2020 RCGA Playing Rule Changes

Effective 25 Jan. 2021

Footprint Relief in Sand Traps

Golfers impacted by footprints in sand traps either by stroke or stance are allowed relief as follows. The golfer may lift the golf ball. Then, rake the area and place the golf ball in the original location. This will be free relief.

Effective 1 Jan. 2020

Tee Location Change; Age 62

Seniors. Golfers age 62 and older are authorized to tee from the two in position (also known as the senior box, gold, or etc.) from the rear most tees. Golfers are allowed to play the tee location on the 1^st day of the month for which the golfers birthday occurs.

Our regular/non-seniors tee one in for the rear most tees; this is the location for those golfers 61 years of age and younger.

Playing Everything Left/Right as a Lateral Revoked

Our club will no longer routinely use “Everything L/R as a Lateral” during our events. This has been replaced with the 2019 alternate explained next. Click on the video link; it explains it well.

E-5 Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds (video link); according to the USGA.

Purpose. When a provisional ball has not been played, significant issues with pace of play can result for a player needing to take stroke-and-distance relief for a ball that is out of bounds or cannot be found. The purpose of this Local Rule is to allow a Committee to provide an extra relief option that allows a player to play on without returning to the location of the previous stroke.

The Local Rule is appropriate for general play where golfers are playing casual rounds or playing their own competitions. The Local Rule is not appropriate for competitions limited to highly skilled players (that is, professional competitions and elite amateur competitions). For guidance on when and how this Local Rule may be used in order for scores to be submitted for handicapping purposes, consult the rules or recommendations contained within the Handicap System operating in the local jurisdiction.

Where a Committee has introduced such a Local Rule for general play, and removes it for competitions, it should ensure that all players are aware of this before play begins.

A Committee may introduce such a Local Rule for all play on the course or only for one or two specific holes where it may be especially useful (for example, where players are unable to see the landing area and therefore may not know whether or not to play a provisional ball).

This option allows the player to drop in a large area between the point where the ball is estimated to have come to rest or gone out of bounds and the edge of the fairway of the hole being played that is not nearer the hole.

The player gets two penalty strokes when using this relief option. This means that the relief is comparable to what could have been achieved if the player had taken stroke-and-distance relief.

This Local Rule cannot be used for an unplayable ball, or for a ball that is known or virtually certain to be in a penalty area.

If a provisional ball is played and neither the original ball nor the provisional ball can be found, then the Local Rule may be applied for the provisional ball that cannot be found.

Model Local Rule E-5

“When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance.

For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):

Two Estimated Reference Points:

a. Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball is estimated to have:

· Come to rest on the course, or

· Last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.

b. Fairway Reference Point: The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point, but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point.

For purposes of this Local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.

If a ball is estimated to be lost on the course or last crossed the edge of the course boundary short of the fairway, the fairway reference point may be a grass path or a teeing ground for the hole being played cut to fairway height or less.

Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points: Anywhere between:

· A line from the hole through the ball reference point (and within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and

· A line from the hole through the fairway reference point (and within two club-lengths to the fairway side of that line).

But with these limits:

Limits on Location of Relief Area:

· Must be in the general area, and

· Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.

Once the player puts a ball in play under this Local Rule:

· The original ball that was lost or out of bounds is no longer in play and must not be played.

· This is true even if the ball is found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 6.3b).

But the player may not use this option to take relief for the original ball when:

· That ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or

· The player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.3).

A player may use this option to take relief for a provisional ball that has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.”