Rules · Lesson
Don't Improve Your Lie, Stance or Line
Part of our rules programs. Build a program with it
Golf asks you to take the course the way it is. Rule 8.1a bans making things better for your stroke. Don't bend or break branches or plants to clear your swing. Don't move fixed objects, boundary stakes or tee markers. Don't pile things up to build a stance. Don't press down the ground behind your ball or fill a divot hole you're playing from. Leave dew, frost and standing water on your line alone. The penalty is the general penalty.
Step by step
- Don't bend branches.
- Don't build a stance.
- Don't press down the ground.
- Leave dew, frost and water alone.
- When in doubt, play it as it lies.
Why it works
The game is meant to be played from where the ball comes to rest, in the conditions you find there. If you could change the lie, stance, swing path or line, you would be removing the challenge the course set. Rule 8.1a draws that line: you may play the ball and the course as they are, and you may not improve the conditions that affect your stroke.
Common mistakes
- Bending or snapping a branch that blocks your backswing.Take your stance and swing without moving it, or choose a different club, stance or direction that avoids the branch.
- Stamping down grass or kicking a mound behind the ball to make a flatter stance.Set your feet on the ground as it is, and only touch it lightly in a normal way as you take your stance.
- Brushing away dew, frost or standing water along your line or behind the ball.Leave it in place and plan the shot around it, such as a different target or a different club.
How you'll know it's working
- Before every shot from rough, trees or bare ground, you can say what you changed: nothing except taking a normal stance.
- Your practice swing stays clear of branches, or you have chosen a shot that does not touch them, without moving anything.
- After the shot, the area around your ball and stance looks the same as before you arrived.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practise the habit on a quiet round by stopping before each awkward shot and asking, 'Am I about to move or press anything?'
Harder: Play a few holes where you pick a shot from every poor lie, such as thick rough or a divot hole, and commit to it without touching anything around the ball.
Common questions
Can I press down the grass behind my ball in the rough?
No. Pressing the ground down behind the ball improves your lie or swing area, and the penalty is the general penalty. You can rest the club lightly on the ground behind the ball without pressing it down.
Can I move a branch out of the way if it only touches my swing?
No. Bending or breaking a branch to clear your swing improves the conditions affecting your stroke. Choose a different shot, stance or club, or take relief if the rules give you a way out.
