The Kalidas Cup

Same for everyone

The Rules

Kept deliberately simple so we all play it the same way and keep the round moving. When something's not covered here, the rule of thumb is: one shot, drop it, keep walking — and your captain has the final say.

House Rules

The Kalidas Cup way — same for all nine of us.

Taking a drop

Any time you take a drop, it costs you one shot. Simple as that.

+1 shot

Bad tee shot

Sliced it into oblivion off the tee? Two options: reload and hit again (you're now playing your 3rd off the tee), or just drop around where it was lost and play on.

3 off the tee

Anything man-made

Ball up against a path, sprinkler, post, sign, fence — anything man-made? Lift it, move it clear to the nearest sensible spot, and play on. No penalty.

Free relief

Unplayable lie

Stuck in a bush, roots, or somewhere you just can't swing (and it's not man-made)? Move it out to a spot no closer to the hole and carry on.

+1 shot

Gimmes

Any putt inside a putter's length of the hole is given. Pick it up, count the putt, no need to hole out.

Given

The Standard Stuff

The usual golf situations, minus the rulebook headache.

Out of bounds

White stakes or over a boundary fence. Off the tee, use the bad-tee-shot rule above. Anywhere else, drop where it went out — no closer to the hole — and keep it moving.

+1 shot

Lost ball

Give it a quick look — a minute or two, not ten. If it's gone, drop around where you reckon it was lost and play on. Don't hold the group up hunting.

+1 shot

Water & penalty areas

Red or yellow stakes. Drop just outside the area, back from where the ball last crossed in, no closer to the hole. Or replay from where you hit it.

+1 shot

Provisional ball

Think a shot might be lost or out of bounds? Hit a second “provisional” ball before you head up — saves the long walk back. Find the first one fine? Play it and pocket the provisional.

Good habit

When in doubt

Take a one-shot penalty, drop no nearer the hole, and get on with it. Nobody's reading the rulebook out here — and remember you can always pick up once a hole's gone.