APL GOLF LEAGUE RULES OF PLAY

League competition will be governed by the following hierarchy of rules:

1.       League-approved Local Course Rules.

2.       League-wide Rules.

3.       "The Rules of Golf" as approved by the United States Golf Association (USGA).  The USGA website is http://www.usga.org.

For clarification or interpretation of rules of play or points of ethics, where no formal protest is involved, consult a Rules Committee member.  In case of a dispute concerning either interpretation of the rules or a case not covered by the "Rules of Golf," a joint (or separate) signed statement(s) must be submitted to the Rules Committee immediately following the disputed match. Also, intention to protest must be declared during the hole in dispute and must be noted on the signed score card.

LEAGUE-APPROVED LOCAL COURSE RULES

Drop Areas

 

Timbers@Troy

 

The course local rules designating drop areas on Hole #'s 4, 5, 7, 12, and 15 may be used. In addition, the Timbers flights will allow drop areas to be used on hole #'s 3 and 14. On #3 the drop area will be in the rough short of the fairway, beyond the berm bordering the drainage pond. On #14 the drop area will be in front of the green no more than 2 club lengths from the line of unplayable rough short of the green. In both cases, since no drop area will be marked, the drop area should be agreed to by your opponent using these guidelines and good sense. Further definition may be provided later.  Link to PDF file showing diagrams of drop areas.

 

 

The Links at Challedon

 

In addition to any course-designated drop areas, the Challedon flight(s) define a drop area for hole #11 such that if a ball is lost off the tee into the water or “unmaintained” areas between teeing area and water, the forward most tee box may be used as a drop area.

 

In all cases, a one stroke penalty is incurred when invoking the “drop area” rule.

LEAGUE-WIDE RULES

The league adopted rules do not deny the player any option explicitly granted by USGA.  The following rules were primarily created in an effort to speed up play. 

1.    Stroke Play vs Match Play & Concession of Putts

During a match, the rules of stroke play (Medal play rather than Match play) shall prevail. However, as an exception to this, putts may be conceded at the option of the opposing team during matches.  Note that this does NOT apply to tournaments where all putts must be holed out.

2.    "Winter Rules" Apply

The player may improve the lie of his ball (lift, clean and place) in his own fairway or around the fringe of the green by moving it no more than 1 club length from the original lie and not nearer the hole.

Penalty for breach of rule: Two strokes.

3.    Putting Ball Substitution

On any green, a player may substitute another ball for the ball in play.

4.    Environmental or Reforestation Areas

If a player's ball lands, or is presumed to have landed, in a designated environmentally-sensitive or reforestation area, where access and play is disallowed, the player must treat his/her ball as being “Lost” or "Out of Bounds".  The player must drop his/her ball outside the area along the line of flight between where the ball was originally struck and the point at which the ball entered the area.  Refer to League Adopted Rule #5.

5.    Ball Lost or Out of Bounds

If a ball is lost, or out of bounds (and no provisional ball was hit for it), the player may, under penalty of one stroke, drop a ball at any point along the path of his original ball. However, the ball shall not be dropped closer to the hole than the approximate area where the original ball was lost, or passed out of bounds. The ball, unless lost in a fairway, cannot be dropped in a fairway.

If it is suspected that a ball is lost or out of bounds, a provisional ball may be played, by announcing to the other team your intentions and then dropping a ball at any point back along the path of the original ball (as described in the previous paragraph). If the original ball is found within a 5 minute search period and is in a position that is closer to the hole from where the provisional ball was played, the original ball must be played with no penalty and the provisional ball must be picked up.  Once a provisional ball has been played from a point closer to the hole from where the original ball was found, the original ball is considered lost and the provisional ball must be kept in play. A one stroke penalty for a lost or out-of-bounds ball is assessed.

6.    Ball Unplayable

    If a ball is declared unplayable, at the sole discretion of the player, the player may, under penalty of one stroke, drop the ball at any point along the path of his original ball. However, the ball shall not be dropped closer to the hole than where the original ball was declared unplayable. Additionally, the ball, unless declared unplayable in a fairway, cannot be dropped in a fairway.

NOTE:  For an area marked by yellow or red stakes or lines (water hazards and lateral water hazards, respectively), USGA rules are to be applied for all League play.

7.    Embedded Ball

"Through the green," a ball which by force of impact remains embedded in its own pit-mark may be lifted without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to the spot where it lay and must come to rest not nearer the hole. If the ball is found in the rough, it must be dropped in the rough. After dropping, if in your own fairway, the lie may be improved in accordance with APL Rules. "Through the green" is the whole area of the course except:

a.    Teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played;

b.    All hazards on the course.

Penalty for breach of rule: Two strokes.

8.    Playing a Wrong Ball

If a player plays a ball other than his/her own, he/she will incur a two stroke penalty for that hole and complete the hole with said ball. The original owner of said ball may drop a ball at a place close to where the infraction occurred without incurring any penalty.

Penalty for breach of rule:  Two strokes.

9.    Order of Play on Putting Green

On the putting surface a player who has already putted in accordance with the principle of farthest away from the hole may continue putting when he judges it will speed up play or reduce interference with the other players.

10.  Picking Ball Up Before Completion of Hole

Should a player, during a match, pick up his/her ball prior to completing the hole, that player’s team will forfeit the hole.  The player who picked up will take a gross score, on that hole, that is the larger of 2*par + 2 + player’s handicap strokes for that hole, that score which ensures loss of hole, or number of strokes actually taken.

Picking up of a ball is not allowed in league playoffs.

11.  Use of Distance Measuring Devices

A player may, during league matches, obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only. However, if, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device that is designed to also gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g., gradient, wind-speed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of the USGA Rules applying to Artificial Devices and Unusual Equipment, regardless of whether any such additional functions are actually used.

As a potential exception to the USGA Rule that addresses Advice, for this case a player may request of or provide to members of the opposing team distance measurement results from such devices during the round.  However, there is no obligation to do so.

Penalty for breach of rule:  Two strokes

12.  Allowance for Practice on same Day-Course as Competition

 

A player may practice on the same day and course as a competition for regular matches and playoffs based on the Match Play nature of these matches.  In addition, a player or team may practice on the same day and course as an APL Tournament PROVIDED all players in the tournament begin play at the same time (e.g. a Shot-Gun Start).  For any tournament for which there are starting times assigned, practice on the same day and course as said tournament is prohibited.

 

Penalty for breach of rule:  Disqualification from any awards from said tournament.

 

13.     Relief from poorly maintained bunkers

 

Due to the poor condition of many of the bunkers on some ofour courses, and to avoid equipment damage and injury, relief can be gotten from obstructions in bunkers without incurring a penalty. This local APL rule provides some additions to the definitions of obstructions and the spirit of Rule 25-1.b.ii.

 

Obstructions to which this rule applies are rocks, sand washouts, bare areas of sand traps, and any other condition unintended by course design and caused by lack of proper maintenance. If there is evidence or suspicion of obstruction that may be struck in the act of playing from a bunker you should inform your opponent of your desire to proceed according to this rule and then proceed according the following steps until relief is obtained.

 

1.  remove obstructions without disturbing your current lie

 

2.    pick your ball up, clear and rake the location if necessary and replace your ball in that location recreating your original lie

 

3.    recreate the type of lie that you had at the nearest point of relief in the trap no closer to the hole, removing obstructions there if it is possible to do so versus the original position

 

4.    recreate your lie in another portion of the trap without regard to being closer to the hole if that is not possibleIf the player chooses to drop outside the bunker no closer to the hole then they must do so keeping the original ball position between them and the hole and incur a one stroke penalty.

 

Last updated: June 5, 2014