STANDARD LOCAL RULES (Hard Card)
The Rules of Golf as approved by the United States Golf Association and the R&A govern play. See applicable championship or qualifying round Notice to Players and Tournament Information for additional Local Rules and Conditions. The following Local Rules apply for all Trans-Mississippi Golf Association (TMGA) championships; Complete text of Rules and Appendix I may be found in the Rules of Golf, effective January 2016.
The Trans-Mississippi Golf Association (TMGA) Tournament Rules Committee shall have the final decision on all claims and disputes. The following Local Rules and Conditions of Competition apply for all TMGA events.
Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for breach of a Local Rule is:
Match play – Loss of hole • Stroke play – Two strokes
OUT OF BOUNDS: Defined by inside points, at ground level, of white stakes and fence posts. Rule 27-1b.
WATER AND LATERAL WATER HAZARD STAKES AND LINES: When both stakes and lines are present, stakes identify the hazard and lines define the hazard margin. When a water hazard or a lateral water hazard is defined on only one side, it is deemed to extend to infinity. When a water hazard or lateral water hazard is bounded by out of bounds, the hazard margin extends to and coincides with the out of bounds line.
GROUND UNDER REPAIR: Defined by white lines. Sod-covered trenching for temporary cables and French drains are deemed to be ground under repair. Rule 25-1.
EMBEDDED BALL THROUGH THE GREEN: 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:
- A player may not take relief under the Local Rule if the ball is embedded in sand in an area that is not closely-mown.
- 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.
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.
ANT HILLS: Ant hills are loose impediments – see Decision 23/5. For the presence of fire ants (i.e. a dangerous situation), see Decision 1-4/10.
ACCIDENTAL MOVEMENT OF A BALL ON A PUTTING GREEN: Rules 18-2, 18-3 and 20-1 are modified as follows: When a player’s ball lies on the putting green, there is no penalty if the ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved by the player, his partner, his opponent, or any of their caddies or equipment.
The moved ball or ball-marker must be replaced as provided in Rules 18-2, 18-3 and 20-1.
This Local Rule applies only when the player’s ball or ball-marker lies on the putting green and any movement is accidental.
Note: If it is determined that a player’s ball on the putting green was moved as a result of wind, water or some other natural cause such as the effects of gravity, the ball must be played as it lies from its new location. A ball-marker moved in such circumstances is replaced.
TURF PLUGS ON THE PUTTING GREEN: On the putting green, in addition to actions permitted under Rule 16-1c, the player may repair turf plugs even if they are not 4 ¼ inches. Note: Aeration holes on the putting green are not turf plugs.
WOOD CHIPS AND MULCH: Are loose impediments, unless otherwise provided for in Notice to Players.
IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS:
A) White lined areas tying into immovable obstructions have the same status as the obstruction and are not ground under repair.
B) Landscaped or garden areas (flower beds, shrubberies, or the like) completely encircled by an obstruction are part of the obstruction.
C) Exposed liners in bunkers.
D) Where the outside edge (non-golf course side) of a road or path defines out of bounds, the road or path is an immovable obstruction.
INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE COURSE:
A) Includes cables, rods, wires and wrappings when closely attached to trees.
B) Artificial walls and pilings when located within water hazards, unless otherwise provided for in Notice to Players.
C) Artificial walls and pilings when used to define the margin of bunkers are integral parts of the course and deemed to be through the green.
STONES IN BUNKERS: Stones in bunkers are movable obstructions (Rule 24-1 applies).
PERMANENT ELEVATED POWER LINES AND CABLES: If a ball strikes a permanent elevated power line or cable, the stroke must be canceled and replayed without penalty (Rule 20-5 applies). If the ball is not immediately recoverable another ball may be substituted. (For temporary power lines or cables see Temporary Immovable Obstructions).
TEMPORARY IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS: A temporary immovable obstruction (TIO) is a non-permanent artificial object that is often erected in conjunction with a competition and is fixed or not readily movable. Examples of TIOs include, but are not limited to, tents, scoreboards, grandstands, television towers, circulation fans and lavatories. Relief is available as prescribed in Appendix I, Part A, pages 147-151 of the USGA Rules of Golf.
STAKED TREES: If the lie of the ball, stance, and/or area of intended swing is interfered with by a stake that is attached to a tree, the stake/rope/wire is treated as an obstruction. Relief without penalty from the tree itself is not allowed.
DISTANCE-MEASURING DEVICES: A player may obtain distance information by use of a distance-measuring device. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g., elevation changes, wind speed, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 14-3.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDITION: Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes. For subsequent offense – Disqualification.
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