TEE-to-GREEN SENIOR MEN'S GOLF CLUB

E. Out of Bounds.

A ball leaving the course property is considered out-of-bounds. A ball in or crossing a road within the course is considered out-of-bounds (this is a course rule). If you hit a ball that may be out-of-bounds, hit a provisional ball from the same spot (you must tell your opponent that you are going to hit a provisional ball). Then:

If you find your original ball in the course, you must play it. Pick up and pocket the provisional ball. There is no penalty stroke. OR…
If you find your original ball out-of-bounds or don't find it, you must play the provisional ball. You count the stroke for the provisional ball and a stroke for the out-of-bounds ball. (The provisional ball is lying 2 strokes more than you had before hitting the ball out-of-bounds.) OR…

If you neglected to hit a provisional ball and find your ball is out-of-bounds, you must drop a ball within the course at a point no nearer the hole than the point where it crossed the boundary and within two club lengths of that point. There is a penalty of one stroke for placing the ball back in play. (Your dropped ball is now considered to be lying 2 strokes more than you had before hitting the ball out-of-bounds.)

F. Unplayable Ball.

A ball can be designated as unplayable at any time by a golfer, except in a water hazard. With a penalty of one stroke, the ball may be dropped: 1) within two club lengths of the unplayable position and no nearer the hole or 2) behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped.

Unplayable ball considerations due to obstructions:

A course boundary obstruction (fence, post, boulder, etc on the course property line) is considered outside of the course. Therefore, if your ball is lying in the course near to or against such boundary obstruction and you decide that you cannot swing at the ball, you must take a one stroke penalty. (Example: fences on the left side of holes 4, 12, 13, 14, 15) Use remedy 1) or 2).
A ball considered unplayable due to a man-made obstruction (fence, post, etc) inside the course boundary is dropped without penalty. The obstruction must affect the lie of the ball, the player’s stance, or the area of his intended swing. (Example: the fence protecting the 16th tee. If your club would hit the fence during your swing, then a free drop is given.) Relief: Ball must be dropped within 1 club length from the nearest point of full relief (where the lie, stance and swing area are unobstructed) and be no nearer the hole - USGA Rule 24-2. (There is NO relief for an obstruction blocking the ball’s intended flight.)

G. Hole Rankings.

The senior tees are the yellow tees. Hole rankings (relative difficulty) are determined principally by hole length, among other factors. The scorecard for Forest Park has two distinct sets of hole rankings (one for the blue/white/yellow, and one for the red). We will use the hole rankings at the bottom of the scorecard for the red tees.

H. NO carts on fairways.

Recognizing that some members may find it difficult or impossible to walk back and forth across fairways, the following special rules will prevail only when carts must stay on car paths.

Player hitting to far side of a fairway may option to have another player toss the ball back to the side near the cart path
If the ball was in the fairway on the far side, it will be dropped in the fairway near the cart path. If the ball was in the rough on the far side, it will be dropped in the rough near the cart path

· No penalty is added unless the moving of the ball gives the player a distinct advantage on the hole. If, at the discretion of the foursome it does, a penalty stroke should be added

· If the player invokes this privilege within 100 yards of the green, a penalty stroke MUST be added.

I. Putting.

The following rule is an effort to speed up play. The player whose ball is farthest from the hole is the first to putt. Once that player begins putting, continuous putting rules apply. In this club, that means the player must putt again, and again until the ball is holed. The player may only stop putting if: 1) an opponent asks him to stop due to putting line issues; 2) the opponents have awarded a gimme; or 3) the ball is holed. Once the player’s turn is ended, the next player farthest from the hole must begin putting. We encourage players to follow this rule. However a 2014 vote has relaxed the rule - so that if any player has a problem with it, during their turn to putt, they can mark their ball and wait their next turn to putt.

J. Gimmes.

In weekly play, a player (the remaining players of the group agreeing) may formally concede a stroke (the gimme) to another player and this offer may not be refused or withdrawn. The gimme is NOT subject to any distance measure, other than the ball must be on the green. The person receiving the gimme adds one to his score for the hole.

