Society Local Rules
The Society Committee are committed to adhering to the rules of golf at all times and will only introduce a Society ruling if it benefits the golf course, our members health and safety, or to increase speed of play.
The Society rules apply to any course played by the society, but does not overrule local rules imposed by the specific golf course. Members should make themselves aware of local course rules which are normally provided on the scorecard, some of these rules
may be mandatory
The Society Local Rules
Preferred lies**:
**SEE ALSO TEMPORARY PICK AND PLACE RULING DUE TO COURSE CONDITIONS
Due to members visiting infrequently it is easier to apply the preferred lies ruling throughout the year.
The Society Local Rule for preferred lies is:
A player is entitled to prefer the lie of the ball when the ball lies on a closely mown area through the green.
A “closely mown area” is any area of the course that is cut to fairway height or less and includes paths cut through the rough and the fringe / apron around the green. If the ball does not lie on a closely mown area e.g. the rough, the player cannot take a preferred lie under this specimen Society local rule.
A player may take a preferred lie by using the following procedure:
R & A Golf rule guidance states :-
“Q. So how do I prefer the lie under the local rule?
If the player chooses to prefer the lie of the ball, the position of the ball must be first marked.
Most players will use a tee to mark the position of the ball but a coin or similar sized object is suitable.
Once the position of the ball has been marked, the player can then lift the ball and clean it if desired.
The ball must then be placed on a spot no nearer the hole within the area specified by the committee. e.g within six inches.
It is important to note that the specified area in which to place the ball can vary.
The specimen local rule does not specify the distance; it is up to the committees to do so depending on the course.
Some committees will stipulate the ball is to be placed within six inches, others a score card length or perhaps even one club-length, generally, the worse the conditions, the bigger the distance.
Always check the local rules in advance of play to ascertain the distance to avoid any unnecessary penalties.“
CDAGS designated distance is 6 inches (score card) length.
** PLEASE NOTE THAT, DUE TO THE CURRENT CONDITION OF FAIRWAYS AND SEMI-ROUGH ON ALHAMA SIGNATURE GOLF COURSE, THE SOCIETY LOCAL RULES FOR THIS COURSE ARE TEMPORARILY AMENDED TO:
Society Pick and Place ruling. (normal conditions):
A player may, if he or she prefers, mark the ball, pick, clean and replace within 6 inches, (a card length) no nearer the hole. No penalty applies.
This only applies if the ball is on the fairway or the fringe of green (closely mown area).
The ball must remain on similar ground conditions. i.e. the ball cannot be moved from the fringe onto the green.
As a temporary measure this ruling has been extended to any grass area (the 6 inch rule applies).
Temporary Society Pick and Place ruling for poor GRASS conditions (THIS ONLY APPLIES TO AREAS WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE GRASSED AREAS. IT DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY GRASS WITHIN THE WASTE/PAN AREA):
This ruling is in place to avoid damage to the golf course and allow a player relief from a poorly GRASSED area. i.e if there is an extended area with little or no grass which would normally be defined as ground under repair (GUR).
In these conditions the player may, if he or she prefers, extend the drop area to one club length from the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole. Without penalty.
The ball must remain on similar ground conditions, fairway or rough.
Players should not look to gain unfair advantage by using this ruling.
If the surface is well grassed then this ruling should NOT be applied.
This temporary ruling does not apply if a players ball has finished on a well maintained, closely cut grassed area of the golf course, such as the approach area to the green. (6-inch/card rule applies)
Please respect the rules of fairness and competitive advantage.
Quick Guide to Temporary Pick and Place Rules
• If you have a good lie you don’t need to Pick and Place, it’s your choice.
• If you decide to Pick and Place use the 6 inch/card length guide.
• If you are in the rough use the 6 inch/card length rule.
• If you are in the fairway or grassed area with an extended area of damage / no grass, then nearest point of relief and one club length can be used.
• Stay on the same surface where the ball finished.
Ball coming to rest in rain channels:
A ball finishing in rain channels or channels filled with stones. This type of terrain is common on the course therefore a Society local rule can be applied.
A player may take a drop under the Society local ruling to prevent injury and further damage to the course.
The player should choose an area of full relief. The ball may be cleaned and dropped, within one club length of the point of relief, no nearer the hole.
No penalty is applied.
Ball coming to rest in water damaged area:
A ball coming to rest in a water damaged area of the course. This type of terrain is common on the course therefore a Society local rule can be applied.
A player may take a drop under the Society local ruling to prevent injury and further damage to the course.
The player should choose an area of full relief. The ball may be cleaned and dropped, within one club length of the point of relief, no nearer the hole.
No penalty is applied.
Cut Edges:
When the green keepers have been maintaining the course by cutting the edges of the grassed areas, this often results in a sharp and high edge.
There are other areas on the course where such high edges are incorporated in the design of the course.
