11/23/2023
The purpose of our golf outings
is to have fun and enjoy the company of our friends. But If players are not following the rules
and then winning money, the playing field is not even. Your job is to protect the field, so if you
see a rule being violated (or about to be), you should alert the player so it
can be corrected.
· USGA RULE 2.1 - STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
All players are expected to play in
the spirit of the game by:
1. Acting with integrity – for example, by following the
Rules, applying all penalties, and being honest in all aspects of play.
2. Showing consideration to others – for example, by
playing at a prompt pace, looking out for the safety of others, and not
distracting the play of another player.
3. Taking good care of the course – for example, by replacing
divots, smoothing bunkers, repairing ball-marks, and not
causing unnecessary damage to the course.
If someone in your group is
doing something that is distracting it is your responsibility and right to
politely inform the player and ask that they stop. If the individual does not stop, then you can
report this to the board and the board will decide the course of action, that
could result in a penalty.
· THE GENERAL AREA: This covers the entire area of the course except for:
B) Bunkers
C) Penalty Areas (formerly hazards)
D) Putting Green
· COUNTING PUTTS
The first putt starts after the ball lands on the putting green and stops. Count every stroke until the ball is in the hole, even if you putt your ball off the green and back on.
·
HOLE
NOT FINISHED OR HOLE NOT PLAYED
1. If you start a hole but do not finish, you should record the score you most likely would have taken, not to exceed the maximum you can take for the hole, i.e. “net double bogey” or double bogey plus handicap strokes for that particular hole.
2. If you do not play the hole at all, your score should be recorded as “net par” or par plus handicap strokes for that hole.
· BUNKERS
If a bunker has no rakes and a player's ball comes to rest in a footprint, a previous player's stance, or club impact in a bunker, he or she may place the ball in the bunker within a club length (without smoothing the sand), no closer to the hole, and not in any of the noted conditions. If rakes are present, you must play the ball as it lies.
All dirt spots not marked ground under repair are to be treated as part of the general area and free relief is not allowed.
The only exception would be tire tracks and muddy areas where free relief istaken by moving the ball to the closest point of relief, no closer to the hole. You may clean the ball.
The following “LOCAL RULES” have been put in place specifically for the Shaw Golf Club and can be modified or withdrawn at any time.
·
PREFERRED
LIES (AKA “WINTER RULES”, or LIFT, CLEAN and PLACE”) Model Local Rule E-3)
If adverse conditions make fairways unsatisfactory, the following rule can be enacted to promote fair play or help protect the course. This local rule should be withdrawn as soon as conditions improve.
The Club President or a designee, will determine if we are going to use this local rule prior to the round.
A ball lying on a closely mown area (cut to fairway height or less) in the general area may be lifted, cleaned, and placed within six inches of where it originally lay, that is not in a penalty area, not on the putting green, and no nearer the hole. The ball must be marked before lifting and may be placed only once. After the ball has been placed, it is in play and if it moves after the player has addressed it, there is a one stroke penalty, and the ball should be replaced.
· ADMIRAL BAKER SOUTH-On hole #9
If your ball does not clear the penalty area you may take a drop in the area behind the eighth green as near to the cart path that is reasonable and where you have an open shot to the fairway. You will be hitting your 3rd shot. This will be designated as a “drop area” for our club only.
It is recommended that someone get in position to watch the ball to determine if the ball not only crosses the penalty area but that if it subsequently rolls into the right-hand penalty area after landing in the fairway, you will know the spot to bring it out as this is a lateral hazard. You will be hitting your 3rd shot.
If your tee shot goes directly into the right penalty area without crossing the general area you have the choice of hitting another ball from the teeing area or taking a drop hitting from the designated “drop area”. You will be hitting your 3rd shot.
· OUT OF BOUNDS OR LOST BALL (Model Local Rule E-5)
You have two options regarding a lost ball or a ball out of bounds:
1. Your first option is to drop your ball in the fairway the same distance from the hole where you estimate your ball went out of bounds or was lost. You will add a two-stroke penalty to your score for each occurrence.
2. Your second option is to hit a provisional ball from the location of your original shot. If you do not find your original ball within 3 minutes, your provisional ball becomes the ball in play and you add 1 penalty stroke, under stroke and distance (see Rule 18). For example, if taking the provisional ball from the tee box you will be laying 2, hitting 3.
- If you hit a provisional ball, the option to bring it out to the fairway is no longer available to you.
But the player may not use this option when: The ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area. (see rule 17c1)
Below is a diagram of the first option:
· IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTION CLOSE TO PUTTING GREEN (Model Local Rule F-5)
Relief from interference by an immovable obstruction may be taken under Rule 16.1. The player also has these extra options to take relief when such immovable obstructions are close to the putting green and on the line of play:
Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b if an immovable obstruction is:
• On the line of play and is: Within two club-lengths of the putting green and is within two club-lengths of the ball.
Exception – There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.
·
PROVISIONAL BALL FOR BALL IN A PENALTY AREA (Model Local Rule B-3)
Purpose. Under Rule 18.3, a player is not allowed to play a ball provisionally if it is known or virtually certain that his or her ball is in a penalty area.
But in unusual cases, the size, shape, or location of a penalty area may be such that:
The player cannot see whether the ball is in the penalty area,
- It would unreasonably delay play if the player had to go forward to look for the ball before returning to play another ball under penalty of stroke and distance, and
- If the original ball is not found, it would be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the penalty area.
“If a player does not know whether his or her ball is in the penalty area [such as a creek or lake area where the reeds prevent you from seeing the other side), the player may play a provisional ball under Rule 18.3, as modified:
In playing the provisional ball, the player may use the stroke-and-distance relief option (see Rule 17.1d(1), the back-on-the-line relief option (see Rule 17.1d(2)) or, if it is a red penalty area, the lateral relief option (see Rule 17.1d(3)). If a dropping zone (see Model Local Rule E-1) is available for this penalty area, the player may also use that relief option.
Once the player has played a provisional ball under this Rule, he or she may not use any further options under Rule 17.1 in relation to the original ball.
In deciding when that provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play or if it must or may be abandoned, Rule 18.3c(2) and 18.3c(3) apply except that:
When Original Ball Is Found in Penalty Area Within Three-Minute Search Time.
The player may choose either to:
o Continue to play the original ball as it lies in the penalty area, in which case the provisional ball must not be played. All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count, or
o Continue to play the provisional ball in which case the original ball must not be played.
When Original Ball Is Not Found Within Three-Minute Search Time or Is Known or Virtually Certain to Be in Penalty Area, the provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play