Rule 25 · Players with disabilities
Rule 25: Modified Rules
Official title: Modifications for Players with Disabilities
Rule 25 modifies certain Rules so that players with disabilities can play fairly, including against players without disabilities. Since 2023 it applies to all competitions and forms of play.
25.1 Who it applies to
That depends on the category of disability and on eligibility. The Rule has four groups: players who are blind, amputees, players using assistive mobility devices and players with intellectual disabilities.
25.2 Players who are blind
They may have an aide and a caddie as well and get help with aiming. They may touch the sand in a bunker with the club to a limited extent.
25.3 Amputees
They may use prosthetic devices and anchor the club during the stroke if they cannot otherwise hold and swing most of their clubs. They may get help with dropping, placing and replacing the ball.
25.4 Players using assistive mobility devices
A wheelchair, stick or crutch is allowed, including when taking a stance. They may also have an aide and a caddie, and anchor the club if they cannot otherwise play. With a wheeled mobility device the lateral relief area is four club-lengths, and going back on the line outside a bunker costs only one penalty stroke.
25.5 Players with intellectual disabilities
They may have an aide and a caddie at the same time. The Rule also makes clear what a supervisor who is not assigned to a particular player may do: they must not give advice.
25.6 For all groups
The Committee should take the players’ difficulties into account for pace of play. When dropping, it should accept the player’s reasonable judgement that the ball fell from knee height.
Our own simplified summary of the 2023 Rules of Golf. The official Rules text is what counts.