Frequently Asked Questions
The following frequently asked questions about the Davis Golf Club Local Rules and USGA rules were reviewed, adopted and implemented by the DGC Board in collaboration with the Davis Senior Club Board in June of 2023. New rules (highlighted in red) went into effect on June 19, 2023.
What are my options if my ball goes into one of the drainage ditches? (Local rule)
Players may take relief from drainage ditches only on holes 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 14. Players get relief from these drainage ditches because the ditches are the property of the homeowner and not the golf course. A player may not take relief from drainage ditches on any other holes.
What is the procedure for removing a ball from a drainage ditch? (Local rule)
1. Mark the location of the ball in the ditch.
2. Find and mark the nearest point of relief that is 90 degrees (On the Golf Course Side) to the ditch. NOTE: If the edge/top of the ditch is not visibly obvious, step off the distance from the lowest point of the ditch to the Out of Bounds. Then step off the same distance from the lowest point toward the golf course. That is the Location of the Ball at Rest Edge/Top of the Ditch.
3. Find and mark a point one club length from the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole. Drop the ball within the club length.
What are my options if my ball enters a water hazard on the course? (Local rule)
All water hazards on the Davis Golf Course are played as Red Penalty Areas.
What are my options if my ball enters a Red Penalty Area? (USGA rule)
Play the ball as it lies (no additional penalty strokes taken)
Take relief using stroke and distance by playing the ball from the original location. (One stroke penalty)
Take relief using “back on the line relief” by indicating where the ball crossed into the penalty area and drawing a line from the hole through the point where the ball crossed the penalty area, no nearer the hole. (One stroke penalty.)
Taking lateral relief by estimating where the ball entered the penalty area and taking two club lengths from that spot, no nearer the hole. (One stroke penalty.)
Take relief using the Drop Area. (One stroke penalty.)
What holes have drop areas? (Local rules)
Hole 7: As of June 19, 2023, there is new a drop zone behind the green between the tree nearest the water and the water. If a player hits a shot in the water on the tee side of the water, the player must play from the tee side of the water and navigate the water again. For a ball that last crossed the outer boundary of the Red Pentalty Area (RPA) on the tee side of the lake, a player may use the Drop Zone directly in front of the teeing ground short of the RPA. For a ball that last crossed the inner boundary of the RPA on the green side of the lake, a player may use the Drop Zone behind the green.
Hole 10: For a ball in the Red Penalty Area (RPA) behind the green a player may use the Drop Zone behind and to the right of the green.
Hole 16: For a ball in the RPA behind the green a player may use the Drop Zone directly behind the green.
Is the area between holes 13, 14, and 15 a penalty area? (Local rule)
The area between Holes 13, 14, and 15 that is marked by red stakes is a Penalty Area.
What happens if my ball is impeded by the fence between holes 12 and 13? (Local rule)
While playing Hole #12, a player may take free relief when his ball lies on the Hole #13 side of the fence and the fence obstructs the line of sight access to the green. Free relief allows the player to use the drop zone located across the cart path, near the portable bathroom.
While playing Hole #13, The player has three options:
1. Play the ball as it lies.
2. Take obstruction relief if such relief applies.
3. Use the nearest teeing area not nearer the hole on the 13th green.
What happens if my ball enters the driving range? (Local rule)
The driving range is out of bounds. The boundary is defined by the course side of the poles supporting the netting at ground level. Where railroad ties are present the course side of the railroad ties defines the margin. During the play of hole 18 white stakes tie into the final driving range poles/railroad ties. Additionally, the course side edge of the railroad ties encircling the 18 th green define out of bounds. The open end of the driving range right of #17 is defined by white stakes.
What happens if my ball enters the area used by Golf Course maintenance between holes 17 and 18? (Local rule)
The area south of the driving range, west of the 17th fairway/green, and north of the beginning of the 18th fairway that is used by the Golf Course maintenance staff to accumulate tree debris is considered “ground under repair” (GUR). If the ball is found in the GUR the player has two options: play the ball as it lies or take relief at the nearest point of relief not
nearer the hole. If the ball is lost with virtual certainty in the GUR, the player may take relief using the point where the ball
is estimated to have last crossed into the GUR.
What happens if my ball enters the area near the driving range ball dispenser or the area near the practice putting green near the 18th green? (Local rule)
The driving range is considered out of bounds. The out-of-bounds area is anything past the railroad ties at the bottom of the net. Out of bounds continues from the last post adjacent to the driving range mats to the small white post at the end of the railroad ties just north of the sand trap north of the 18th green. Out of bounds includes balls that travel past the railroad ties circling the green.
What happens if I lose my ball or it goes out of bounds? (USGA and Local rule)
If a ball might be lost outside a penalty area or be out of bounds, to save time, the player may play another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance. You have 3 minutes to locate your ball. When a provisional ball has not been played, issues with the pace of play can result in a player needing to walk back to the spot required to take stroke-and-distance relief for a ball that is out of bounds or cannot be found. Therefore, the player may proceed as follows: For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping a ball in a fairway area two club lengths from the edge of the fairway that is nearest 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.
What are my options if my ball enters a bunker and I think it’s unplayable? (USGA rule)
If you don’t want to or decide you can’t play your ball as it lies when your ball is in a bunker, you may decide it is unplayable. If you do this, you have four total options, and two will always require that you take relief inside the bunker.
You may play a ball from the spot of your previous stroke (if this spot was out of the bunker, this option gets you out of the bunker; but if your last stroke was from in the bunker, you must stay in the bunker). (One Stroke Penalty.)
You may take back-on-the-line relief in the bunker. Your ball must stay in the bunker. (One Stroke Penalty.)
You may drop in the bunker within two club lengths of where your ball lies but not nearer to the hole. (One Stroke Penalty.)
You may get out of the bunker using the back-on-the-line relief by indicating where the ball crossed into the bunker and drawing a line from the hole through the point where the ball crossed into the bunker, no nearer the hole. (Two Stroke Penalty.)
What happens if my ball enters, or the swing is impaired by, the 150 and 100-yard bushes and any staked small trees and bushes? (Local Rule)
If your ball rests in or near the 150 and 100-yard bushes or a staked tree or bush you may move the ball without a penalty. These distance markers are considered Immovable Obstructions. Players are entitled to relief for their stance and area of intended swing. Note that intervention of the tree/bush on the intended line of play does not entitle the player to relief.
Where can I find the USGA Rules of Golf on the internet?
Click on this link for the official USGA Rules of Golf. You can also download an app to your phone for the official USGA Rules of Golf.