MOVING THE GAME
BEFORE YOU PLAY
Check in and start on time. USGA penalty for failure to start on time: loss of first hole in match play or two strokes at the first hole in stroke play. Be prepared with marked balls, tees, ball markers for the green, divot tools, scorecard and pencil. TEEING OFF The tee box is designated by the markers for width and is two club lengths deep. The player may stand outside the markers when hitting the ball. The ball must be within the tee box. Tees may not exceed 4 inches in height. Tees may not indicate line of play or influence the flight of the ball. Take practice swings away from the tee box. Be aware of others in your group. Avoid distracting fellow players. No talking or whispering. No moving. No rattling clubs or making other noises. If you swing and miss the ball, it is a whiff. A whiff is counted as a stroke (on the fairway also). Use the sand mix in the box to fill and smooth divots. Put broken tees in the cup. |
FOLLOW THE ESTABLISHED PACE OF PLAY
The local pace of play is four hours and fifteen minutes. (The USGA allows penalties for groups that fall behind the established pace of play.) Avoid penalties and keep the course moving by heeding the following tips: wind at your back may mean less club; in your face, more club. The barber pole is the 150 yard marker. Know the club you need for that yardage and work from there. The red marker in the fairway is the 100 yard marker. Know what club you need for that distance. Bring a few clubs for your shot. If you think you need a 7 iron, also bring an 8 iron and a 6 iron just in case.
ON THE FAIRWAY
Person farthest from the pin hits first preventing another player in the group from distracting the hitter and from being in the line of flight and possibly being hit and injured. Park carts ahead of the ball. Then walk back to the ball. The two people in the cart must work as a team to move the cart ahead.
IN THE BUNKER
You are not permitted to ground your club in a bunker nor are you allowed to pick up and clean your ball in the bunker. Play it from the sand as it lies. You are not permitted to remove any loose impediments. Use care going into and out of bunkers. Enter and leave at the low or flat side. Rake your footsteps and ball mark smooth. Place the rake outside the bunker parallel to the line of play.
IN A LATERAL WATER HAZARD
(Marked by Red Stakes) (The Only Kind at Westlake)
If the ball is hit into the water, you must take a one stroke penalty and do one of the following:
If the ball flew directly into the water, you may go to the place where the ball crossed into the water and drop a ball two club lengths from where the ball last crossed the margin of the
hazard so that there is a line up of ball, point of entry and pin, or you may go back to the point where the ball was first played and replay the ball.
If the ball touches the ground before going into the water, you can do the same as above.
If the ball crosses the water, hits ground on the far side and then rolls back in, you may go to that point and drop a ball, keeping the line of ball, point of touching the ground, and the pin.
LOST OR OUT OF BOUNDS BALL
If you believe your ball is lost on land or out of bounds (from the tee or fairway), you should announce you are hitting a provisional ball before leaving that spot and then do so. There is a one stroke penalty for a lost or out of bounds ball. If you find your first ball, you should play that. You may hit a provisional any number of times as long as you do not play a shot forward of where you believe the original ball may be.
UNPLAYABLE BALL
Only the player herself may declare a ball unplayable. There is a one stroke penalty. You may go back to the spot where the original ball was first played or drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the flag and the spot on which the ball is dropped with no limit to how far you go back or drop the ball within two club lengths of the spot where the ball lay as long as it is no closer to the pin.
BALL ON CART PATH
After the nearest point of relief is determined, the ball is dropped from a spot one club length from that spot, no closer to the pin. No penalty. This does not always give you a clear shot. You are only getting relief from the cart path.
MOVEABLE OBSTRUCTIONS
Certain obstructions may be moved, i.e. The 150 yard marker, a sign indicating where carts must leave the fairway, and the ropes on the cart path (be sure to put any of these back), downed branches, etc.
IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS
Once swing and stance relief is determined, you have one club length, no closer to the hole relief. There is no relief for line of flight. You are not guaranteed a clear shot to the green with this move. Trees, etc. are not considered immovable obstructions.
DIVOTS ON THE FAIRWAY
Replace and tamp down any divots you take. Also add sand and seed mix to fill in around the edges. If divot not available, fill in with the sand and seed mix.
ON THE GREEN
Leave carts so that you are walking away from the green and toward the next tee.
If a ball on the green is putted and hits the flag (either in the cup or lying on the ground), hits a person tending the flag, or hits a ball on the green, there is a 2 stroke penalty. If the ball comes to rest between the edge of the cup and the flag stick, you must first tap the flagstick
to make the ball fall. The ball must be below the surface of the green to be considered holed out.
You may mark, lift and clean your ball when it is on the green. You must mark and move your ball from another player’s line of putt. Use an immovable object, i.e. a tree, off the green as a reference so that you replace your ball in its original spot.
Person whose ball is closest to the pin removes the pin for putting. Place the pin in a position where it is not likely to be hit by a putted ball. If you think your ball may hit the pin or a ball on the green, ask for it to be moved. It is the responsibility of the player to make sure that her own ball does not hit any object (ball, club, flag) on the green when putting.
The first person to hole out should replace the pin after the last person in the group holes out. The pin bottom should be completely in its resting place in the cup.
Don’t step on another player’s line of putt. Avoid talking or moving when another player is putting. Do not stand on or cast a shadow on another player’s line of putt.
You may line up your putt while others are putting as long as you do not distract the person putting. You may move leaves and twigs from your line of putt. Ball marks may be repaired.
You may not stand on or straddle your own line of putt.
