5-1.
General
The ball the player uses shall conform to requirements specified
in Appendix III.
*Note: The Committee
may require, in the conditions of a competition (Rule 33-1). that
the
ball the player uses must be named on the current List of Conforming
Golf Balls issued by the
Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.
5-2.
Foreign Material
Foreign material must not be applied to a ball for the purpose of
changing its playing
characteristics.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 5-1 or 5-2:
Disqualification.
5-3.
Ball Unfit for Play
A ball is unfit for play if it is visibly cut, cracked or out of
shape. A ball is not unfit for play solely
because mud or other materials adhere to it, its surface is scratched
or ; scraped or its paint is
damaged or discoloured.
If a player has reason to believe his ball has become unfit ,for
play during the play of the hole
being played, he may during the play of such hole lift his ball
without penalty to determine
whether it is unfit.
Before lifting the ball, the player must announce his intention
to his opponent in match play or
his marker or a
fellow-competitor in stroke play and mark the position
of the ball. He may
then lift and examine the ball without cleaning it and must give
his opponent, marker or fellow-
competitor an opportunity to examine the ball.
If he fails to comply with this procedure, he
shall incur a penalty of one stroke.
If it is determined that the ball has become unfit for play during
play of the hole being played,
the player may substitute another ball, placing it on the spot where
the original ball lay. Otherwise, the original ball shall be replaced.If
a ball breaks into pieces as a result of a stroke,
the stroke shall be cancelled and the player shall play ball without
penalty as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original
ball was played (see Rule 20-5).
*PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 5-3:
Match play -Loss of hole
Stroke play -Two strokes.
*If a player incurs the general penalty for breach of Rule5-3,no
additional penalty under the
Rule shall be applied.
*Note: If the opponent, marker
or fellow-competitor wishe to dispute a claim of unfitness, he must
do so before thit player plays another ball.
(Cleaning ball lifted from putting green or under any other Rule-
see Rule 21.) |
