Golf rules guide covers penalty areas and bunker etiquette

Common golf rules and etiquette regarding penalty areas, bunkers, and ball replacement are outlined to assist players in navigating specific gameplay scenarios.

In penalty areas such as ponds or creeks, players may choose to play the ball as it lies without penalty, or take relief by dropping the ball at a designated spot. In bunkers, players are permitted to clear away natural objects like leaves or small stones near the ball without penalty. However, touching the sand with a club during a stance results in a two-stroke penalty. It is also standard etiquette to use a rake to smooth sand after a shot.

Regarding ball replacement, if a player marks a ball on the green and it accidentally enters a penalty area (such as being dropped into a pond) through no fault of the player, they may replace it with a new ball without penalty, provided the original cannot be recovered within a few seconds of reasonable effort. This follows 2019 rule updates designed to prevent undue penalties for unintentional accidents.