LEAVING THE GREEN
After all players have holed out, return to your carts immediately and move on. If there are players waiting to hit to the green, walk off quickly, get into your carts, and move on toward the next hole. Mark scorecards and place clubs in your bag at the next hole.
SCORECARDS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Sign, attest, and date official scorecards as indicated for tournaments. Also keep track of your own score. Enter all other scores, home and away, on the computer.
USGA and any local rules apply to all tournament play.
The local pace of play is four hours and fifteen minutes. (The USGA allows penalties for groups that fall behind the established pace of play.) Avoid penalties and keep the course moving by heeding the following tips: wind at your back may mean less club; in your face, more club. The barber pole is the 150 yard marker. Know the club you need for that yardage and work from there. The red marker in the fairway is the 100 yard marker. Know what club you need for that distance. Bring a few clubs for your shot. If you think you need a 7 iron, also bring an 8 iron and a 6 iron just in case.
ON THE FAIRWAY
Person farthest from the pin hits first preventing another player in the group from distracting the hitter and from being in the line of flight and possibly being hit and injured. Park carts ahead of the ball. Then walk back to the ball. The two people in the cart must work as a team to move the cart ahead.
IN THE BUNKER
You are not permitted to ground your club in a bunker nor are you allowed to pick up and clean your ball in the bunker. Play it from the sand as it lies. You are not permitted to remove any loose impediments. Use care going into and out of bunkers. Enter and leave at the low or flat side. Rake your footsteps and ball mark smooth. Place the rake outside the bunker parallel to the line of play.
IN A LATERAL WATER HAZARD
(Marked by Red Stakes) (The Only Kind at Westlake)
If the ball is hit into the water, you must take a one stroke penalty and do one of the following:
If the ball flew directly into the water, you may go to the place where the ball crossed into the water and drop a ball two club lengths from where the ball last crossed the margin of the
hazard so that there is a line up of ball, point of entry and pin, or you may go back to the point where the ball was first played and replay the ball.
If the ball touches the ground before going into the water, you can do the same as above.
If the ball crosses the water, hits ground on the far side and then rolls back in, you may go to that point and drop a ball, keeping the line of ball, point of touching the ground, and the pin.
LOST OR OUT OF BOUNDS BALL
If you believe your ball is lost on land or out of bounds (from the tee or fairway), you should announce you are hitting a provisional ball before leaving that spot and then do so. There is a one stroke penalty for a lost or out of bounds ball. If you find your first ball, you should play that. You may hit a provisional any number of times as long as you do not play a shot forward of where you believe the original ball may be.
UNPLAYABLE BALL
Only the player herself may declare a ball unplayable. There is a one stroke penalty. You may go back to the spot where the original ball was first played or drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the flag and the spot on which the ball is dropped with no limit to how far you go back or drop the ball within two club lengths of the spot where the ball lay as long as it is no closer to the pin.
BALL ON CART PATH
After the nearest point of relief is determined, the ball is dropped from a spot one club length from that spot, no closer to the pin. No penalty. This does not always give you a clear shot. You are only getting relief from the cart path.
MOVEABLE OBSTRUCTIONS
Certain obstructions may be moved, i.e. The 150 yard marker, a sign indicating where carts must leave the fairway, and the ropes on the cart path (be sure to put any of these back), downed branches, etc.
IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS
Once swing and stance relief is determined, you have one club length, no closer to the hole relief. There is no relief for line of flight. You are not guaranteed a clear shot to the green with this move. Trees, etc. are not considered immovable obstructions.
DIVOTS ON THE FAIRWAY
Replace and tamp down any divots you take. Also add sand and seed mix to fill in around the edges. If divot not available, fill in with the sand and seed mix.
ON THE GREEN
Leave carts so that you are walking away from the green and toward the next tee.
If a ball on the green is putted and hits the flag (either in the cup or lying on the ground), hits a person tending the flag, or hits a ball on the green, there is a 2 stroke penalty. If the ball comes to rest between the edge of the cup and the flag stick, you must first tap the flagstick
to make the ball fall. The ball must be below the surface of the green to be considered holed out.
You may mark, lift and clean your ball when it is on the green. You must mark and move your ball from another player’s line of putt. Use an immovable object, i.e. a tree, off the green as a reference so that you replace your ball in its original spot.
Person whose ball is closest to the pin removes the pin for putting. Place the pin in a position where it is not likely to be hit by a putted ball. If you think your ball may hit the pin or a ball on the green, ask for it to be moved. It is the responsibility of the player to make sure that her own ball does not hit any object (ball, club, flag) on the green when putting.
The first person to hole out should replace the pin after the last person in the group holes out. The pin bottom should be completely in its resting place in the cup.
Don’t step on another player’s line of putt. Avoid talking or moving when another player is putting. Do not stand on or cast a shadow on another player’s line of putt.
You may line up your putt while others are putting as long as you do not distract the person putting. You may move leaves and twigs from your line of putt. Ball marks may be repaired.
You may not stand on or straddle your own line of putt.
LEAVING THE GREEN
After all players have holed out, return to your carts immediately and move on. If there are players waiting to hit to the green, walk off quickly, get into your carts, and move on toward the next hole. Mark scorecards and place clubs in your bag at the next hole.
SCORECARDS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Sign, attest, and date official scorecards as indicated for tournaments. Also keep track of your own score. Enter all other scores, home and away, on the computer.
USGA and any local rules apply to all tournament play.
Complete information on rules and etiquette is available on the USGA web site: usga.org and in the USGA Rules of Golf Book.