Mississippi Golf Club
Local Rules as of July 24, 2021
Play is governed by the Rules of Golf as approved by Golf Canada effective January 2019, and where applicable, by the following Local Rules, subject to changes, additions or deletions for particular events.
Terms in italics are defined in the Rules of Golf.
Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for breach of a Local Rule is the General Penalty, i.e., loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play.
1. Out of Bounds
White Stakes are boundary objects defining out of bounds. Boundary objects are treated as immovable. They are not obstructions. No free relief.
2. Penalty Areas
Yellow and red stakes define yellow and red penalty areas respectively. Yellow penalty areas give the player two relief options - Stroke-and-Distance (Rule 17.1d(1)) and Back-On-the-Line (Rule 17.1(2)). Red penalty areas give the player an extra Lateral Relief option (Rule 17.1d(3)). Each of these relief options has one penalty stroke.
3. Prepared Areas of Sand That are Not Bunkers
The prepared areas of sand on the right side before the corner of hole #4 and between holes #14 and #15 are part of the general area. They are not bunkers.
4. No Play Zones - Flower Gardens, Hedge on hole #6, signal bells on holes #3, 6 & 12, and Grub Damaged Areas
All flower gardens, the cedar hedge between holes #6 and #7, signal bells (including supports) on holes #3, 6 and 12, any grub damaged areas in the general area are no play zones that are to be treated as abnormal course conditions. Free relief must be taken from these no play zones under Rule 16.1f.. Drop a ball in the relief area that is within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief, no nearer the hole than that point and in the general area. As an additional option for free relief from the cedar hedge between holes #6 and #7, a dropping zone is available, two club-lengths in radius from the blue stake. See 6 below for points that apply when dropping in a dropping zone.
5. Yardage Markers
Red markers indicate 100 yards, white 150 yards, blue 200 yards, and yellow 250 yards. They indicate the distance from the marker to the centre of the putting green following the centre line of the fairway. Yardage markers are immovable obstructions. Free relief under Rule 16.1b.
6. Dropping Zone on Hole #5
If a ball is in the following red penalty area including when it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found came to rest in this penalty area:
• to the right of and behind the putting green on hole #5,
The player has these relief options, each for one penalty stroke:
• Take relief under Rule 17.1; or
• As an extra option, drop the original ball or another ball in the dropping zone short of #5 putting green. This dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.
Note: The following points apply when dropping a ball in a dropping zone:
• The player does not have to stand in the dropping zone when dropping the ball.
• When a player is using a dropping zone, the relief area is defined by that dropping zone and the ball must be dropped in and come to rest in the dropping zone (see Rule 14.3).
• If the dropping zone is defined by a line on the ground, the line is within the dropping zone.
7. Young Trees are No Play Zones
Young trees that are tagged, staked, or less than two club lengths in height are no play zones:
• If a player’s ball lies anywhere on the course other than in a penalty area and it lies on or touches such a tree or such a tree interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player must take free relief under Rule 16.1f
• If the ball lies in a penalty area, and interference to the player’s stance or area of intended swing exists from such a tree, the player must take relief with one penalty stroke under Rule 17.1e or free relief under Rule 17.1e(2).
8. Abnormal Course Conditions
Ground Under Repair includes:
• Areas defined by white lines and
• Bare rock in the fairway of the hole you are playing.
French drains filled with stones are immovable obstructions.
For purposes of this Local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.
9. Wood Chips and Mulch
Wood chips and mulch are loose impediments. When used to surface a cart path, the cart path is an immovable obstruction. Free relief under Rule 16.1b.
10. Integral Objects
Wrappings, wires, cables and other objects closely attached to trees are integral objects and they are treated as immovable. They are not obstructions or boundary objects.
11. Preferred Lies (Winter Rules)
If the Committee chooses to allow preferred lies (winter rules) then:
When a player’s ball lies on the fairway of the hole he or she is playing, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from the relief area that is within 6 inches of the spot of the original ball, not nearer the hole than that spot and in the general area.
In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e.
Players should check with the Pro Shop to determine if winter or summer rules apply. This information may also be posted outside the Pro Shop or at the first tee.
For purposes of this Local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.
For general play only, a player is permitted to roll the original ball with his or her clubhead to a spot within 6 inches of the spot of the original ball in the general area no nearer the hole than that spot.
12. Aeration Holes
If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole:
• Ball in general area: The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b, i.e., by dropping the original ball or another ball within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief, in the general area, no nearer the hole.
• Ball on putting green: The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1d, by placing the original ball or another ball on the spot of the nearest point of complete relief on the putting green or in the general area.
