Rules of play for Branch 34 Golfers

USGA and local rules apply with the exception of the following:

  1. Preferred lie: The ball may be moved 6-inches, as measured by a scorecard, no closer to the hole, except in a hazard or on the green, and the ball may be cleaned. You may not move the ball further than the open score card in order to get it out from behind a tree or other obstruction to enable a clear shot.

  2. Balls in hazard: Balls in a hazard or sand trap cannot be moved but must be played as is. If you ball comes to rest in water in a sand trap, you may move the ball out of the water no more than two club lengths from your nearest point of relief. Your ball must remain in the sand trap.
  3. Unplayable ball: A drop must be taken no more than two club lengths from your nearest point of the hazard and a one stroke penalty must be assessed to your score card.
  4. Ball out of bounds: If you think you have hit a ball out of bounds, you must hit a provisional ball. If your first ball is not out of bounds, you must play it where it lies and pick up the provisional ball. If you must play the provisional ball, a two stroke penalty must be added to your score card.
  5. For the benefit of time: When playing a course where speed is essential, the following rule will apply. After hitting a ball and assuming it is playable, and then finding the ball out of bounds or lost, drop a ball at a place agreed to by your teammates rather than returning to the previous hitting area. A two stroke penalty will be added to your score card.
  6. Ball hit into a lateral water hazard: You will have three options:
    1. Hit another ball from the location you just hit from.
    2. Locate the point you ball crossed the lateral water hazard boundary and drop another ball within two club lengths of that point no closer to the hole.
    3. Create a line from the pin on the green through the point where the ball crossed the lateral water hazard boundary and drop your ball anywhere back on that line.
  7. Hole all putts!!!!!