GOLF RULES! What Happens When You Hit Your Tee Shot From the Wrong Place?

It recently came to Seascaper’s attention that in a four-ball match, a player teed off from outside of the proper markers. His opponent flatly declared that the player had violated the rules and had lost the match.

This is absolutely wrong.

In match play, if you tee off from outside of the teeing ground – either to the side, in front or more than two club-lengths behind the proper markers – your opponent has the option of making you replay your tee shot. Or not. It’s his choice.

Here’s the rule:

11-4. Playing From Outside Teeing Ground

a. Match Play

If a player, when starting a hole, plays a ball from outside the teeing ground, there is no penalty, but the opponent may immediately require the player to cancel the stroke and play a ball from within the teeing ground.

If you make this mistake in match play and your opponent does not immediately require you to replay the tee shot, there is no penalty.

The rule is different for stroke play. In this case, you must replay the tee shot from the proper teeing ground and you incur a two-stroke penalty. If you don’t re-tee from the proper area before making a stroke from the next teeing ground (or before leaving the green on the last hole), then you are disqualified.

Here’s the rule:

b. Stroke Play

If a competitor, when starting a hole, plays a ball from outside the teeing ground, he incurs a penalty of two strokes and must then play a ball from within the teeing ground.

If the competitor makes a stroke from the next teeing ground without first correcting his mistake or, in the case of the last hole of the round, leaves the putting green without first declaring his intention to correct his mistake, he is disqualified.