Rules

PENALTIES & RELIEF

Preferred Lies

• The lie of a ball may be improved (i.e. lift, clean, place) within one club-length in the fairway or rough and within one foot in the sand.

• All relief must be made no closer to the hole and remain on the same surface (ex. sand stays in sand).

• A ball resting OB or in a water hazard (i.e. creek or pond) cannot be brought back into play without penalty.

• Any part of a neglected sand trap may be raked at any time. 

Penalty Areas & Out-of-Bounds

• Choose the applicable relief option below for ONE penalty stroke.

• Use a designated drop area if provided.

• YELLOW: (1) 'Stroke-and-Distance' replay the shot or (2) 'Back-on-the-Line’ drop within one club-length along an extended line behind the point at which the ball crossed into the penalty area in-line with the flag.

• RED: (1) Play the ball without penalty or (2) 'Lateral’ within the nearby rough at a distance no further than where the ball landed in the penalty area. 

• OB: (1) ‘Stroke-and-Distance’ or (2) 'Lateral’ at the point of exit within the nearby rough.

Lost or Unplayable Balls

• 'U🚫CME' Drop: Free drop where your ball was "lost" in the general area IF hazards/OB are out of the question -- agreed upon by the group to speed up play. 

• If a ball is unplayable after preferred lies, add ONE penalty stroke and take relief in the nearby area.

• A ball in a bunker with ‘standing water’ may be moved without penalty to a dry area within the same bunker — while remaining at least one foot from the bunker edge. If not possible, then drop behind the bunker for ONE penalty stroke.

Abnormal Course Conditions or Obstructions

• Free drop within one club-length for a ball that is embedded, in or on a cart path, divot, yard marker, tree root, downed branch, sprinkler head, wrong putting green, ground under repair, or puddle.