Kevin McGonagle

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LOCAL RULES FOR HOME TOURNAMENTS

Supersedes all previous publications – Revision 08/10/2022

Conditions of Competition

Play from the tee markers designated by the Tournament Chairman.

Lateral Water Hazard on #10

The hazard boundary is defined as the outside edge of the rocks and/or liner where it meets the grass.

      FROM THE TEE:  If a player’s ball goes in the lake from the teeing side of the hazard, there is a drop zone on the fairway side of the lake. Players must play from the drop zone with a one stroke penalty.

     FROM THE FAIRWAY: If a player’s ball goes in the lake from the fairway side of the hazard, the player can take a drop two club lengths into a grassy area no closer to the hole with a one stroke penalty.

Hole #16 Local Rule Change (old Ice Plant Rule)

Since there is no more ice plant on the hillside to the left of the fairway on Hole 16, we are removing the local rule that allowed a free drop from the ice plant.

With this rule elimination, you would use the lost ball rule which states:

If a ball can not be found, the player should, with agreement of his playing partner, drop a ball within two club lengths on the fairway as close as possible to where the ball is estimated to be lost.  Assess a two stroke penalty and hit the new dropped ball.

Rolled hay barriers on #16 (OBSOLETE)

The temporary barriers should be played similarly as “Ground Under Repair” and the golfer given relief without penalty.  If the ball is caught by the barrier on the right side of the #16 fairway, bring the ball down onto the fairway side of the cart path and take nearest point of relief no nearer the hole.

Tree Roots

If your club will hit a tree root when you hit the ball, you are allowed to move the ball to the nearest point of relief away from the root without incurring a penalty.  Place the ball nearest to where it lies away from the root, no closer to the hole, to avoid damaging your club, hands, and/or body.  You must get playing partner approval before moving the ball.

Medical Cart Flag

Players using Medical Condition Waiver Flags on power carts are required to keep the cart a minimum of 10 YARDS from all Greens and Tee Boxes.  That amounts to TEN 3-foot paces from any Greens, not right up next to the green.  Please no closer than TEN PACES or three cart lengths.

Ball lost or OB

After searching, for no longer than 3 minutes for a lost ball, or if the ball is thought to be OB, player may opt to drop a ball from where it is assumed lost or OB, up to two club lengths into the fairway in a line across from where it was lost or OB, with a two-stroke penalty.  You may not drop closer to the hole.  If you play a provisional ball, this rule is nullified.

Lift, Clean, and Place

Only when this announced before the start of the tournament by the Home Tournament Chairman, a ball in the fairway can be marked, picked up, cleaned, and placed up to a club length from its original position no nearer the hole.  No penalty is imposed.

Fire Ants

Players who are faced with fire ants (or a fire ant hill that could be disturbed) are entitled to take a free drop within a club-length of the nearest point of relief from the danger, as long as it’s no nearer to the hole.

Out of bounds

In addition to the golf course boundary fence, and the boundary fence for the driving range, the maintenance yard beyond 14th green is also considered as out of bounds.  Either play the ball as it lies, or to gain relief from a boundary fence you must use the “unplayable lie” rule.

There are three options when taking an unplayable lie. The first option is to go back to the point from where you played your last shot. The second option is to drop your ball within two club lengths of where the ball came to rest, without moving closer to the hole. The third option is to take the flagstick and the point where your ball came to rest, and move back away from the hole in a straight line as far as you want. These are your only three options when your ball is in a position where you cannot make a swing, or otherwise choose to take relief.  Each of these options come with a one-shot penalty.

Other Out of Bounds Notes

The area between maintenance yard, snack bar, and cart path behind 14th green is not ground under repair nor is it out of bounds. The ball must be played from there.

Immovable Obstructions

You are allowed to take non-penalized relief from immovable obstructions (such as a non-boundary fence or sprinkler control box) if it interferes with your intended stance or swing for the shot.  This does not include any relief for line of site.

Ground under repair

All flowerbeds. The turf nursery left of 14th fairway and green.

Golf Course Condition Allowance:

A ball resting in the fairway that has stopped within a place of bare dirt or mud can be marked, picked up, cleaned, and placed on turf at the point of nearest relief no nearer the hole.  No penalty is imposed.

Drainage ditches

If water is flowing enough to advance the ball, the ball shall be placed as near as possible to its point of entry, as determined by the players in the group.  Place the ball laterally from where it entered the ditch, one club length away from the ditch, no closer to the hole, with no penalty.

Water Hazard

The Lake adjacent to #10 is defined as a Penalty Area.  If a player’s ball goes in the lake, there is a drop zone on the fairway side of the lake. Players have the option of playing from the drop zone with a one stroke penalty or by the U.S.G.A. Rules of Golf.  In the absence of yellow or red markers, the margins shall be defined as the water’s edge.

Putting Green

If the ball lies on an edging groove around a putting green, the player may, without penalty, lift the ball, clean it and place it out of the groove in the nearest position to where it lay, whether on or off the putting green, which is not nearer the hole.

Embedded ball

A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground in any area other than a hazard may be lifted cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where the ball lays but not closer to the hole.

Bunkers

Due to generally poor bunker conditions, we allow a golfer to lift, rake the immediate area and replace the ball – if the ball is in a foot print or unraked area of the bunker or if the bunker that has other out-of-normal conditions.

Roped-Off Areas through the Green

If your golf ball is in a roped-off area through the green or if your stance is affected by the stakes or the ropes – play the ball as a ground under repair situation.  Move the ball away from the area no closer to the green without penalty.

Governing Authority

The Rules Chairman of the Triple S Seniors Golf Club shall be recognized as the governing authority concerning the establishment of Local Rules, the interpretation of U.S.G.A. Rules and Local Rules. Requests for decisions should be referred to the club. Decisions made by the Chairman shall be deemed final.

Club Policies

1. A $100 award shall be given to any member who gets a “Hole In One” while playing in any Triple S Seniors match.
 
2. Range finders or other distance measuring devices that measure or gauge distance may be used in any Triple S golfing event.  Devices that measure gradient (Slope), wind, etc. are never allowed even if these functions are turned off. USGA RULE 14-3/0.5
 
3. We are having numerous no shows at our Home Tournaments which is creating a problem with the scheduling, the starter and club members.  Players must notify the HTC before the tournament if he is not going to play. If he fails to do so, the prize fund fee penalty will be assessed, and he will not be permitted to play in any tournament until that assessment has been paid.
 
Once the Away Tournament fee is paid to the course, you are responsible for your tee time fee.  If you have to cancel and no one fills your spot you will have to pay for it.