Rules & Formats

Mini golf has actual rules. Here's how scoring, stroke limits, out-of-bounds resets, and honors work, enough to settle any family course argument.

Match play scores holes; stroke play counts every shot. Here's how the two differ, why strategy changes, and what dormie and concessions mean.

In skins, you win a hole outright or the money carries over. Here's how a skins game works, the carryover math, and the validation rule to set first.

The rulebook is huge; you need about 12 rules. Here are the essential golf rules for beginners that keep you legal and moving, minus the obscure stuff.

Lose a ball and the clock starts: 3 minutes to search, then stroke-and-distance. Here's the lost-ball rule, the penalty, and the faster drop option.

Best ball, scramble, and shamble get mixed up constantly. Here's exactly how each team format works, who plays which ball, and when to use each.

Out of bounds costs stroke and distance, marked by white stakes. Here's the OB rule, how it differs from a hazard, and the faster local-rule option.

Wolf is the best betting game for a foursome. Here's how it works, the tee-order rotation, Lone Wolf multipliers, and how to keep score.

The Rules of Golf update on a set cycle. Here's what's new for 2026 in plain English, what changed for everyday players, and what's tour-only.

Golf etiquette isn't just tradition. Rule 1.2 makes some of it official. Here's what the Rules of Golf actually require, plus the pace-of-play, course-care, and green-side habits every golfer should know.

A penalty area is the modern name for a water hazard, and the rules changed more than the label. Here's how red and yellow penalty areas work, your relief options, and what you're actually allowed to do inside one.