Local Winter Rules (which are found by using the QR code on the scorecard)

These rules apply to winter months & are in addition to the local rules found within the QR code on the Scorecard.

PREFERRED LIES
When any part of a player's ball touches part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:
• Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.
• Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference point: The size of the relief area shall be one scorecard length or 6 inches from the reference point, but with these limits:
• Limits on Location of Relief Area:
o Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point.
o Must be in the general area.

Penalty for Playing a Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 14.7a: General Penalty

RELIEF FROM AERATION HOLES - If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole:

a) Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole the player may take relief again under this Local Rule.
b) Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.

But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or, on the putting green, on the player’s line of play.

Penalty for Playing a Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 14.7a: General Penalty.

RELIEF FOR EMBEDDED BALL
When a ball is embedded in the general area free relief may be taken. The reference point for taking relief is the spot right behind where the ball is embedded. A ball must be dropped in and come to rest in the relief area.

Reference Point: The spot right behind where the ball is embedded.
Size of Relief Area: One club-length from the reference point.
Limits on Relief Area: The relief area must not be nearer the hole than the reference point and must be in the general area.

Penalty for Playing a Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 16.3: General Penalty.

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE DUE TO HEAVY RAIN, TRAFFIC & RECONSTRUCTION WORKS
Ground under repair in the General area may include, even if not marked as such with white line, any areas of unusual damage, including areas where course maintenance or traffic have combined to alter the ground surface materially, by way of tyre tracks and / or tractor ruts where there is little or no doubt that areas of damage and abnormal course conditions have been caused. The area is treated as ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b.
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

DROPPING ZONES
If a ball is in any ground under repair in any areas of bunkers and/or any tees which are under reconstruction, including when it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found but came to rest in such ground under repair, the player must:

• Take free relief under Rule 16.1, or
• As an extra option, take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in the designated dropping zone. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

NO PLAY ZONES
All areas of newly laid turf, tees and any bunkers under construction and the ground inside the edge of these defined areas and which have a notice of a ‘no play zone’ are to be treated as an abnormal course condition, from which play is prohibited.
This also includes:
• Areas where turf or sand has been removed and rock or soil is exposed.
• All sand, rock or soil that is piled for removal.
Free relief must be taken from interference by the no play zone under Rule 16.1f.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

NB. The General Area is the area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas which are; (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.
The general area includes:
• All teeing locations on the course; other than the teeing area, and
• All wrong greens. “

GOLF RULES

Please click on the following links to access the rules mentioned above:
Rule 14 https://www.randa.org/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-14
Rule 16 https://www.randa.org/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-16

Local Rules (which are found by using the QR code on the scorecard)

1.OUT OF BOUNDS (Rule 18.2)
A ball is out of bounds if beyond the line of white stakes between the course-side points at ground level. Out of bounds is also defined by boundary ditches, hedges, fence posts or any wall surrounding the course. A player shall not stand out of bounds to play a ball that is in bounds.**

2. ABNORMAL GROUND CONDITIONS (Rule 16)
a. Cracks in the ground in parts of the general area cut to fairway height or less are ground under repair, whether marked as such with or, without white lines. A player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. But interference does not, however, exist and relief is not allowed if the crack only interferes with the player's stance.
b. Areas in bunkers where sand has been removed by the movement of water resulting in deep furrows through the sand are ground under repair. A player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
c. All artificially surfaced roads, paths and tracks on the course are treated as immovable obstructions from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1. Any other paths are integral parts of the course.
d. Drainage runs (including gravel banding runs) - in any part of the general area cut to fairway height or less are ground under repair. A player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. but interference does not exist if the drainage run only interferes with the player’s stance.

3. RELIEF FROM AERATION HOLES - If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole:
a. A ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole the player may take relief again under this Local Rule.
b. A ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.
But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or, on the putting green, on the player’s line of play.
Penalty for playing a ball from a wrong place is in breach of Rule 14.7a General Penalty.

3. YOUNG TREES (Rule-16)
Young trees identified by wire and or guy supports are no play zones:
If a player’s ball lies anywhere on the course other than in a penalty area and it lies on or touches such a tree or such a tree, or supporting guy ropes interfere with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1f.
If the ball lies in a penalty area, and interference to the player’s stance or area of intended swing exists from such a tree, the player must take relief under Rule 17.1e. All guy ropes are to be treated as immovable obstructions.

4. FIXED SPRINKLER HEADS (Rule 16)
All fixed sprinkler heads and hydrant covers are treated as immovable obstructions from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1. A player may also take relief when such immovable obstructions are close (within 2 club lengths) 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
• Within two club-lengths of the ball.
Exception - No Relief If Line of Play Clearly Unreasonable. There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.


5. PROHIBITING PLAY FROM FRINGE OF WRONG GREEN
When playing any hole, if a player’s ball comes to rest on a green (or is within 1 club length of the fringe of such putting green) other than the green of hole the player is playing or the player’s stance or area of intended swing is affected from such green, the player must take relief under Rule 13.1f. In finding the relief area to be used when taking this relief, the putting green of such hole is defined to include the area of fairway within two club-lengths from the edge of the putting green. This means that the nearest point of complete relief must avoid interference from this area in addition to the putting green.


NB. The General Area is the area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas which are (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.
The general area includes:
All teeing locations on the course; other than the teeing area, and
All wrong greens. “


GOLF RULES

Please click on the following links to access the rules mentioned above:

Rule 13 https://www.randa.org/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-13

Rule 16 https://www.randa.org/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-16

Rule 17 https://www.randa.org/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-17

Rule 18 https://www.randa.org/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-18


These can be found using the QR code on the scorecard.