But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or, on the putting green, on the player’s line of play.
13. Practice
Rule 5.2b is modified in this way:
A player may practice on the course on the day of the competition before the following stroke play competitions:
• Ladies Twilight on Tuesday, and
• Men’s Night on Thursday.
14. Provisional Ball for Ball in Penalty Area on Holes #1 and #6
If a player does not know whether his or her ball is in the yellow penalty area in front of the putting green on hole #1 after playing a stroke from the general area across the yellow penalty area toward the putting green or in the red penalty area on hole #6 after playing a stroke from the general area across the red penalty area toward the putting green, the player may play a provisional ball under Rule 18.3, which is modified in this way:
In playing the provisional ball, the player may use the stroke-and-distance relief option (see Rule 17.1d(1), the back-on-the-line relief option (see Rule 17.1d(2)) or on hole #6 only, the lateral relief option (see Rule 17.1d(3)).
Once the player has played a provisional ball under this Rule, he or she may not use any further options under Rule 17.1 in relation to the original ball. In deciding when that provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play or if it must or may be abandoned, Rule 18.3c(2) and 18.3c(3) apply except that:
• When Original Ball Is Found in Penalty Area Within Three-Minute Search Time. The player may choose either to:
» Continue to play the original ball as it lies in the penalty area, in which case the provisional ball must not be played. All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count, or
» Continue to play the provisional ball in which case the original ball must not be played.
• When Original Ball Is Not Found Within Three-Minute Search Time or Is Known or Virtually Certain to Be in Penalty Area. The provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play.
15. Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds
For general play only:
“When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance.
For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):
Two Estimated Reference Points:
• Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball is estimated to have:
» Come to rest on the course, or
» Last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.
• Fairway Reference Point: The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point, but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point.
For purposes of this Local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.
If a ball is estimated to be lost on the course or last crossed the edge of the course boundary short of the fairway, the fairway reference point may be a grass path or a teeing ground for the hole being played cut to fairway height or less.
Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points: Anywhere between:
• A line from the hole through the ball reference point (and within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and
• A line from the hole through the fairway reference point (and within two club-lengths to the fairway side of that line).
But with these limits:
• Must be in the general area, and
• Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.
Once the player puts a ball in play under this Local Rule:
• The original ball that was lost or out of bounds is no longer in play and must not be played.
• This is true even if the ball is found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 6.3b).
But the player may not use this option to take relief for the original ball when:
• That ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or
• The player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.3).
A player may use this option to take relief for a provisional ball that has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds.
16. The edge of the yellow penalty area that crosses the 18th hole is the outside edge of the retaining wall. The Yellow stakes placed just outside the penalty area identify this penalty area but do not define the edge of the penalty area. Player’s balls that come to rest touching or near the retaining wall, and are interfered with for swing or stance are entitled to one club free relief no nearer the hole.
17. A ball coming to rest on or beyond Wilson Street is out of bounds, even if it comes to rest on another part of the course that is in bounds for other holes.
Mississippi Golf Club Local Rules for Score Cards as of January 1, 2021
Play is governed by the Golf Canada approved Rules of Golf effective January 2019 and the following Local Rules:
1. The prepared sandy areas at the corner on hole #4 and between holes #14 and #15 are in the general area. They are not bunkers.
2. Flower gardens, the hedge beside #7 teeing area, grub damaged areas in the general area, and signal bells on #3, #6 and #12 are no play zones– free relief MUST be taken. Drop within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief not nearer the hole in the general area. For hedge between #6 and #7 use dropping zone within two club-lengths of blue stake.
3. A drop zone may be used for a ball that enters the red penalty areas to the right of and behind #5 putting green.
4. Young trees less than two club-lengths in height or identified (tagged or staked) are no play zones. Relief must be taken. Anywhere other than in a penalty area free relief - drop within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief, not nearer the hole in the general area. In a penalty area -take relief with one penalty stroke under Rule 17.1e or free relief under Rule 17.1e(2).
5. Ground under repair includes rocks on the fairway of the hole you are playing. French drains and artificially surfaced cart paths including those surfaced with wood chips or mulch are obstructions. Free relief anywhere on the course except in a penalty area. Wood chips and mulch are loose impediments.
6. When preferred lies (winter rules) are permitted, relief area within six inches of original spot.
7. Provisional ball permitted on holes #5 and #6 when player is unsure whether his or her ball has cleared the penalty area.
8. Local Rule for alternative to Stroke and Distance Relief for lost ball or ball out of bounds in effect for general play only. Two penalty strokes.
