The ball may be teed or played from the ground between and behind
the markers on the area known as the tee box and not farther back
than 3 yard like paces.. If the ball falls off the tee while the player
addresses the ball, it may be re teed without penalty. If the player's
ball moves during the swing, the player simply must continue the playing
of the shot. A player teeing off in front or outside the teeing area
shall replay with a one stroke penalty.
A. MISSING TEE TIME
A player is deemed late and out of turn once a fellow player has hit
their second shot on the first hole and will incur a one stroke penalty.
Players arriving after their pairing group have finished the first
hole may be re-paired into a later grouping at the discretion of the
ruling committee incurring a two stroke penalty.
II: PLAY THROUGH THE GREEN
The ball shall be played down from tee to green unless the ball has
been lost, exited the boundaries of the property (OB), or deemed unplayable
by the player, in which case the player shall follow the protocols
set forth by The Universal Dropping Procedure. (see section III: UNIVERSAL
DROPPING PROCEDURE)
A. THE PLAY OF THE BALL
1) A player may remove loose impediments as long as the ball does
not change position.
If the ball changes from its position a one stroke penalty shall be
incurred.
2) If a ball is moved by the wind, or any other outside agency such
as a spectator or animal, the ball shall be replaced to it's original
location without penalty.
B. IDENTIFYING THE BALL
A player may rotate the ball without changing its position to identify
it.
C. PLAYING WRONG BALL
A player shall not play the wrong ball or an opponent's ball. The
wrong ball shall be replaced as close to it's original position as
possible with a fresh ball, and the player who played the wrong ball
shall play their correct ball adding a one stroke penalty.
D. BALL STRIKING PLAYER
1) If a player's ball strikes himself, his equipment (including cart)
or his caddie, the penalty shall be one stroke, and the ball shall
be played from where it lies.
2) If a player's ball unintentionally strikes another player, or an
opponent's equipment or caddie, it is considered the rub of the green,
and the ball shall be played from where it lies.
E. PUSHING OR STRIKING THE BALL TWICE
1) A player making a swing and unintentionally striking the ball twice
shall not be penalized and will proceed playing from the ball's new
resting location. A player intentionally striking a ball twice or
striking a moving ball shall replay the stroke and incur a two stroke
penalty.
2) Likewise, a player shall not push, drag or scrape the ball void
of a specific intended momentary impact. Two stroke penalty shall
be incurred.
F. SAND and WATER PLAY
1) A player may not ground his club in a sand trap or water trap.
Penalty is one stroke.
2) A player may gain reasonable footing but may not build a stance
in either water or sand. Penalty one stroke.
G. STAKING AND BOUNDARIES
TRGA does not acknowledge colored stakes defining hazards or internal
boundaries. TRGA does acknowledge course boundaries such as fences,
yards, roads, parking lots, clubhouse grounds and other obvious lines
of demarcation defining the playing area or course boundary therefore
requiring Universal Drop Procedure.
The Universal Drop Procedure shall be implemented for lost balls,
unplayable lies, balls laying outside the course boundary or otherwise
exiting the common playing area. A player may deem their ball lost
or unplayable at any time and option for the universal drop procedure.
All Drops are taken facing the hole and dropped over the shoulder.
If the ball rolls forward past the player's feet, then the player
may place the ball by hand.
Step One:
Determining Location:
The last suspected location of the ball determined by reasonable consensus
within the group, meaning the general area where the ball likely came
to rest or would be located if it left the boundaries of the property
(excluding bouncing on concrete or other similar surfaces), was generally
believed to have been lost in this area, or found to be unplayable
in water, brush, trees or any other situation deemed by the player
to be "unplayable".
Step Two:
Locate the" back in play" point near the middle of the fairway.
A player taking a drop must establish both points, where the unplayable
ball lay or lost ball would have laid, and then a point approximately
middle of the fairway consistent with the general shape of the hole.
Step Three:
30 yard-like paces straight back from the back in play point, then
the ball may be hand placed by the player and is then considered back
in play with the addition of a one stroke penalty.
1. For drops taken from beside or over the green, 30 yards back from
the front edge of the green.
2. If no area is available to drop short of the green because of water
or other non fairway conditions, either a designated drop area should
be defined or the best reasonable option consistent with the Universal
Dropping Procedure should be agreed upon within the group.
3. A player is not required to drop a ball in a hazard such as a sand
bunker that lies
in the fairway.
4. For holes with extreme dogleg shape, the player is not required
to drop the ball outside an area generally considered as the fairway
in the event 30 yards straight back from the hole places the ball
off the fairway. The player may adjust to place the ball back into
the fairway consistent with the general shaping of the hole being
played.
IV: FREE RELIEF EXEMPTIONS
(All Drops are taken facing the hole and dropped over the shoulder.
If the ball rolls forward past the player's feet, then the player
may place the ball by hand.)
A player may take a free drop from a cart path or sprinkler head or
similar irrigation or drain grate only if such an obstacle is situated
in the area known as the fairway and the ball rests on it, or near
enough to create reasonable concern for striking it with the golf
club and injuring the player. A player does not get relief from stance
or standing upon such a surface. The Player may then move the ball
one pace or yard dropping over their shoulder no closer to the hole.
1. CASUAL WATER
In the event of water pooling on the fairway, a player may take nearest
relief no closer to the hole without penalty if the ball itself is
over halfway submerged in water, meaning the level of water is covering
50% of the ball above its equator.
