CFN - Men's Golf Association

Local Rule B-3 - Allowing Play of a Provisional Ball for When Original Ball May Be in a Penalty Area (Season Long). Under the Rules of Golf, a provisional ball may only be played when the original ball may be out of bounds or lost outside a penalty area. However, at CFN, there are a number of penalty areas where the player cannot see if the ball is in the penalty area until the player gets closer to the ball.

This MGA local rule allows players to play a provisional ball if he does not know whether his original ball came to rest in a penalty area.

• If the original ball is found in play in the General Area, the player must abandon his provisional ball and play his original ball.
• If the original ball is found in the penalty area within the 3-minute search limit, the player may play his original ball as it lies in the penalty area (as long as that penalty area is not also in a No Play Zone), in which case the provisional ball must not be played, or
• The player may choose to play the provisional ball (incurring a one-stroke penalty), in which case the original ball must not be played.
• If the original ball is found in a No Play Zone, the original ball is abandoned and the provisional ball becomes the ball in play.

For example: On holes 1 or 10 a player hits his tee ball that may or may not have cleared the yellow penalty area in front of the tees. A player under this local rule may play a provisional ball. If the player finds his original ball in the General Area - he must abandon his provisional ball and play his original ball. If his original ball is found in the penalty area, he then must play his provisional ball.

Local Rule E-3 - Preferred Lies. (Conditions Specific). When there are abnormal conditions throughout the course (or specific to certain holes) the Official Scorer may invoke this rule allowing for preferred lies. Preferred lies may be restricted to the fairway and the aprons of the greens or under extreme conditions may be extended throughout the General Area. If the Official Scorer uses preferred lies for an event the player may lift, clean and place his ball within one club length of the ball’s original location, within the same area of the course, but no closer to the hole. This local rule does not apply to bunkers or penalty areas. Local

Rule E-4 – Relief from Aeration Holes (Season Long). “If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole:

(a) Ball in General Area. The player may take relief by lifting, cleaning and placing his ball as close as possible to the original spot, but no closer to the hole, which provides relief from the aeration hole. The player does not get one-club length relief under this local rule.

(b) Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief by marking his ball and placing it on the putting green, but no closer to the hole, that provides relief from the aeration hole.

But there is no relief under this local rule if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or line of play.

Local Rule E-5 – Alternative to Stroke & Distance Relief for Lost Ball or Out of Bounds. (Season Long). This local rule is used for pace of play purposes. When a player’s ball is found OB, or after a 3-minute search it is lost anywhere on the course EXCEPT in a penalty area, the player may proceed as follows as an alternative to the stroke and distance option under Rule 18.

For two (2) penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping in a relief area. The relief area is determined by:

1.     Where the original ball last crossed the edge of the course boundary or where the ball was estimated to be lost on the course (Ball Reference Point).

2.     The point on the fairway that is nearest to the Ball Reference Point but not nearer the hole (Fairway Reference Point).

3.     The size of the relief area is determined by drawing an imaginary line from the hole through the Ball Reference Point and another through the Fairway Reference Point, (and within two club lengths to the outside of that line).

4.     The player now may drop a ball anywhere within that area (the area will be large). 

Note: If a player decides to hit a provisional ball, he forfeits the right to use Local Rule E-5 as an option. He must either play the original ball if found on the course or play the provisional ball.

Local Rule F-5 – Additional Relief under Rule 16.1 (Season Long). When a ball lies anywhere other than the putting green, an immovable obstruction on the player’s line of play (such as a sprinkler head), is not of itself interference under Rule 16.1 and free relief is normally not allowed. However, immovable obstructions that are close to the putting green may interfere with the type of stroke the player wants to play. Therefore, under this local rule, a player may take free relief under Rule 16.1 if an immovable obstruction is on his Line of Play, and is:

• Within two-club lengths of the putting green, and
• Within two-club lengths of the ball

There is no relief under this local rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.

 Local Rule F-9 - Relief from Tree Roots in the General Area (Season Long). If a player’s ball comes to rest in the General Area and there is interference from tree roots above or very near the ground surface, the tree roots may be treated as Ground Under Repair and the player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b. Interference only exists when the tree roots affect the area of the player’s intended swing. You cannot take relief under this local rule if the tree roots only interfere with the area of the player’s intended stance.

 Local Rule X-1: Determining the Location of a Penalty Area that is Not Marked. (Season Long). For penalty areas at CFN that contain a body of water (ponds, streams, etc.) that are not properly marked with stakes or ground paint, the edge of that penalty area is defined by its natural boundaries, that is, on the top flat area just where the ground starts to slope down to form the depression that holds the water.

 Exceptions: On Holes 4 (left of the fairway), 10 (left of the fairway and green), & 16 (left of the bunker near the green) the edge of the Red Penalty Area is located two-club lengths from the waterline (if not otherwise marked with stakes or ground paint). 

 In addition, for the Penalty Areas on Holes 1, 5, 9, 10, 11, 15, and 16 that are also designated as No Play Zones, the edge of that penalty area is defined by its transitional boundary, for example where there is a transition of ground conditions, such as rough to high scrub grass (if not otherwise marked by stakes or ground paint).

