FULL SEASON LOCAL RULES    (Download PDF Document)

• USGA Rules govern all play except for Local Rules as noted below.
• Unmarked Penalty Areas – all un-mowed / natural areas within the course are considered penalty areas. If a ball cannot be found in such an area, you may drop at the boundary of the un-marked penalty area with a 1-stroke penalty (using all the play options consistent with a regularly marked penalty area.) Examples of these areas include:
  • Between the tee boxes on hole #2
  • Left of the cart path on hole #7
  • Behind the green on hole #9
  • Left of the trees, near the wall on hole #10
  • Near the restrooms on holes #11, 12, 13
  • Left & right of the green on hole #13
• Lost Ball & Out-of-Bounds – any shot with a stroke & distance penalty may be played from the fairway equal distance to where the ball went Lost/O.B. with a 2-stroke penalty. If a ball hits a tree and then cannot be found, the tree is considered the point of loss. If you choose to play a Provisional Ball instead, you must hit this before moving forward.
• Course Out-of-Bounds Markers (unless otherwise marked with white paint…)
  • Where placed along straight boundary edges, white stakes/posts are used to mark Out-of-Bounds. In these cases, the marker rather than any boundary fence/wall indicates the edge of the course.
  • In cases where mowed areas extend outside straight line markers, the edge of the mowed area (considered General Area) indicates the edge of the course.
  • For example, the area left of the green on Hole #4, and the left side of Hole #15.
• Cart Paths are defined to include all concrete paths, plus all connected drainage & grates. Additionally, all bare dirt, worn areas immediately adjacent to the concrete is considered path / abnormal course conditions and receive free relief.
• Aeration Holes – if your ball, on the green or in a closely mown area, rests in or touches an aeration hole, you may move the ball to the nearest unaffected spot without penalty.
• Greenside Immovable Obstructions – if you have interference from a greenside immovable object (sprinkler head…) on your intended line of play, you may take free relief. Relief is only allowed if the obstruction is within 2 club lengths of the green, and also within 2 club lengths of your ball.
• Turf Seams & Repair – if your ball, one the green or in a closely mown area, touches a seam of cut turf, you may take free relief.
• Animal Damage – if your ball, on the green or in a closely mown area, is affected by animal damage (turf damage, hoof prints, dung…) you make take free relief.
• Partners & Advice – for the purposes of team/league play, players are considered partners and can ask for and give advice (without disrupting page of play.) Additional team members (not-playing) cannot give advice nor walk on the putting green during play. Caddies are not permitted during play.

 

• Free Relief: Drop vs Move – any free relief noted in the MBMA Local Rules must be taken per USGA rules, typically in the same manner as Ground Under Repair. Unless otherwise noted, relief on the green allows players to move/place the ball onto the new spot, and relief in closely mown areas allows player to drop the ball within the permitted distance.