Desert Duffers Rules of Play & Points of Emphasis Revised January 1, 2010 Play is governed by USGA Rules except as modified by Quail Creek local rules and Duffers rules of play. Purposes. The purposes of these Rules of Play & Points of Emphasis are to play by the Rules of Golf, while at the same time ensuring that play is not unduly delayed and that Duffers of all skill levels have an enjoyable round of golf. Signing up for Game Day. 1) Future games are posted to the website several weeks in advance and signups can be made as soon as a weekly game is posted. SIGN UP online 4 DAYS prior to game day. Online signups close at midnight, the Friday before the game; 2) Phone in cancellations as early as possible to the phone number shown on the pairing sheet. On GAME DAY call cancellations to the pro shop 393-5802. Early/Late/Special Requests: These requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Tournament Chair (or his designee). Late Sign-Ups: After the deadline for the weekly sign-up a late sign-up player will be considered in the discretion of the Tournament Chair (or his designee) to fill a vacancy in the pairings or if sufficient spots exist for additional players in the weekly tournament event. The late sign-up player will forfeit his $5 tournament game fee and not be eligible to participate in the monetary prize for that week. A blind draw will be used as necessary to replace the late sign-up player. The Tournament Chair (or his designee) may excuse a late sign-up in extraordinary circumstances. No Shows/Cancellations: A player who cancels after the publication of the weekly pairings or fails to show at the designated tournament time and day, three times in a three month period will be ineligible to participate in Duffers events. The player will be reinstated after playing three subsequent Duffer weekly tournament events, forfeiting his $5 tournament game fee for these events, and not being eligible to participate in the monetary prizes for these events. The Tournament Chair (or his designee) may excuse a cancellation or no show due to inclement weather or extraordinary circumstances.
Game Day Check-In. All players should check in at the pro shop no later than 15 minutes prior to their scheduled start. Any player checking in five minutes or less prior to his scheduled start is subject to losing his spot. Play Ready Golf. A round of Duffers golf should take no longer than 2 ½ (two and one-half) hours. If your group is taking longer, your group is likely not playing ready golf. Ready golf allows the golfers within a group to take their swings when each member of the group is ready to play. If you reach your ball and are ready to hit, while other members of your group are not yet prepared, then go ahead and hit. Some helpful hints: --Walk to your ball as soon as possible, so that you can choose your club and think about the shot in ADVANCE, not when it is your turn. --When driving a cart, drop off your partner first, let your partner choose his club, and then drive to your own ball to get READY to play. --Do not proceed ahead of someone and stop at a position where you are potentially within the flight path of the ball or if your presence would distract the attention of the other player. --When someone else s ball is lost, hit your shot FIRST and then help look for the lost ball. --Walk down the SIDES of the fairway to reach your ball and then APPROACH it from the center. NEVER play in a caravan, moving in a group from ball to ball. --When on the Green, line up your putt BEFORE it is your turn, and putt out immediately instead of marking, if you are not in someone else's line. --Keep an extra ball in your pocket for those occasions when you lose your ball; it will likely save a walk back to the cart. 90 Degree Rule. The 90 Degree Rule is in effect at all times, unless cart path only is applicable. Golfers are required to keep carts on the cart path until they are even with a golf ball in the fairway. Only then should the cart leave the path, turning sharply (90 degrees) to drive straight across to the golf ball. After playing the shot, the cart should be driven directly back to the cart path, and then remain on the path until pulling even with another ball. In this manner, golfers have the convenience of carts but damage to the course is minimized. (Handicap flag holders comply with the Quail Creek governing provisions available in the pro shop.) Lift, clean, and place ( winter rules ) are applicable at all times in the FAIRWAY. A gimme putt (conceding a putt) is defined as a putt inside the putter grip. If the ball touches the grip, putt again. Coyote--Hole #9. Players will tee off from the silver/bronze combination tees. A player, at his option,
may tee off from the silver tees. Quail Hole #8. If a player hits his tee shot into the water without hitting the other side, the player shall hit the next shot from the drop zone with a one stroke penalty. In the event there is no drop zone, the player shall hit the next shot from the forward tees with a one stroke penalty. Maximum Strokes. The Rules of Golf do not limit the number of strokes a player may take on any one hole. So as not to unduly delay play certain limitations are established. Two times (2 x) Par (Par 5=10 strokes, Par 4=8 strokes, Par 3=6 strokes.) Once a golfer s strokes equal the maximum strokes for a hole, he picks up for that hole! Maximum Handicap for League Play: 20 (Twenty) for nine holes. Out-of-Bounds/Lost Ball/Desert Relief/Unplayable Ball (not in the bunker.) Note: You may take no more than a minute to locate your ball; if found and not out-of-bounds you may play it. --With a one stroke penalty: 1) take a drop within two club lengths no closer to the hole (for Desert Relief or an Unplayable Ball) OR 2) take a drop on the backward extension of the line from the hole to the ball (for Lost Ball approximate location/out-of-bounds/desert Relief/Unplayable Ball.) In the event the backward extension of approximately 15 yards places the player in an unplayable situation or out of bounds, place the ball on the course on a 90 degree or 270 degree (as applicable) line of the 15 yard backward extension. The placed ball on the course should be at a point where the ball is playable, but at a location near the general area where the ball entered out-of-bounds or the desert area. (This Rule is intended to speed up play and to eliminate the need for hitting a provisional ball in most cases.) Unplayable ball (further explained.) The player may deem his ball unplayable at any place on the course except when the ball is in a water hazard. The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable. If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he must, under penalty of one stroke: a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played; or b. Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or c. Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole. If the unplayable ball is in a bunker, the player may proceed under Clause a, b or c. If he elects to proceed under Clause b or c, a ball must be dropped in the bunker.
The ball may be lifted and cleaned. Playing out of the Bunker, the Rules of Golf apply. Clarification: You may not ground your club in the sand (including drawing lines in the sand or building a sand tee.) Backyards. Backyards are considered out-of-bounds. Do not enter anyone s backyard. However, if your ball is lying next to a backyard wall and it interferes with your stance or swing, you may drop the ball within one club length without penalty. Decorative Stone areas. If your ball lies in an area with decorative stone, take a drop no closer to the hole and with no penalty. Water. --If you must hit over the water from the tee and your ball goes in the water before hitting the other side you are hitting your next shot from the drop zone (1 stroke penalty, you are hitting your third shot.) --If you must hit over the water and your ball goes over the water and hits the other side, but rolls back into the water, you can drop your ball on the other side within 2 club lengths of where the ball rolled into the water, but no closer to the hole- 1 stroke penalty. --If you hit into a lateral water hazard marked by red stakes, you are allowed to drop your ball within two club lengths from the point your shot entered the hazard, but no closer to the hole- 1 stroke penalty. --If your ball is in casual water or you must stand in water to hit your shot, you are allowed to drop your ball on dry ground, no closer to the hole-no penalty. Cart Path. If the ball is on the cart path or the player must stand on the path to hit his shot, the player may drop the ball with one club length away from the path, but no closer to the hole- no penalty. Common Sense Prevails. The Desert Duffers was formed with the intent that golf is a game, that we should have fun, that we welcome and encourage golfers of all skill levels to join in, and that we should not take ourselves or golf too seriously. We should be mindful as we play Duffers golf of our founding principles and apply a common sense approach to our play and the game of golf. Prepared: February 15, 2007
Revised: January 3, 2009, September 30, 2009, January 1, 2010