In the March-April 2025 issue of Virginia Golfer, we presented an 18-question quiz designed to test your knowledge of the Rules of Golf. We received nearly 200 responses trying to solve the quiz, and only one person got all 18 right: Springfield Golf & Country Club’s Charles Rolen. Please see below to access answers and explanations for all 18 questions.
1 – On the third hole, a player’s ball comes to rest in the general area. Which of the following is not considered part of the general area?
Answer: (c) The definition of “general area” is the area of the course except for the other four defined areas. Penalty areas are another defined area of the course so it cannot be a part of the general area.
2 – In stroke play, in which one of the following situations does the player get the general penalty?
Answer: (b) In Rule 13.1c(2) there is an internal definition of “damage on the putting green”. Damage does not include normal practices for maintaining the overall condition of the putting green, such as aeration holes. The line of play is protected under the conditions affecting the stroke and the player would get the general penalty under 8.1a.
3 – In stroke play, after the player’s first stroke from within the teeing area, the player’s ball hits a tree and comes to rest within the teeing area. The player alters the surface of the ground in the teeing area because it interferes with their stance. The player then makes their stroke. What is the ruling?
Answer: (a) In Rule 6.2 it states what is allowed when playing a ball from the teeing area. These rules apply whenever a player is required or allowed to play a ball from the teeing area. Altering the surface of the ground is allowed under these rules, so there is no penalty.
4 – In a four-ball stroke play event, the player’s ball lies on the putting green. Who is allowed to mark and lift the player’s ball without penalty?
Answer: (d) Rule 14.1b states the caddie can lift the player’s ball without authorization on the putting green. In Rule 23.5a a player’s partner can take any action concerning the partner’s ball, such as marking the ball. Another player in the group is considered an outside influence and Rule 9.6 says there is no penalty if a player’s ball was lifted or moved by an outside influence.
5 – Which is correct regarding a player who decides to take unplayable ball relief?
Answer: (b) When taking relief, the player can drop the ball in any area of the course, including a penalty area. However, a player cannot use the unplayable ball rule if their ball lies in a penalty area. In addition, the spot of the ball becomes the reference point when taking relief, so the player needs to identify their golf ball before using this rule.
6 – In which of the following situations is the ball not in a bunker?
Answer: (c) Rule 12.1 explains when a ball is in a bunker. When a ball is touching sand in the bunker or is lying on a loose impediment (leaf), movable obstruction (abandoned towel), or abnormal course condition (temporary water), it is in the bunker. If a ball lies in a growing natural object inside the bunker without touching the sand, the ball is not in the bunker.
7 – Which is incorrect regarding a player searching for a ball?
Answer: (b) Rule 7.4 states that there is no penalty if the player’s ball is accidentally moved by the player while trying to find or identify it. The definition of lost says the player has three minutes to search before it considered lost. Rule 7.1a says that players can move sand in a bunker to fairly search, but must re-create the lie if it is found. There is a clarification in 18.2a(1)/2 that a player may instruct their caddie not to begin searching for a ball.
8 - A player’s ball lies on a red penalty area line that is painted within a bunker next to the green. The player grounds their club and hits their shot onto the green. What is the ruling?
Answer: (a) The first step is to figure out which part of the course the ball lies in, since a ball can only be in one part of the course at a time. In the definition of “penalty area” it explains that when penalty areas are marked with lines, the line is part of the penalty area. Rule 2.2c explains that if a ball is touching both penalty area and bunker, it is in the penalty area, so the rules for a ball in a penalty area apply (i.e. player may ground their club) and the rules for a ball in a bunker do not apply.
9 – Which of the following is not a loose impediment?
Answer: (d) Loose impediments are unattached natural objects. A clarification states that fruit that is detached from its tree is a loose impediment. Worms and insects are also included in the definition of “loose impediments”. There are a couple special cases, including spider webs, that they are considered loose impediments even though they are attached to another object. Grass clippings that are unattached are loose impediments, except they are not loose when sticking to the ball.
10 – A player intends to take relief for a ball that lies in ground under repair on a slope. Before taking relief, they break off a branch from a bush that is located a few yards from the relief area and down the slope because they are concerned that the ball might roll down the hill after taking relief. Which of the following is true?
