2024 RULES REGINA BEACH LADIES GOLF CLUB

BASIC RULES

1. LOST BALL AND OUT OF BOUNDS

RELIEF OPTIONS ARE:

• The ball (known as a “Provisional Ball”) can be played from where the previous stroke was made. This is a one-stroke penalty.

-OR-

• The new stroke and distance local rule allow you the option of dropping a ball in the fairway if you choose.  You must create an imaginary perpendicular line to the fairway from where your ball went out of bounds or was lost, no closer to the hole.  From here you can drop anywhere within two club lengths behind the imaginary perpendicular line.  This is a two-stroke penalty. You do not need to find your ball to use this option. If you can’t find your ball, you and your foursome must agree on where the ball went out of bounds or was lost. This rule helps with the speed of play.

Note: Out of Bounds starts at the first white stake and ends at the last white stake. The out of bounds line is determined by the nearest inside point at ground level of the stakes.  A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies outside of the nearest inside point of the stake at ground level. 

• UNPLAYABLE BALL (STANCE, LIE, SWING)

RELIEF OPTIONS WITH A ONE STROKE PENALTY ARE:

The following are relief options for playing your original ball:

• Take two club lengths from the actual position of the ball, no closer to the hole.
  • Take relief as far back as you wish keeping the point where the ball lies and the flag in a straight line.
  • Return to the point where the shot was last hit (declare the ball unplayable and re-hit). Playing a provisional ball is an option that will help speed up play.

Note: If you find your original ball, you must play it and your provisional ball is no longer playable.

• PENALTY AREA (REPLACES WATER HAZARDS)
• You may play your ball as it lies in a penalty area, but you may not improve your lie by removing large obstructions/objects. You can move/remove loose impediments, ground your club, and take practice swings in a penalty area without penalty provided you do not cause your ball to move.
• You can’t take relief from a penalty area unless you are 95% certain your ball is in the penalty area. If your ball is not found but it is known or virtually certain that it is in the penalty area, then you can take penalty relief. When proceeding under this rule, you may lift and clean your ball or substitute a ball.

RELIEF OPTIONS WITH A ONE STROKE PENALTY ARE:

• Take two club lengths from the point where the ball entered the penalty area, no closer to the hole.
  • Take relief as far back as you wish keeping the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the penalty area and the flag in a straight line.
  • Return to the point where the shot was last hit.
  • Additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral penalty area.  Drop a ball outside the penalty area within two club lengths of and not nearer to the hole than:
  • the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the penalty area, or
  • a point on the opposite margin of the penalty area equidistant from the hole.

• FREE RELIEF SITUATIONS

Take free relief from the following situations and drop within one club length of the nearest point of complete relief, not closer to the hole – relief includes stance and swing.

• Cart paths (nearest relief not the nicest), temporary water, gopher/animal holes (if all players agree that the ball came to rest in a gopher/animal hole).
  • If a ball lies in ground under repair (GUR).
  • Immovable obstructions such as railway ties, green posts and signs (if you can’t remove them), irrigation and maintenance equipment and large immovable rocks.

• ON THE GREEN

• You may repair any marks on the putting green including ball marks and marks made by spikes or shoes before you putt.
  • Hitting another ball that is on the green:
  • If you putt and hit another ball on the green, the other ball is replaced with no penalty to that golfer, and you play your ball as it lies with a two-stroke penalty.
  • If you are off the green and you play your approach, and your ball strikes another golfer’s ball that is already on the green, your ball will be played from where it lies, the other golfer’s ball will be moved back to its original position with no penalty incurred.

• OTHER BASIC RULES OF PARTICUALR INTEREST

• Dropping the ball is to be made from knee height.
  • The time allotted to search for a lost ball is 3 minutes.
  • There is no penalty for an accidental double hit.
  • There is free relief if your ball is embedded (part of your ball is below the level of the ground in its own pitch mark).
  • A player should take no longer than 40 seconds to make a stroke.

