Part 1 — The Beginner Essentials
Basic Rules
Play the ball as it lies
Golf's founding principle: hit the ball from wherever it ends up, without improving your lie, the area of your swing or your line of play. Exceptions exist only where the rules explicitly grant relief.
Tee shot
A hole starts in the teeing area between the tee markers and up to two club-lengths behind them. You may tee a ball whenever the rules allow you to play from that teeing area.
R&A · Rule 6Ball falls off the tee
If the ball topples off the tee before you swing, just re-tee it — no penalty, no stroke. An air swing at a teed ball, however, counts as a stroke.
Order of play
In stroke play, safe and responsible ready golf is encouraged. Match play normally uses order of play; an opponent may cancel a stroke played out of turn. Agree before playing out of turn to save time.
R&A · Rule 6The 14-club limit
Carry no more than 14 clubs. In stroke play, an excess costs two strokes per affected hole, maximum four. Match play uses a match-score adjustment, maximum two holes. Declare the excess club out of play immediately.
R&A · Rule 4Playing the wrong ball
Playing a wrong ball normally costs the general penalty: two strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play. In stroke play, correct the mistake before starting the next hole, or before returning the scorecard on the last hole. Strokes at the wrong ball do not count.
R&A · Rule 6Ball moved by accident
If you accidentally move your ball at rest, normally replace it with one penalty stroke. Exceptions include accidental movement during a reasonable search or on the putting green: replace it without penalty. Wind and other natural forces have separate rules.
R&A · Rule 9Lost ball
A ball is lost if not found within three minutes after you or your caddie begin searching. Normally add one penalty stroke and play again from the previous spot (stroke and distance). A provisional ball can save the walk back; special rules apply to penalty areas.
R&A · Rule 18Out of bounds
A ball is out of bounds only when all of it lies beyond the course boundary. Check how the boundary is defined; a fence is not automatically the boundary. Stroke-and-distance relief normally means one penalty stroke and playing again from the previous spot.
R&A · Rule 18Provisional ball
You may play a provisional when the original ball might be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds. Clearly announce that it is provisional before playing. A ball that might be lost only in a penalty area does not qualify.
R&A · Rule 18Unplayable ball
Outside a penalty area, you may declare your ball unplayable. For one penalty stroke, use stroke-and-distance, back-on-the-line or lateral relief within two club-lengths, no nearer the hole. In a bunker, back-on-the-line or lateral relief must stay in it; back-on-the-line relief outside costs two penalty strokes.
R&A · Rule 19The flagstick
Before the stroke, choose to leave the flagstick in, remove it or have it attended. There is normally no penalty if the ball hits a flagstick left in the hole. Do not deliberately move the flagstick to influence a moving ball.
R&A · Rule 13Holing out
In regular stroke play you must hole out. A ball normally must be at rest in the hole with all of it below the surface; Rule 13.2c covers a ball resting against the flagstick. Match play permits concessions, and formats such as Stableford have separate scoring provisions.
R&A · Rule 3Whiff (air swing)
A swing made with the intention of striking the ball counts as a stroke even if you miss it. A practice swing without that intention is not a stroke. Accidentally moving the ball during a practice swing is a separate rules situation.
R&A · DefinitionsPenalties & Relief
Penalty areas
You may play from a penalty area without a penalty if possible. For one penalty stroke, options normally include stroke-and-distance or back-on-the-line relief using the last crossing point. A red penalty area also offers lateral relief within two club-lengths, no nearer the hole.
R&A · Rule 17Free relief
Abnormal course conditions can allow relief without penalty. In the general area, drop within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief, no nearer the hole. Different procedures apply in bunkers and on greens.
R&A · Rule 16Taking a drop
You must drop the ball straight down from knee height without throwing, spinning or rolling it. It must not touch you or your equipment before reaching the ground. For relief, it must land and finish in the required relief area; if it rolls out twice, place it where the second correct drop first touched the ground.
R&A · Rule 14Bunker rules
Before a bunker stroke, do not touch sand immediately in front of or behind the ball, with a practice swing or during the backswing; do not deliberately test the sand. Loose impediments can be removed, but moving your ball may incur a penalty. Back-on-the-line unplayable relief outside the bunker costs two penalty strokes.
