BELTON WOODS GOLF CLUB

RESTRICTIONS AND LOCAL RULES

Local Rules for all categories of players (in addition to those stipulated on the score card)

Water Hazards – Ball Played Provisionally Under Rule 26-1

This local rule is specific to

        The Lakes Course Holes 10, 12 & 18

        The Woods Course Hole 17

If there is doubt whether a ball is in, or is lost in, the water hazard on the above holes, the player may play another ball provisionally under any of the applicable options in 26-1.  If the original ball is found outside the water hazard, the player must continue play with it.  If the original ball is found in the water hazard, the player may either play the original ball as it lies or continue with the ball played provisionally under 26-1.  If the original ball is not found or identified within the five-minute search period, the player must continue with the ball played provisionally.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.

Aeration Holes

Through the green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole may be lifted without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green.

On the putting green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole may be placed at the nearest spot not nearer the hole that avoids the situation.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.

Seams of Cut Turf

Through the green, seams of cut turf (not the turf itself) are deemed to be ground under repair. However, interference by a seam with the player’s stance is deemed not to be, of itself, interference under Rule 25-1. If the ball lies in or touches the seam or the seam interferes with the area of intended swing, relief is available under Rule 25-1. All seams within the cut turf area are considered the same seam.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.

Winter Course Restrictions

Winter course restrictions shall be triggered by the Management of the Golf Course in response to extreme conditions that are widespread and are for the protection of the golf course.  Once so triggered, the Committee has authorized the introduction of ‘Preferred Lies’ or also known as ‘Winter Rules’.  

‘Preferred Lies’ or also known as ‘Winter Rules’

A ball lying on a closely-mown area through the green, may be lifted without penalty and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within 6 inches of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.  A player may place his ball only once, and it is in play when it has been placed (Rule 20-4). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, Rule 20-3d applies. If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.  If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it, moves the ball-marker prior to putting the ball back into play or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke.  Note: “Closely-mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

 *PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.

*If a player incurs the general penalty for a breach of this Local Rule, no additional penalty under the Local Rule is applied.

Embedded Ball

Through the green, a ball that is embedded may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green.  Note: A ball is “embedded” when it is in its own pitch-mark and part of the ball is below the level of the ground. A ball does not necessarily have to touch the soil to be embedded (e.g. grass, loose impediments and the like may intervene between the ball and the soil).

Exceptions:
1. A player may not take relief under this Local Rule if the ball is embedded in sand in an area that is not closely-mown.

2. A player may not take relief under this Local Rule if interference by anything other than the condition covered by this Local Rule makes the stroke clearly impracticable.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.

Temporary Local Rule

The Committee has decided that given the more frequent visits of wild deer to the course and especially their visits to the bunkers, relief is warranted.  The Temporary Local Rule is in force immediately and until further notice.

Deer Hoof Marks in a sand bunker are GUR.  Rule 25-1b(ii)