Not Sure of a Ruling? Golf Rule 20: Playing Two Balls, Asking for a Ruling and Video Evidence
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How we wrote this: A plain-English summary of Rule 20 of the Rules of Golf as published by The R&A (the same Rules the USGA publishes), checked October 29, 2026. Read the official Rule text for every detail.
The first principle: don't hold up play
If no referee or Committee member can help in a reasonable time, you must decide what to do and play on. Rule 20 then gives you ways to protect your rights.
In stroke play: play two balls (Rule 20.1c(3))
If you're unsure of the right procedure while playing a hole, you may finish the hole with two balls, without penalty:
- Decide to play two balls after the situation arises and before you make a stroke.
- Announce which ball you want to count (if the Rules allow its procedure) to your marker or another player before the stroke. If you don't choose, the ball played first counts by default.
- Report the facts to the Committee before returning your scorecard, even if you scored the same with both balls. If you don't, you're disqualified.
The Committee then decides which score counts based on which procedure the Rules allowed. This is not a provisional ball.
Also, in stroke play players can't settle a Rules issue by agreement. If you think another player has breached a Rule and they don't realize it, tell them, their marker or the Committee before they return their scorecard.
In match play: agree, or request a ruling (Rule 20.1b)
- You and your opponent may agree how to decide an issue. That outcome stands even if it was wrong, unless you agreed to ignore a Rule you knew applied.
- Or request a ruling. If no one's available, tell your opponent you'll seek a ruling later. Timing matters: generally the request must come before either player starts another hole, or on the final hole, before the result is final.
- You can't play two balls in match play.
Referees and the Committee (Rule 20.2)
A referee's ruling must be followed and can't be appealed to the Committee. If a ruling is later found to be wrong, it's corrected if possible. If it's too late, it stands. The R&A's Rules of Golf Committee has the final word on referrals.
The "naked eye" standard for video
If something on video couldn't reasonably have been seen with the naked eye, that evidence is disregarded, unless you were aware of the breach anyway (for example, you felt your club touch the sand).
Related: the spirit of the game, match play vs. stroke play, dropping a ball.