Except for ‘Local Rules’, USGA Rules of Golf apply.

• Our Pros will announce when and which Local Rules are in effect on the day of play, including drop zones.  Otherwise, play the ball as it lies in the fairway, in the rough or in a hazard.
• Unplayable Lies: A player may declare a ball unplayable at any place on the golf course except for a penalty area.  If your ball is in a penalty area, your only relief option is to take relief under the Penalty Area rule (see Penalty Areas below).  Otherwise:
  • Stroke and distance – one stroke penalty.
  • Go back as far as you’d like and drop the ball on the line from the hole through the spot where the ball lies (back-on-the-line relief) – one stroke penalty.
  • Drop anywhere within two club lengths of where your ball lies, no closer to the hole (lateral relief) – one stroke penalty.
• Ground under repair will be marked with a white line. A free drop may be taken, one club length from the nearest point of relief, but no closer to the hole.
• Out-of-bounds:  Marked by white stakes (immovable boundary object).  Moving the stake results in a two stroke penalty.
  • Stroke and distance – one stroke penalty.
  • New local rule, if in effect – estimate the spot where your ball was lost or went out of bound and then find the nearest fairway edge that is not nearer the hole than the estimated spot.  You can drop a ball in the fairway within two club lengths of that fairway edge point, or anywhere between there and the estimated spot where the ball was lost out of bounds – two stroke penalty.
  • Can play a provisional ball for pace of play.  Must announce that you are playing a provisional and how it is differentiated from the original ball.  The provisional is hit from where the original ball that went our of bounds was hit.
• Lost Ball (not out of bounds):  Have 3 minutes to find the lost ball.  Otherwise:
  • Stroke and distance – one stroke penalty.
  • Can play a provisional ball for pace of play.  A player may continue to hit the provisional ball until she reaches the spot where the original ball was lost.  If the ball is found and is in play, she must abandon the provisional ball and hit the original ball as it lies without penalty.  The strokes for hitting the provisional ball are not counted when you find the original ball.  If the original ball is not found, it is deemed out of play and the strokes for hitting the provisional ball plus a one stroke penalty for the lost ball are counted.
• Penalty Areas:  Are defined as either red or yellow.  This affects your relief options.  Your ball is in a penalty area when any part of it lies or touches the ground or anything else inside the edge of the penalty area, or is above the edge or other party of the penalty area.
  • Play the ball where it landed.  Can ground the club and move loose impediments.  No penalty.
  • Stroke and distance – one stroke penalty.
  • Back-on-the-line relief – straight line from the hole and where the ball crossed into the penalty area.  Can go back as far as you want within these parameters.  Choose spot and drop within one club length not nearer to the hole – one stroke penalty.
  • Red penalty additional option;  Find spot where the ball crossed into the penalty area and drop within 2 club lengths of the spot no closer to the hole – one stroke penalty.
  • Go to drop zone – one stroke penalty.
• Bunkers:
  • Keep in the bunker no closer to the hole and drop – one stroke penalty.
  • Take it out of the bunker.  Drop ball behind the bunker in line with the flag and the ball’s original position.  Will need to hit over the bunkers after taking this relief – two stroke penalty.
  • Call it unplayable and use stroke and distance – one stroke penalty.
• Disputes:  In stroke play, if a dispute arises and cannot be resolved on the course within a reasonable time, a player may choose to play a second ball.  The player must announce to her fellow competitors her intention to do so and declare with which ball she will score if the rules permit.  Both balls are to be holed out.  Both scores will be kept on the scorecard.  When the player reaches the clubhouse, the Golf Professional will be consulted, and a ruling will be made.
• Wrong Ball;  A 2-stroke penalty is incurred when hitting the wrong ball.  Mark your ball!
• Cart Path:  If the ball lies on the cart path or the the cart path interferes with your stance or swing, you make take relief without penalty.  Determine your nearest point of relief off the cart path, which might not be on the fairway side of the cart path.  Drop the ball within one club length of that point, no closer to the hole.