5.7 Stopping Play; Resuming Play a. When Players May or Must Stop Play During a round, a player must not stop play except in these cases: Suspension by Committee. All players must stop play if the Committee suspends play (see Rule 5.7b). Stopping Play by Agreement in Match Play. Players in a match may agree to stop play for any reason, except if doing so delays the competition. If they agree to stop play and then one player wants to resume play, the agreement has ended and the other player must resume play. Individual Player Stopping Play Because of Lightning. A player may stop play if they reasonably believe there is danger from lightning, but must report to the Committee as soon as possible. Leaving the course is not, by itself, stopping play. A player’s delay of play is covered by Rule 5.6a, not by this Rule. If a player stops play for any reason not allowed under this Rule or fails to report to the Committee when required to do so, the player is disqualified. b. What Players Must Do When Committee Suspends Play There are two types of Committee suspensions of play, each with different requirements for when players must stop play. (1) Immediate Suspension (Such as When There Is Imminent Danger). If the Committee declares an immediate suspension of play, a player must not make another stroke until the Committee resumes play. The Committee should use a distinct method of telling players about an immediate suspension. (2) Normal Suspension (Such as for Darkness or Unplayable Course). If the Committee suspends play for normal reasons, what happens next depends on where each playing group is: Between Two Holes. If all players in the group are between two holes, they must stop play and must not make a stroke to begin another hole until the Committee resumes play. While Playing Hole. If any player in the group has started a hole, the players may choose either to stop play or to play out the hole. The players are allowed a brief amount of time (which normally should be no more than two minutes) to decide whether to stop play or play out the hole. If the players continue play of the hole, they may go on to complete the hole or may stop before completing the hole. Once the players complete the hole or stop before completing the hole, they must not make another stroke until the Committee resumes play under Rule 5.7c. If the players do not agree on what to do: Match Play. If the opponent stops play, the player must also stop play and both players must not play again until the Committee resumes play. If the player does not stop play, the player gets the general penalty (loss of hole). Stroke Play. Any player in the group may choose to stop play or go on to continue the hole, no matter what the others in the group decide to do, except that the player may continue play only if the player’s marker stays to keep the player’s score. Penalty for Breach of Rule 5.7b: Disqualification. Exception – No Penalty If Committee Decides That Failure to Stop Was Justified: There is no breach of this Rule and no penalty if the Committee decides that circumstances justified the player’s failure to stop play when required to do so. See Committee Procedures, Section 8; Model Local Rule J-1 (recommended ways for Committee to indicate immediate and normal suspensions to players). c. What Players Must Do When Play Resumes (1) Where to Resume Play. A player must resume play from where they stopped play on a hole or, if between two holes, at the next teeing area, even if play is resumed on a later day. If a player resumes play from a different spot than where they stopped play, see Rules 6.1b and 14.7. (2) When to Resume Play. The player must be present at the location identified in (1) and ready to play: At the time set by the Committee for play to resume, and The player must resume play at (and not before) that time. If the ability to resume play is delayed for any reason (such as when players in the group ahead need to play first and move out of the way), there is no breach of this Rule if the player is present and ready to play when the player’s group is able to resume play. Penalty for Breach of Rule 5.7c(2): Disqualification.