Warning: Touching the 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.

Lazar Hack: Arriving early to the course and unsure where you can warm up? Ask Lazar: "Can I practise chips near hole 1 before my competition round?". It'll tell you exactly what you can and can't do.