R&A · Rule 12Casual water
Temporary water can give free relief. In a bunker, free relief stays in that bunker; use maximum available relief if complete relief is impossible. Back-on-the-line relief outside that bunker costs one penalty stroke.
R&A · Rule 16Ground under repair
Ground under repair is an abnormal course condition. Interference with the ball, stance or intended swing can allow free relief. Check the markings and local rules; a no-play zone may require relief.
R&A · Rule 16Embedded ball
An embedded ball in its own pitch mark in the general area can normally receive free relief under Rule 16.3, subject to its exceptions. A grass-covered bunker face may be part of the general area. Sand inside the bunker is different and does not receive this relief.
R&A · Rule 16Loose impediments
Loose natural objects, such as stones and detached leaves, may normally be removed. If this moves your ball, replace it; normally add one penalty stroke in the general area, bunker or penalty area. Exceptions include the putting green.
R&A · Rule 15Movable obstructions
Movable artificial objects, such as a rake or bottle, may normally be removed. If their removal moves the ball, replace it without penalty. A ball lying in or on the obstruction has a separate relief procedure. Boundary objects do not qualify.
R&A · Rule 15Identifying your ball
You may lift a ball to identify it after marking the spot, but only clean it as much as identification requires. On the green you may always mark, lift and clean.
Standard penalties
Stroke play's standard penalty is two strokes; in match play the same offense usually means losing the hole. The one-stroke penalties (water, unplayable, lost, OB) are the ones most golfers meet weekly.
Etiquette
Pace of play
Golf's most important courtesy: keep up with the group ahead, not just ahead of the group behind. Be ready when it's your turn, and pick up on a blow-up hole in casual rounds.
Fore!
The universal warning when a ball flies toward people. Shout it loudly and early; if you hear it, cover your head and turn away — never look up.
Quiet and stillness
Stand still and silent while others swing, out of their line of sight. Phones on silent. It's about focus, not formality.
Repairing the course
Replace or fill your divots, repair your pitch marks on greens (plus one extra), and rake bunkers smooth after use, exiting from the low side.
On the green
Never walk across another player's putting line. Mark your ball if it's in someone's way. Tend or remove the flag when asked.
Letting groups through
If your group is slower and a gap has opened ahead, invite the group behind to play through. Two minutes' cost, universal goodwill bought.
Cart and trolley courtesy
Keep carts and trolleys off tees, greens and fringes, and follow the day's cart rules (paths only, 90-degree rule). Park on the way to the next tee.
Honor on the tee
The best score on the previous hole tees off first. In relaxed golf, whoever's ready hits — just agree on the style in your group.
Dress and conduct
Codes vary by club — collared shirts are the classic norm, many courses are relaxed. When in doubt, check the club's website.
Scoring & Formats
Par
The expected score for an expert on a hole (3, 4 or 5) and, summed, for the course (usually 70–72). All scoring language is relative to it.
Birdie, eagle, albatross
One, two and three strokes under par on a hole. Birdies are celebrated, eagles are rare, an albatross may be the rarest common feat in sport.
Bogey and worse
Bogey is one over par, double bogey two, triple three. For beginners, bogey golf is genuinely good golf.
Handicap
Handicap Index reflects demonstrated ability, not your average score over par. With 20 scores, it normally uses the best eight score differentials. Course Handicap and Playing Handicap also depend on the tees, course rating, slope and format.
Gross vs net
Gross is your actual stroke count; net is gross minus handicap strokes. Club competitions are usually decided on net.
Stroke play
Count every stroke, lowest total wins. The standard competition format — and the least forgiving of one disaster hole.
Match play
Hole-by-hole combat: win more holes than your opponent. A 10 costs the same as losing the hole by one — which changes strategy completely.
Stableford
Points per hole based on net score vs par. A wrecked hole scores zero instead of ruining the card — which is why club golf loves it.
Scramble
Team format: everyone hits, the team picks the best ball and all play from there. The friendliest format for beginners.
Best ball / Four-ball
Partners each play their own ball; the better score counts for the team on each hole. Common in club matches and the Ryder Cup.
Foursomes
Partners share one ball, alternating shots. Fast, sociable, and famously testing for friendships.
Marking the card
In stroke play a marker records or confirms your hole scores. After the round, check each hole and ensure both you and the marker certify the card before it is returned. The marker need not be the player whose card you keep.
