Rules Guy: What’s the maximum number of penalty strokes you can accrue on 1 shot?

Golf's Rules Guy addresses a reader inquiry regarding the theoretical maximum number of penalty strokes a golfer can receive on a single tee shot. Under Rule 1.3c(4), introduced in 2023, penalties accumulated between strokes are limited if a player is unaware of the breaches, capping the theoretical total at three strokes. However, Rules Guy notes that hitting a stroke with a nonconforming club or ball results in immediate disqualification under Rule 4.1a.

The column also examines a scenario from Myrtle Beach where golfers teed off toward the wrong hole's fairway. Rules Guy explains that the players either committed a two-stroke breach for teeing off outside the teeing area or were required to proceed under stroke-and-distance relief, resulting in them playing their third shot from the correct tee box in either situation.