PIPERETTE LOCAL RULES OF PLAY

 

The current edition of the USGA, Rules of GOLF, shall serve as the basic reference governing play.  The USGA allows clubs to make exceptions or modifications to help speed up play.  The following Local Rules are for Piperette League play ONLY and should not be used at other golf courses or in tournaments.  Any questions concerning the rules should be brought to the attention of the Rules Chairwoman for explanation.

 

  1. NO MULLIGANS ALLOWED.

 

  1. ALL PUTTS MUST BE HOLED OUT.

 

  1. PLAY THE BALL DOWN. Ball may not be moved from April through September.  However, when required to play cart path only, we are adopting lift, clean and place one club length, no nearer the hole, in your fairway only.  During the months of October through March, winter rules or preferred lies may be used.

 

  1. PENALTY AREA (RED AREA). This is rule 17 in USGA rule book.  These areas are defined as bodies of water or other areas where a ball is often lost or unable to be played.

 

 Use designated drop areas on par threes (PIPER 3 and BAY 3) if the ball does not clear the red penalty area unless you elect to hit the ball out of the hazard.

 

The Par 3 on Sand 2 is now a red penalty area, if your tee shot enters the penalty area you may elect to re – tee the ball or use any option available for a penalty as stated in Rule 17. (Identify the point where your ball crossed into the red penalty area and drop within one club length, no closer to the hole).

 

During League play only, on Bay 7, play the ball as you normally would.  If you hit your tee ball in the red penalty area you must drop the ball using any of the options available for a penalty area, as stated in Rule 17.  You would then be hitting your third shot.  If that shot goes in the red penalty area, proceed to designated drop area, where you would be hitting your 5th shot.  If your tee ball is short of the penalty area and you hit your second shot in the water, proceed to designated drop area, where you will be hitting your 4th shot.

 

When the Red Tees are on the Gold tee box on Bay 4, if your tee ball goes in the red penalty area, pick up and proceed to the sprinkler head directly across the water, located as the rough ends and the fairway begins.  Drop your ball and you are then hitting your 3rd shot.

 

  1. 5. NO PLAY ZONE – BAY 8.

The area to the left of the Red Tees is a No Play Zone, you may not stand in the area to hit the ball even if your ball is outside the penalty area.   If your ball is in play but you have to stand in the penalty area, you get free relief because you can’t stand in the area even when your ball lies outside of the penalty area. 

 

If your ball goes in and you have to stand in the area, you may not play it because it’s a No Play Zone.  So, you may not use the option of playing it from within the penalty area.  You must use one of the other options to take relief for a red penalty area,

 

  1. BIRDIE AND HOLE IN ONE RECOGNITION. Birdies will only be counted on regular league days, M/G and M/M.  If a scramble is played those days they will not be counted.  Birdies are not counted in Match Play.  A Hole in One will count during all official Piperette events.  Payout for the hole in one covers the bar bill up to $100.  The obligation to pay this is during the regular season only.

 

  1. EMBEDDED BALL.  This is a ball embedded in its own pitch mark through the green, and does not include bunkers or red penalty areas.  Without penalty, an embedded ball may be lifted, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to the spot where it is embedded.

 

  1. GROUND UNDER REPAIR AND ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITIONS. This includes fire ant hills and French drains.  First take full relief from the ground under repair, then take one club length from the point of nearest relief no closer to the hole.  Abnormal ground condition, as defined by the USGA is any casual water, ground under repair or hole on the course made by a burrowing animal, reptile or bird.

 

  1. 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.  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.

 

  1. TOURNAMENT TIE-BREAKERS. Tie breakers will be under the discretion of the Professional Staff.  Tiebreak rules should be stated on the tournament rule sheet.

