Golf / Rule 05

Playing the round

The R&A / USGA · 2023
Last checked: 15 October 2026
Source: Rules of Golf — effective January 2023 · Source pages: 52–60
In short

Starting time, pace, practice and suspension of play.

On this pageStart and keep movingPractice and stopping

Start and keep moving

Be ready at the Committee’s exact starting time. Starting up to 5 minutes early or arriving ready up to 5 minutes late normally brings the general penalty on the first hole; otherwise disqualification applies, unless exceptional circumstances justify an exception. Prepare promptly: 40 seconds is a recommendation once able to play without interference, not a universal automatic penalty clock. The Committee may set a pace policy.

Practice and stopping

Practice strokes during a hole are prohibited; limited putting and chipping between holes are allowed, subject to restrictions and Local Rules. Pre-round course practice differs between match play and stroke play. Stop immediately for an immediate suspension. Reasonable fear of lightning permits stopping, reported promptly to the Committee. Ordinary bad weather alone does not. Resume at the specified time and place; mark a ball before lifting during a permitted stoppage.

Independent explanations and translations, not official federation publications. Based on the supplied R&A and USGA Rules of Golf, effective January 2023. These are condensed explanations of that edition, including Rule 25 for players with disabilities. Local Rules and later clarifications are not automatically included. References use physical PDF pages, 2 above printed page numbers.
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