GENERAL RULES USGA RULES APPLY UNLESS MODIFIED BY LOCAL RULES Stolen or lost ball - A ball may be declared to have been stolen or lost in a hole made by a burrowing animal or in a drain if verified by others in your playing group. Drop a ball as close as possible to the area of disappearance, no closer to the hole. No Penalty. Immovable obstruction - The following listed items are immovable obstructions: Dirt piles marked for removal or for course maintenance, macadam pathways, drains, gates, sprinkler heads, water pipes, ball washers, guy wires, rocks in own fairway, water system control boxes, protective screens, and in-ground 150 yd. markers. Bushes and tee markers are considered part of the course. Relief from immovable obstructions - When an immovable obstruction interferes with a player s stance or intended swing, the player may select the nearest point of relief then drop the ball at arm s length within one club length of the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole. No penalty. Note -There is no relief if an immovable obstruction interferes with the intended line of play or sight. Out of bounds - Outside of boundary fences, parking lots, and outside of white stakes (or painted markers) on the 3rd, 11th, and 14th holes. Penalty - stroke and distance Water hazard There are three possible procedures for play after hitting into a water hazard. Penalty one stroke 1) Drop a ball behind the water hazard on a line drawn by keeping the spot at which the ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard and the hole; with no limit as to how far back behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped. 2) Drop a ball as near as possible from where the previous shot was played. The ball may be re-teed if played from the tee. 3) Drop a ball within the designated drop zone. Lateral water hazard - The procedure for play after hitting into a lateral water hazard is as follows: a player may proceed as in 1 or 2 above or may drop within two club lengths where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard. The player may drop the ball on either side of the hazard no closer to the hole. Penalty - one stroke Bunkers - Rocks may be removed from around the ball. The ball must be replaced as close as possible to the original spot if it moves. Ball and spike marks - All ball and spike marks on the green may be repaired. Loose impediments - All natural objects such as stones, leaves, twigs, branches, etc., are loose impediments and may be removed when the ball lies in the fairway or rough. There is a penalty if the ball moves while removing loose impediments. Penalty - one stroke Ground under repair - Although most ground under repair is marked, some areas may not be. Consult your foursome to determine if your ball lies in ground under repair.
Embedded Ball A ball that has become plugged in the ground may be re- moved, cleaned and dropped as close to the original position, no closer to the hole, without penalty. This rule is in effect through the green. Questions on rules - When in doubt about any rule play the original ball and a second ball, marking down both scores. Consult the golf committee or the local professional when the round is over for a ruling. Wood chips - Play all wood chips around trees as loose impediments. Flowerbeds - All flowerbeds are ground under repair. Summer rules - USGA rules are in effect except where modified by local rules. Summer Rules are in effect unless otherwise defined by the golf committee. Winter Rules The following is the procedure when the rules committee declares that play will be governed under the local Winter Rules. A sign will be posted on the 1st and 10th tees declaring Summer or Winter rules. The sign near the lower tee on #1 is for the Ladies Club only. A ball lying on a closely mown area through the green may be lifted without penalty and cleaned. The player must mark its position before lifting the ball. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within one clublength of the original spot and not nearer the hole that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green. A player may place his ball only once, and it is in play when it has been placed (Rule 20-4). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, Rule 20-3d applies. If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty, and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other rule apply. If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke. the ball in any other manner, Note: Closely mown area means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less. New Local Rules for 2017 Penalty for breach of any local rule: Match Play Loss of hole, Stroke Play 2 stroke penalty Accidental Movement of a Ball on a Putting Green Rules 18-2, 18-3 and 20-1 are modified as follows: When a player s ball lies on the putting green, there is no penalty if the ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved by the player, his partner, his opponent, or any of their caddies or equipment. The moved ball or ball-marker must be replaced as provided in Rules 18-2, 18-3 and 20-1. This Local Rule applies only when the player s ball or ball-marker lies on the putting green and any movement is accidental. Note: If it is determined that a player s ball on the putting green was moved as a result of wind, water or some other natural cause such as the effects of gravity, the ball must be played as it lies from its new location. A ballmarker moved in such circumstances is replaced.
