Advice Rules
in Matchplay.

Telling your opponent what club you used costs you the hole. But some conversations are fine. Here's exactly what counts as advice under Rule 10.2a, and what doesn't.

Short Answer

Advice is any suggestion that could influence how a player makes a stroke, chooses a club, or decides on strategy. Giving or asking for advice from your opponent carries a loss-of-hole penalty in matchplay. (Rule 10.2a)

What counts as advice

Under Rule 10.2a, advice is any suggestion that could influence how you make a stroke, choose a club, or decide your strategy. The rule applies during the round — from when you begin play until you finish.

Clear advice — penalty applies

✗ "I used a 7-iron from there" (club selection)
✗ "Aim left — the green slopes right" (strategy)
✗ "The wind is helping, take one less club" (swing decision)
✗ "Swing easier, you're catching it fat today" (technique)
✗ "There's a big right-to-left break on that putt" (read)

What is NOT advice

The rules are specific: certain types of information are freely available and do not count as advice, even between opponents.

Freely shareable — no penalty

✓ Distance information — yardages, GPS readings, laser measurements
✓ Positions of hazards, OOB lines, bunker edges, water hazards
✓ Flag position — front, middle, back of green
✓ Rules of Golf explanations — what drop to take, whether a shot is penalty or not
✓ Conditions of the competition — format rules, local rules
✓ Asking to see your opponent's scorecard

This is why a caddie reading a green's break is not advice — the caddie is part of your team. But your opponent cannot read the green and tell you how to play it.

The penalty: loss of hole

Rule 10.2a penalty

In matchplay: loss of hole. The player who gave or asked for advice loses the current hole immediately. The breach can happen at any point during the hole — even before either player has played their tee shot.

In stroke play the same breach is a 2-stroke penalty rather than loss of hole.

Who gets penalised — giver or receiver?

Only the player who gave or asked for advice is penalised — not the player who received it. If your opponent volunteers advice you didn't ask for, they lose the hole. If you ask your opponent what club they used, you lose the hole — even though your opponent answered.

Who you can get advice from

The advice restriction applies between opponents. You can freely exchange advice with your own side.

Your caddie

Your caddie is your authorised source of advice. They can tell you which club to use, read greens, advise on strategy, and help with any aspect of your game. This is a core part of what a caddie does.

Your partner (fourball and foursomes)

In team matchplay formats, you and your partner can freely advise each other — club selection, strategy, putting reads. The restriction is only between opposing sides. Partners' caddies can also advise their team.

Spectators and coaches

In most club competitions, coaches and spectators are not authorised advisors. Receiving advice from a spectator during a hole — a friend telling you how the ball is breaking — is technically a breach. In practice this is rarely enforced at club level, but it is against the rules.

Common situations and how they're judged

"What did you hit?" after holing out

If a hole is already fully completed — both players have holed out or conceded — and you ask what club was used, that is not advice because the hole is over. The question can't influence that hole. However, asking mid-hole or before the opponent has played is a breach.

Seeing which club your opponent pulls from the bag

Watching which club your opponent selects — without asking — is not a breach. The information is visible. Your opponent is entitled to conceal their club selection (by covering the bag, or pulling the club privately), but if you observe it openly, that's fair. Information you can observe is not the same as advice given.

Accidentally giving advice

Intent doesn't matter — if you say something that constitutes advice, the penalty stands. "Good shot, that's the line" while your opponent is about to play counts as advice on line of play. "It's playing long today" counts as advice on club selection. Be careful about what you say during play.

Common questions

Can I ask my opponent how far they are from the green?

Yes — distance information is not advice. You can ask your opponent how far they are from the flag, how far from a hazard, or how far to carry a bunker. Distances are "public information" that anyone could measure with a GPS or rangefinder. What you cannot ask is what club they're planning to use as a result of that distance.

If my opponent gives me unsolicited advice, do I get penalised?

No — only the person who gives (or requests) advice is penalised. If your opponent spontaneously tells you to use a 6-iron, they lose the hole, not you. You didn't ask for the advice. However, if you then ask a follow-up question that solicits more advice, you would be penalised.

Can I ask the rules of the competition during a round?

Yes — the Rules of Golf and conditions of the competition are not advice. You can ask your opponent (or anyone) what the local rules are, how a particular rule applies to your situation, or what the conditions of competition say. None of this is advice. Advice is specifically about how to play a shot, not about what the rules permit.

Is it advice if I say "that's a putt you want to leave below the hole"?

Yes — this is strategic advice on how to play the approach to set up a manageable putt. It could influence the shot your opponent plays. Even phrased as general observation, if it's directed at an opponent and relates to their shot decision, it's advice.