Rules
Is the Leaf Rule in Golf Real? Here are the Facts
Like mulligans, breakfast balls, and preferred lies, golfers have been playing by the “leaf rule” for as long as leaves have fallen from trees, without knowing or caring whether or not it’s actually legal. Players who cite this leaf rule take a free drop when a ball is missing and it could be under leaves.
We’re here to clear the air (kind of) about the leaf rule, and just how legal it is.