Playing such a stroke could cause injury to the player and damage to the course.
Therefore, a Society local rule may be applied :
Where a ball has come to rest in close proximately to the raised edge where injury or damage may occur, when the player takes his/her swing, then the player may take relief.
The ball may be dropped within one club length, no nearer the hole. Such relief must be taken on the same surface as where the ball came to rest.
No penalty is applied.
GUR Bunkers:
GUR Bunkers:
If a bunker is declared GUR by signage or by agreement of the Committee, prior to a competition, R&A Rule 3.7.3 will apply.
“When a bunker is being repaired and the Committee defines the entire bunker as ground under repair, it is treated as part of the general area.
If your ball is in a bunker that the Committee has defined as ground under repair, you may take free relief outside the bunker by dropping a ball in this relief area:
Reference Point: The nearest point of complete relief in the general area (and outside the bunker).
Size of Relief Area measured from Reference Point: One club-length, but with these limits:
Limits on Location of Relief Area:
- Must be in the general area,
- Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and
- There must be complete relief from all interference by the ground under repair.”
No penalty is applied.
GUR Bunkers should not be confused with when a player is seeking Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions in a bunker (Including Immovable Obstructions), Dangerous Animal Condition, Embedded Ball. In this case R&A rule 16.1c applies.
“If a player’s ball is in a bunker and there is interference by an abnormal course condition on the course, the player may take either free relief under (1) or penalty relief under (2):
(1) Free Relief: Playing from Bunker. The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b, except that: The nearest point of complete relief and the relief area must be in the bunker.
If there is no such nearest point of complete relief in the bunker, the player may still take this relief by using the point of maximum available relief in the bunker as the reference point.
DIAGRAM 16.1C: RELIEF FROM ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITION IN BUNKER
- The diagram assumes a right-handed player.
- When there is interference from an abnormal course condition in a bunker, free relief may be taken in the bunker under Rule 16.1b or back-on-the-line relief may be taken outside the bunker for one penalty stroke.
- Relief outside the bunker is taken by dropping a ball on a spot that keeps the spot of the original ball between the hole and that spot.
- The relief area is one club-length in any direction from the spot where the ball first touches the ground when dropped.
(2) Penalty Relief: Playing from Outside Bunker (Back-on-the-Line Relief). For one penalty stroke, the player may drop the original ball or another ball (see
Rule 14.3) outside that bunker, keeping the spot of the original ball between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped (with no limit on how far back the ball may be dropped). The spot on the line where the ball first touches the ground when dropped creates a relief area that is one club-length in any direction from that point, but with these limits:
Limits on Location of Relief Area:
- Must not be nearer the hole than the spot of the original ball, and
- May be in any area of the course except the same bunker, but
- Must be in the same area of the course that the ball first touched when dropped.”
Ball coming to rest in a Red staked water hazard:
The golf course management have issued instructions that players must take all steps necessary to avoid damage to the lake water hazard linings.
The local rule is that any ball coming to rest below the initial grass banking, inside a red staked water hazard must be dropped outside the hazard, either where the ball entered the hazard, or in any designated drop zone.
A 1 stroke penalty is applied.
If your ball lies on the grass banking but the no play zone interferes with your stance or swing, you may take free relief by dropping the ball within one club length of the nearest point of complete relief from the no play zone, within the penalty area and not nearer the hole.
If your ball lies on the grassy bank within the penalty area, and you can play it without standing in the no play zone, you may do so without penalty.
The option to take relief outside of the penalty area under penalty is still available.
Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds:
Taken direct from the R & A recommendation E-5
“Purpose:
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 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 for competitions limited to highly skilled players (that is, professional competitions and elite amateur competitions). For guidance on when and how this Local Rule may be used in order for scores to be submitted for handicapping purposes, consult the rules or recommendations contained within the Handicap System operating in the local jurisdiction.
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, where players are unable to see the landing area and therefore may not know whether or not to play a provisional ball).
This option allows the player to drop in a large area between the point where the ball is estimated to have come to rest or gone out of bounds and the edge of the fairway of the hole being played that is not nearer the hole.
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.
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.”
Society Local Rule
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 under stroke and distance.
For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):
Two Estimated Reference Points:
(a). Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball is estimated to have:
• Come to rest on the course, or
• Last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.
(b). Fairway Reference Point: The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point, but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point.
For purposes of this Society local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.
If a ball is estimated to be lost on the course or last crossed the edge of the course boundary short of the fairway, the fairway reference point may be a grass path or a teeing ground for the hole being played cut to fairway height or less.
Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points: Anywhere between:
• A line from the hole through the ball reference point (and within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and
• 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: Limits on Location of Relief Area:
• Must be in the general area, and
• Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.
Once the player puts a ball in play under this Society local Rule:
• 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:
• That ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or
• The player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.3).
A player may use this option to take relief for a provisional ball that has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds.
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Society Local Rule:
General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.
