Ocean Ridge Men s Golf Association Local Rules (Revised August 5, 2018) In accordance with the ORMGA by-laws, members of the ORMGA must adhere to the USGA Rules of Golf, and by these ORMGA local rules, and are encouraged to follow these rules in all play, not just ORMGA events. In league events where scores are posted, no mulligans are allowed and all putts must be holed unless conceded in a match play event. The ball must be played down unless relief is provided by the rules of golf or these local rules. ORMGA has adopted the following Local Rules for use in League events. The local rules are grouped by the USGA rule to which they are related. Rule 1-4: Points Not Covered by Rules 1. Relief from Dangerous Conditions, e.g., snakes, fire ants, alligators, etc. 1. Through the green, a player may, without penalty, drop a ball within one clublength of and not nearer the hole than the nearest spot that is not dangerous. 2. In a hazard, a player may drop a ball, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest spot that is not dangerous. If possible, the ball must be dropped in the same hazard and, if not possible, in a similar nearby hazard, but in either case not nearer the hole. If it is not possible for the player to drop the ball in a hazard, the ball may be dropped, under penalty of one stroke, outside the hazard, keeping the point where the original ball lay between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped. 3. On a putting green, a player may, without penalty, place the ball at the nearest spot not nearer the hole that is not dangerous. Rule 14-3: Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual Use of Equipment 2. Measuring Devices: The use of hand held measuring devices for obtaining distance information is permitted. If the device is designed to gauge or measure conditions other than distance, e.g. wind speed, elevation, etc., the player is allowed to use the device but must disable/ignore all information except distance prior to beginning the round. The use of such other condition information is a breach of Rule 14-3 and the player is disqualified. If the player who utilizes the distance-measuring device is asked for distance information by his playing partners or opponents, this information should be provided. Rule 18: Ball at Rest Moves 3. Ball on Green Moved Accidentally: Rules 18-2, 18-3 and 20-1 are modified as follows: 1
When a player s ball lies on the putting green, there is no penalty if the ball or ballmarker 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 ball-marker moved in such circumstances is replaced. Rule 24: Obstructions 4. Stones in Bunkers: For safety reasons, stones in bunkers are deemed movable obstructions and may be removed without penalty. (Rule 24-1 applies) 5. Ball at Rest on Bridges: All bridges are part of the hazard which they cross. If a ball comes to rest on a bridge, your options are: 1. Play ball as it lies and you may ground your club. 2. Take relief appropriate for water hazard 6. Stones Around Drains Not in a Hazard. Several drains such as on the left side of the cart path and right of the fairway on hole 12 of Panther s Run have large stones to prevent erosion in the area of the drain. These stone structures are declared to be immovable obstructions and relief may be taken in accordance with Rule 24-2. 7. Drainage strutures in Fairway. The drainage structures in the fairway of hole number 14 of Lion s Paw after the dog leg are declared to be immovable obstructions and relied may be taken in accordance with Rule 24-2. Rule 25: Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and Wrong Putting Green 8. Preferred Lies: The Rules of Golf permit a local rule to be established for preferred lies. If on-course playing conditions warrant preferred lies, the Monday/Wednesday directors or Tournament director will notify the participants. The directors must specify the area in which preferred lies is in effect such as in your own fairway or through the green. If preferred lies are in effect, a ball lying on a portion of the course specified by the directors such as in your own fairway or through the green may be lifted without penalty and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having 2
lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, 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, moves the ball-marker prior to putting the ball back into play or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke. A decision by Ocean Ridge Golf (ORG) that Cart Path Only (CPO) is in effect does not, in and of itself, determine whether preferred lies will be allowed. CPO may be in effect due to fertilization or for other reasons that do not adversely affect course conditions. 9. Abnormal Ground Conditions: 1. Aeration Holes: Throug 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. a. 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. 2. Seams in 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. 3. Roots: For a ball that lies in a closely mown area if exposed roots interfere with the lie of the ball or the intended swing path the player may lift the ball without penalty and drop the ball within one club length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief in accordance with USGA Decision 33-8/8. Closely mown area means grass that is cut to fairway height or less 4. Ground under repair: A player must remove his ball from an area marked as ground under repair (white lines). A player takes relief by dropping his ball within one club length of the nearest point of relief from the ground under repair no nearer to the hole, without penalty. 5. Other abnormal ground conditions: Other abnormal ground conditions include grass trimmings dumped on the ground and intended for removal as well as other 3
