What if I arrive late to my starting time?

If you arrive up to 5 minutes late, you get a 2-stroke penalty on your first hole. More than 5 minutes late means disqualification unless the Committee decides exceptional circumstances prevented you from starting on time.

What counts as late

Your starting time is exact — 9:00 am means 9:00:00, not 9:01. You must be at the starting point (the teeing area of your first hole) and ready to play, meaning you have at least one club and a ball in hand. If the Committee delays the start for weather, slow play, or a ruling, you're not late as long as you're there and ready when your group can go. If you arrive ready to play but then leave the tee — say to grab something from the locker — and aren't back by your starting time, you're late. The clock doesn't wait.

The three exceptions that save you

Exception 1: You show up at the tee, ready to play, no more than 5 minutes after your time. You take a 2-stroke penalty on the first hole and play on. Exception 2: You tee off no more than 5 minutes early. Same deal — 2 strokes on the first hole. Exception 3: The Committee decides exceptional circumstances kept you from starting on time. No penalty, no breach. But "exceptional" doesn't mean bad traffic or a flat tire — you're expected to allow time for normal delays. The Committee decides case by case.

Match play works differently

If both players in a match arrive within 5 minutes of the starting time, both get a loss-of-hole penalty on the first hole. The hole is halved. It doesn't matter who arrived first — if you're both late, you both lose the hole.

Exceptions that change the answer

• Player arrives at starting point, ready to play, no more than 5 minutes late → General penalty (2 strokes) applied to first hole
• Player starts no more than 5 minutes early → General penalty (2 strokes) applied to first hole
• Committee decides exceptional circumstances prevented starting on time → No breach of Rule 5.3a and no penalty

Frequently asked questions

What if I'm 3 minutes late to my tee time?

You get a 2-stroke penalty on your first hole (Exception 1). You play from the tee with that penalty added to your score for the hole.

What if I'm 10 minutes late?

You're disqualified unless the Committee decides exceptional circumstances prevented you from starting on time. Normal delays like traffic don't count.

What counts as "ready to play"?

Having at least one club and a ball ready for immediate use. Standing at the tee with just your putter counts — but if you then wait for another club when it's your turn, you could get a slow-play penalty.

I arrived on time but left the tee to get a club and came back 2 minutes late. What happens?

You're late. Since you weren't at the starting point at your starting time, Exception 1 applies if you're back within 5 minutes — 2-stroke penalty on the first hole.

Does a car breakdown count as exceptional circumstances?

Usually not. The Rules say you must allow enough time to reach the course and make allowances for possible delays. The Committee decides, but ordinary transport problems rarely qualify.