1. Specification of the Ball (Note to Rule 5-1)
Back to Conditions of the Competition
The following two conditions are recommended only for competitions involving expert players:
a. List of Conforming Golf Balls
The R&A periodically issues a List of Conforming Golf Balls which lists balls that have been tested and found to conform. If the Committee wishes to require players to play a brand of golf ball on the List, the List should be posted and the following condition of competition used:
"The ball the player plays must be named on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls issued by the R&A.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDITION:
Disqualification."
b. One Ball Condition
If it is desired to prohibit changing brands and types of golf balls during a stipulated round, the following condition is recommended:
"Limitation on Balls Used During Round: (Note to Rule 5-1)
(i) "One Ball" Condition
During a stipulated round, the balls a player plays must be of the same brand and type as detailed by a single entry on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls.
Note: If a ball of a different brand and/or type is dropped or placed it may be lifted, without penalty, and the player must then proceed by dropping or placing a proper ball (Rule 20-6).
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDITION:
Match Play - At the conclusion of the hole at which the breach is discovered, the state of the match must be adjusted by deducting one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred; maximum deduction per round: Two holes.
Stroke Play - Two strokes for each hole at which any breach occurred; maximum penalty per round: Four strokes.
(ii) Procedure When Breach Discovered
When a player discovers that he has played a ball in breach of this condition, he must abandon that ball before playing from the next teeing ground and complete the round with a proper ball; otherwise, the player is disqualified. If discovery is made during play of a hole and the player elects to substitute a proper ball before completing that hole, the player must place a proper ball on the spot where the ball played in breach of the condition lay."