Club Rules & Regulations

 

1. Members shall observe the requirements of Section 1 of the Rules of Golf. All members shall conduct themselves in a courteous and dignified manner and avoid disturbing the play of other competitors. Winners and losers shall behave as gentlemen and exhibit good sportsmanship at all times.

 

2. The Rules of Golf apply in all SMGC events except as modified by these or other allowable local rules.

 

3. No winter rules may be used unless expressly declared by the Tournament Committee prior to start of competition. Winter rules are defined as "lift, clean and place" within 6 inches, no closer to the hole when in your own fairway. The ball may not be "bumped."

 

4. When an in-bounds staked tree or shrub or its basin or support wires, interferes with player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the ball must be dropped within one club length of the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole. No penalty.

 

5. Paved cart paths, dirt service roads (decomposed granite/dirt), cement drainage ditches and permanent yardage stakes are immovable obstructions. If the ball lies in or on the obstruction, or so close that the obstruction interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the ball may be dropped one club length from the nearest point of relief. No penalty.

 

6. Ball embedded in its own pitch mark in the ground (except in a hazard), through the green, may be lifted, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to where it lay, no closer to the hole. No penalty.

 

7. All putts must be holed out except in match play competitions. Rule 16 applies in

 

regard to touching the line of putts, repairing ball marks, etc. on the putting green. If a ball lies on an edging groove around a putting green, it may be lifted, cleaned and placed out of the groove in the nearest position to where it lies, whether on or off the green, which is not nearer the hole. No penalty.

 

8. If a ball comes to rest in an aerification hole through the green, the player may lift the ball and clean it. The player shall drop the ball as near as possible to where it lay, no nearer the hole. On the putting green, the player shall place the ball at the nearest spot not nearer the hole which avoids the hole. No penalty.

 

9. Bunker rakes are to be placed inside bunkers in a way that will not divert a ball into or away from the bunker.

 

10. All scores must be adjusted in accordance with the equitable stroke control (ESC) and the adjusted score returned. If a player plays 13 or more holes, he shall post a score by adding to the number of strokes played the total of par for the unplayed holes plus any handicap strokes to which he is entitled on the unplayed holes. When a putt is conceded or picked up on a green, the score for handicap purposes shall be the number of strokes taken plus one. (ESC applies). In competitions, score cards must be completed, signed and attested. All players are responsible for their individual hole scores.

 

11. Major Club competitions will be played to the lowest index (LI) of the last twelve months. Exceptions must be announced prior to the competition. Other tournaments shall be played to current index unless the Tournament Committee declares otherwise.

12. Slow play is not to be tolerated. A tournament official, or a course marshal at the request of a tournament official, shall issue warnings to groups that are behind. The Committee may penalize the slow players(s) two strokes after two warnings. If the slow play continues after the slow player(s) have been assessed penalty strokes, the Committee may disqualify such player(s). Other members of the slow players’ group shall not be penalized.

 

13. On temporary or alternate greens, there is no "two putt rule". All putts shall be holed out.

 

14. Before participating in a Club tournament each player must put an identification mark on his ball.

 

15. Players must promptly present rules questions to the committee. If a representative of the committee is not immediately available, the player should follow the Rules of Golf to preserve the issue, e.g., by playing a second ball. Review of a rules decision of the committee in a competition may be presented to the Greens and Rules Committee but only if a review is requested prior to the close of the competition. The decision of the Greens and Rules Committee is final.