Ready Golf
Ready Golf means: play as soon as you are ready — not strictly in turn.
Classically, the player farthest from the hole plays. In Ready Golf this honour only applies to a limited extent. Whoever is ready and safe to play plays first, even if a fellow player would actually be next. The rulebooks of the R&A and the USGA have explicitly recommended Ready Golf for stroke play since 2019. The background is pace of play: many rounds take too long, and unnecessary waiting is the main cause. Many clubs now prescribe Ready Golf as a house rule.
On the course this means concrete things. Whoever reaches their ball first and has a clear idea for the shot plays. Whoever is ready first on the tee plays, instead of waiting for the honour of the previous hole's winner. On the green, whoever is near the hole putts out instead of marking and waiting. An example: your fellow player is searching for their ball in the rough, your ball lies clean on the fairway. You play while they search, as long as you do not disturb them.
Safety remains important: Ready Golf only applies when nobody is endangered or distracted. In match play, on the other hand, the order remains binding, because breaking the order there has tactical consequences. A fourball that lives Ready Golf consistently gets round the course a good half hour faster.
FAQ
When may I play out of turn in Ready Golf?
Whenever you are ready, disturb nobody and endanger nobody. If your ball lies clean while your fellow player is still searching or preparing, you simply play. The official recommendation has explicitly applied to stroke play since 2019 and is intended to increase pace of play.
Does Ready Golf also apply in match play?
No, in match play the order remains binding. There, who plays first has tactical significance, because the second player can react to the first player's result. If someone plays out of turn there, the opponent can even have the stroke replayed.
How much time does Ready Golf really save?
A fourball that lives Ready Golf consistently is a good half hour faster round the course. The biggest lever is on the tee and on the green: whoever is ready plays, and whoever lies near the hole putts out instead of marking. That adds up significantly over 18 holes.