 

  1. DESIGNATION OF PLAY FROM RED OR YELLOW TEES. Upon payment of annual dues, each member will designate the Tee from which she will play for the season.  Red tee play will be assumed unless otherwise stated.  Moving to Yellow Tees is an individual decision based on player ability as indicated by a handicap index of 36 or higher from the Red tees.  The member’s designated tee will remain in effect thereafter unless a handicap index of 35.9 or lower is trending for 3 months of consistent play.  Consistent play is defined as 3 posted scores per month for 3 months.  During the playing season a member may, at her prerogative, change her Red tee designation to Yellow upon notification of said change to Handicap Chairwoman and handicap index requirements are met.  Thereafter, any request by a member to change her tee designation during the same season must be submitted to the Executive Committee for approval and would only be considered for medical or extenuating circumstances.

 

The GHIN system calculates course handicaps regardless of handicap index.  However, USGA rules set a maximum index of 54.  When players are using Red and Yellow tees, they are effectively playing different courses.  Handicaps are adjusted daily by the GHIN system, therefore posting scores day of play is very important.

 

Either Yellow or Red tees as designated, may be used in all weekly games.  When there are at least 2 players signed up from the Yellow tees, a Yellow flight can be established.  They will compete with each other using their Course Handicap.  Yellow players will be placed randomly even though they are competing against each other.  If there are less than 2 players signed up for Yellow tees, the Yellow player will be placed randomly with the Red tee players using Yellow handicap.  All players have the option of not being in the game unless a team game is being played.  On Low Gross/Low Net day Yellow players will play with and compete against each other if  2 or more are playing.

 

When playing a Scramble of any kind we will be using 2 drives from everyone in fairness to all.

 

Either Yellow or Red tees, as designated, may be used in Piperette tournaments. 

 

  1. HANDICAPS. It takes twenty (20) rounds to establish a true handicap, of which the best eight (8) scores represent your handicap index.  Your handicap is calculated daily by the GHIN system. For League play, and Match play and all other Piperette events, handicaps from the beginning of the month are used.   On League days all scores will be posted by the Handicap Committee, game participation or not.  For new and returning members, the individual must submit 3 scores within the last 12 months prior to the date of membership application.  Once the 3 scores are posted in the GHIN system the individual may participate in the game on League day.

 

  1. BUNKER RULE. This rule is to be used ONLY when it is Cart Path Only.  If your ball lies in a bunker that has any water, not mud, in it, you may lift it and drop it outside the bunker keeping the spot where the ball originally lay between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped without penalty.  Where you drop the ball may be no closer to the hole than where it originally lay in the bunker.

 

  1. ROOT RULE. Exposed roots by definition applies only to roots that have surfaced away from the normal trunk of the tree.  In the spirit of addressing this circumstance for the Piperette League Play, if it is determined that your ball has come to rest on or within striking distance of an exposed root and you request relief without penalty, the following steps must be applied:

 

  1. It must be determined that your ball is playable, except for the presence of the exposed root.
  2. You must have concurrence from one other member of your playing group before taking relief.
  3. The allowable relief distance must be no greater than the distance required to ensure complete relief from the exposed root.

 

Place a tee at the spot where your original ball lies.  Take relief by placing the ball in a spot that ensures relief from the exposed root only, which in most cases should be no more than two club lengths and no closer to the hole.  The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this rule.

 

Exception to this Rule:  Interference by an exposed root with the player’s stance is deemed not to be, of itself, interference under this rule.  Again, in the spirit of fair play, you may not take additional relief that could improve your stance or swing away from trees, or bushes.  Exposed root relief does not apply within a marked hazard.  If you elect to take relief from roots within a marked hazard area, you must declare the ball unplayable and take relief as specified by rule 28:  Ball unplayable.

 

  1. PLAYER OBLIGATION.  It is each player’s obligation to ensure that the round is played fairly and honestly.  Playing with friends and neighbors may make this difficult, but for the integrity of the game and in fairness to all, any violation of rules should be handled immediately.

 

REVISED JANUARY 2024

Download a copy of Local Rules