Club Rules and Bylaws

Fearrington Golf Club – Rules and Practices 

USGA Overall Guidelines

All players are expected to play in the spirit of the game by …

Acting with integrity. Examples … following the rules, applying all penalties, and being honest in all aspects of play.

Showing consideration to others. Examples … playing at a prompt pace, looking out for the safety of others, and not distracting the play of another player.

Taking good care of the course. Examples … replacing divots, smoothing bunkers, repairing ball-marks, and not causing unnecessary damage to the course.

FGC Modifications of USGA Rules

Out of Bounds (OB) Balls

If it appears a ball is hit OB, the player may hit a provisional ball or go to the site of the first shot to determine whether it is OB. If the ball is OB, the player may drop a ball in-bounds two club lengths from the spot where it exited and take a one stroke penalty (for example, if the OB ball was a drive, the next shot would then be number three). Or, per USGA, a ball may be dropped in the fairway even with exit point and a two-stroke penalty (if the OB ball was a drive, the next shot would be number four).

If a provisional is played it is with the same stroke penalty and becomes the 3rd shot (if a drive). Once a provisional ball is deemed to be the ball in play and is struck from a point, it is the ball in play even if the original is found later. 

Dropped Balls

The relief area is measured by two club lengths with the option for the player to choose any club. When dropping a ball, it must come to rest in the relief area where it was dropped. If the ball comes to rest outside of the relief area, the player will drop a second time in the relief area. If the ball again comes to rest outside the relief area, the player will place it where the ball first touched the ground on the second drop.

Search for Lost Ball

To avoid slow play the search time for a lost ball should not exceed three minutes. If a ball is lost on a fairway or 1st/2nd cut rough areas where it was fully expected to have been found, the player (with the agreement of all golfers in the group) may drop a ball with no penalty where it was deemed lost. This does not include native areas or woods, where the ball is dropped with a one stroke penalty. This applies year around.

Taking Relief from an Embedded Lie (frequently a problem on a wet course)

Players may free the ball if it is on the fairway, fringe or green.

Water Hazards

If a ball sitting in either a yellow or red-stake hazard is playable, a golfer may choose to hit it without penalty, lie may not be improved.  If the ball is unplayable (whether wet or dry), there is a one stroke penalty and the player has three options:

1. Play it as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played.

2. Drop it behind the water hazard in the direct line of the original shot with no limit to how far behind it may be dropped. 

3. Play it from the drop area, if there is one designated

     Yellow Stakes:

If a player has hit a ball into the water hazard on a hole with no drop area and feels he/she will not be able to carry it with the next shot, they may elect to drop the ball on the other side of the hazard with a two-stroke penalty.  Since we play so many different courses, if a player shoots as though there is no drop area (example: hitting one ball into the water, then hitting the next over), and later discovers a drop area on the other side of the water, they may elect to replay and hit from the drop area as though they only hit one ball in the water with no second shot. A one stroke penalty still applies.  If a ball crosses the water hazard, hits on the other side, and then rolls back into the hazard, it is ruled to have crossed (i.e. 1 club length drop at the point of entry and 1 stroke penalty).  However, if a similar shot ricochets off a barrier wall within the hazard directly into the water it is ruled not to have crossed and must be played from behind the hazard.

     Red Stakes (Lateral Water Hazards): 

If the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball outside the hazard within two club lengths but not nearer the hole than the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard.

Play from the Fairway

A player on the fairway may, with no penalty, roll the ball over. If the ball is plugged or muddy, it may be lifted, cleaned, and placed without penalty. Where there are patches without grass on the fairway, the ball may be moved to grass that is not closer to the hole.

Play from the Rough

Play ball “as is” in the rough unless hitting the ball in any direction poses a danger to equipment or self. This would include a ball resting on stones, gravel, or tree roots, lying in casual water, or embedded. The player may move his/her ball the minimum distance necessary to eliminate the problem with no penalty. This allowance is not to be used to eliminate an unplayable lie such as directly behind a tree trunk or thick bush which fully impedes a shot. Moving a ball in this instance incurs a 1 stroke penalty.

Play from the Sand

There is a one stroke penalty for a deliberate effort to improve the lie in any manner with hand or club. There is no penalty for a player moving or touching a loose impediment in the bunker.  If a ball lies in an unmaintained sand trap, the player can lift the ball, rake sand, and replace the ball in its original position without penalty. In the event of any lie in mud, rock or standing water, a player may take relief outside the bunker back on the line from the hole through where ball was at rest with no penalty.  Unplayable lies as in close proximity to lips do not apply. Unplayable lies may be relieved with a one stroke penalty and replaced within one club length in the bunker.

On the Green

Continuous putting is encouraged to speed play (at the discretion of each player). The flag may be kept in while putting. The rule is all putts must be putted out.

The ball must always be replaced on its original spot if it was blown by the wind or moved for no clear reason.  A player may touch the line of a putt or the putting green in pointing out a target without penalty when nothing is done to improve conditions for the player’s stroke (leaves and other debris on the green may be moved).

Local Rules, Conditions and Guidelines

Range finders, GPS and other distance measuring tools are fully permissible.  It is generally useful to read the scorecard of each course to be able to respect (and sometimes benefit from) local rules. Examples would include free drops from certain positions, environmentally sensitive areas to avoid, or what defines out of bounds. Note that area courses vary on the use of white lot markers. Check the scorecard to verify if they also mark out of bounds.

Avoiding Slow Play

We do our best to avoid slow play and not hold up our members and/or home club members and guests on the courses we play. FGC defines slow play when either a course official issues a warning, there is a one- or two-hole gap ahead of the group, or the following group has been held up on two consecutive holes.

• Be on time to start the round (suggested arrival 45min prior to tee time).

• Don’t take excessive practice swings before hitting the ball.

• Keep an extra ball and tee in your pocket in the event you need to hit another shot from the same spot.

• On Cart Path Only days take your GPS or rangefinder with several clubs when you walk to your ball.

• Play Ready Golf on fairways and approaching the green (keeping in mind player safety when there are people both in front and behind you)

• Limit lost ball searches to no more than three minutes and spend time searching only for balls your group hit (watch balls hit by other group members and help them spot ball landings).

• Pick up your ball if you stand no chance of making a double bogey (our scores are capped at no more than par plus three strokes).

• If your group is falling behind or the following one is waiting for yours to leave the green, move on before bagging clubs and scoring.

These rules apply to all league outings and tournaments. Suggestions on rules and guidelines for possible future inclusion are welcomed. Please submit in writing to the FGC Board.

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