Golf Rule 5: Starting Times, Practice Before a Round, the 40-Second Guideline and Lightning
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How we wrote this: A plain-English summary of Rule 5 of the Rules of Golf as published by The R&A (the same Rules the USGA publishes), checked October 29, 2026. Committees can change some of this with Local Rules.
Be on time, exactly (Rule 5.3)
Your round starts with your first stroke, and you must start at, not before, your starting time. The Rules treat it as exact: 9 a.m. means 9:00:00, not any time before 9:01. Missing it means disqualification, with three exceptions:
| Situation | Result |
|---|---|
| You arrive ready to play up to 5 minutes late | General penalty on your first hole |
| You start up to 5 minutes early | General penalty on your first hole |
| The Committee decides exceptional circumstances made you late | No penalty |
If the tee is delayed by weather or slow play, you're fine as long as you're present and ready when your group can start.
Practicing on the course before a round (Rule 5.2)
- Match play: you may practice on the course before a round.
- Stroke play: on competition day you must not practice on the course beforehand, except putting or chipping on or near your first teeing area and using practice areas. A breach is the general penalty on your first hole. A second breach is disqualification.
Committees can change this with a Local Rule, so check the notice board.
Practice during the round (Rule 5.5)
While playing a hole, no practice strokes at any ball. A practice swing with no intent to hit a ball is fine. Between holes you may practice putting or chipping on or near the green you just finished, or a practice green, but not from a bunker and without delaying play.
Pace of play (Rule 5.6)
- Unreasonable delay: one stroke for the first breach, then the general penalty, then disqualification.
- The Rules recommend making your stroke in no more than 40 seconds once it's your turn and you can play without interference, and usually faster.
- Be ready when it's your turn, let faster groups play through, and in stroke play use "ready golf" safely.
Stopping play and lightning (Rule 5.7)
You may stop only when the Committee suspends play, by agreement in match play, or if you reasonably believe there's danger from lightning. In that case, report to the Committee as soon as possible. If the Committee calls an immediate suspension, don't make another stroke. For a normal suspension, such as darkness, a group already on a hole can choose to finish it, normally deciding within about two minutes. See the National Weather Service's lightning safety advice.
Related: the spirit of the game, home practice setup.