- Players are expected to recognize when they have breached a Rule and to be honest in applying their own penalties.
- If a player knows that they have breached a Rule that involves a penalty and deliberately fails to apply the penalty, the player is disqualified.
- If two or more players agree to ignore any Rule or penalty they know applies and any of those players have started the round, they are disqualified (even if they have not yet acted on the agreement).
- When it is necessary to decide questions of fact, a player is responsible for considering not only their own knowledge of the facts but also all other information that is reasonably available.
- A player may ask for help with the Rules from a referee or the Committee, but if help is not available in a reasonable time the player must play on and raise the issue with a referee or the Committee when they become available (See Rule 20.1).
- Many Rules require a player to determine a spot, point, line, area or other location under the Rules, such as:
- Estimating where a ball last crossed the edge of a penalty area,
- Estimating or measuring when dropping or placing a ball in taking relief, or
- Replacing a ball on its original spot (whether the spot is known or estimated).
- Determining the area of the course where the ball lies, including whether the ball lies on the course, or
- Determining whether the ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course condition.
- Such determinations about location need to be made promptly and with care but often cannot be precise.
- So long as the player does what can be reasonably expected under the circumstances to make an accurate determination, the player's reasonable judgment will be accepted even if, after the stroke is made, the determination is shown to be wrong by video evidence or other information.
- If a player becomes aware of a wrong determination before the stroke is made, it must be corrected (See Rule 14.5).
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