Rule 5.2b hands out one of golf's cruellest penalties: 2 strokes applied to your very first hole for warming up in the wrong place — and most amateurs who trigger it don't even realise they were doing anything wrong.
Warning: Touching the course green before your round will cost you 2 strokes before you start
It's competition morning. You arrive at hole 1, you have 20 minutes to spare, and you putt a few balls on the practice green. Perfect, no problem. But then you walk over to the 9th green next to the car park and rub the surface with your putter to feel the speed...
STOP. You've just made an error that will cost you 2 penalty strokes before you hit your first drive.
Rule 5.2b: No Practising on the Course
In Stroke Play, Rule 5.2b is strict: you cannot practise on the competition course on the day of the round, before starting your round.
This includes:
- Putting on any course green (other than a designated practice green)
- Chipping towards any course green
- Testing the speed of the surface by rubbing the green with your hand or putter
- Hitting balls from anywhere on the course
The penalty: 2 strokes applied to your first hole. That means you start at +2 before playing a single real shot.
The Exceptions: Where CAN You Practise?
Rule 5.2b has important exceptions you need to know:
Before the round:
- Designated practice putting green
- Practice area (driving range, practice bunker)
- Putts and chips on or near the teeing area of your first hole (to warm up)
Between rounds (if playing multiple on the same day):
- You can practise putts and chips on or near the green of the last hole you just played
- You can practise on any designated practice green
- You can go to the driving range
After the day's round:
- Total freedom! Once you've completed your last round of the day, you can return to the course and practise without restrictions.
Match Play: Different Rules
In Match Play, the rule changes completely: you can practise on the course before the competition, unless the Committee specifically prohibits it.
This makes sense: in Match Play there's no "neutral course" that needs to be equal for everyone from the first stroke.
The Most Common Mistake: "I Was Just Testing the Speed"
Many amateurs don't realise that even rubbing the green with the sole of your putter to feel the surface speed counts as practice. You don't need to actually hit a ball to break the rule.
If you need to feel the green speed before playing, do it on the practice putting green. That's what it's there for.
The same rules-awareness extends to what you carry during the round itself: from GPS slope functions to alignment sticks and weighted donuts, Rule 4.3a sets precise limits on which equipment and device features are legal once play is underway. The guide to permitted golf equipment and devices breaks down every category with a legal/banned breakdown.
Lazar Hack: Arriving early to the course and unsure where you can warm up? Take a quick photo of the area with Lazar. The AI will tell you instantly if practicing there is legal before your round.