Like football, basketball, soccer and tennis, golf is a game played with defined boundaries. Unlike other sports, however, golfers often find their playing area boundaries are defined by things other than laser-straight, painted lines.
Golf is a game played over a vast array of settings. No two courses are the same, and how boundaries are defined vary as well. Thankfully, the Rules of Golf are clear as to whether a ball is in or out of bounds.
Course boundaries can be defined in many ways. The most common markings include white stakes and white lines. Boundaries may also be defined by a wall, edge of a road, fence posts or other objects. In addition, certain features, such as maintenance areas, clubhouses and practice grounds, may be marked or defined by Local Rule as out of bounds even though they are on the course’s property.
Boundary objects are artificial objects that define or show out of bounds, such as the items listed above, from which free relief is not allowed. Boundary objects are treated as immovable even if they are movable or any part of them is movable. Boundary objects are not obstructions or integral objects.
A ball at rest is out of bounds only when all of it is outside the boundary edge of the course. A ball is in bounds when any part of the ball:
· Lies on or touches the ground or anything else (such as any natural or artificial object) inside the boundary edge, or
· Is above the boundary edge or any other part of the course.
The boundary edge of the course extends both above the ground and below the ground:
· This means that all ground and anything else (such as any natural or artificial object) inside the boundary edge is in bounds, whether on, above or below the surface of the ground.
· If an object is both inside and outside the boundary edge (such as steps attached to a boundary fence, or a tree rooted outside the edge with branches extending inside the edge or vice versa), only the part of the object that is outside the edge is out of bounds.
The boundary edge should be defined by boundary objects or lines:
Boundary Objects: When defined by stakes or a fence, the boundary edge is defined by the line between the course-side points of the stakes or fence posts at ground level (excluding angled supports), and those stakes or fence posts are out of bounds. When defined by other objects such as a wall or when the committee wishes to treat a boundary fence in a different way the committee should define the boundary edge.
Lines: When defined by a painted line on the ground, the boundary edge is the course-side edge of the line, and the line itself is out of bounds. When a line on the ground defines the boundary edge, stakes may be used to show where the boundary edge is, but they have no other meaning.
Also, to maintain the character of a hole or to protect players on adjacent holes, the Committee may establish boundaries between two holes. The internal boundary may apply for the play of only one hole or more than one hole.
Often, when your ball ends up close to the edge of the course your next stroke will be impacted by the boundary object. Boundary objects often make your next stroke more challenging.
Most of the time, you will use the Unplayable Ball Rule – Rule 19. But, it’s important to remember that you may stand out of bounds to play a ball on the course. Watch this!
If a ball is out of bounds, the player must take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing the original or another ball from where the previous stroke was made. There are some exceptions that apply, to learn more, check out Rule 18 in the 2019 Rules of Golf.
For more on the Rules, click here.