Pinecrest Men's League

2011 Rules
of Play

2011 Pinecrest Golf Course Men's League - Rules of Play

27-2a/2.2 Possibility That Original Ball Is in Water Hazard May Not Preclude Play of Provisional Ball

Q. If a player's original ball may have come to rest in a water hazard, is he precluded from playing a provisional ball?

A. No. Even though the original ball may be in a water hazard, the player is entitled to play a provisional ball if the original ball might also be lost outside the water hazard or out of bounds. In such a case, if the original ball is found in the water hazard, the provisional ball must be abandoned — Rule 27-2c (Formerly 27-2c/1)

Question : Is it a penalty to wipe your ball on the putting green?

Answer : No. Decision 16-1d/5 states that a ball may be cleaned by rubbing it on the putting green provided the act is not for the purpose of testing the surface of the putting green. However, it is recommended that a ball be cleaned in other ways to eliminate any question as to the player's intentions and to protect the playing surface of the putting green.

Note : In stroke play, if you're doubtful about your rights or about the correct procedure during play of a hole, you may play a second ball without penalty. Before taking any other action, you must declare your decision to use Rule 3-3 and the ball you prefer to score with, rules permitting. You may play either ball first. You must report the facts of the situation to the Committee before returning the score card. Failure to do so results in disqualification. The Committee will review and decide disputed Rules issues. The decision of the Rules Committee is final.

(PDF Format)
USGA Rules govern all play except as modified by Local Rules.

Note: as a player, you have the responsibility to learn and understand the Rules of Golf.

General Information

“A” flight golfers (0-7 handicap) must play from the blue tee markers, “B” (8-12 handicap) and “C” (13 & above handicap) flight golfers must play from the white tee markers.
Exception: Golfers whose combined handicap and age equal 90 or more may choose to play from the red tee markers.
To be eligible for the league championship awards, golfers must complete 7 rounds prior to September 21, 2011. In the event of a tie or ties during the league championship, a sudden-death stroke playoff will be used to decide the flight winner or winners.

Golf Etiquette

Players should always show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All should demonstrate courtesy and sportsmanship at all times.
Avoid slow play. Pace of Play is the responsibility of each group. Keep pace with the group ahead of you.
To maintain a good pace of play, slower groups should allow faster groups to play through.
Players should be ready to play as soon as it is their turn to play. ‘Ready Golf' is recommended.
Play a provisional ball whenever you believe your ball may be lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds.
Follow cart rule of the day. Stay away from wet, bare, and damaged areas on the golf course. Park carts not closer than 30 feet from the green.
Replace divots and repair ball marks on the putting green.
Rake bunkers after use and leave the rake in the bunker.
No trespassing on private properties.
Golfers are responsible for injury to a person, damage to homes, vehicles, and facilities of the golf course that they may cause.

In the case of a serious breach of Etiquette, the Committee may disqualify a player under Rule 33-7.

Definition of the Course

Out-of-bounds :

• white stakes or lines

• split-rail fence posts on hole numbers 7 and 8 and 9

• nearest edge of walking path on hole number 5

• nearest edge of cart path on hole number 1 (if you're playing hole 8)

Water hazards – defined by yellow stakes or lines.

Lateral water hazards – defined by red stakes or lines.

Local Rules

Maximum Score: For speed of play, double par is the maximum allowable score on any hole.
Measuring Device: A device that measures only distance may be used.
Immovable Obstructions Close to the Putting Green : Free relief from intervention by immovable obstructions (sprinkler heads) on or within two club-lengths of the putting green when the ball lies within two club-lengths of the obstruction . The ball must be lifted and dropped at the nearest point to where the ball lay that (a) is not nearer the hole, (b) avoids intervention and (c) is not in a hazard or on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned when lifted.
Ball Embedded Through The Green: A ball that is embedded in its own pitch mark through the green, may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to where it lay not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green.
Overhead Power Lines: If a ball strikes the power lines on holes 4 or 5, the stroke must be canceled and replayed without penalty .
Flower Beds: For the protection of the golf course, play is prohibited from all of the flower beds. Drop your ball within one club length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole. [Rule 25-1 (b), (i)]
Safety Issue: When playing hole number 8, it is recommended not to cut the corner of the dog-leg for safety reasons. The nearest edge of the cart path on hole number 1 defines the out of bounds on the right side of hole 8.
Water Hazard on 8 th Hole: For a ball entering the pond (water hazard - yellow stakes) on the 8 th hole, as an additional option under a penalty of one stroke, players may drop a ball within two club lengths of the 150 yard marker.
Preferred Lie: Preferred Lies also known as ‘Winter Rules' are put into place only during adverse weather conditions. In fairways only, golfers are allowed to lift, clean and place their ball without penalty, within 6 inches from the spot where it originally lay, not nearer the hole. This rule can only be declared by the chairman of the committee prior to the first scheduled tee time on the day of the event.
Aeration Holes: A ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole through the green may be lifted, cleaned and dropped without penalty , as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole.
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.
Stones in Bunkers: Stones in bunkers are deemed to be movable obstructions and may be removed. If the ball moves, it must be replaced, and there is no penalty, provided movement of the ball is directly attributable to the removal of a stone.
Protection of Young Trees: Young trees are identified with stakes around it. If such a tree interferes with the player's stance or the area of his intended swing, the ball must be lifted and dropped without penalty within one club length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole.

