop, her ball inside a penalty area.
September 12, 2026
Solheim Cup 2026 Format: Foursomes, Four-Ball and Singles
A breakdown of how the 2026 Solheim Cup awards its 28 points, including how many the U.S. and Europe each need to win at Bernardus Golf.
September 10, 2026
Dropping From the Wrong Height Can Cost a Stroke Under Rule 14.3
An incorrect drop played before it is corrected brings a one-stroke penalty, or the general penalty if the ball left the relief area.
September 9, 2026
Borrowing a Playing Partner's Club Mid-Round Breaks Rule 4.1b
Borrowing a playing partner's club mid-round counts as carrying too many clubs, even for a shot as memorable as a hole-in-one.
September 9, 2026
Unconceded Putt Costs GB&I a Hole in Walker Cup Foursomes
A missed short putt picked up too soon led to a one-shot penalty for GB&I in Walker Cup foursomes at Lahinch, echoing a 2015 Solheim Cup dispute.
September 6, 2026
3-Minute Ball Search Deadline Holds, Even Behind Slow Play
The Rules of Golf set a hard three-minute limit to find a ball, even when a slow group ahead means you can't play anyway.
September 2, 2026
Hovland Spared Bunker Penalty That Would've Cost Him $3 Million
PGA Tour officials cleared Viktor Hovland of grounding his club in a bunker at the Tour Championship, a call worth roughly $3 million to him.
September 1, 2026
Rule 15.2 Allows Moving Obstructions Even Out of Bounds
Rule 15.2 lets golfers remove a movable obstruction on or off the course without penalty, even when the object itself sits out of bounds.
August 31, 2026
Rule 16.3 Free Drop Saves Ryan Gerard's Tour Championship Bid
A ball embedded in a bunker face, not the sand, earned Ryan Gerard a free drop under Rule 16.3 during Tour Championship's third round.
August 30, 2026
How Long Pro Golf Tournaments Last, From 3 Days to 2 Weeks
A standard event is 72 holes over four days, but three-day tours, weather delays and a 2028 two-week finale break that assumption.
August 30, 2026
Wyndham Clark Denies Improving His Lie in BMW Rules Flap
Wyndham Clark addressed TV scrutiny over repeated club placements on Bellerive's 14th hole, pointing to the rule that lets golfers test a lie.
August 26, 2026
Measuring Two Club-Lengths Isn't Itself A Rules Violation
Measuring two club-lengths instead of one isn't a rules breach itself; the penalty comes from playing outside the correct relief area under Rule 14.7a.
August 25, 2026
Rules Explainer: Choosing a Side for Cart Path Relief
The Rules of Golf require dropping at the nearest point of complete relief from a cart path, not whichever side leaves the easier shot.
August 25, 2026
Club golf tournament rules: handicap allowances and prize limits
What the World Handicap System, Rule 3.3b and the Rules of Amateur Status actually require of club events, from allowances to the $1,000 prize cap.
August 24, 2026
Shaun Norris two-shot penalty derails bid at Nexo Championship
A divot kicked aside before an approach shot cost the 54-hole leader two strokes and, ultimately, the title in Scotland.
August 24, 2026
Repairing a pitch mark from the fringe: what Rule 13.1c allows
Rule 13.1c lets you fix a ball mark on the putting surface even when your ball sits on the fringe. Repairing one on the fringe itself costs two shots.
August 23, 2026
What actually makes someone club champion, and what doesn't
The club championship is the gross Championship Flight from the back tees with no handicap strokes. Senior, net and flight titles are separate events.
August 23, 2026
Clearing Up Confusion: The Rules for Adjusting Your Ball During Preferred Lies
Looking for clarification on whether you can adjust your ball’s position after placing it during preferred lies? Our expert Rules Guy has the answer for you. Keep reading to understand the specific rule and limitation in this situation. Contact our Rules Guy for any further questions or assistance.
April 24, 2024
Phil Mickelson’s Rules Misunderstanding at the PGA Championship
Learn about the new rules of the 2023 PGA Championship and how Phil Mickelson’s misunderstanding highlights the importance of staying up-to-date with the rules of the game. Get the answers to the questions surrounding the back-on-the-line relief rule and the importance of officials in ensuring fair play.
December 21, 2023
Maximize Your Game: The Impact of Relative Distance in the Rollback
Outraged by the Golf-Ball Rollback? Think about Distance Relatively Amid the heated distance debate surrounding the golf-ball rollback, shifting our perspective on driving distance may be beneficial. Let’s consider distance in relative terms rather than fixate on the lost yards. This approach can help alleviate the disappointment and frustration caused by the impending changes. By […]
December 14, 2023
Morikawa Penalized for Break of Model Local Rule G-11 at Hero World Challenge
Collin Morikawa Penalized for Violating Model Local Rule at 2023 Hero World Challenge In an unforeseen turn of events, Collin Morikawa, the renowned PGA Tour professional, was given a two-shot penalty for unwittingly violating the local model rule G-11. This happened on the fourth hole of the third round at the 2023 Hero World Challenge […]
December 4, 2023
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Recent
McIlroy Fires 63 at Abu Dhabi Aldar After Rules Penalty
McIlroy Penalized Two Shots for Improved Lie in Abu Dhabi
Rules of Golf Permit Players to Tap In a Putt While Walking
Tom Kim, Brian Campbell Each Hit Penalized for Wrong Ball
A Partner Finds Your 'Lost' Golf Ball: What the Rules Say
If Wind Moves Your Ball During a Putt, Is It a Penalty?