Answer: (d) Rule 8.2 applies in this situation since it is not one of the conditions affecting the stroke that is being improved. But this is still a prohibited action since a player must not deliberately take any actions listed in Rule 8.1a (breaking any attached natural object) to affect where the player’s ball might go or come to rest if it moves before the stroke is made.
11 – A player believes that their ball lies on the putting green, they mark its spot and lift the ball. They later found out that their ball was not on the putting green. What is the ruling?
Answer: (c) Since the ball was not on the putting green, the player caused their ball to move by picking it up. Rule 9.4 states that the player receives one penalty stroke, and the player needs to replace the ball.
12 - In taking relief from a cart path (immovable obstruction), a player picks up their ball and drops it within the relief area. The ball rolls and comes to rest outside of the relief area, so they pick it up to drop a second time and notice a scuff on the ball, which was caused when their shot hit the path. Although the ball is not cut or cracked, they decide to get another ball from their bag. They drop the new ball in the right way and it comes to rest in the relief area. Which one of the following is correct?
Answer: (c) Because the player was taking relief from an abnormal course condition, they are entitled to substitute a ball. Rule 14.3a states that the player may use the original ball or another ball when dropping in a relief area. This means that the player may use any ball each time they drop or place a ball under this Rule, so it didn’t matter that it was the second drop that the player decided to substitute.
13 – Which one of the following is not an option for a ball in a yellow penalty area?
Answer: (c) Rule 17.1d explains the options for taking relief from a penalty area. Lateral relief, or measuring two-club lengths from the spot where the ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area, is only an option for a red penalty area.
14 – Which of the following statements is true regarding an embedded ball?
Answer: (b) The rules are very specific in what is considered an embedded ball. Rule 16.3a(2) states that a player’s ball is embedded only if it is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of the player’s previous stroke, and part of the ball is below the level of the ground. This does not include a ball that is driven straight into the ground without becoming airborne, or if the ball was dropped in taking relief from a Rule. If a player reasonably believes that their ball lies in a condition where free relief is allowed, but cannot decide that without lifting the ball, they are allowed to mark and lift the ball (Rule 16.4). However, this is one of the four times a player is not allowed to clean their ball when relief is not allowed under the Rules (Rule 14.1c). If the player’s ball is embedded, they would then be allowed to clean their ball before replacing.
15 – A provisional ball may not be played:
Answer: (a) Rule 18.3a states a provisional ball may be played if a ball might be lost outside a penalty area or might be out of bounds. If a player knows that the ball is in a penalty area, they are not allowed to play a provisional ball.
16 - In stroke play, a player substitutes a ball when dropping to take relief from temporary water. The original ball was immediately recoverable. What is the ruling if they have not yet made a stroke at the dropped ball?
Answer: (c) A player is allowed to substitute a ball whenever they are taking relief under a Rule (Rule 14.3a). Since the player dropped correctly, the substituted ball is now the ball in play and the player must play that ball.
17 – In the general area, a player grounds their club next to their ball, which immediately moves 1/8th of an inch towards their club. What penalty, if any, does the player get?
Answer: (d) If the player causes their ball to move, they receive a one stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced (Rule 9.4)
18 - In stroke play, a player’s tee shot deflects off a maintenance cart and it goes into a red penalty area 10 yards to the left. The player drops a ball at the spot where the ball deflected off the cart and completes the hole in 4 more strokes. They tee off on the next hole. What is the player’s score for the hole?
Answer: (c) This player had 5 talent strokes: the tee shot and 4 more to complete the hole. Rule 11.1 covers when a ball in motion accidentally hits a person or outside influence. The maintenance cart is an outside influence and since this was accidental, there is no penalty to the player for the ball hitting the maintenance cart. The next part of the Rule, 11.1b explains where the ball is played from. Since the ball was originally played from anywhere except the putting green, the ball is played as it lies (in the red penalty area). When the player dropped where the ball deflected off the cart, they were taking penalty area relief (one penalty stroke) as this was the only Rule that could apply in this situation, but dropped in a wrong place (general penalty, or two strokes in stroke play). Rule 14.7 explains what to do when a player plays from a wrong place, and since the player dropped 10 yards from the penalty area, this is not a serious breach, so they are not disqualified. So, 5 talent strokes, 1 penalty stroke for relief from a penalty area, and 2 penalty strokes from playing from a wrong place results in a score of 8 for the hole.