SLGA9  Rules Questions & Answers

The Sunset Ladies Golf Association 9 (SLGA9) follows the USGA Rules of Golf. Every golfer is expected to know the rules of golf but we do know that there are questions that every golfer has. This page is here to help address members questions, especially for conditions related to our home course - Sunset Golf Course.

If you have a question specific to the course, or are unsure whether something that happened during league was handled correctly, you can send an email to our sunsetlga9@gmail.com mailbox and the Rules Committee will respond and post the question/answer here also for everyone to learn from (we will keep the question author's identity anonymous). 

Golf on!

Question: I hit a wild, slicing drive and suspect it went out of bounds. I hit a provisional ball and (surprise!) that one sliced pretty wild too. When I get to the balls, both are out of bounds. Can I implement the Model Local rule E-5 that SLGA9 has adopted on my first drive so I'm hitting four when I take my drop on the fairway adjacent to the ball (but no closer to the hole).

Answer: Unfortunately, No. Once you hit the provisional ball, the Model local rule is no longer available for your first drive when it is found (or determined OOB). Your provisional ball is now your ball in place which if found in bounds, you're hitting 4. If your provisional ball is found (or Known Virtually Certain (KVC) OOB, you now have two options available to you 1: Stroke and Distance (go back and hit another ball from  the original location and you are hitting 5) or 2: You now can implement that model local rule E5 for your provisional ball but you are now hitting 6 when you drop your ball on the fairway. (1 original drive + 1 back to tee + 1 provisional drive + 2 strokes for drop on fairway = 5 hitting 6). So choose wisely when your ball is potentially OOB when deciding to hit a provisional.

Question: When teeing off of Hole 4, if a player's ball lands beside the netting or in the flower bed/bushes between the hole 3 green and hole 7 tee box, does the player get relief?

Answer: Cultivated flowerbeds and active nurseries are Abnormal Course Conditions, whether or not marked, and relief is mandatory with no penalty stroke added. Player must take complete relief from this area no closer to the hole being played.

The netting (shown in picture below) is an immovable obstruction which also receives relief from interference under Rule 16.1. Complete relief must be taken, which includes both physical and line of play interference no closer to the hole being played.

Question:  During play today, two players balls were laying on the fairway with one of the balls just slightly in front of the other which was in the way of the first players ability to hit their ball. What are their options?

Answer: A player can ask another player to mark their ball anywhere on the course if that ball interferes with their ability to play their intended stroke. But the player must ask the opponent to mark their ball, the opponent cannot move their ball without being requested to. When requested, the opponent must mark the spot on the ground and pick up/hold the ball in a manner that does not clean the ball (and the ball cannot be exchanged for another). Once the stroke is taken, the player is allowed to return the marked site to it's original condition (i.e. rake sand) and place the ball back in the original spot.

Question: Sunset Golf Maintenance crew has done a lot of work on the irrigation system. If your ball lands on any of the recovering turf or on the irrigation line that is bare, can you get a free drop?

Answer: Per the Sunset clubhouse (head pro), while the turf is recovering, yes.  These areas will not be marked as GUR. This is considered an abnormal course condition and falls under Rule 16.1.  It allows for a free drop if your ball or stance is affected by the abnormal condition. Please see below for example (taken on hole 1) and relief area explanations.

Question: Sunset hole 9 has a wooden fence to the right of the green. What are my options if my ball lands by that fence?

Answer: See Rule 16.1. The wooden fence referred to is considered a man-made immovable object (same as the electric boxes around the courses for the irrigation system or a sprinkler head) on the course and not in a penalty area.. 

• Interference with stance or swing - free relief from point of nearest relief (1 clublength) no closer to the hole (Rule 16.1)

• Interference with path of ball when hit - no free relief. Must play from where ball lies or declare an unplayable lie (Rule 19).

• But my ball landed by the tree stump or beside a tree! - no free relief. Must play from where ball lies or declare unplayable lie. (Rule 19)

• (Rule 15) And what about the cart sign that's in my way? - Unless it is a course boundary marker, if it's man-made and moveable, just move it (but please put the signs back if you do move them). Just remember if your ball moves when you are removing a moveable object (like a rake or cart sign), there is no penalty but you must put it back before you hit.

Question: Can I move my golf ball out of a divot in the fairway (or anywhere else on the course that is not a penalty area)?

Answer: Yes, but it will cost you 1 stroke. What you would be doing in essence is declaring an unplayable lie which only you as the golfer can declare. You have three options for your drop, 1. stroke & distance (go back to your previous shot location and rehit), 2. back-on-the-line relief, and 3. lateral relief (2 club lengths from where the ball lies no closer to the hole). Note, bunkers have different options and are not covered by this answer. (Rule 19)

Question: My ball is lying on the fringe and I want to putt my ball. Thing is, I like to use lines that I've drawn on my ball to help me putt it on the line I want to take. Can I turn my ball to use my lines since I'm not on the putting green.

Answer: No. This would result in a one (1) stroke penalty and you have to replace your ball if it was moved from the spot it lay.  And also don't forget, you must mark your ball on the putting green before you would do this same type of movement or it is a one stroke penalty. (but you can use your putter head if you place it beside the ball while you are turning the ball when on the putting green just don't pick up your putter head until you're done turning it). (Rule 9)

Question: What are my options if I hit a ball OB? 

Answer: SLGA9 has implemented the Model Local Rule to address this exact scenario. If one of your shots goes awry and crosses into the Out of Bounds areas that exist along Holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 (marked by white stakes or property fences) you have two options:

1. Go back to where your shot was played from and rehit (stroke and distance penalty applied so if it's your tee shot, you'd be rehitting your third (3) shot from the tee area) (Rule 18)

2. Go to where your ball crossed the OB line and find the nearest fairway edge no closer to the hole and drop within 2 clublengths into the fairway. Add two (2) stroke penalty to to your score (so if it's your tee shot, then you're hitting your 4th (4) shot from the fairway). (Model local Rule E-5)