Addressing the Ball — Taking a stance and grounding your club (except in a hazard, where a player may not ground the club without penalty).

Advice — Counsel or suggestion which could influence another player in determining his play.

Ball in Play — A ball is "in play" as soon as a player has made a stroke on the teeing ground. It remains "in play" until holed out, except when it is lost, out of bounds, or another ball has been substituted.

Bunker — A hazard consisting of a prepared area of ground, often a hollow, from which turf or soil has been removed and replaced with sand or the like. Grass-covered ground bordering or within a bunker is not part of the bunker.

Caddie — One who carries or handles a player’s clubs during play and otherwise assists the player in accordance with the rules.

Casual Water — Any temporary accumulation of water (not in a water hazard) on the course which is visible before or after the player has taken his stance. Snow and natural ice, other than frost, are either casual water or loose impediments, at the option of the player.

Competitor — A player in stroke play competition. And a fellow-competitor is any person with whom the competitor plays.

Course — The whole area within which play is permitted.

Equipment — Anything used, worn, or carried by the player, except any ball he has played on that hole and a small object when used to mark the position of a ball or the extent of an area in which a ball is to be dropped. Equipment includes a golf cart.

Flagstick — Movable straight indicator centered in the hole to show its position.

Forecaddie — Person employed by the committee to indicate to players the position of balls during play.

Ground under Repair — Any portion of the course so marked or identified by the committee. Relief is available without penalty.

Hazard — Any bunker or water hazard.

Hole — The "holes" shall be 4 Ό inches in diameter and at least 4 inches deep (most are 6 inches deep).

Holed — A ball is "holed" when it is at rest within the circumference of the hole and all of it is below the level of the lip of the hole.

Honor — The side entitled to play first from the teeing ground is said to have the "honor."

Lateral Water Hazard — A water hazard where it is impracticable for a player to drop his ball behind the hazard keeping the point of entry between the drop point and the hole. These areas should be defined by red stakes or lines.

Line of Play — The direction a player wishes the ball to take after a stroke, plus a reasonable distance on either side of the intended direction. The line of play does not extend beyond the hole.

Line of Putt — The line which the player wishes the ball to take after a stroke on the putting green. The line of putt does not extend beyond the hole.

Loose Impediments — Natural objects such as stones, leaves, twigs, branches and the like, provided they are not fixed or growing, not solidly embedded, and do not adhere to the ball. Sand and loose soil are loose impediments on the putting green only.

Lost Ball — A ball is "lost" if:

a) It is not found or identified within five minutes after the player’s side or caddie(s) have begun to search for it; or

b) The player has put another ball into play under the rules; or

c) The player has played a stroke with a provisional ball from the place where the original ball is likely to be or from a point nearer the hole than that place.

Marker — Person appointed by the committee to record a competitors score in stroke play.

Observer — Person appointed by the committee to assist a referee to decide questions of fact and to report any breach of the rules.

Obstructions — Anything artificial, including artificial road surfaces, except:

a) Objects defining out of bounds;

b) Any part of an immovable artificial object which is out of bounds; and

c) Any construction declared to be an integral part of the course.

Out of Bounds — Ground on which play is prohibited. If stakes or a fence is used, the out of bounds line is determined by the nearest inside points of the stakes or fence posts at ground level. When out of bounds is defined by a line, the line itself is out of bounds. A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies out of bounds. A player may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds.

Outside Agency — Any agency not part of the match or, in stroke play, not part of the competitors side.

Partner — A player associated with another player on the same side.

Provisional Ball — A ball played in case the original is lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds. The intent of playing a provisional ball must be clearly declared.

Putting Green — Specially prepared ground for putting. A ball is on the putting green when any part of it touches the putting green.

Referee — Person appointed by the committee to accompany players to decide questions of fact and apply the rules.

Rub of the Green — When a ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside agency.

Rule — There are 34 rules found in the Rules of Golf book, which is published each year by the USGA. The term includes Local Rules made by the committee.

Sides and Matches —

Side: A player, or two or more players who are partners.

Single: A match in which one player plays against another.

Threesome: A match in which one player plays against two, and each side plays one ball, with the two-person side playing alternately.

Foursome: A match in which two players play against two players, and each side plays one ball and plays alternately.

Three-Ball: Three players with each playing individually against the other two.

Four-Ball: A match in which two players (side) play their better ball against the better ball of the two other players (side).

Best-Ball: A match in which one player plays against the better ball of two or the best ball of three players.

Stipulated Round — Consists of playing the holes in their correct sequence unless otherwise authorized by the committee. The number of holes in a stipulated round is 18 unless otherwise stated by the committee.

Stroke — The forward movement of the club made with the intention of fairly striking the ball. If a player voluntarily stops his swing before the clubhead reaches the ball he has not made a stroke.

Teeing Ground — 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 telemarkers. A ball lies outside the teeing ground when all of it is outside of the defined teeing area.

Through the Green — The whole area of the course except the teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played and all hazards on the course.

Water Hazard — Any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course. It should be defined by yellow stakes or lines. The stakes and lines defining the water hazard are in the hazard.

Wrong Ball — Any ball other than the player’s ball in play, provisional ball, or in stroke play, second ball played under Rule 3-3 or Rule 20-7b.

The Rules of Golf do not recognize the terms sand trap, pin, and pin placement. The proper terms are bunker, flagstick, and hole location respectively.