Local/Club Rules:

Local/Club Rules effective 10/4/24

A. Putting Ball After reaching the green players may putt with a substitute ball.

B. Penalty Areas

1)      Provisional Ball for Ball in a Penalty Area

If a player does not know whether their ball is in the penalty area identify location, the player may play a provisional ball using any of the following relief options: stroke-and-distance, back-on-the-line or, if it is a red penalty area, the lateral relief option (see Rule 17.1d) or using the dropping zone available for this penalty area.

2)      Defining Open Watercourse as Part of General Area

Concrete drainage ditches and other ditches not defined by the course (scorecard), or red\yellow stakes are treated as part of the general area and not as a penalty area.

C. Special Relief Procedures

1)      Dropping Zones

As an extra relief option for the penalty area a player may drop a ball in the dropping zone as defined by the Tournament Director at the start of the round. One penalty stroke is incurred. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

2)      Preferred Lies

Before the start of each round, the Tournament Director will declare if preferred lies are in effect.  When a player’s ball lies in the general area, the player may take free relief by placing the original ball or another ball in, and playing it from, this relief area:

• Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.
• Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point:  grip length of any club from the reference point, but with these limits:
• Limits on Location of Relief Area:
  • Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and
  • Must be in the general area.

3)      Relief from Aeration Holes

If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole identify area, such as the general area, or on the putting green, relief may be taken under Rule 16.1.

4)      Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds

When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed under the Stroke and Distance Local Rule for a penalty of two strokes, rather than proceeding under stroke and distance.

For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):

Two Estimated Reference Points:

(a) Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball is estimated to have:

• Come to rest on the course, or last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.

(b) Fairway Reference Point: The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point but is not nearer to the hole than the ball reference point.

If a ball is estimated to be lost on the course or last crossed the edge of the course boundary short of the fairway, the fairway reference point may be a grass path or a teeing ground for the hole being played cut to fairway height or less.

Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points: Anywhere between

• A line from the hole through the ball reference point (and within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and
• A line from the hole through the fairway reference point (and within two club-lengths to the fairway side of that line).

• Must be in the general area and not nearer to the hole than the ball reference point.

Once the player puts a ball in play under this Local Rule:

• The original ball is no longer in play and must not be played even if the ball is found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 6.3b).

5)      Protection of Young Trees

Young trees with identifiable tree well areas are abnormal course conditions. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1.

6)      Ball Deflected by Power Line

If it is known or virtually certain that a player's ball hits a power line or tower or a wire or pole supporting a power line, the player must replay the stroke by playing the original ball or another ball from the spot where that stroke was made.

7)      High Grass

If a player’s ball is in a high grass area, as defined by grass higher than the grip of any club, including when it is known or virtually certain to be in a high grass area even though not found, the player has relief options under rule 17.1d or 17.2 (one penalty stroke).

D. Abnormal Course Conditions and Integral Objects

1)      Limited Relief for Embedded Ball

Free relief is allowed only when a ball is embedded in part of the general area.

*** Rule 16.3 is modified in this way: Free relief is not allowed when a ball is embedded in stacked turf faces /soil faces above bunkers. ***

2)      Ground Under Repair Treated as Part of Nearby Obstruction

Decorative planted areas is surrounded by an artificially surfaced road or path (including everything growing within that area), they are treated as a single abnormal course condition when taking relief under Rule 16.1.

3)      Relief for Ball in Bunker

If a player’s ball is in a bunker and there is interference by an abnormal course condition defined as:

·         temporary water

·         animal hole

·         ground under repair (GUR), ball rests in a human or animal footprint, mud or an abnormal condition created by maintenance equipment.

·          areas in bunkers where sand has been removed by the movement of water resulting in deep furrows through the sand.

·         immovable obstruction

The player may take either free relief under (1) or penalty relief under (2):

(1) Free Relief: Playing from Bunker. The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b, except that:

• The nearest point of complete relief and the relief area must be in the bunker.
• If there is no such nearest point of complete relief in the bunker, the player may still take this relief by using the point of maximum available relief in the bunker as the reference point.
• After approval from a playing partner, the GUR area may be raked and then the ball placed.

(2) Penalty Relief: Playing from Outside Bunker (Back-on-the-Line Relief). For one penalty stroke, the player may drop the original ball or another ball (see Rule 14.3) outside that bunker, keeping the spot of the original ball between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped (with no limit on how far back the ball may be dropped). The spot on the line where the ball first touches the ground when dropped creates a relief area that is one club-length in any direction from that point, but with these limits:

• Limits on Location of Relief Area:
  • Must not be nearer the hole than the spot of the original ball, and
  • May be in any area of the course except the same bunker, but
  • Must be in the same area of the course that the ball first touched when dropped.

4)      Extensive Damage Due to Heavy Rain and Traffic

Ground under repair may include areas of unusual damage, including areas where motorized vehicle (carts, maintenance vehicles) traffic have combined with wet conditions to alter the ground surface materially.

5)      Immovable Obstructions Close to Putting Greens

Immovable obstructions close to putting green: In addition to the types of interference described in Rule 16.1a, when a ball lies in the general area, interference also exists if an immovable obstruction is: on the player’s line of play, is within two club-lengths of the putting green, and is within two club-lengths of the ball.  The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. (Exception – There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.)

6)      Relief from Cracks in Ground

Cracks in the ground are ground under repair. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. But relief is not allowed if the crack only interferes with the player’s stance.

7)      Relief from Tree Roots and Rocks

If a player's ball has interference from tree roots or rocks, free relief is available under Rule 16.1b.

·         But interference does not exist if the tree roots or rocks only interfere with the player’s stance.

·         Free relief is not allowed when a ball is within the grip of any club from the trunk of a tree, bush, or boulder.

8)      Damage by Animals

Areas of damage in the general area caused by animals (i.e. wild hogs) are treated as ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b. But relief is not allowed if the damage only interferes with the player’s stance.

9)      Animal Hoof Damage

Damage caused by animal hoofs is ground under repair from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1.
But on the putting green, Rule 16.1 does not apply, and such damage may be repaired under Rule 13.1.

10)  Accumulations of Loose Impediments

Piles of loose impediments such as leaves, seeds or acorns may make it difficult for a player to find or play their ball. Such piles of loose impediments in the general area are considered as ground under repair from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b.

11)  Bunkers – Ground Under Repair. Filled with Temporary Water, Storm Debris or otherwise Unreasonably Maintained (Bunkers are out)

Prior to the start of the round the Tournament Director may declare bunkers filled with temporary water, storm debris or otherwise unreasonably maintained as ground under repair in the general area.  The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b.

12)  All Roads and Paths Treated as Obstructions

All roads and paths on the course even if not artificially surfaced, are treated as immovable obstructions from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b.

UGSA References

Rule 14  Procedures for Ball: Marking, Lifting and Cleaning; Replacing on Spot; Dropping in Relief Area; Playing from Wrong Place Rules and Clarifications (usga.org)

Rule 15 Relief from Loose Impediments and Movable Obstructions (Including Ball or Ball-Marker Helping or Interfering with Play) Rules and Clarifications (usga.org)

Rule 16 Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions), Dangerous Animal Condition, Embedded Ball Rules and Clarifications (usga.org)

Rule 17 Penalty Areas – specific rule for penalty areas Rules and Clarifications (usga.org)