RULES TIP
Presented by: John Hanlon, Jr.
Head Golf Professional
PGA Certified/Golf Operations
You are playing a match and hit your second shot into the woods. You want to play a provisional, but you are not sure what the order of play should be.
Do you play before your opponent?
Rule 10-1b (Order of Play During Play of Hole) states:
After both players have started play of the hole, the ball farther from the hole is played first. If the balls are equidistant from the hole or their positions relative to the hole are not determinable, the ball to be played first should be decided by lot.
Note: When it becomes known that the original ball is not to be played as it lies and the player is required to play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5), the order of play is determined by the spot from which the previous stroke was made. When a ball may be played from a spot other than where the previous stroke was made, the order of play is determined by the position where the original ball came to rest.
Under Rule 10-1c (Playing Out of Turn):
If a player plays when his opponent should have played, there is no penalty, but the opponent may immediately require the player to cancel the stroke so made and, in correct order, play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (See Rule 20-5) “Allowing” the player to play before you assumes you are OK with his actions and
you cannot make him replay the shot.
