RULES

 General: USGA The Rules of Golf apply with the addition of the two State SIR rules and our club rule. The golf rule book is long and complex. If in doubt, consult the Handicap Chairman or someone from Golf Committee to get a clarification after the round.

State SIR Golf Rules:

            1. Except in a hazard or on the green, the ball may be moved up to 6 inches, no closer to the hole.

            2. If you have not hit a provisional ball, and you find your ball is lost or out of bounds, you may drop a ball at a point within two club lengths of where it is agreed the ball was lost or went out of bounds. You count your swings, plus TWO penalty strokes.

Branch 116 Rule:

            The highest score you can record for a hole is the NCGA maximum. This is the same maximum which is reported to the NCGA for handicap calculation. (This rule only applies during Branch 116 weekly tournaments.)

USGA Golf Rules Highlights:

1. “Gimmee” putts are not allowed.

2. “Mulligans” are not allowed.

3. You may take a free drop within one club length of the nearest point of relief, and no closer to the hole, from: casual water, staked trees, sprinklers, animal holes, paved cart paths, etc.

4. You may NOT take a free drop from: a hazard, a boundary fence, or a drainage ditch, unless specifically allowed on the scorecard.

5. You may not move anything (except a rake) or ground your club, in a hazard or bunker.

6. If you have hit a provisional ball because your think your original ball might be out of bounds or lost, you must play your original ball if it is found in bounds.

7. The penalty for out of bounds (or lost ball) is: the stroke is counted, a penalty stroke is added, and another ball must be hit from the same spot as before. (See the special State SIR rule (#2 above) which is designed to speed up play by avoiding going back to the previous spot).

8. Yellow stakes are a water hazard. You may hit the ball as it lies in a water hazard with no penalty, provided you do not ground your club. If you choose not to do that, you must add one penalty stroke, and do one of the following:

            a. Drop the ball behind the water hazard, on the line from the pin to the point of entry to the water hazard, or

            b. Hit again from the original spot.

9. Red stakes are a lateral hazard. You may hit the ball as it lies in a lateral hazard with no penalty, provided you do not ground your club. If you choose not to do that, you must add one penalty stroke, and do one of the following:

            a. Drop within two club lengths of the point the ball last entered the hazard, but no closer to the hole. (Note that you may also drop in exactly the same way on the opposite side of the hazard, equidistant from the hole. This is NOT true with yellow stakes).

            b. Hit again from the original spot.

            c. Drop on the opposite side of the hazard, within two club lengths of the hazard edge, equidistant from the point of entry, and no closer to the hole.

            d. Drop on the line from the pin, through the point that the ball entered the hazard, as far back of the hazard as you wish.

10. You may take an unplayable lie at any time, except when your ball is in a water hazard. However, you must take a one stroke penalty. If you take an unplayable lie, you may do one of the following:

            a. Drop the ball within two club lengths, and no closer to the hole.

            b. Hit again from the previous spot.

            c. Drop on the line from the pin through where your ball lies, extending away from your ball as far as you wish.

                        (If your ball is in a bunker, you drop under a. or c. above must be in the bunker).

            11. Hitting the wrong ball requires addition of two penalty strokes, then you hit your own ball from where it lies. (The swing at the wrong ball does not count as a stroke).

            12. Putting from the green surface and hitting another player’s ball that is on the green, requires addition of two penalty strokes. If this happens, you hit from where your ball ended, and the other player replaces his ball as near as possible to where it was before it was hit.