material intended for removal and deep ruts caused by wet ground and equipment. Under these abnormal ground conditions, except on a putting green, a player may lift, clean and drop the ball within one club length of and no nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief without penalty in accordance with USGA Rule25-1.b. On a putting green, the ball must be placed. 6. Mud in Bunkers: There is no relief from mud in a bunker unless the ball is in casual water. If a ball is in casual water, the player may take relief in accordance with subparagraph 25-1.b (ii) of the USGA's Abnormal Ground Condition Rule. 7. When there is Significant washout damage to a Bunker, player may take relief from interference under Rule 25-1b.(ii) Abnormal Ground Conditions. If player has doubts as to whether or not a washout constitutes Significant damage, in Stroke play, player should proceed under Rule 3.3 and play out hole with two balls. 10. Embedded Ball: Through the green, a ball that is embedded in its own pitch-mark may be lifted, without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to where it lay but not nearer the hole. Exceptions: 1. A player may not take relief under this Local Rule if the ball is embedded in a sandy area. 2. A player may not take relief under this Local Rule if interference by anything other than the condition covered by this Local Rule makes the stroke clearly impracticable. 11. Landscapes and Beauty Areas: Ocean Ridge Golf (ORG) has defined landscapes and beauty areas, which are areas having a defined boundary in which are planted flowering plants, small trees, and shrubs. This includes, for example, the low-lying junipers found on Tiger's Eye holes # 1, # 11, #12 and elsewhere throughout the courses, the landscaped and flowering areas to the left of the cart path on Lion s Paw No. 9and the area of grasses on the front left side of the green on Leopard s Chase No. 2. All such landscapes and beauty areas must be played as ground under repair. Rule 28: Ball Unplayable 13. Pampas Grass: For a ball hit into the Pampas Grass on hole number 1 of Panther s Run or on several holes on Leopard s Chase, an unplayable lie may only be declared if the ball is found and identified. If the ball is not found, it is considered lost and the player must proceed under penalty of stroke and distance in accordance with Rule 28a and Decision 28/1. In order to speed up play, a player may play a provisional ball if it appears that his ball may be lost in the Pampas Grass. In this case, if the ball is not found, the player must continue play with the provisional ball 4
Rule 33-2: The Course 14. Out of Bounds (OB) Markings: Ocean Ridge Golf has modified its method for marking out of bounds limits. In the past Ocean Ridge Golf has used white 4 x4 posts to delineate the OB boundaries. Now in some areas, especially where sight lines between OB posts may be obscured, Ocean Ridge Golf has supplemented those posts with white wooden 1 x2 stakes between the 4 x4 posts to identify OB. White circular PVC pipes or other stakes that are used to designate lot lines and such have no relevance to OB boundaries. Many homeowner lots, especially in Leopard's Chase, are not marked by OB stakes. If this is the case and your ball is in a homeowner's lot, the ball is deemed to be out of bounds and the player is to proceed under penalty of stroke and distance. 15. Unmarked Water Hazards and Lateral Hazards: If the boundaries of water hazard or lateral water hazard are not marked, the boundary of the hazard is defined as two club lengths from the hazard's natural edge. 16. Wooden Ties: Wooden ties at the edge of hazards and bridges are considered part of the hazard. Therefore, play ball as it lies or take relief under the appropriate rule. Wooden ties that line the edge of cart paths are considered part of the cart path; therefore, relief is afforded without penalty. Rule 34: Disputes and Decisions: 17. Rules Discrepancy or Doubt as to Procedure: If a rules discrepancy arises or there is doubt as to the procedure to be followed in the play of a hole, play two balls for the remainder of that hole. Write down both scores. At the end of play, get a determination on which ball should be scored from the Head Pro, his designated representative or that day s play director before signing your scorecard 5
