Section 1: Introduction
The PGA TOUR is the organizer of the principal professional golf tour in North America. While the playing of the game itself is governed by the Rules of Golf jointly issued by The R&A and the USGA, the conduct of a PGA TOUR tournament — who may enter, how the field is set, how the event is run, and how players must behave — is governed by the PGA TOUR Player Handbook and Tournament Regulations, issued annually to all members.
This document does not restate the Rules of Golf; it sits on top of them. At a PGA TOUR event, the Rules of Golf and the committee's Local Rules determine how a stroke is played and what relief is available, while the Tournament Regulations govern eligibility, commitments and withdrawals, field size, pace of play, suspension and resumption of play, the cut, scoring administration, conduct, and discipline. The PGA TOUR Rules Committee adopts a standard set of Local Rules and Conditions of Competition (the "hard card") that applies at every tournament unless modified for a specific course.
The competitive season is organized around the FedExCup, a season-long points competition. Players accumulate FedExCup points based on finishing position in official events; the points race determines eligibility for the season-ending Playoffs and the following season's status. A PGA TOUR event is almost always a 72-hole individual stroke-play competition contested over four days, with a cut after 36 holes.
The PGA TOUR is distinct from the PGA of America, which conducts the PGA Championship (a major championship held in May), and from the major championships run by The R&A (The Open), the USGA (the U.S. Open), and Augusta National (the Masters). PGA TOUR members compete in those championships, but each major is run under its host organization's own regulations.
Section 2: Equipment
Conforming Equipment Requirement
Every club and ball used in a PGA TOUR competition must conform to the equipment rules in the Rules of Golf and appear on the published conforming lists maintained by the USGA and The R&A:
- Conforming clubs: Drivers and other clubs must appear on (or be submitted and confirmed against) the Conforming Driver Head List and the equipment standards for clubheads, shafts, and grips.
- Conforming golf balls: The ball played must be named on the current Conforming Golf Ball List.
- One Ball Rule: The PGA TOUR adopts the optional "One Ball" Condition of Competition — during a round a player must use the same brand and model of golf ball.
The 14-Club Rule
- A player may start a stipulated round with no more than 14 clubs and may not add clubs during the round beyond replacing a club damaged in the normal course of play (within the limits of the Rules of Golf).
- Sharing clubs with another player is not permitted.
- Carrying excess clubs results in a penalty under the Rules of Golf.
Distance-Measuring and Electronic Devices
- For most PGA TOUR competitions the use of distance-measuring devices is not permitted during a round; players and caddies rely on the official yardage book and on-course markings. (Some events or practice rounds may permit them; the committee's Notice to Competitors controls.)
- The use of equipment to gauge or measure conditions such as wind or slope while making a stroke or for the round is restricted under the Rules of Golf.
Player Equipment and Apparel
- Players must present a neat and professional appearance; tournament apparel standards apply on the course and in official areas.
- Shoes must not damage the putting greens; metal-spike restrictions are commonly applied as a Condition of Competition.
- Advertising and logo placement on equipment, apparel, and the bag is governed by PGA TOUR regulations.
Anti-Doping
The PGA TOUR Anti-Doping Program prohibits listed performance-enhancing substances and methods. Players are responsible for what is in their bodies and may be tested in and out of competition; the program is part of the integrity framework that surrounds equipment and play.
Section 3: Playing Area
The Tournament Course
A PGA TOUR event is contested over an 18-hole golf course, almost always set up to a par of 70, 71, or 72. Total yardage for a TOUR set-up commonly falls in the range of roughly 7,100 to 7,600 yards, varying by course, elevation, and conditions.
- Tees: The committee sets the teeing locations for each round within the teeing areas, balancing scoring, weather, and pace.
- Hole locations: The competition committee, working with the host agronomy team, sets a different hole location on each green for each round, varying difficulty across the four days.
- Course set-up: Rough height, fairway width, green speed and firmness, and bunker conditioning are managed by the host course superintendent under the tournament's competition committee.
Course Marking and Local Rules
- The committee marks penalty areas, out of bounds, ground under repair, and other course conditions before play, and publishes the Local Rules and any temporary Local Rules in the Notice to Competitors.
- The PGA TOUR's standard Local Rules ("hard card") apply at every event unless specifically modified for the course.
