When the 90-degree rule is in effect, golf carts are allowed on the fairway, although they need to maintain a 90-degree angle from the cart path and their ball.

That means you cannot leave the cart path until you are parallel with your ball. Then you drive straight to your ball, passing over the least amount of grass as possible.

Don’t drive up the fairway to find your ball. 

After you hit your ball, return to the cart path at the same 90-degree angle you took to get to your ball. Then move along the cart path until you reach your next shot.

This is done to help keep the course, in particular, the fairway in good shape. Driving on the fairway compacts the soil and can hurt grass growth and health.

Why is there a 90-degree rule?

There are a few reasons why a course would implement the 90 degree rule.

Most times because the course took on a bunch of rain recently and it’s too wet to drive on. If riders had free reign on the course they could unintentionally tear up the fairways, leaving them ruined.

If it’s really wet, courses will implement a cart path only rule.

Other times courses will implement the 90-degree rule if they’re trying to grow grass. In this case greens crews want to keep as little disturbance on the fairway as possible.

Bonus: Cart path only

Many courses will have a combination of holes that are 90-degree rule and cart path only. This may be from inclement weather or just course management attempting to keep the course in good shape throughout the entire season.

Usually, the cart path only holes are on par 3s, where there is not a lot of fairway to begin with. Since they’re short you’re able to drive right up to the putting green.

If you hit your ball short you will just have to walk a little further.

Read More: Golf has a number of unspoken rules. Don’t be that guy or girl and make sure you follow the basics of golf etiquette.