K. Tee Boxes.

On EVERY hole we will play from the RED teeing area, and must tee up in the area behind the RED tees within two club lengths of those tees. If no RED teeing area exists on a hole, we may tee up ANYWHERE on the nearest teeing area to the hole.

III. Refreshers from the Rule Book. For your information, included below, are a few rules from the Rule Book that occur frequently during our league play:

Playing the wrong ball. (Rule 6-3c)

The player must correct the mistake under the Rules by playing the right ball from its original spot or by taking relief under the Rules.

The Flagstick. (Rule 13-2)

a. Leaving Flagstick in Hole. If you make a stroke with the flagstick left in the hole and the ball in motion then hits the flagstick, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies. The decision to have the flagstick in the must be made before your stroke, by either leaving the flagstick in the hole or having a removed flagstick put back.

b. Removing Flagstick from Hole. You may make a stroke with the flagstick removed from the hole, so that your ball in motion will not hit the flagstick in the hole. You must decide this before making the stroke, by either having the flagstick removed from the hole before playing your ball, or authorizing someone to attend the flagstick.

c. Ball Resting Against Flagstick in Hole. If your ball comes to rest against the flagstick left in the hole and any part of your ball is in the hole below the surface of the putting green, your ball is treated as holed. If no part of your ball is in the hole below the surface of the putting green:

· Your ball is not holed.

· If the flagstick is removed and your ball moves (whether it falls into the hole or moves away from the hole), there is no penalty and it must be replaced on the lip of the hole.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF THE ABOVE: Four-Ball Match play — Player is disqualified for the hole.

Ball Played as It Lies; Ball at Rest Lifted or Moved (Rule 9)

Purpose of Rule: Rule 9 covers a central principle of the game: “play the ball as it lies.” (There are many options within this rule - see USGA – but we will try to keep it simple, like below.)

· If your ball comes to rest and is then moved by natural forces such as wind or water, you normally must play it from its new spot.

· If your ball at rest is lifted or moved by anyone or any outside influence before the stroke is made, your ball must be replaced on its original spot.

· You should take care when near any ball at rest, and if you cause your own ball or your opponent’s ball to move you will normally get a penalty (except on the putting green).

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 9: Four-Ball Match play — Player who does not replace his ball when required to do so is disqualified for the hole.

Playing Ball in Bunker (Rule 12-2)

!!! Our club rules allow for the raking and replacement of a ball at any time in a bunker – to account for improper maintenance – without penalty !!!

a. Removing Loose Impediments and Movable Obstructions. Before playing a ball in a bunker, a player may remove loose impediments under Rule 15.1 and movable obstructions under Rule 15.2. This includes any reasonable touching or movement of the sand in the bunker that happens while doing so.

b. Restrictions on Touching Sand in Bunker.

(1) When Touching Sand Results in Penalty. Before making a stroke at a ball in a bunker, a player must not:

· Deliberately touch sand in the bunker with a hand, club, rake or other object to test the condition of the sand to learn information for the next stroke, or

· Touch sand in the bunker with a club:

a. In the area right in front of or right behind the ball (except as allowed under Rule 7.1a in fairly searching for a ball or under Rule 12.2a in removing a loose impediment or movable obstruction),

b. In making a practice swing, or

c. In making the backswing for a stroke.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 12-2: Four-Ball Match play — Player is disqualified for the hole.

(2) When Touching Sand Does Not Result in Penalty. Except as covered by (1), this Rule does not prohibit the player from touching sand in the bunker in any other way, including:

· Digging in with the feet to take a stance for a practice swing or the stroke,

· Smoothing the bunker to care for the course,

· Placing clubs, equipment or other objects in the bunker (whether by throwing or setting them down),

· Measuring, marking, lifting, replacing or taking other actions under a Rule,

· Leaning on a club to rest, stay balanced or prevent a fall, or

· Striking the sand in frustration or anger.

TEE-to-GREEN SENIOR MEN'S GOLF CLUB

RULES FOR PLAY