Practice Facilities and Practice Rounds
- Tournament practice areas (range, short-game area, putting greens) are made available to the field during tournament week.
- Practice rounds are scheduled in the days before the competition; access and the number of practice rounds are governed by tournament regulations.
- Practicing on the competition course on a day of a competition, other than as permitted, is restricted.
Field and Spectator Areas
- Ropes and gallery areas separate spectators from the field; players and caddies operate inside the ropes.
- Designated drop zones, crossing points, and grandstand structures are defined as temporary immovable obstructions where relief is available under the Local Rules.
Section 4: Players/Officials
Eligibility and Status
The field for a PGA TOUR event is built from a published priority ranking. Players gain access through a number of eligibility categories, including:
- Fully exempt members: Tournament winners, leading FedExCup finishers, and players who earned status through the prior season or the developmental tour.
- FedExCup eligibility points list: Current-season performance reorders access to events through the year.
- Sponsor exemptions: A limited number of places each tournament may grant at the sponsor's discretion, subject to TOUR limits.
- Open and Monday qualifiers: A small number of places filled through pre-tournament qualifying.
- Past champions and major champions: Defined categories carry their own access.
Field Size and Starting Format
- Full-field events typically have a field of 120 to 156 players, with the exact number set by the time of year and available daylight.
- Players are sent off the first tee (and, when needed, the tenth tee) in groups of two or three, with a published draw and starting times.
- Limited-field and invitational events use smaller fields and may not have a 36-hole cut.
Commitments and Withdrawals
- Players must commit to or withdraw from an event by the published deadline. Late withdrawal or failure to appear without an acceptable reason is a regulated matter and can carry penalties.
- Once a player has started, a withdrawal must be reported to a tournament official; the reason for withdrawal is recorded.
Caddies
- Each player is entitled to one caddie at a time. The caddie may carry the bag, give advice, and assist within the limits of the Rules of Golf.
- Caddie conduct, registration, apparel (the tournament bib), and the "behind the line" restriction on standing behind a player at the start of a stroke are all governed by tournament regulations and the Rules of Golf.
Officials
- PGA TOUR Rules Officials: Trained officials stationed around the course rule on Rules of Golf questions, administer relief, monitor pace, and time groups.
- Competition Committee / Tournament Director: Responsible for course set-up, the Notice to Competitors, starting times, the cut, suspension and resumption of play, and overall conduct of the event.
- Scoring officials: Operate the scoring system, walking scorers, and the scoring area where players return and certify their cards.
- Standard bearers and walking scorers: Travel with each group to record and relay scores.
Section 5: Rules of Play
Format
A standard PGA TOUR event is a 72-hole individual stroke-play competition played over four rounds on consecutive days (Thursday through Sunday for a typical week). The player who completes the 72 holes in the fewest total strokes is the champion.
The 36-Hole Cut
- After 36 holes (two rounds), full-field events apply a cut: the players within a defined position and ties continue to the final two rounds, and the remainder are eliminated.
- The standard PGA TOUR cut advances the low scorers and ties through a published position (commonly the top portion of the field and ties); the exact line is set in the tournament regulations and the Notice to Competitors.
- A player who misses the cut still receives any earnings and status consequences defined for that result.
Pace of Play
- The PGA TOUR enforces a Pace of Play Policy. Groups are expected to keep position on the course; a group out of position may be put "on the clock."
- When a group is being timed, each player is allotted a maximum time to play a stroke (with an extra allowance for the first to play). Exceeding the allotted time results in a bad time, and accumulated bad times carry escalating penalties.
Starting Times and the Draw
- Round 1 and Round 2 starting times and groupings are published in advance; players typically switch between an early/late wave and the opposite tee for the first two rounds.
- For Rounds 3 and 4, players are re-paired by score, with the leaders going off last.
- A player must start at the time and place established by the committee; failure to do so is penalized under the Rules of Golf.
Suspension and Resumption of Play
- The committee may suspend play for a dangerous situation (such as lightning), or for darkness or unplayable course conditions.
- Immediate suspension (dangerous situation) requires players to stop at once; a different signal is used for a normal suspension, where players may complete the hole being played.