LOCAL RULES

1. Winter rules/preferred lies are in effect on the course (except for putting greens, penalty areas and teeing greens).  You may bump the ball a maximum of one club length, no closer to the hole or to an area your foursome agrees and deems fair with no penalty.
2. Balls hitting power lines or power poles on the fairways (#8, #9, #17 and #18) the stroke does not count.  You may play a ball, without penalty, from where the previous stroke was made. 
3. If there are wet conditions then you may, if necessary, mark, lift, clean and place your ball, no closer to the hole with no penalty.
4. Distance Measuring Devices are allowed.
5. When the ball lies adjacent to trees that have just been planted, then you may take relief for swing and ball flight, no closer to the hole with no penalty.

If you have any doubt as to the rules that apply, then play two balls and get a ruling from the Captain or Rules Committee before handing in your score.

HOLE SPECIFIC ITEMS

Hole #1

• Water channel on the right side of the fairway, the water in front and to the right of the green and the water channel left of the cart path near the green are penalty areas. Refer to Basic Rule #3.
• The big white rock at the front of water hazard in front of the green is deemed an immovable obstruction.  Free relief, one club length no closer to the hole.
• If your ball lands adjacent to, under or on the bridge, outside of the red stakes, it is deemed an immovable obstruction and you receive free relief, one club length no closer to the hole. If your ball is inside the red stakes and lands adjacent to, under or on the bridge, it is treated as a penalty area. Refer to Basic Rule #3.
• GUR areas allow for free relief, no closer to the hole. Refer to Local Rules #1.
• If your ball lands in front of, against or between one of the large rocks east of the cart path at the back of the green, you may place your ball in the drop zone with no penalty.  The drop zone is on the North side of the rock that is farthest North.
• If your ball lands behind (East side) the large rocks, your ball will be considered unplayable for safety reasons. We do not want anyone to get hurt from someone trying to play their ball from behind the rocks risking it ricocheting and possibly injuring yourself or other golfers in the vicinity.  NOTE:  To speed up play in this situation, you will be able to use the drop zone noted above but will incur a one stroke penalty as you would for any unplayable ball.

Hole #2

• Out of bounds begins at the fence posts on the left and ends at the last fence post. If there is any possibility that you may have hit the ball out of bounds, then refer to Basic Rule #1.
• Water channel in front of the green is a penalty area. Refer to Basic Rule #3.
• If your ball lands adjacent to, under or on the bridge, outside of the red stakes, it is deemed an immovable obstruction and you receive free relief, one club length no closer to the hole. If your ball is inside the red stakes, and lands adjacent to, under or on the bridge, it is treated as a penalty area. Refer to Basic Rule #3.
• The cart path on the left side of the fairway near the green, you will receive free relief, one club length no closer to the hole.  Refer to Basic Rule #4.

Hole #3

• If your ball lands in or may have gone in the trees on either the left or right-hand side, then refer to Basic Rule #1.  

Hole #4

• If your ball lands in or may have gone in the trees on either the left or the right-hand side, then refer to Basic Rule #1.    

Hole #5

• If your ball lands in or may have gone in the trees on the left side, then refer to Basic Rule #1.
• If your ball goes in the water at the back of the green. Refer to Basic Rule #3.

Hole #6

• If your ball lands in or may have gone in the trees on the left side, then refer to Basic Rule #1.

Hole #7

• If your ball lands in the pond, refer to Basic Rule #3.  

Hole #8

• Out of bounds begins at the first white stake and ends at the last white stake on the right side of the fairway. If your ball may have gone out of bounds, then refer to Basic Rule #1.
• Balls hitting power lines or power poles on the fairway, the stroke does not count.  You may play a ball, without penalty, from where the previous stroke was made.   
• If your ball lands in the drainage hole behind the single tree on the fairway, you receive free relief, no closer to the hole. 

Hole #9

• Out of bounds begins at the first white stake and ends at the last white stake on the right side of the fairway. If your ball may have gone out of bounds, then refer to Basic Rule #1.
• Balls hitting power lines or power poles on the fairway, the stroke does not count.  You may play a ball, without penalty, from where the previous stroke was made.
• Water on the left side of the cart path and in front of the green are penalty areas.  Refer to Basic Rule #3.

2023 RULES COMMITTEE

President:  Karen Tyacke                          Handicap Coordinator:  Tressa Bosley

9-Hole Captain:  Rhonda Navin                  Member at Large:  Bonnie Ottenbreit

18-Hole Captain:  Karen Cumbers              (Revised as of April 18, 2023)