Local Rules that may be adopted for competitions fall into the following general categories:
- Defining Course Boundaries and other Areas of the Course ( Sections 8A-8D ),
- Defining Special Relief Procedures ( Section 8E ),
- Defining Abnormal Course Conditions and Integral Objects ( Section 8F ),
- Use of Specific Equipment ( Section 8G ),
- Who May Give Advice to Players ( Section 8H ),
- When and Where Players May Practise ( Section 8I ),
What is a local rule?
A Committee may introduce such a Local Rule for all play on the course or only for one or two specific holes where it may be especially useful (for example, where players are unable to see the landing area and therefore may not know whether or not to play a provisional ball).
What is the local rule for fairways in golf?
A line from the hole through the fairway reference point (and within two club-lengths to the fairway side of that line). But with these limits: Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point. Once the player puts a ball in play under this Local Rule:
What are the local rules for dropping a ball in golf?
Model Local Rules E-5 – Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Ball Lost or Ball Out of Bounds or F-23 – Temporary Immovable Obstructions. The following points apply when dropping a ball in a dropping zone: The player does not have to stand in the dropping zone when dropping the ball.
Is the local rule appropriate for my competition?
The Local Rule is not appropriate for competitions limited to highly skilled players (that is, professional competitions and elite amateur competitions).
What does local rule in golf mean?
The purpose of this Local Rule is to allow a Committee to provide an extra relief option that allows a player to play on without returning to the location of the previous stroke. The Local Rule is appropriate for general play where golfers are playing casual rounds or playing their own competitions.
Can a local rule override a rule of golf?
In order to ensure that play is conducted in accordance with the Rules of Golf, a Committee must not use a Local Rule to waive or modify the Rules of Golf simply because it might prefer a Rule to be different.
Is a lost ball a 2 stroke penalty?
Local rule for out of bounds, lost ball If a player hits a ball out of bounds or loses a ball, the general rules still require the player to return to the spot of the previous stroke and take a one-stroke penalty - a standard stroke-and-distance scenario.
What are the 3 most important rules in golf?
What are the most important rules in golf?A player must play the ball as it lies.There is a maximum number of clubs allowed in a player's bag during play.A player must tee up their ball behind the tee markers.Unplayable lies cause a one stroke penalty.In competitive play, advice is not allowed.More items...
Who makes local rules golf?
The Committee is responsible for deciding whether to adopt any Local Rules and for making sure they are consistent with the principles found in Section 8. A Local Rule is a modification of a Rule or an additional Rule that the Committee adopts for general play or a particular competition.
Do you get relief from a tree?
When a player's ball lies above the ground (such as in a bush or a tree), the player may take lateral relief by using the point on the ground directly below the spot of the ball as his or her reference point: The relief area.
What is the rule if you hit your tee shot out of bounds?
What this means is that you incur a one-stroke penalty and need to go back to the point from where you hit your last shot. For example, if you hit your tee shot out of bounds, you incur a one-shot penalty, must go back to the tee, hitting your third shot.
What happens if you hit your tee shot in the water?
You get a one-stroke penalty for landing your golf ball onto a water hazard. Your ball is considered in the water hazard when it touches the yellow markers or lies within the hazard. It is also worth noting that there are two options a golfer can choose from for dealing with a one-stroke penalty due to water hazard.
Can you hit a ball that is out of bounds?
The penalty for losing a ball or hitting it out of bounds is "stroke and distance": if your first shot vanishes or ends up on the wrong side of the white stakes, you count that stroke (one), add a penalty stroke (two), and hit again from the original spot (three).
What is the number one rule in golf?
Summarizing Rule 1: The Game and Its Standards In our Quick Intro to the Rules of Golf, we summarize Rule 1 as follows: Play the course as you find it; play the ball as it lies.
What is the first basic etiquette rule in golf?
First Tee: Local rules apply only to the specific course you are playing. If you're playing companions suggest a match, it's a good idea to make sure everyone is comfortable with the stakes. Make sure to place an identifying mark on your ball and inform the other players the type and number ball you are playing.
What is the first rule of golf?
