Captain's Committee confirms Local Rules and clarifies certain rules

At the May Captain's Committee Meeting, the local rules were reviewed and confirmed as follows  (see also Local Rules) :

Paarl Golf Club - Local Rules  (at May 2014)

1       Use of Blue Tees

If a player is over the age of 65 years old, the player qualifies to play off the forward markers. Once the player has elected to play off the forward tees he may not move back to the Mens tees (Green).

Groups of members may elect to play off any tee in their own competitions and their rules have preference over the club local rule.

2       Preferred Lies- SEE NOTICE BOARD

3       Cultivated garden beds and irrigation bowls are deemed as immovable obstructions- except when in a hazard (Rule 24-2).

         Relief - The player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief.  The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard. When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

4       Residential Properties

         A ball coming to rest inside the boundary of a residential property is out of bounds and MUST NOT BE RETRIEVED. Any player or caddie trespassing on Residential Properties may make himself liable for prosecution 

5       Tractor and or motor tracks - Artificially Surfaced Roads, Paths or  Borders

These shall be considered as "GUR" and relief may be taken in accordance with Rule 25-1b. A free drop is permitted

Note (1) On Artificially Surfaced Roads, Paths or Borders - relief may also be taken in accordance with rule 9 of these local rules if your swing or stance is affected by such items

6       Builders and Green Keepers Rubble    

Such rubble shall be considered "GUR" and if your ball lies on such rubble or if your stance or swing is affected you may take relief in accordance with Rule 25-1b. A free drop is permitted

7       Mole Hills or Flattened Mole Hills (Rule 25-1)

Such items are considered "GUR". If your ball lies ON a mole hill or flattened mole hill 'through the green' (not in a hazard) relief may be taken in accordance with Rule 25-1b without a penalty.

A PLAYER’S STANCE IS EXCLUDED.

8       Pine Needles; Finely Mulched Bark etc.        

These are considered an integral part of the course and NO RELIEF may be taken and the ball should be played as it lies        

9       Steps in Bunkers

Should these affect your swing or stance then these are considered an "Immoveable Obstruction" and relief may be taken in the accordance with rule 8 of these local rules

Note (i) if relief is taken the ball MUST be dropped in the bunker. If relief is taken outside the bunker it is done so under penalty of one shot

10      Casual Water in bunkers

• Ball enters casual water in bunker – free drop (ball must still be dropped in the bunker)
  • If the bunker is completely filled with water AND IS MARKED G.U.R, the player is entitled to a free drop nearest point of relief outside of the bunker

• If the bunker is NOT marked G.U.R, then the player may drop the ball outside of the bunker but will incur a one stroke penalty.

Note: Where a free drop is permitted as stated above it shall be subject to the following:

• The drop must be with one club length of the nearest point of relief
• The drop must not be nearer the hole

12       Immovable obstructions close to Putting Green

Providing relief from intervention by immovable obstructions on or within two club-lengths of the putting green when the ball lies within two club-lengths of the immovable obstructions. i.e. sprinklers around the putting greens.

Captains Committee May 2014

CLARIFCATION OF CERTAIN GENERAL RULES

1     Out of Bounds (Rule 27)

“Out of bounds’’ is beyond the boundaries of the course or any part of the course so marked by the Committee.

When out of bounds is defined by reference to stakes or a fence or as being beyond stakes or a fence, the out of bounds line is determined by the nearest inside points at ground level of the stakes or fence posts (excluding angled supports). When both stakes and lines are used to indicate out of bounds, the stakes identify out of bounds and the lines define out of bounds.

When out of bounds is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds. The out of bounds line extends vertically upwards and downwards.

A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies out of bounds. A player may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds.

Objects defining out of bounds such as walls, fences, stakes and railings are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed. Stakes identifying out of bounds are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed.

Note 1: Stakes or lines used to define out of bounds should be white.

2     Ground under repair (GUR)     

 “Ground under repair” is any part of the course so marked by order of the Committee or so declared by its authorised representative. All ground and any grass, bush, tree or other growing thing within the ground under repair are part of the ground under repair. Ground under repair includes material piled for removal and a hole made by a greenkeeper, even if not so marked. Grass cuttings and other material left on the course that have been abandoned and are not intended to be removed are not ground under repair unless so marked.

When the margin of ground under repair is defined by stakes, the stakes are inside the ground under repair, and the margin of the ground under repair is defined by the nearest outside points of the stakes at ground level. When both stakes and lines are used to indicate ground under repair, the stakes identify the ground under repair and the lines define the margin of the ground under repair. When the margin of ground under repair is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is in the ground under repair. The margin of ground under repair extends vertically downwards but not upwards.

A ball is in ground under repair when it lies in or any part of it touches the ground under repair. Stakes used to define the margin of or identify ground under repair are obstructions.

3     Water and Lateral Water Hazards (Rule 26)

An imaginary line that follows the natural contours of the land between the stakes demarcating the hazard defines the margin of all water hazards and lateral water hazards unless a line has been sprayed around the water hazard and then it is this line that demarks the hazard

Water Hazard – Demarcated by YELLOW stakes – Relief Options:

If a ball is found in the water hazard or if it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in the water hazard (whether the ball lies in water or not), the player may under penalty of one stroke:

a. Proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

b. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or

When proceeding under this Rule, the player may lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball.

Lateral Water Hazard – Demarcated by RED stakes – Relief Options:

a. Proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

b. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or

c. As additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.

4     Embedded Ball (Rule 25)

An embedded ball is only liable for relief when it has broken the turf and is embedded in the ground
A ball lying in long semi-rough or loose sand is not embedded.If an embedded ball is encountered 'through the green' (anywhere on the golf course except in a hazard or bunker) then a free drop is permitted subject to the following:

• The drop must be as near as possible to the spot where it lay
• The drop must not be nearer the hole.

5     Obstructions

• Stones in bunkers are deemed to be moveable obstructions. (The decision on whether an object to be moved is in fact a stone, rests with the player. Removal of any item which is not a stone but a loose impediment will result in the player being penalised).
• If a staked tree (including irrigation bowls of NON STAKED trees) interferes with a players stance, lie of the ball or area of intended swing, the must be lifted, without a penalty, and dropped in accordance with Rule 24-2b.
• Steps in bunkers are immovable obstructions. Relief is allowed under Rule 24-2b(ii)

6     Measuring/distance Devices

These are permitted and may be used for social or competition golf unless otherwise specified by an outside competition

7     Permanent Elevated Cables

 If a ball strikes an elevated power line or cable, the stroke must immediately be replayed without penalty (See Rule 20-5). If the ball is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be suitable.

EXCEPTION: Ball striking elevated junction section of cable rising from the ground shall not be replayed.

8    Casual Water

Ball lost in casual water – Free drop

• If a ball is deemed, by a player’s marker, to have entered casual water, the player is entitled to a free drop, one club length, nearest point of relief.

Captains Committee May 2014