- On resumption, play continues from where it stopped; the committee may carry rounds over to the next day and adjust the schedule, including reducing the championship to fewer than 72 holes only in extreme circumstances.
Playoffs
- If two or more players are tied for the lead after 72 holes, the championship is decided by a playoff.
- The PGA TOUR's standard playoff is sudden death over designated holes; the tournament regulations and Notice to Competitors specify the playoff holes and procedure.
- Some events use an aggregate (multi-hole) playoff; the format is published before the event.
Section 6: Scoring
Stroke-Play Scoring
- The score for each hole is the number of strokes taken plus any penalty strokes; the round score is the total for 18 holes, and the championship score is the total for all rounds played.
- Scores are commonly expressed relative to par (for example, "10 under par").
The Scorecard and Certification
- In stroke play, a marker (typically a fellow competitor) keeps the player's score hole by hole.
- After the round the player checks the hole-by-hole scores, ensures they are correct, and certifies (signs/attests) the card in the scoring area; the marker also certifies it.
- Returning a scorecard with a hole score lower than actually taken, or failing to certify the card, carries penalties under the Rules of Golf — a returned card is the player's responsibility.
Determining Positions
- The champion is the player with the lowest 72-hole total (or the playoff winner if tied).
- Players tied for any other position share that position; prize money for the tied positions is pooled and divided equally.
FedExCup Points and Official Standing
- Finishing position in an official event earns FedExCup points on a published scale, with the winner earning the most.
- FedExCup points determine eligibility for the season-ending Playoffs and feed the priority ranking that sets future event access.
- Official money and official-event statistics are credited based on the certified results.
Section 7: Violations/Penalties
Rules of Golf Penalties
On-course infractions — such as playing the wrong ball, taking incorrect relief, grounding a club in a penalty area, or causing the ball to move — are penalized under the Rules of Golf (generally one stroke, the general penalty of two strokes in stroke play, or disqualification for the most serious breaches). The PGA TOUR Rules Officials administer these rulings on the course.
Pace-of-Play Penalties
- While a group is on the clock, a first bad time draws a warning; a second bad time draws a one-stroke penalty; further bad times escalate to a two-stroke penalty and, ultimately, disqualification.
- Repeated pace-of-play offenses across events can also draw fines under the regulations.
Scorecard and Competition Breaches
- Returning a card with a score lower than taken on a hole results in disqualification; a higher score stands as returned.
- Failing to start on time, practicing improperly on the competition course, or breaching a Condition of Competition can result in penalty strokes or disqualification.
Player Conduct and Discipline
- The PGA TOUR maintains a Player Conduct (and "conduct unbecoming a professional") regulation. Unprofessional behavior — including abuse of the course, equipment, officials, or others — is subject to discipline.
- Discipline under the Tournament Regulations can include fines and suspension from PGA TOUR competition. Disciplinary matters are generally handled confidentially under the regulations.
- Commitment and withdrawal violations, media obligations, and pro-am obligations are all regulated and can carry fines.
Anti-Doping Violations
- A positive test or other anti-doping rule violation under the PGA TOUR Anti-Doping Program results in sanctions that can include suspension and loss of results.
Section 8: Safety Considerations
Weather and the Dangerous-Situation Rule
- The competition committee monitors weather, particularly lightning, throughout tournament week using on-site meteorology.
- When a dangerous situation exists, the committee sounds the immediate-suspension signal and players must stop play at once, even mid-hole. A separate signal is used for a normal suspension.
- Players, caddies, and officials move to designated shelter; the course is cleared of spectators as needed.
Heat and Course Conditions
- In extreme heat the committee and medical staff monitor conditions; hydration stations and shaded areas are provided around the course.
- Play may be suspended for unplayable conditions such as standing water or unsafe footing.
On-Site Medical and Player Welfare
- Tournaments provide on-site medical services and physiotherapy support for the field; an emergency response plan covers players, caddies, officials, and spectators.
- The Anti-Doping Program and the player-health framework protect both competitive integrity and player welfare.
Spectator and Venue Safety
- Gallery ropes, marshals, and crossing points keep spectators a safe distance from play.
- Grandstands and temporary structures are engineered and inspected; evacuation routes are planned for weather emergencies.
- Players are expected to alert spectators to errant shots (the traditional shout of "fore"), and marshals manage gallery movement around play.