1. “You must Tee your Ball, within a Club's length of the Hole.” Interesting Note: The first rules change in golf was to modify this from a single club length to two club lengths. Definition: Teeing Ground – The “teeing ground” is the starting place for the hole to be played.
Why do committees use local rules?
Committees are encouraged to use Local Rules only to deal with the types of situations and policies covered in this section and in Section 5. If a Local Rule is introduced because of a temporary situation, it should be removed as soon as the situation no longer requires the use of the Local Rule. If a Committee changes the wording ...
When playing a hole number, what is the relief rule?
“When playing [specify hole number], if the player must take relief under Rule 13.1f because his or her ball came to rest on the putting green of [specify hole number] or that putting green interferes with his or her stance or area of intended swing:
When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less,
“When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less [or identify a specific area such as ‘on the fairway of the 6th hole’], the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:
What is 18.3a in baseball?
Rule 18.3a is modified to allow the player to play a ball provisionally under Rule 17.1d (1), Rule 17.1d (2) or , for a red penalty area, Rule 17.1d (3) . Rules 18.3b and 18.3c are modified to state when such a provisional ball must or may be played or abandoned, as stated in the Model Local Rule.
What is the purpose of Rule 17.1?
Rule 17.1 gives a player the option to take lateral relief or back-on-the-line relief based on where his or her ball last crossed the edge of a red penalty area. But in some cases (for example, due to the location of the red penalty area right next to a course boundary), those options may leave the player with no reasonable option other than to take stroke-and-distance relief.
Why do golf fairways suffer?
Purpose. In hot and dry conditions, the fairways of a course may suffer due to cracks in the ground. The lie of a ball could be seriously affected if it comes to rest in such a crack, but a player’s stance may not be hindered by the condition, in which case a Local Rule that gives relief for the lie of ball and area of intended swing only is recommended.
What is the purpose of a road?
Purpose. When a public road runs through a course , it is usually defined as out of bounds. This can make it possible for a ball played from one side of the road to come to rest in bounds on the other side of the road, even though that ball would be out of bounds if it came to rest on the road itself.
U.S.G.A & THE FOLLOWING LOCAL RULES GOVERN ALL PLAY
EMBEDDED BALL: Anywhere “through the green” a ball which is embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground, except in loose sand or a hazard, may be lifted without penalty, cleaned, and dropped as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole.
CLUB DRESS CODE
All members and visitors shall be suitably attired at all times on the course and in the club house. The Golf Course reserves the right to refuse play to any guest not confirming with a strict interpretation of the Dress Code
What is the purpose of the Local Rule?
The purpose of this Local Rule is to allow a Committee to provide an extra relief option that allows a player to play on without returning to the location of the previous stroke. The Local Rule is appropriate for general play where golfers are playing casual rounds or playing their own competitions. The Local Rule is not appropriate ...
When a committee introduces a local rule for general play, and removes it for competitions, should it
Where a Committee has introduced such a Local Rule for general play, and removes it for competitions, it should ensure that all players are aware of this before play begins. A Committee may introduce such a Local Rule for all play on the course or only for one or two specific holes where it may be especially useful (for example, ...
What is the line from the hole through the fairway reference point?
But with these limits: Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point. Once the player puts a ball in play under this Local Rule:
What is the purpose of provisional ball?
When a provisional ball has not been played, significant issues with pace of play can result for a player needing to take stroke-and-distance relief for a ball that is out of bounds or cannot be found. The purpose of this Local Rule is to allow a Committee to provide an extra relief option that allows a player to play on without returning ...
How many strokes does a player get in a penalty area?
The player gets two penalty strokes when using this relief option. This means that the relief is comparable to what could have been achieved if the player had taken stroke-and-distance relief. This Local Rule cannot be used for an unplayable ball, or for a ball that is known or virtually certain to be in a penalty area.
What happens if a provisional ball is not found?
If a provisional ball is played and neither the original ball nor the provisional ball can be found, then the Local Rule may be applied for the provisional ball that cannot be found. “When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed as follows rather than proceeding ...
Can you play a ball that was lost in golf?
The original ball that was lost or out of bounds is no longer in play and must not be played. This is true even if the ball is found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 6.3b). But, the player may not use this option to take relief for the original ball when:
