Local Rules

Comprehensive Local Rules

Local Rules have the same status as a Rule of Golf for that competition or course. … As a general principle, when a player is playing a round that is to be posted for handicap purposes, he or she is required to play it under the Rules of Golf. These are the local rules agreed to by the committee for the Vineyards Country Club:

• Penalty Area – Defined by red stakes and/or lines (#4 optional drop zone by the green).
• Penalty Area – On hole #7, an optional “drop zone”, defined by tee markers is provided.
• Hazards – Stones in bunkers are movable obstructions.
• Relief – Embedded ball rule in effect, “Through the Green”.
• Relief – On hole #1, a player can take relief of 1-club length from the nearest point of relief of rock area with no penalty. However, a lost ball must be played as a stroke in distance or a player can proceed to the “drop zone” and add 2 penalty strokes.
• Relief – On hole #17 – A player can proceed to the “drop zone” under no penalty if their ball lies on the cart path. However, a player can always play the ball as it lies.
• Stroke in distance – If a ball is hit Out of Bounds or lost anywhere except a hazard, a player can take stroke in distance and drop the ball in the fairway no nearer the hole from where it crosses out of bounds or lost and add 2 penalty strokes under rule 27.
• Out of Bounds – Defined by white stakes, if absent Fescue line (1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 18).
• Ground under Repair – Defined by white lines, Roped off areas and transitional cart path areas.
• Relief – If a sprinkler head is within 2-club lengths of the green and your ball is within 2-club lengths, relief can be taken at the nearest point of relief without a penalty.
• Relief – The fence to the left side on Hole #6 is in bounds and any ball to the right of it is inbounds and players will be allowed full relief if the fence interferes or impedes their swing or stance.

If a player is unsure of the rule a player can visit the USGA website or download the USGA Rules App:

Rules of Golf Apps (usga.org)