Local Rules

Summarized Version:

1. Out of Bounds is defined by white stakes, the fence that runs along the east side of the property, the fence that runs along the back of the 8th hole, and the artificial surfaces that surround the clubhouse.

2. The red penalty areas along the right side of #1, #2, and #3 are defined on one side and extend to infinity.

3. If a player does not know whether their ball is in the penalty area on the left side of #2, the right side of #7, the left side of #9, and the left side of #12, the player may play a provisional ball using any of the following relief options: stroke-and-distance, back-on-the-line or, if it is a red penalty area, the lateral relief option (see Rule 17.1d).

4. The practice bunkers located around the green in the practice area between #1 and #4, and the bunkers located around the #17X green are ground under repair and are part of the general area. Free relief is available under Rule 16.1b.

5. As an extra relief option for the yellow penalty area in front of the #7 green (except when the ball was played from the teeing area), the red penalty area left of #11, and the red penalty area left of #15, adding one penalty stroke, a player may drop a ball in the dropping zone defined as the closely mown area identified by the Drop Zone sign. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

6. When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed under the Stroke and Distance Local Rule for a penalty of two strokes, rather than proceeding under stroke and distance. This Local Rule is not available if a provisional ball has been played. See Model Local Rule E-5 for full details of the Local Rule.

7. The young trees identified by being supported by stakes, protected by a tree trunk protector/guard, and/or protected by a wire fence, are abnormal course conditions. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1.

8. If a player's ball in the fairway, or within 4 club lengths of the fairway, has interference from tree roots in the fairway, free relief is available under Rule 16.1b. But interference does not exist if the tree roots only interfere with the player’s stance.

9. Ground under repair is defined by any area encircled by a white line, or within four club lengths of a white stake with a green top.

10. Winter Rules - Effective as of May 8th: When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less [or identify a specific area such as on the fairway of the 7th hole], the player may prefer the lie within one club-length. See Model Local Rule E-3 for details of how this must be done. 

Detailed Version:

1. Out of Bounds is defined either by:

   1. White stakes

   2. The fence that runs along the east side of the property

   3. The fence that runs along the back of the 8th hole

   4. The artificial surfaces that surround the club house, including the parking lot to the right of the #1 tee, the cart path that runs behind of the #1 tee and #5 green, to the right of #10 tee, and behind the #6 tee and #9 green. When a cart path crosses from in bounds to out of bounds white stakes are used to indicate the boundary edge. All artificial surfaces that form the edge of this area are considered out of bounds, including:

      1. Patio stones

      2. Curbs

      3. Raised brick walls

      4. Artificial stairs

      5. Wooden edging behind the 5th green

      6. Parking stops

2. The red penalty areas defined on only one side along the right side of holes #1, #2, and #3 extend to infinity. Any ball that is known or virtually certain to have crossed the edge of these penalty areas is entitled to relief using one of the options under Rule 17.1d.

3. If a player does not know whether their ball is in the penalty area on the left side of #2, the right side of #7, the left side of #9, and the left side of #12, the player may play a provisional ball under Rule 18.3, which is modified in this way: In playing the provisional ball, the player may use the stroke-and-distance relief option (see Rule 17.1d(1)), the back-on-the-line relief option (see Rule 17.1d(2)) or, if it is a red penalty area, the lateral relief option (see Rule 17.1d(3)). If a dropping zone is available for this penalty area (see Model Local Rule E-1), the player may also use that relief option. Once the player has played a provisional ball under this Local Rule, they may not use any further options under Rule 17.1 in relation to the original ball. In deciding when that provisional ball becomes the player's ball in play or if it must or may be abandoned, Rule 18.3c(2) and 18.3c(3) apply except that:

   1. When Original Ball Is Found in Penalty Area Within Three-Minute Search Time. The player may choose either to:

• Continue to play the original ball as it lies in the penalty area, in which case the provisional ball must not be played. All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count, or

• Continue to play the provisional ball  in which case the original ball must not be played.

• When Original Ball Is Not Found Within Three-Minute Search Time or Is Known or Virtually Certain to Be in Penalty Area. The provisional ball becomes the player's ball in play.

4. The practice bunkers located around the green in the practice area between #1 and #4, and the bunkers located around the #17X green are ground under repair and are part of the general area. Free relief is available under Rule 16.1b.

5. Drop Zones

   1. If a player’s ball is in the yellow penalty area in front of the #7 green, including when it is known or virtually certain to be in that penalty area even though not found, and it was not hit from the teeing area, the player has these relief options, each for one penalty stroke:

      1. The player may take relief under Rule 17.1, or

      2. As an extra option, the player may drop the original ball or another ball in the dropping zone defined as the closely mown area identified by the Drop Zone sign located to the left of the green. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

   2. If a player’s ball is in the red penalty area left of #11, including when it is known or virtually certain to be in that penalty area even though not found, the player has these relief options, each for one penalty stroke:

      1. The player may take relief under Rule 17.1, or

      2. As an extra option, the player may drop the original ball or another ball in the dropping zone defined as the closely mown area identified by the Drop Zone sign located to the right of the fairway. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

   3. If a player’s ball is in the red penalty area left of #15, including when it is known or virtually certain to be in that penalty area even though not found, the player has these relief options, each for one penalty stroke:

      1. The player may take relief under Rule 17.1, or

      2. As an extra option, the player may drop the original ball or another ball in the dropping zone defined as the closely mown area where the Drop Zone sign is located short right of the green. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

6. 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:

   1. 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.

   2. 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 Local Rule, "fairway" means any part of the general area 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:

      1. A line from the hole through the ball reference point (and within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and

      2. 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:

3. Must be in the general area, and

4. Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.

Once the player puts a ball in play under this Local Rule:

5. The original ball is no longer in play and must not be played.

6. 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:

7. That ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or

8. 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.

7. The young trees identified by being supported by stakes, protected by a tree trunk protector/guard, and/or protected by a wire fence are no play zones:

   1. 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 interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1f.

   2. 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.

8. If a player’s ball lies in the general area and there is interference from exposed tree roots that are in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less or in the rough within four club-lengths from the edge of the area cut to fairway height or less, the tree roots are treated as ground under repair. The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b. But relief is not allowed if the tree roots only interfere with the player’s stance.

9. Ground under repair is defined by any area encircled by a white line, or within four club lengths of a white stake with a green top.

10. Winter Rules – Effective as of May 8th: When any part of a player's ball touches part of the general area cut to fairway height or less [or identify a specific area such as on the fairway of the 7th hole], the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:

11. Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.

12. Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: One club-length from the reference point, but with these limits:

13. Limits on Location of Relief Area:

    1. Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and

    2. Must be in the general area.

In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e. But for the purposes of applying Rule 14.2e, the player has only chosen the spot on which to place the ball once the ball has been set down, and the player has let the ball go with the intent for that ball to be in play. After a ball has been placed and is in play under this Local Rule, if the player then proceeds under another Rule that provides relief, this Local Rule may be used again.