Local Rules for Score Cards as of May 1, 2017: Click HERE

Mississippi Golf Club

Local Rules as of May 1, 2017

Play is governed by the 2012 Rules of Golf of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA), the RCGA Decisions on the Rules of Golf, 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 in Match Play is loss of hole, and in Stroke Play is two strokes.

1. Out of Bounds

White Stakes define out of bounds.

2. Water Hazards

Yellow Stakes define water hazards.

3. Lateral Water Hazards

Red stakes define lateral water hazards.

4. Waste Areas

The sandy area on the right side at the corner of hole 4 and the long sandy area between holes 14 and 15 are waste areas (not bunkers).  Rule 13-4 does not apply.

5. Flower Gardens and Hedges, Tree Carving on hole # 8, signal bells on holes 3, 6 & 12

Relief must be taken from all flower gardens and the hedges between holes #6 and #7.  Relief must also be taken from the tree carving on hole #8 and signal bells on holes 3, 6 & 12. If a player’s ball lies in a flower bed, hedge, near the tree carving or signal bells, or if it interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his swing, the player must take relief.  No penalty – one club length relief no nearer the hole.

Grub damaged areas

Relief must be taken from grub damaged areas.  Not all grub damaged areas are noted as Ground Under Repair.

No penalty, nearest point of relief

Loose Impediments in Bunkers

You may remove loose impediments (eg. stones) from bunkers.  No penalty

6. 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 green following the centre line of the fairway. 

7.  Drop Areas on Holes 5, 12 and 16

If it is known or virtually certain that a ball has last entered the lateral water hazard to the right of or behind  number 5 green or a ball has entered the lateral water hazard behind number 12 green or behind number 16 green, the player may:

1. proceed under Rule 26; or
2. as an additional option, drop a ball, under penalty of one stroke, in the Drop Area behind the green.

Note: When using a Drop Area the following provisions apply regarding the dropping and re-dropping of the ball:

1. The player does not have to stand within the Drop Area when dropping the ball.
2. The dropped ball must first strike a part of the course within the Drop Area.
3. If the Drop Area is defined by a line, the line is within the Drop Area.
4. The dropped ball does not have to come to rest within the Drop Area.
5. The dropped ball must be re-dropped if it rolls and comes to rest in a position covered by Rule 20-2c (i-vi).
6. The dropped ball may roll nearer the hole than the spot where it first struck a part of the course, provided it comes to rest within two club-lengths of that spot and not into any of the positions covered by (v).
7. Subject to the provisions of (v) and (vi), the dropped ball may roll and come to rest nearer the hole than:
   1. its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b);
   2. the nearest point of relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2, 24-3, 25-1 or 25-3); or
   3. the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard (Rule 26-1).                                                

8.  Distance-Measuring Devices

A player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only.  However, if, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g., gradient, wind-speed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 14-3, for which the penalty is disqualification, regardless of whether any such additional functions are actually used.

9.   Embedded Ball

Through the green, a ball that is embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground may be lifted without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green.

10. Young Trees

Young trees that are tagged, staked, or less then 2 club lengths in height are deemed to be immovable obstructions and relief must be taken as prescribed in Rule 24-2b.

Exception: A player may not take relief under this Local Rule if

1. it is clearly unreasonable for him to make a stroke because of interference by anything other than the tree, or
2. interference by the tree or hedge would occur only through use of an unnecessarily abnormal stance, swing or direction of play.

11. Abnormal Ground Conditions - Rule 25

Ground Under Repair includes:

1. Areas defined by white lines,
2. Bare rock on the cut portion of your own fairway, and
3. French drains filled with stones.

12. Wood Chips and Mulch

Wood chips and mulch are loose impediments, except when used to surface cart paths, where they are obstructions.

13.  Integral Parts of the Course

Wrappings, wires, cables and other objects closely attached to trees are integral parts of the course.

14.    Preferred Lies and Winter Rules

If the course conditions allow for winter rules, preferred lies will be permitted only on the closely-mown area of the fairway in play, 6 inches (unless otherwise stipulated) no closer to the hole by:

1. using the club head to move the ball, (for speed of play) or
2. marking, picking and placing the ball.

Players should check the course condition with the Pro Shop to determine if winter or summer rules apply.  This may be posted outside the Pro Shop or at the first tee.

Note: Closely-mown area means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

15.    Aeration Holes

Through the green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole may be lifted without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole.  The ball when dropped must first strike part of the course through the green.

On the putting green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration    hole may be placed at the nearest spot not nearer the hole that avoids the situation.

16.   Practice

With regard to Rule 7-1b, players are allowed to practice or play on the course on the day of the competition before the following stroke play competitions:

1. Ladies Twilight on Tuesday, and
2. Men’s Night on Thursday.