A golf ball can weigh no more than 1.620 ounces avoirdupois (45.93 g) and must be at least 1.680 inches (42.67 mm) across. The hole is 4 ¼ inches (108 mm) wide and at least 4 inches (101.6 mm) deep. You may carry no more than 14 clubs, and a wood clubhead may not exceed 460 cubic centimetres plus a 10 cubic centimetre tolerance. The chart has the rest, each with its rule number.
The ChartOfficial sizes and limits in golf
| Item | Limit | Rule or definition |
|---|---|---|
| Ball weight | Not greater than 1.620 ounces avoirdupois (45.93 g). There is no minimum weight. | Equipment Rules Part 4, 4.2 |
| Ball diameter | Not less than 1.680 inches (42.67 mm). There is no maximum size. | Equipment Rules Part 4, 4.3 |
| Hole diameter | 4 ¼ inches (108 mm) | Definition of Hole |
| Hole depth | At least 4 inches (101.6 mm) deep | Definition of Hole |
| Hole lining | Outer diameter must not exceed 4 ¼ inches (108 mm). Sunk at least 1 inch (25.4 mm) below the putting green surface, unless the nature of the soil requires that it be closer to the surface. | Definition of Hole |
| Flagstick pole, top section | Diameter no greater than 2 inches (50.8 mm) from the top of the pole to a point no less than 3 inches (76.2 mm) above the putting green surface. Circular in cross-section. | Equipment Rules Part 8, 8.1a |
| Flagstick pole, at the green | Constant diameter no greater than 0.75 inches (19 mm) from a point 3 inches (76.2 mm) above to 3 inches (76.2 mm) below the putting green surface. | Equipment Rules Part 8, 8.1a |
| Tee length | No longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm) | Definition of Tee; Equipment Rules Part 6, 6.1 |
| Teeing area depth | A rectangle two club-lengths deep | Definition of Teeing Area |
| Clubs in the bag | No more than 14 clubs, at the start of the round and during it | Rule 4.1b(1) |
| Club length, minimum | At least 18 inches (0.457 m) | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.1c |
| Club length, maximum | Must not exceed 48 inches (1.219 m), except for putters | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.1c |
| Putter length | At least 18 inches (0.457 m). The 48 inch maximum does not apply to putters. | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.1c |
| Putter loft | Not exceeding ten degrees | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.1a |
| Wood clubhead, heel to toe | Not greater than 5 inches (127 mm), measured with the club in a 60 degree lie angle | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.4b(i) |
| Wood clubhead, sole to crown | Not greater than 2.8 inches (71.12 mm), including any permitted features | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.4b(i) |
| Wood clubhead, volume | Must not exceed 460 cubic centimetres (28.06 cubic inches), plus a tolerance of 10 cubic centimetres (0.61 cubic inches) | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.4b(i) |
| Wood clubhead, moment of inertia | Must not exceed 5900 g cm2 (32.259 oz in2), plus a test tolerance of 100 g cm2 (0.547 oz in2) | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.4b |
| Putter head, heel to toe | 7 inches (177.8 mm) or less | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.4b(iii) |
| Putter head, sole to top | 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) or less, including any permitted features | Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.4b(iii) |
| Relief area size | Either one or two club-lengths from the reference point, depending on the Rule you are taking relief under | Definition of Relief Area |
| What a club-length is | The length of the longest of your 14 (or fewer) clubs, other than a putter. The entire club is used, from the toe to the butt end of the grip. Any attachment to the end of the grip does not count. | Definition of Club-Length |
Source: The R&A, Rules of Golf (Definitions; Rule 4.1b) and Rules of Equipment (Parts 2, 4, 6 and 8), randa.org.
Using itHow to use this chart
Find the item in the left column, read the limit, and note the last column. "Definition of Hole" means the Hole entry in the Definitions section of the Rules of Golf. "Equipment Rules Part 2" means Part 2 (Conformance of Clubs) of the Rules of Equipment, and 2.1c is the section inside it.
Some limits are ceilings and some are floors. Ball weight, tee length, wood clubhead volume and the 14-club count are maximums. Ball diameter and club length also have a minimum. Hole depth is a minimum too: at least 4 inches (101.6 mm).
For the club rules in more detail, see Is My Driver Legal?. For how a club's length is taken, see how golf club length is measured.
Watch forCommon mix-ups
The ball has a weight ceiling and a size floor. The rule sets a maximum weight and a minimum diameter. There is no minimum weight and no maximum size. The ball today is covered in golf ball rollback explained.
A club-length is not the length of the club in your hand. It is the length of the longest club you have in the round, other than a putter. That one measurement sizes the teeing area and every relief area.
The teeing area is two club-lengths deep. Its front edge is the line between the forward-most points of the two tee-markers, and its side edges run back from the outside points of the tee-markers.
Putters are the exception to the 48 inch limit. A putter must still be at least 18 inches (0.457 m). It is measured differently from other clubs, along the shaft to the sole.
A "cc" marking above 460 is a problem. If a club is marked with a cc value above 460 cubic centimetres, the R&A and USGA policy is to rule that the club is non-conforming, whatever the actual volume measures.
A non-conforming club still counts toward 14. Rule 4.1a says there is no penalty for merely having one in the bag, but it counts toward the 14-club limit in Rule 4.1b(1).
FAQQuick answers
How big is a golf hole?
4 ¼ inches (108 mm) in diameter and at least 4 inches (101.6 mm) deep, from the Definition of Hole. If a lining is used, its outer diameter must not exceed 4 ¼ inches (108 mm).
How heavy and how big can a golf ball be?
It must not weigh more than 1.620 ounces avoirdupois (45.93 g) and its diameter must not be less than 1.680 inches (42.67 mm). That is Equipment Rules Part 4, sections 4.2 and 4.3. There is no minimum weight and no maximum size.
How long can a tee be?
No longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm). It also must conform with the Equipment Rules, which Part 6, 6.1 spells out.
How many clubs can you carry, and what happens if you have 15?
The limit is 14 (Rule 4.1b(1)). In stroke play the penalty is two penalty strokes for each hole where a breach happened, with a maximum of four strokes. In match play the match score is revised by deducting a hole for each hole where a breach happened, with a maximum of two holes.
How long can a driver be?
Club length must not exceed 48 inches (1.219 m) and must be at least 18 inches (0.457 m), under Equipment Rules Part 2, 2.1c. Local Committees may permit longer clubs when there is evidence of a medical or physical need.
How big can a driver head be?
The volume must not exceed 460 cubic centimetres (28.06 cubic inches), plus a tolerance of 10 cubic centimetres (0.61 cubic inches). The heel to toe distance may not be greater than 5 inches (127 mm) and the sole to crown distance may not be greater than 2.8 inches (71.12 mm).