2. EMBEDDED BALL
If a ball has been embedded in it's own pitch mark in an area clearly
defined as the fairway or within 10 yards of the green, the ball may
be lifted, cleaned and placed within 6 inches of it's found location
not closer to the hole. A ball may not gain relief from an area such
as a sand bunker, edges of a water hazard, or any other unkempt area
through or near the green. In the event the ball has embedded at 10
yards from the green, any dispute on exact measurement should go in
favor of the player.
3. STAKED TREES or SHRUBS
A player may take relief from a staked tree or sapling only if the
swing of the player poses a significant threat to the safety and well
being of the protected plant. A mature tree with a stake still attached,
but clearly no longer required for its support, would not qualify
for relief. Drop to nearest full relief, as above.
V: ON THE GREEN AND HANDLING THE PIN
A. A player may mark and clean their ball once on the area known as
the putting green.
B. A player may move his marker out of the line of another player
and then replace its position and is required to do so.
C. A player may elect to have the pin remain in the hole or have it
removed.
D. Once a player has chosen to remove the pin, they must finish out
the hole with the pin removed.
As common courtesy to other players, players choosing to putt with
the pin in, should putt first.
E. There is no attending the pin. The pin is either in or out.
F. A player may not pull the pin out while playing a shot from off
the green.
G. Players may fix ball marks and tap down spike marks and fix a damaged
cup prior to playing their putt. However, a player may not press a
furrow into the green to aid the roll of their putt.
H. A player may not draw a line on the green, nor may a caddie stand
behind the golfer to aid in alignment. The penalty is one stroke.
I. If a player's ball strikes that of another player's upon the green,
the stroke must be replayed from its original position, and a stroke
is deemed to have been taken. The struck ball must be replaced in
its original location. J. A player may not roll a ball across the
green by hand or foot. Penalty one stroke.K. A player may not straddle
the line of his /hers putt while making the stroke. Penalty one stroke.
L. A player may not enlarge or depress the edges of the hole. The
penalty is one stroke.
M. When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player
is allowed enough time to reach the hole without unreasonable delay
and an additional ten seconds to determine whether the ball is at
rest. If the ball falls into the hole in the time beyond ten seconds,
a stroke is considered to have been taken.
VI: FINISHING THE HOLE
A ball is considered holed when it is secured inside the edges of
the cup or wedged between the pin and the cup.
VII: ADVICE
Players may offer or share advice during the game, but are not required
to do so.
VIII: PRACTICE
A. A player may not hit extra practice shots during or between holes
in a proper competition.
B. A player may not hit extra putts on the green after the hole has
been completed.
IX: DAMAGED EQUIPMENT
A. A player may not replace a damaged club during a round.
B. A player may replace a damaged ball after a hole has been played.
A player may replay a shot if their ball fractured into two or more
pieces upon striking it without penalty. A cut or scuffed ball may
not be replaced.
X: SCORING AND SCORECARD
A. An official course record or tournament scorecard must have at
least two signatures.
A player must keep the score of an opponent. In the event of a dispute,
the players should work toward a resolution of the conflict at the
time of the incident. If the issue remains unresolved, the players
must take their dispute to the designated ruling official AFTER THE
ROUND to keep in the spirit of swift play. A player signing for a
higher score than what was actually played must accept the higher
score. A player signing for a lower score should have the score properly
re-calculated and then shall incur a one stroke penalty.
XI: RULES OFFICIATING
Disputes on the course as to where drops should be taken or other
disputes, should be resolved within the group first, but if a dispute
still continues, the tournament rules official will hear both (all)
sides after the round, and decide if the player received a significant
unfair advantage. If the official deems the drop or inequity proposed
by the opponent was significantly questionable, a one stroke penalty
may be assessed and the decision will be final without contest. Players
agree to the authority given the designated ruling official before
commencing play.
XII: EQUIPMENT FOR OFFICIAL TRGA EVENTS
A. NUMBER OF CLUBS
A player may carry up to 11 irons including the sand club, no more
than one putter, and up to 4 woods including the driver. A maximum
of 16 clubs. A player using more than 16 clubs will be penalized two
strokes per round per extra club.
B. WEDGES
A player may not carry a wedge or sand wedge with a loft greater than
56 degrees. No player may carry more than two clubs over 50 degrees
in loft. Penalty for nonconforming wedges is two strokes per round
per club.
C. WOODS
1) Woods must be made of an organic wood product, solid or laminated.
2) The face of a wood may be three inches wide, two inches high.
3) No woods may exceed 44 inches in length. No woods lighter than
13 ounces (370 grams) total dead weight are allowed. Penalty for non
conforming woods is two strokes per round per club.
D. IRONS
Irons must be forged steel, cavity back style irons are not conforming
for proper competition.
E. GROOVES
No square grooves in irons are allowed. V grooves or no grooves only
in the traditional form.
F. PUTTERS
1) The putter must be the shortest club in a player's bag.
2) Long putters are not allowed. A player may not brace the grip end
of the club against their body
as this is not deemed a golf stroke.
3) Putters may not exceed 3 inches in face width, 3 inches in depth,
or 2 inches in face height
G. SHOES AND SPIKES
Steel spikes on golf shoes are allowed.
H. SHAFTS
Shafts in golf clubs must be made of either conventional steel or
wood.
I. GRIPS
Grips must not be molded to the shape of the players hands and must
have a continual tapered shape downward.
