Rule 24 of Golf Explained: Team Competitions, Captains and Advice Givers
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How we wrote this: A plain-English summary of Rule 24 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.
What counts as a team event (Rule 24.1)
A team is a group of players who play as individuals or as sides, and their round or match results combine into a team score. Team events can be match play or stroke play, and can run alongside another competition such as individual stroke play. Rules 1–23 apply, as modified by Rule 24.
The Terms of the Competition (Rule 24.2)
The Committee sets the form of play and how team scores work, for example:
- in match play, how many points a win or a tie earns;
- in stroke play, how many scores count toward the team total;
- whether the event can end in a tie, and how a tie is decided.
Team captain (Rule 24.3)
Each team may name a captain who makes decisions such as who plays in which rounds or matches, in what order, and who partners whom. The captain may also be a player.
Advice giver (Rule 24.4a)
Under a Local Rule, the Committee may let each team name one advice giver. Model Local Rule H-2 allows two.
- The advice giver may give advice and other help allowed under Rule 10.2, and players may ask them for advice.
- They can be the captain, a coach or another person, including a team member.
- They must be named to the Committee before giving advice.
- A team member who's the advice giver can't act in that role while playing a round (Rule 24.4b).
No advice between team members (Rule 24.4c)
Unless you're partners on a side, you must not ask for or give advice to a team member who is playing on the course, whether they're in your group or another. The penalty is the general penalty under Rule 10.2a.
In a stroke play team event where your score counts only toward the team, Model Local Rule H-5 can let teammates in the same group advise each other.
Related: Foursomes, Four-Ball, match play vs. stroke play, model Local Rules.