SBHOA2 Golf – Local Rules Governing Play – October 2024 – click here for printable copy.
The Preserve Golf Course – Local Rules – 2024
OUT OF BOUNDS – Homeowner property lines, walls, fences, streets and parking lots shall define out-of-bounds when white stakes are not present.
GROUND UNDER REPAIR – All newly sodded areas, landscaped areas, areas outlined by white lines, and staked trees are ground under repair from which play is prohibited. If a player’s ball lies within the area or if it interferes with the player’s stance or his intended swing, the player MUST take relief. On established sod, the player must take relief if the sod seam interferes with the area of the intended swing, but not the player’s stance. Also defined as ground under repair are the decorative rock areas. These are designated as No Play Zones. In all these instances the player must take free relief under rule 16.1.
The following are NOT decorative areas: unmaintained area on left side of hole 1 between bunker and green; unmaintained area immediately after the ditch on hole 12 between bunker and cart path.
PENALTY AREAS ADJACENT TO CART PATHS When a penalty area is adjacent to a cart path, the edge of the cart path defines the edge of the penalty area. Refer to the USGA definition of penalty areas.
FRENCH DRAINS are immovable obstructions. The player will receive relief under Rule 16 – Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions.
GREENSIDE IRRIGATION HEADS AND DRAINS are immovable obstructions. If a ball lies off the putting green and these obstructions are within two club-lengths of the putting green and is within two club-lengths of the ball and intervenes on the line of play to the hole, the player may take relief as outlined under rule 16.1b
BALL DROP AREAS – there is a drop area on hole #6 indicated by a sign near the green. This drop area may be used as an additional option for balls that come to rest in the penalty area and for an unplayable lie. In either case it would be a one stroke penalty. Players may NOT use any other ball drop areas for balls lost in the desert or out of bounds. The MPLN (Lady Niners) have special drop areas that are described in their annual Member Handbook.
LOCAL RULE E-5: “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 the relief area (see Rule 14.3).
PROVISIONAL BALL ON HOLES WITH PENALTY AREA: If there is doubt whether a ball is in or is lost in the penalty area, a player may play another ball provisionally under any of the applicable options in Rule 18.3. If the original ball is found outside the penalty area, the player MUST continue play with it. If the original ball is found in the penalty area, the player may either play the original ball as it lies or continue with the ball played provisionally under Rule 18.3. If the original ball is not found or identified within the three-minute search period, the player MUST continue with the ball played provisionally.