Appendix I-8: Dropping Zones 18. Dropping Zones: "If a ball is in or it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in the water hazard, the player may: 1. proceed under Rule 26-1; or 2. as an additional option, drop a ball, under penalty of one stroke, in the dropping zone. Dropping Zones have been established for the following holes at Ocean Ridge Plantation: Lion s Paw: Hole #3: Left of the Hazard approximately 60 yards from the center of the green Hole #6: Closely mown area left of and in front of the red tees Panther s Run: None Tiger s Eye: Hole #11: Left of the green on the opposite side of the cart path Leopard s Chase: Hole # 4: Area in front right of the green between the green and the hazard Hole #13: Right of the cart path just past the hazard Hole #16: Right of the cart path on the hill just past the hazard Note: 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). 6
(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). Local Guidance for Individual Courses (Rule 33-2) Tiger s Eye Hole #14 The water behind the 14 th green must be played as lateral hazard. Sandy areas: The following areas of Tiger s Eye are considered sandy areas/waste bunkers: Hole #3: Sandy area down entire right side of fairway and green Hole #4: All sandy areas Hole #5: Sandy area on the right side of the fairway Hole #6: All sandy areas Hole #18: Sandy area adjacent to the right side of fairway and the green Panther s Run Hole #4 For a ball hit into the water hazard before the bridge or a ball hit on land over water hazard before the bridge that is in bounds, play as a lateral hazard. The pond between the fairway and the green to the right of the bridge is a water (yellow) hazard. Hole #12 All of the pond on the left side of the fairway is part of the lateral hazard. Hole #13 The water behind the 13 th green is part of the lateral water hazard. Hole #16 The water behind the 16 th green is part of the lateral water hazard. The following areas of Panther s Run are considered sandy areas: Hole #2 All sandy areas Hole #3 Sandy areas on the right side of the fairway near cart path and green 7
Hole #5 All sandy areas on right side of fairway Hole #11 All sandy areas Hole #16 Sandy areas on left of fairway up to approximately 150 yard mark but not including greenside bunkers. Lion's Paw: Hole #1: The woods on the right side of fairway from tee to green is a lateral hazard. Hole #2: 1. If ball lands in creek to left of fairway, play it as a lateral water hazard. The rocks are considered part of the hazard. 2. If ball is in oyster shells to right of green, play it as a lateral hazard. 3. The wooded area on the right side of the fairway from tee to green is a lateral hazard. Hole #16: A ball hit over water to right of fairway must be played as a lateral hazard. The following areas of Lion s Paw are considered sandy areas: Hole #1 Large sandy area to right of fairway near woods near 100 yard marker Hole #5 Sandy area on right side of fairway Hole #7 Sandy areas to left and right of 100 yard marker Hole #16 Sandy areas on right side of fairway near water but not bunkers near green Leopard s Chase: Water or Marsh areas in direct line of flight to the hole are water (yellow) hazards (Holes #4, #11, #12, #13, #14 #16, #17 and #18 (directly in front of the tee boxes). All other water hazards are lateral. Hole #3 Hole #4 Hole #5 Hole #6 Hole #7 Hole #8 Hole #9 Hole #10 Hole #11 Hole #12 Hole #13 hazard. The drainage ditch behind the green is a lateral hazard. The area beyond the ditch is out of bounds. Water lines on the left side of the green, right of the sand traps and behind the hole are lateral hazards. Right side of cart path on the right is a lateral hazard through the green Right side of cart path on the right is a lateral hazard through the green Far right side is a lateral hazard at the water's edge. Tree line right of the cart path to the right of the green is a lateral hazard. Left side of cart path to the green is a lateral hazard Swampy area on the left side of the fairway and right side of cart path from the tee through the green are lateral hazards Right side tree line to the green is a lateral hazard Tree line left side of fairway to the green is a lateral hazard; Right side of cart path to the green is a lateral hazard except for the private property to the right of the 150 yard mark which is out of bounds. On the right from the bridge to the end of the tree line of the swampy area is a lateral hazard. The tree line to the left of the fairway from the bridge through the green is a lateral hazard. The tree line past the marsh on the right side to the green is a lateral 8
Hole #14 Hole #15 Hole #16 Hole #17 Left side tree line from mid-point of the fairway through the green is a lateral hazard including the low lying area left of the left fairway sand traps. Tree line to the right of the green is a lateral hazard. Left side tree line and water line to the green is a lateral hazard. Left side of cart path through the green is a lateral hazard Left side of cart path through the green is a lateral hazard The following areas of Leopard's Chase are considered sandy areas: Hole #3 Sandy area on right side of fairway Hole #4 Sandy area on the back of the green Hole#5 Sandy area surrounding the approach to and around the green. Hole #10 Sandy area on the right side to the green Hole #15 Sandy area left side of fairway. Hole #18 Sandy area on the right side of the fairway. 9