TPSGC Local Rules

January 2023

Tilden Park Seniors Golf Club - Local Rules

The TPSGC Board periodically updates its Local Rules available to players at Club-sponsored tournaments. The new set of rules go into effect starting 2023. The main goals of the changes are to strive for consistency with USGA rules and to take advantage of the USGA’s “Model Local Rules” available to clubs such as ours. They also recognize that our club is comprised of seniors whose golf skill levels vary and that our competitions are probably more about enjoying a fun round of golf with fellow Club members than they are about winning prizes.

The following thirteen Local Rules applicable are to both Home and Away tournaments.

1. Pick up after Maximum Score per Hole is Reached

For pace of play, the USGA sanctions clubs to institute a maximum score that may be set at net double bogey on a hole. Our club follows this policy for stroke play competitions.

Unchanged, confirmed by committee

2. Balls Lost on the Course

Any ball lost on the course in an area unlikely to be found, treat as a red-staked penalty area with a one stroke penalty. Options are stroke and distance, back-on-the-line relief or lateral relief (the latter, within 2-club lengths of where the ball likely went into the lost ball area, even if not in the fairway).

USGA’s Model Local Rules Section B-1 authorizes a Committee to define areas that can be treated as red penalty areas. Our local rule extends this to all balls lost on the course (e.g., in woods, weeds, thick rough, etc.) but not out of bounds.

Wording changes but essentially unchanged

3. Out of Bounds

Any ball hit Out of Bounds (OB) including those that cross over a course boundary or that cross into white staked areas, must be treated following USGA rules: Stroke and Distance penalty or use of USGA Model Rule E-5 (see below).

New, approved by Committee

4. Rule E-5 Relief

When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, rather than proceeding under stroke and distance, the player may follow USGA Model Rule E-5. For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball up to 2 club-lengths into the fairway nearest to where the original ball likely come to rest on the course, or to where it crossed the course boundary going out of bounds. Go here for more information.

New, approved by Committee

5. Drop Zones

Drop zones may be used for a one stroke penalty after a tee shot is lost or deemed unplayable. If course normally has a drop zone on a hole, but it cannot be located, use the playable area beyond the tees at the beginning of the fairway or light rough.

This Rule follows USGA Model Local Rule E-1.1 regarding use of drop areas.

Changed “after a wayward tee shot” to “after a tee shot is lost”; Added “if course normally has a drop zone on a hole…”

6. Ball Lost but Virtually Certain to by Lying in a Playable Area

A ball lost, but virtually certain to be lying in a playable area, may be replaced by a dropped ball without penalty in a location as near as possible to the vicinity last observed. Your original ball, if found, is abandoned and no longer in play. At least one playing partner, other than the person who hit the ball, must have seen the ball and be virtually certain that it landed in a playable area to apply this local rule. Since you are getting a free drop, limit your search time to less than the 3 minutes typically allowed for a lost ball.

This Local Rule is in place because passing players sometimes pick up the wrong ball and flowers/leaves can make it difficult to locate a ball. (Similar to these USGA rules: 9.6-ball picked up by another player; Model Local Rule F-14-ball lost in areas of temporary accumulations of leaves, seeds or acorns.)

Minor change: added that someone other than the player must be virtually certain that it landed in a playable area

Added: if original ball is then found, it is abandoned and no longer in play

7. Provisionals Allowed for Balls Hit Towards Penalty Areas

If a ball may have come to rest in a penalty area, the player may play a provisional ball. This can be played from the spot the original ball was hit or using back-on-the-line relief behind the penalty area. If the penalty area is red staked, the provisional can be played using lateral relief. If the original ball Is found, the player can play this ball and abandon all strokes played with the provisional ball with no penalty. The player can also decide to continue play with the provisional ball with a 1-stroke penalty.

This rule follows the USGA Model Local Rule on this topic. See Model Local Rule.

New, approved by Committee

8. Relief from Dirt Areas Alongside Cart Paths

Dirt areas alongside cart paths are treated as a single abnormal course condition as the cart path when taking relief under Rule 16.1. There is no relief from other dirt areas on the course, including divots, unless defined by USGA or Local Rules, or otherwise deemed abnormal course conditions.

This local rule follows the USGA Model Local Rule F-3.2.

New, approved by committee

9. Relief from Exposed Tree Roots

If a player’s ball is in the fairway or nearby (within 4 club-lengths of the fairway) and there is interference from exposed tree roots, the tree roots are treated as abnormal course conditions. The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b (within 1-club length from the nearest point of relief). Interference does not exist if the tree roots only interfere with the player’s stance.

This Local Rule follows the USGA's Model Local Rule F-9.2

New, approved by Committee

10. Relief on Greens for Seams of Cut Turf

Turf (sod) seams are considered abnormal course conditions. If a turf seam on a putting green interferes with the player’s area of intended swing or line of play, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1d. Replace ball, with no penalty, at the nearest point of complete relief, no closer to the hole

This local rule follows the USGA's Model Local Rule F-7

New, approved by Committee

11. Gimme Putts

While there are no “gimmies” under USGA rules, for pace of play, the Club permits putts within 24'' of the hole to be taken as “gimme putts”. You should mark your putter accordingly if you wish to use it to measure. The measurement should be with the toe of your putter touching the nearest edge of the hole to any part of the ball within that mark. This rule will not be in effect for the Club Championship, President’s Cup or for match play.

Unchanged with minor wording adjustments

Local Winter Rules

As course conditions can be a challenge when conditions get wet, the following apply whenever mandated by the tournament committee. These are in addition to the local rules above.

12. Lift, Clean and Place

Lift, clean, and place will be in effect in any general area of play (not in penalty areas or bunkers). Place your ball within one club length from the ball’s original spot, no closer to the hole.

This essentially follows USGA Model Local Rule E-3 for occasional abnormal conditions.

Essentially the same, slight wording changes

13. Relief from Highly Slippery Areas on Tilden’s 14th, 15th and 16th holes

During wet conditions, the area to the right of, and immediately to the left of the cart path on Tilden’s 14th and 15th holes can be slippery and dangerous. When a ball ends up in one of these areas (excluding in a penalty area), the following relief can be taken:

On days that the golf course has announced “cart path only” rules for the entire course for wet conditions, or when it is otherwise announced by the Club, free relief can be taken down to the fairway, no closer to the hole. Note: we’ve been advised that such free relief may not be strictly USGA-compliant, but this is a safety provision for our members.
On other days when Winter rules are in place, a player is permitted to move their ball down to the fairway, no closer to the hole, with a 1-stroke penalty.

The cart path down from Tilden’s 16th hole can be slippery and dangerous for walkers during wet conditions. When the course has announced “cart path only” rules for the entire course for wet conditions, or when it is otherwise announced by the Club, all players will use the red (forward) tees.

These local winter rules now are mainly applicable only when the course is playing “cart path only”