Yesterday, i played in a high school golf match, on the 13th hole I hit it into a small creek/ i punched out back into the fairway, and when I got to the golf ball there was mud all over it, i was going to clean the ball off but i did not know the ruling (made bogey)


What is the ruling?????????

Unless you were playing, lift clean and place it just happens to be one of the unlucky breaks golf throws at us and you just have to play the ball as it lies.

hogan is correct. you cant clean a ball (unless stipulated before the round begins that you are playing lift clean and place) until you reach the green. Even if you must mark your ball in the fairway (which is permissible) you cant clean it.

all right thanks guys

Just a quick note about this, if you do mark your ball on the fairway you cannot put it in your pocket as this is deemed to be cleaning it too. Lose of hole or two strokes!