Foothills Ladies 9 Hole Association

 General Rules

1.  Put an identification mark on your ball.  If you cannot identify it as yours, it's lost.  If your ball becomes unfit for play during play of a hole, you may replace it, without penalty, while playing the hole or between holes.

2.  Count your clubs. No more than 14.  Two strokes for each hole at which any breach occurred:  maximum penalty per round: 4 strokes.

3.  Don't ask for advice from anyone.  Two strokes.

4.  During a hole you may practice swing but not play a practice stroke.  Between holes you may practice chip or putt on or near the putting green of the last hole played or the tee of the next hole but not from a hazard.  Two strokes.

5.  Play without delay.  Two strokes - Repeated offense: disqualification.

Ball Unplayable

You may deem your ball unplayable at any place on the course except when the ball is in a water hazard.  You are the sole judge as to whether your ball is unplayable.

You Have Three Options (One stroke penalty for each option)

1.  Play a ball at the spot from which the original was last played.

2.  Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay,  keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped.

3.  Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay but not nearer the hole.

NOTE: If your ball is in a bunker, and you elect to use option 2 or 3, a ball must be dropped in the bunker.

Lateral Water Hazards

A "lateral water hazard" is a water hazard or part of a water hazard so situated that it is not possible or is impracticable to drop a ball behind the water hazard.

You Have Five Options

1.  Play the ball where it lies without penalty.

2.  Use the stroke and distance option by playing your next stroke from the spot where the original ball was last played, penalty one stroke.

3.  Drop a ball behind the hazard along a line formed by the hole and the point where the ball last entered the hazard, penalty one stroke.

4.  Drop within 2 club-lengths, no nearer the hole on the side that your ball hit, one stroke penalty.

5.  Drop  within 2 club-lengths, no nearer the hole across the hazard, one stroke penalty.

 Water Hazards

A 'water hazard' is any lake, sea, pond, river, ditch, or other open water course (whether or not containing water).  All ground and water within the hazard is part of the water hazard.

There must be reasonable evidence the ball is in the hazard for this rule to apply.  A ball touching the hazard line is in the hazard.  You must not ground your club in the hazard.

You Have Three Options

1.  Play the ball where it lies without penalty.

2.  Use the stroke and distance option by playing your next stroke from the spot where the origianl ball was last played, penalty one stroke.

3.  Drop a ball behind the hazard along a line formed by the hole and the point where the ball last entered the hazard, penalty one stroke.

Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds; Provisional Ball

"Out of bounds" is defined as a ground that is beyond the boundaries of the course or any part of the course so marked by the Committee.  When defined by white lines, the line itself is out of bounds.  When defined by a fence or stakes, the inside edges of the fence posts or stakes at ground level define the out of bounds line.

1.  If your ball is out of bounds, you must play another ball at the spot from which the orginal was last played, penalty one stroke.

2.  If your ball may be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds, you may play a provisional ball before you go forward to look for the original, provided you announce your intention to do so.  If your original ball turns out to be in a water hazard or is found outside a water hazard, you must abondon the provisional ball.

3.  If your ball is lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, add a penalty stroke and play the provisional ball or, if you did not play a provisional ball, replay the shot adding a penalty stroke.

4.  The provisional ball becomes the ball in play when a stroke is made with the provisional ball from a point where the original ball is likely to be or from a point nearer the hole than that place.

A ball is out of bounds when the entire ball is out of bounds.  You may stand out of bounds to play a ball that is in bounds.