Skip to main content
pggolf

Local Rules

As a first step, I would recommend visiting the USGA Rules of Golf and downloading the Rules of Golf app for your mobile device. The mobile app is great for any question that comes up on the course.


The USGA adopted a Local Rule Option E-5 called "Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds". The purpose is to save time on the course by allowing a player to play on without returning to the location of the previous stroke. Many times we hit our tee shot or fairway shot thinking our ball is in bounds, only to find out after reaching our maximum search time, the ball is presumed out of bounds or lost. If we did not hit a provisional ball, the rules state you must return to the previous spot of your last stroke. Under Local Rule Option E-5, the player can drop their ball in the fairway with a two-stroke penalty without having to return to the location of the previous stroke. 


Out of Bounds

Out of Bounds are all areas outside the boundary edge of the golf course as defined by each course. It is important to read the local course scorecard to be aware of all local rules and adhere to them. 


For example, let's say you are playing Brookside and you hit a ball over the fence and into the Rose Bowl parking lot. From where the ball crossed the out of bounds fence (not from where it ended up), you find the nearest fairway edge, no closer to the hole. You can then drop your ball within two club lengths from the fairway edge, all the way back on line to the hole, with 2 stroke penalty. See example in image.


Lost Ball

The rules for a Lost Ball are very similar to Out of Bounds. If you lose your ball on the course (not in Hazard or Out of Bounds), you must go back to where you hit your ball and play another shot with 1 stroke penalty. You may also use the Local Rule mentioned above, and drop either within a two club distance from where the ball was lost or bring the ball back into the fairway. Both options apply a two-stroke penalty.  Lost Balls in Hazards have different rules and are covered later on. 


Unplayable Ball

Unplayable Ball relief (Rule 19) is allowed anywhere on the course, except in the penalty area. Native Areas (see below) are treated as a penalty area. You cannot use the Unplayable Ball rule in these areas. A player is the only person who may decide to treat their ball as unplayable by taking penalty relief under Rule 19.2 or 19.3.


If the ball is determined unplayable outside the penalty/native areas, you can either take stroke and distance relief and replay from original location, take back-on-line relief or take lateral relief within two club lengths of ball location. All involve a one-stroke penalty. See image below.




If you are the worst bunker player in the world, you can claim a ball as unplayable within a bunker and take relief. You can either drop the ball within the bunker with one-stroke penalty, or take stroke and distance and play from the last spot with one-stroke penalty. 

For a two-stroke penalty, you can take back-on-line relief outside the bunker. See image for all the options.




Native Areas/Penalty Areas

Native Areas are defined as all unimproved areas outside the fairways and rough, whether staked or not. Examples of this would be the native areas to the right of holes 1 and 2 at Olivas Links. Native Areas are treated like hazards. You may play your ball out of the native area without penalty. Your other option per local rule is to drop the ball within two-club lengths from where the ball crossed into the penalty area (not where the ball ended up). 


If the ball is deemed lost in a hazard, you would play the ball per local rule and drop within two club lengths from where the ball crossed into the hazard. 


Some holes, like 1 and 2 at Olivas Links, have Native Areas between the playing ground and perimeter fencing. If the ball is not found and is deemed lost, it is the responsibility of the player to make an honest assessment and determine whether the ball was lost in the hazard or out of bounds. If you are unsure, you may ask for a ruling from a fellow player. If a player knows or believes that another player has breached or might have breached the Rules and that the other player does not recognize or is ignoring this, the player should tell the other player, the scorekeeper, and Committee via text. This should be done immediately and resolved before scorecard submitted. 


If the dispute is not resolved immediately, you may play two balls per Rule 20.c.(3). However, you must designate before you play either ball which one will be used for your score. You cannot play two balls and then just pick the best sore. 

One more note on Native Areas and Hazards. If you do hit your ball into the Native Area and decide to play it as it lies without penalty, but then you hit your next shot and it never leaves the penalty area or is lost in the penalty area, or your lie is unplayable, you can either take stroke and distance and replay from the last spot with one stroke penalty, or better yet go to where the original ball crossed into the hazard and take your two club length relief with one stroke penalty. If you choose option one and drop your ball but then change your mind and want to take relief outside the penalty area, that will cost you an extra stroke for a total of two stroke penalty. There is no option to play an Unplayable Lie per Rule 19 in a penalty area.


If you hit your ball out of bounds from within the penalty area, you have three options:

  1. You can replay from the same spot within the penalty area with one stroke penalty. 
  2. Drop outside the penalty area within two club lengths of where the ball first crossed into the penalty area with two stroke penalty. 
  3. Apply Local Rule for Out of Bounds as mentioned above and put the ball in the fairway closest to where the ball crossed out of bounds, but take one extra stroke for a total of three stroke penalty.

More information can be found in Rule 17 - Penalty Areas