Areas of the Course

2.2 - Defined Areas of the Course

There are five (5) defined areas of the course under the New Rules. 

The General Area

This covers the entire course, except for the four specific areas.

1. Why call it the general area? - It covers most of the course and is where a player's ball will most often be played until the ball reaches the putting green.
   • It includes every type of ground and growing or attached objects found in that area.
   • Includes fairway, rough, and trees

Four Specific Areas

1. The Teeing Area the player MUST use in starting the hole (Rule 6.2)
2. All penalty areas (Rule 17)
3. All bunkers (Rule 12)
4. The putting green (Rule 13)

When a ball physically lies in more than one area of the course:

A ball may physically lie in more than one area of the course, however, under the rules the ball will be treated as in only one area of the course. Below is a hierarchy for where a ball will lie under the Rules of Golf if this happens to be the case:

1. Penalty area
2. Bunker
3. Putting green
4. Teeing area
5. General area