For penalty areas at CFN that do not contain a body of water (pond, stream etc.) that are not properly marked with stakes or ground paint, the edge of that penalty area is defined by its transitional boundary, for example where there is a transition of ground conditions, such as rough to high scrub grass.

 Local Rule X-3: Alternative Drop Zones on Holes 11 and 15: There are 2 drop zones for MGA play at CFN.

•      Hole 11- The drop zone is located on the tee box side of the Yellow Penalty Area/No Play Zone (YPA/NPZ) and can be used as an additional relief option for balls hit into the YPA/NPZ.  

•      Hole 15 - The drop zone is located on the tee box side of the Yellow Penalty Area/No Play Zone (YPA/NPZ) and can be used as an additional relief option for balls hit into the YPA/NPZ. Note: The drop zones that may be found on the putting green side of the YPA/NPZ of Hole 9 is not used for MGA play (it is for LGA play).

 Local Rule X-4: Conditional Free Relief in Bunkers and Waste Areas, i.e. the “Dave Will Rule” (Season Long). If your ball lies in a bunker or waste area and comes to rest in an irregular condition that affects the lie of the ball or your intended swing, a player is allowed to lift and clean the ball, improve the irregular condition (typically by smoothing the sand) and replace the ball in the exact same place it originally came to rest.  Under this rule you DO NOT get a one club length allowance when replacing the ball.  Under this rule, a player cannot replace the ball in a different part of the bunker or waste area as that may improve your lie or stance. For example, you cannot place it away from the face or lip of the bunker or waste area to improve your stance or chances of getting the ball over the lip.

 An irregular condition under this local rule includes footprints, tire tracks, animal tracks or unusual rake marks, that are not associated with the normal challenge of playing from a sandy area. If your ball does not lie in an irregular condition, then no relief is warranted, and you must play the ball as it lies.

This rule does not apply to conditions that would be considered a normal challenge to playing in a sandy area, such as a mark caused by your own ball (i.e., fried egg, buried lie) or a ball buried in the lip or face of the bunker/waste area. That ball must be played as it lies (or you can opt to take penalty relief).  

 This local rule does not preclude other situations under the rules of golf that allow for free relief or penalty relief in a bunker or waste area, such as an animal hole, ground under repair (such as washed-out areas from heavy rains), immovable obstruction, or temporary water (collectively called Abnormal Course Conditions; see Rule 16). The Local Rule also does not preclude your option to declare your ball as unplayable (See Rule 19). If a player believes they are entitled to free relief under Rule 16.1c or Rule 16.2, they must discuss the situation with their playing partners and get a consensus on the ruling before playing their ball.

 Local Rule X-5: General Ground Under Repair (Season Long). It is not practical for the course nor the MGA to mark all areas of the course that could be considered Ground Under Repair (GUR). Therefore, in the General Area, if a player’s ball touches or lies in or on an abnormal course condition (such as bare ground), the player may be entitled to free relief under Rule 16.1b. Before taking such relief, the player must discuss the situation with their playing partners and get a consensus on the ruling. The player must not take free relief unilaterally. If consensus cannot be reached, the player may choose to play two balls (not applicable in Match Play) under Rule 20.1c(3). To take relief, the player’s reference point is the nearest point of complete relief from the condition. The player must take complete relief and drop a ball in a relief area one-club length from the reference point but no closer to the hole.

 Local Rule X-6: Cart Path Only Conditions (Conditions Specific). When an MGA event is played under Cart Path Only conditions, either the full course or on individual holes, players may use preferred lies if their ball lies in their own fairway or on the aprons near the green. The player may mark, lift, clean, and place his ball within one-club length of the mark but no closer to the hole.

Local Rule X-7: Gimmie Policy (Season Long).

•  Using a standard size putter as a measuring tool, place the putter head inside and on the edge of the cup.
• ·    If any part of the ball touches any part of the putter shaft (steel) below the bottom of the putter grip, the putt is considered “Inside the Leather” and that player’s next stroke is conceded. 

EXCEPTION: Any putt for a gross birdie cannot be conceded no matter how far it is from the hole; it must be holed out.

•  For the purposes of this rule, a standard putter’s length is 35 inches long with a 10.5-inch putter grip, making the “gimmie” length 24.5 inches.
•       Any standard size putter in your group may be used for measuring – it does not have to be the putter of the player whose ball is being measured.
•       The player whose ball is being measured cannot decide if his putt is “Inside the Leather”, the A Player in the group should decide if there is a dispute. If the A Player’s ball is the one being measured, another member in the group must make the decision.
•       This policy will apply to all regular Wednesday games and the MGA Cup regular season.
•       This policy does not apply to Match Play events. In Match Play it is always the opponent’s option to concede or not concede the putt.
•      This policy does not automatically apply to MGA special tournaments such as the MGA Championship and the MGA Cup Playoffs – the Committee will make the decision for these events.