R&A · Rule 3Course & Equipment
Teeing area
The rectangle between the tee markers and two club-lengths back. Pick the marker color matching your driving distance, not your ego.
Fairway and rough
The mown corridor to the green and the longer grass flanking it. The distinction matters for relief rules and for how hard your next shot is.
The green and fringe
The putting surface and its short collar. On the green you may mark, lift, clean and replace your ball, and repair almost any damage on your line.
Penalty area stakes
Yellow penalty areas offer stroke-and-distance or back-on-the-line relief for one stroke. Red areas add lateral relief. You can also play the ball as it lies. White stakes commonly mark out of bounds, where different rules apply.
R&A · Rule 17Hybrids replace long irons
Wood-iron crossbreeds that replaced hard-to-hit long irons for nearly everyone. If one purchase transforms a beginner's bag, it's this.
Distance devices
Devices may usually measure distance, but must not be used for prohibited advice such as elevation-adjusted playing distance. Turn slope off. A competition can prohibit distance-measuring devices through a local rule.
R&A · Rule 4Ball markers
Before lifting a ball that must be replaced, mark its spot using a ball-marker immediately behind or next to it, or hold a club on the ground next to it. A ball-marker must be an artificial object such as a coin or tee.
R&A · Rule 14The scorecard
The scorecard lists hole lengths, par and stroke indexes. Stroke indexes allocate handicap strokes; they are not necessarily a simple hardest-to-easiest ranking. Use the correct course handicap for your tee and format.
Part 2 — Advanced Situations
Relief & Procedures in Depth
Nearest point of complete relief
Free relief starts from the single point, no closer to the hole, where the interference completely stops — even if that spot is in a bush. You measure the one-club relief area from there, not from the nicest grass.
Back-on-the-line relief
Drop on the line from the hole through the rule's reference point. Where the ball first touches that line creates a one-club-length relief area; the relevant rule still restricts course areas and proximity to the hole. It is not permission to drop anywhere behind the hazard.
R&A · Rule 14Stance vs line of play
An immovable obstruction normally gives relief for interference with the lie, stance or intended swing when Rule 16 applies. On the putting green, line-of-play interference can also qualify. Off the green, a sprinkler on the line alone normally needs an applicable local rule.
R&A · Rule 16Dropping in the wrong way
Drop from shoulder height or in the wrong area and correct it before playing: no penalty. Play a wrongly dropped ball and it's one penalty stroke — or the general penalty from a wrong place.
Re-drop or place
If a correctly dropped ball rolls out of the relief area, drop again. If it happens a second time, place the ball where it first touched the ground on the re-drop.
Substituting a ball
You can normally substitute a ball when taking relief. When replacing a ball on its original spot, use the original unless an exception permits substitution, for example when it cannot be recovered with reasonable effort in a few seconds.
R&A · Rule 14Ball unfit for play
A ball visibly cut or cracked during the hole may be substituted under Rule 4.2c. Mark before lifting to check. Mere scratches, scuffs or damaged paint do not qualify.
R&A · Rule 4Cleaning a lifted ball
A lifted ball can usually be cleaned. Exceptions include checking for a cut or crack, interference, and checking whether relief is allowed unless relief is then taken. When identifying a ball, clean only enough to identify it.
R&A · Rule 14Divot holes
A ball in an old divot hole in the fairway gets no relief — it's rub of the green. (Some clubs run winter local rules that soften this.)
Preferred lies / winter rules
Preferred lies apply only when a local rule is in force. It states the permitted area and placement distance, such as a specified number of centimetres or one club-length. Do not assume a scorecard-length or that it applies in the rough.
The two-ball rule (stroke play)
In stroke play, when unsure how to proceed, decide to play two balls before making a stroke and announce which ball you want to count. Report the facts to the Committee before returning your scorecard, even if both scores match. This procedure is not available in match play.
R&A · Rule 20Stroke-and-distance alternative
Model Local Rule E-5 offers a two-stroke alternative for a lost ball or out of bounds only when the Committee adopts it. Its relief area is specifically defined. It is not available for the original ball if a provisional has been played; check the local rule.
Dropping zones
Some holes offer marked dropping zones as an extra relief option (often for water carries). Using one is optional unless the local rule says otherwise.