Aeration Holes Through the green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole may be lifted without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green. On the putting green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole may be placed at the nearest spot not nearer the hole that avoids the situation. Seams of Cut Turf Through the green, seams of cut turf (not the turf itself) are deemed to be ground under repair. However, interference by a seam with the player's stance is deemed not to be, of itself, interference under Rule 25-1. If the ball lies in or touches the seam or the seam interferes with the area of intended swing, relief is available under Rule 25-1. All seams within the cut turf area are considered the same seam. Water Hazards - Playing Ball Provisionally Under Rule 26-1 If there is doubt whether a ball is in or is lost in any water hazard, the player may play another ball provisionally under any of the applicable options in Rule 26-1. If the original ball is found outside the water hazard, the player must continue play with it. If the original ball is found in the water hazard, the player may either play the original ball as it lies or continue with the ball played provisionally under Rule 26-1. If the original ball is not found or identified within the five-minute search period, the player must continue with the ball played provisionally. Dropping Zones When using a dropping zone the following provisions apply regarding the dropping and re-dropping of the ball: (a) The player does not have to stand within the dropping zone when dropping the ball. (b) The dropped ball must first strike a part of the course within the dropping zone. (c) If the dropping zone is defined by a line, the line is within the dropping zone. (d) The dropped ball does not have to come to rest within the dropping zone. (e) The dropped ball must be re-dropped if it rolls and comes to rest in a position covered by Rule 20-2c (i-vi). (f) The dropped ball may roll nearer the hole than the spot where it first struck a part of the course, provided it comes to rest within two club-lengths of that spot and not into any of the positions covered by (e). (g) Subject to the provisions of (e) and (f), the dropped ball may roll and come to rest nearer the hole than: 1. Its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b); 2. The nearest point of relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2, 25-1 or 25-3); or 3. The point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard (Rule 26-1).
Distance-Measuring Devices For all play at this course, a player may obtain distance information by use of a distance-measuring device. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g., elevation changes, wind speed, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 14-3. How to Decide Ties With the exception of Club Championship Matches all ties will be broken by a matching of score cards. If the tie is for a net place, handicap strokes will be used. Matching cards will determine the winner on the basis of the best score for the last nine holes. If the tying players have the same score for the last nine, the winner will be determined on the basis of the last six holes, last three holes and finally the 18th hole. If this method is used in a competition with a multiple tee start, the "last nine holes, last six holes, etc.," is considered to be holes 10-18, 13-18, etc. If this procedure does not produce a winner, then the matching of score cards will be hole by hole starting with the first hole. If that procedure still does not produce a winner, the winner will be selected by lot. All Club Championship Matches tied after completion of their stipulated round will proceed to the first tee for a sudden death playoff. Errors - All errors and ambiguities in this book will be referred to the rules committee for clarification and will be updated on the information board. HOLE BY HOLE RULES USGA RULES APPLY UNLESS MODIFIED BY LOCAL RULES 1. The protective screens on the 1st and 17th are in the hazard. Play three from the tee or play as it lies. 2. Brooks on the left and right side of the fairway are water hazards. 3. The pond is a water hazard. Out of bounds over the green is marked by white stakes. 4. The pond on the right is a lateral water hazard. 5. The pond on the right is a lateral water hazard. 6. The protective screen in front of the upper tee is an immovable obstruction. 7. The brook crossing the fairway is a water hazard. The brook on the right is a lateral water hazard. 8. The pond on the right is a lateral water hazard. The protective screen right of the green is an immovable obstruction. 9. OB is defined as left of the hedges to the fence behind the green and follows the fence to the 10th tee. 10. The protective screen left of the fairway is an immovable obstruction. 11. There is OB on the left side beyond the pond, lateral to the green. The pond is a water hazard. There is a lateral hazard left of the fairway and marked by red stakes. 12. The pond and brook are a water hazard.
13. The pond on the left is a lateral water hazard. The poles, guy-wires and net behind the green are parts of the golf course. There is no relief from these features for stance or swing. Play the ball as it lies or use the nearest drop area, penalty - one stroke. 14. There is OB left as marked by white stakes. The pond on the 3rd hole is a lateral water hazard from the 14th hole. 15. The OB on this hole has been removed beginning in the 2017 season. 16. The pond on the left is a lateral water hazard. 17. The pond is a water hazard. The protective screens on the 1st and 17th tees are in the hazard. Play 3 from tee or as it lies. The protective screen left of the green is an immovable obstruction. 18. The pond on the right is a lateral water hazard. A ball may be dropped in the designated drop area. The protective screen on the 17th tee is an immovable obstruction. The brook on the left is a water hazard. The protective screen off the tee on the left is an immovable obstruction.