Note : Proper golf attire is recommended and metal golf spikes are not allowed.

Most Common Rules of Golf

Play the ball as it lies , except otherwise provided in the Rules.
Conceded putts or ‘gimmes' are not allowed under the rules of Stroke Play. You must always putt your ball into the hole. Conceded putts exist only in the rules of Match Play.
Fourteen (14) clubs are the maximum number in one player's bag. Any number below 14 is fine, but more than 14 is not.
Walls, fences, stakes and railings that define out of bounds are not obstructions, and are deemed to be fixed. A player is not entitled to a free relief. (Definition of out of bounds).

Proceed with one of the following options:
           a.play the ball as it lies (you may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds).
           b. declare ball unplayable (Rule 28) and you must, under a penalty of one stroke:
                i. play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original was last played (Rule 20-5); or
                ii. drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the ball dropped, with                     no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped;
                iii. drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.

5. Ball lost or out of bounds

To save time, if your ball may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds, you should announce your intention and play a provisional ball before you go forward to look for the original ball. If your original ball turns out to be in a water hazard or is found outside a water hazard, you must abandon the provisional ball. (Rule 27-2). If your ball is lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, add one penalty stroke and play the provisional or, if you did not play a provisional, replay the shot. (Rule 27-1)

Ball unplayable

If you believe your ball is unplayable outside a water hazard you may add one stroke penalty and:

a. play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played; or

b. drop any distance behind the point where the ball lay (keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped); or

c. drop within two club-lengths of where the ball lies not nearer the hole.
If your ball is in a bunker you may proceed under (a), (b), or (c), however, if you elect to proceed under (b) or (c), you must drop in the bunker. (Rule 28)

6. Water Hazards (including lateral water hazards)

If your ball is in a water hazard, you may play the ball as it lies without penalty. Otherwise, at one penalty stroke you may;

a. play a ball from where the ball was last played;

b. drop a ball behind the water hazard on an imaginary line extending from the hole through the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard (without limit to how far back the ball may be dropped);

c. if your ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard , you may also drop a ball outside the water hazard, no closer to the hole within two-club-lengths of either the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the lateral water hazard or the point on the opposite margin of the lateral water hazard equally distant from the hole.

7. Grounding the Club in a Hazard ( Rule 13-4 )

        Grounding the club in a hazard (bunker or water hazard) is not allowed. Penalty for breach of Rule:
        Match play – loss of hole; Stroke play – two strokes.
         8. Wrong Ball
In a stroke play, if a player makes a stroke or strokes at a wrong ball, he incurs a penalty of two strokes.The competitor must correct his mistake by playing the correct ball or by proceeding under the Rules. If he fails to correct his mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the round, fails to declare his intention to correct his mistake before leaving the putting green, he is disqualified. Strokes made by a competitor with a wrong ball do not count in his score. If the wrong ball belongs to another competitor, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played.

9. Wrong Putting Green

If a player's ball lies on a wrong putting green, he must not play the ball as it lies. The ball must be lifted and dropped without penalty within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule. (Rule 25-3)

For the purpose of Rule 25-3, the putting green of the 1 st , 3 rd , and 7 th hole includes the apron (fringe) surrounding the green.

Definitions

A hazard is any bunker or water hazard.
Loose impediments are natural objects including:

• stones, leaves, twigs, branches and the like

• dung, and

• worms, insects and the like, and the casts and heaps made by them
Provided they are not:

• fixed or growing,

• solidly embedded, or

• adhering to the ball

Sand and loose soils are loose impediments on the putting green, but not elsewhere.
Snow and natural ice, other than frost, are either casual water or loose impediments, at the option of the player. Dew and frost are not loose impediments.

3. Out of bounds is beyond the boundaries of the course or any part of the course so marked by the Committee. A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies out of bounds .

4. Through the green is the whole area of the course except:

• the teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played; and

• all hazards on the course.

5. Flower bed – a plot of ground in which plants and/or flowers are growing.

Note : In stroke play, if you're doubtful about your rights or about the correct procedure during play of a hole, you may play a second ball without penalty. Before taking any other action, you must declare your decision to use Rule 3-3 and the ball you prefer to score with, rules permitting. You may play either ball first. The Committee will review and decide disputed Rules issues. The decision of the Rules Committee is final.

Rules Committee:

Hernan Torres

David Houpe