Ball moved during search
If you, your opponent or anyone else accidentally moves your ball while searching, replace it without penalty. Estimate the spot if unknown.
Ball found after three minutes
Once the search time expires the original ball is lost even if found ten seconds later — it's now a wrong ball. The provisional (or a stroke-and-distance replay) is your ball in play.
On the Green
Repairing the green
You may repair almost all damage on your line: pitch marks, spike marks, animal damage, embedded objects. Natural imperfections and aeration holes stay as they are.
Ball moved on the green
Accidental movement by a player on the putting green is corrected by replacing the ball or marker without penalty. If wind or gravity moves a ball already lifted and replaced on the green, replace it. Otherwise natural forces normally mean playing from the new spot.
R&A · Rule 13Ball overhanging the hole
You get a reasonable time to walk up plus ten seconds of waiting. Falls in within that: holed with the previous stroke. Falls after: holed, but add a stroke.
Hitting another ball on the green
If your putt from the green strikes another ball at rest on the green, it's two penalty strokes in stroke play (the struck ball is replaced free). From off the green: no penalty. Ask for a mark.
Marking and moving a mark
A marker in another player's line may be moved aside one or more putterhead-lengths using an alignment point. Forgetting to move it back before putting costs the general penalty.
Caddie and line of play
Your caddie must not deliberately stand behind your extended line when you begin taking your stance to help alignment. A person may touch the putting green to indicate your line without improving conditions, but must move away before the stroke. Objects must not be left to indicate the line.
R&A · Rule 10Anchoring ban
You must not anchor the club directly or use an anchor point in making a stroke. Holding the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm is an exception. A long putter can be used without anchoring.
R&A · Rule 10Standing astride the line
You must not deliberately make a stroke with a foot on either side of, or touching, the line of play or its extension behind the ball. There are exceptions for accidental stance and avoiding another player's line. This is not a general ban on stepping on a line.
R&A · Rule 10Wrong green
If a wrong green interferes with the ball, intended stance or swing, take free relief. In the general area, drop within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief, not nearer the hole. Relief must be complete; merely moving the ball off the green may not suffice.
R&A · Rule 13Testing the surface
During a hole you may not rub the green or roll a ball to test its speed. Between holes on the course you may practice putt on the green just completed unless the committee forbids it.
Conceding putts (match play)
In match play a next stroke, hole or match can be conceded. A clear concession cannot be refused or withdrawn. In regular stroke play there are no conceded putts; Stableford and other modified formats have their own rules on completing a hole.
R&A · Rule 3Flag tending gone wrong
If your ball strikes the flagstick someone deliberately removed or held, or hits the person tending, there's no penalty to you if it was accidental — play the ball as it lies.
Match Play & Competition
Playing out of turn (match play)
In match play your opponent may promptly cancel a stroke played out of turn, before either player makes another stroke. In stroke play there is normally no penalty, but agreeing to play out of turn to give an advantage can lead to the general penalty.
R&A · Rule 6Halved holes and dormie
Equal scores halve the hole. 'Dormie' means leading by as many holes as remain — the opponent must win every hole left just to tie.
Match scoring language
'3&2' means three holes up with two to play — match over. 'All square' is level; '1 up' after 18 wins the match by one hole.
Handicaps in match play
Use the difference between Playing Handicaps under the competition's handicap allowance. Allocate the strokes by stroke index. Do not simply subtract the players' Handicap Indexes; the tees and format matter.
Claims and disputes
In match play, rules disputes are settled by making a timely claim before teeing off on the next hole. Sitting on a violation and raising it later doesn't work.
Wrong information
Giving your opponent a wrong score or failing to declare a penalty in match play costs the hole if not corrected in time — honesty is codified, not optional.
Starting time
You must be ready at the specified starting time and place. Starting up to five minutes early or late normally gives the general penalty on the first hole; more than five minutes normally means disqualification. Rule 5.3 contains exceptions for exceptional circumstances.
R&A · Rule 5Suspension of play
An immediate suspension for danger requires play to stop at once. A normal suspension uses a different procedure. Learn the course's signals. You may stop if you reasonably believe lightning threatens your safety, and must report that to the Committee as soon as possible.
R&A · Rule 5Practice during a round
Practice strokes are not allowed while playing a hole. Between holes, limited chipping and putting near the previous green, a practice green or the next tee is normally allowed, but not from a bunker and without unreasonable delay. A local rule can restrict it.
R&A · Rule 5Advice
Ask for or give playing advice only as the rules allow, normally involving your own caddie or partner. Public information, such as distances and rules, is not advice. Club selection and swing suggestions normally are advice.
R&A · Rule 10Scorecard responsibilities
Check hole scores and ensure both player and marker certify the card. A lower returned hole score normally means disqualification, with an exception for some unknown penalties. The Committee is responsible for addition and handicap calculations; local procedures may affect certification penalties.
R&A · Rule 3Four-ball order tactics
In four-ball partners may play in the order they consider best when it is their side's turn. A player whose score cannot count must not make a stroke to help their partner. The normal restrictions on standing behind a player also apply.
R&A · Rule 23Foursomes strokes and penalties
In alternate shot, penalty strokes don't change whose turn it is — the rotation continues. Tee shots alternate by hole regardless of who holed out last.
Playing from a wrong place
Playing from a wrong place normally brings the general penalty. In stroke play a serious breach must be corrected before starting the next hole, or before returning the scorecard on the final hole. In match play the general penalty is loss of hole.
R&A · Rule 14Disqualification offenses
Disqualification depends on the specific rule and its exceptions. Examples include serious misconduct, failing to correct certain errors in stroke play, and some incorrect scorecard situations. Ask the Committee for a ruling rather than applying a blanket checklist.
R&A · Rule 1Equipment & Conduct
Damaged club
A club damaged during the round may usually continue to be used. If the damage was not caused by abuse, it can normally be repaired or replaced. A replaced club must be taken out of play; local rules can further restrict replacement.
R&A · Rule 4Adding or borrowing clubs
If you start with fewer than 14 clubs you may add clubs within the rules. You must not borrow clubs carried by another player on the course. Partners in foursomes or four-ball may share only if they have no more than 14 clubs between them.
R&A · Rule 4Club specifications
Clubs used for a stroke must conform to the Equipment Rules. A familiar brand is not a guarantee: some products or modifications are non-conforming. Check the exact model and any local rule requiring a conforming driver-head list.
R&A · Rule 4The one-ball rule
An optional elite-competition rule requiring the same ball model all round. Club golfers may switch models between holes freely — but never during a hole except when the rules allow substitution.
X-outs and refurbished balls
A ball must conform to the Equipment Rules. A listed-model requirement applies when the relevant local rule is adopted. Refurbished or re-painted balls can be difficult to verify; use a clearly identifiable conforming model when uncertain.
R&A · Rule 4Gloves and grip aids
Plain gloves meeting the equipment rules, resin, powders and towels can help the grip. Do not use equipment to attach your hand to the club or eliminate the need for grip skill during a stroke. Check unusual gloves or grip aids against the equipment rules.
R&A · Rule 4Alignment devices
Do not set an object down to help line up your feet or body. Once you have taken a stance with that help, simply removing the object does not avoid the penalty. Use alignment sticks only in practice outside a round.
R&A · Rule 10Caddie rules
You may have only one caddie at a time. A caddie can carry clubs and give advice, but alignment help and positioning behind the player are restricted. A caddie may mark and lift your ball on the putting green without separate authorisation.
R&A · Rule 10Audio and video
Music and podcasts are allowed if not played to help swing tempo and not disturbing others — club culture varies, headphone courtesy applies. Watching swing videos mid-round to diagnose a fault crosses the line in competition.
Pace-of-play policies
Check the competition's published pace-of-play policy for timing limits and penalties. The Rules recommend playing a stroke in no more than 40 seconds once able to play without interference. Returning to position does not automatically cancel an existing penalty or warning.
R&A · Rule 5Integrity clause
The rules assume self-policing: call penalties on yourself, report true scores, protect the field. Golf's entire competitive structure runs on it — and it's the habit that makes club golf work.
Special Situations
Ball deflected accidentally
An accidental deflection normally carries no penalty and the ball is played as it lies. Exceptions matter, especially for a ball played from the putting green and for a ball coming to rest on a person, animal or moving outside influence. Consult Rule 11 before continuing.
R&A · Rule 11Ball deliberately deflected
Deliberately stopping or deflecting a ball can bring the general penalty to the responsible player. The next procedure depends on where the stroke was made and where the ball would have stopped. It is not always a replay or a placed ball.
R&A · Rule 11Double hit
An accidental double hit during one stroke counts as one stroke without an extra penalty. Deliberately striking a moving ball is a different situation.
R&A · Rule 10Ball in a tree
If an identified ball is in a tree, unplayable-ball options may be available. For lateral relief the reference point is directly below the ball on the ground. Stroke-and-distance is also an option, even if the ball is not found. Do not climb or attempt a dangerous shot.
R&A · Rule 19Ball moved by animal
If an animal moves a ball at rest, replace it without penalty when this is known or virtually certain. A ball deflected while moving is governed by Rule 11, including exceptions; do not automatically play it from wherever the animal carries it.
R&A · Rule 9Ball in or on an obstruction
For a ball in or on a movable obstruction, remove it and take free relief. Normally drop within one club-length of the point directly below the ball, in the same area of the course and not nearer the hole. On the putting green, place the ball instead.
R&A · Rule 15Ball breaks apart
If the ball breaks into pieces after a stroke, replay the stroke free from the same spot with another ball. Rare — but it's in the rules because it happens.
Wrong ball found late
Discovering after several strokes that you've played a wrong ball: in stroke play, two penalty strokes and you must go back to your own ball (or proceed under lost-ball rules) before the next tee — or be disqualified.
Boundary objects
OB stakes, walls and fences are not obstructions: no free relief, and you may not remove a stake to clear your swing (replace it if you did, before playing, to avoid penalty).
Integral objects
Some artificial objects — marked support wires, decorative walls, roads declared integral — are defined as part of the course: no free relief, play it or take unplayable.
Temporary water on the green
When a ball is on the green, temporary water on its line can qualify for relief. Place at the nearest point of complete relief, on the green or in the general area, not nearer the hole. Maximum available relief can apply if complete relief is impossible.
R&A · Rule 16Aeration and maintenance
Aeration holes give no relief by default; many clubs add a local rule granting it. Fresh sod seams and thin turf-repair lines often carry their own local relief rules — read the noticeboard.
Dangerous animals and situations
A dangerous animal condition exists when playing as the ball lies could cause serious physical injury. Free relief is normally available, subject to Rule 16.2 and its restrictions. Mere inconvenience, harmless insects or fear of an ordinary lie do not automatically qualify.
R&A · Rule 16Ball plugged in a bunker face
First establish whether the ball is in the bunker. A grass-covered face may be in the general area and qualify for embedded-ball relief. A ball embedded in sand inside the bunker does not; play it or use the applicable unplayable-ball options.
R&A · Rule 16Immovable obstruction near the green
Line-of-play relief from an immovable obstruction near a green requires an applicable local rule, such as F-5. Read its distance and surface restrictions. A sprinkler between the ball and hole is not automatically free relief.
Playing a moving ball
You must not make a stroke at a moving ball except in specific cases, including a ball moving in water or one that starts moving after the stroke or backswing begins. If you caused the movement, a separate penalty may still apply.
R&A · Rule 10Outside influence returns a ball
A ball at rest moved by an outside influence (spectator, greenkeeper's mower) is replaced free on its original spot — estimated if necessary.
Ball played from a penalty area moves
In a penalty area you may normally ground the club and remove loose impediments. The other rules still apply: moving your ball while removing a loose impediment can mean one penalty stroke and replacement. Do not improve the conditions affecting the stroke.
R&A · Rule 17Local rules trump habits
Read the authorised local rules and the terms of competition before playing. They can specify preferred lies, dropping zones and boundaries within the Rules' framework. Players cannot simply agree to waive a known rule during a competition.
R&A · Rule 1When in doubt
For a competition or handicap score, follow the applicable Rules and seek a ruling when unsure. Stroke play allows the two-ball procedure in Rule 20.1c; match play uses a timely ruling request. Informal practice alternatives must not be confused with a rules-compliant score.
R&A · Rule 20No matches — try a shorter word, or browse the categories above.
About this guide
These are plain-language summaries written for club golfers — not the official Rules of Golf. Start with the ~54 beginner essentials; the advanced section covers the situations that decide club competitions. For tournament questions, the R&A/USGA rules and your committee decide. New to the game entirely? Start with our complete beginner's guide.