What it's About: Details the various responsibilities of the player

Rule 6 covers a lot of ground in its eight subsections, which take up more than three pages in the Rule book. The common denominator in this wide-ranging Rule is that all of it concerns things for which the player must consider himself responsible.

Probably the most important -- and sometimes controversial -- aspect of this Rule is the section on scoring in stroke play (Rule 6-6). This section states that the player is responsible for making sure that the scores recorded on each hole by his marker -- the person appointed by the Committee in charge of the competition to keep his card -- are correct. If the player signs a scorecard with a score for any hole lower than he actually made, he is disqualified. He must take the score on the card for any hole where the score is higher than he actually made.

To some, the penalty seems unduly harsh, particularly in situations such as Roberto de Vicenzo's in the 1968 Masters, where the world saw him make a birdie three on the 17th hole of the final round, but his signed scorecard showed a four. The extra stroke left him one behind. Other situations have occurred where a player unknowingly committed a violation that was not discovered until after he signed his card, resulting in a penalty of disqualification for an incorrect scorecard.

The reasoning behind this principle of the Rules was well stated by former USGA President Grant Spaeth, who said that the scorecard is a player's written warranty to the rest of the field that he negotiated the course in a specific score and did so under the Rules of Golf. There are no referees and no official scorers in golf. Just as a player is bound to call penalties on himself, he is bound to attest that his official score is correct.

The Rule does give the player one break: The Committee is responsible for the addition of the scores and application of the handicap recorded on the card, so if you are not confident in your math skills, you can leave the total blank.

It should be noted that there is no subsection in Rule 6 titled "Scoring in Match Play." Contrary to popular belief, a scorecard has no standing in match play and is not required.

Rule 6-2 is the first mention in the Rules of handicaps, which are used in many local competitions. If the player uses a handicap higher than what he is entitled to, he is disqualified. If the handicap recorded is lower, it shall stand.

A few other basic concepts of Rule 6 are that the player must know the conditions of the competition (Rule 6-1), start on time (Rule 6-3), and be responsible for his caddie (Rule 6-4) and for playing the correct ball (Rule 6-5). The best way to ensure playing the correct ball is to put an identification mark on the ball.

Rule 6-7 on slow play says the player must play without undue delay. This clause is intentionally vague with respect to specific pace-of-play policies, which are up to each Committee to establish and enforce.

Finally, the last subsection of Rule 6 addresses discontinuance and resumption of play. An important aspect of Rule 6-8 is that a player may discontinue play if he believes there is danger from lightning.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS
Rule 6-4 states that a player is allowed only one caddie at any one time. But can a player have another helper? Picture a player competing on a rainy day. His caddie is fumbling while carrying the clubs, giving advice to his player, keeping the clubs dry, and battling the rain. He has enough to worry about without the extra responsibility of keeping his player dry -- or the impossible task of keeping two players dry, if he's carrying double. Would the player be allowed to employ a second person to carry an umbrella and hold it over the player's head up until the moment he makes a stroke? (Rule 14-2 prohibits accepting protection from the elements while making a stroke.) The answer, as provided in Decision 6-4/5, is yes. The umbrella carrier could not, of course, advise the player or perform any other duties of a caddie, such as carrying or handling the player's clubs. And the Committee may prohibit the employment of an umbrella carrier in the conditions of the competition.