TSGL Pine Meadows Course Rules

  1. In the fairway only, a ball’s lie may be improved by rolling it a short distance and the ball cleaned of any mud or debris without penalty.
  2. In the rough, play the ball as it lies, unless your club could be damaged, for example, by an embedded rock or tree root. If so, without penalty, move the ball enough to safely hit, but no closer to the pin.
  3. Out-of-bounds (OB) is marked by a row of white stakes or a white line, for example, between Holes #1 and #2, and white lines near or on the cart path on Hole #9. If there are no white stakes or lines, you may play the ball where it lies.
  4. If you hit a shot that may result in the ball being lost or OB, the League says you have two choices (the USGA only allows choice “b”, which is called a stroke and distance):
      1. Look for your ball and follow TSGL rules #5, #7, #8, or #9 below as appropriate. This probably saves you a stroke over “b”.
      2. Hit a provisional shot from where you just hit and then look for your first ball. If it is OB or lost then play the provisional ball, which is laying +3 from your previous shot. For example, if it was your tee shot that went astray, then that astray shot counts as 1 on the hole, then a penalty shot to be allowed to hit a provisional counts as 2, then the provisional shot itself, which counts as 3.
  5. When a ball is OB or lost, drop a ball in a safe position, no closer to the pin, within two club lengths near where the ball crossed the margin of the OB area or the lost area and take a one-stroke penalty.
  6. If your line to the hole is blocked by a man-made object that is not a hazard, for example, the nets between the fourth green and the fifth tee, move your ball to a nearby unobstructed spot without penalty.
  7. At Hole #5, if the ball goes into the pond or into the woods/swamp on the left, drop on the flat area across the pond with a one-stroke penalty.
  8. At Hole #8, The League has a new “Ground Under Repair” (GUR) rule. The rule will be posted in the Clubhouse. The area just before and to the right of the 8th green is a bit of a dumping ground.  If you hit your ball into a trench in that area or into one of the piles (brush, dirt, wood chips, or hay), that is considered to be ground under repair.  You may move your ball to the nearest point of relief away from the trench or pile and then drop your ball within one club length without penalty.  Note that just hitting into a flat area or into the bushes somewhere in the vicinity of the piles does not entitle you to free relief unless the pile interferes with your stance or swing. 
  9. At Hole #9, a ball driven into the pond is dropped in the designated drop area between the tees and the pond with a one-stroke penalty. If a shot from the drop area goes into the pond, drop on the other side of the pond near the bunker with a one-stroke penalty.
  10. At Hole #9, a ball driven out of bounds is dropped to the hole-side of the cart path near the bunker with a one-stroke penalty.
  11. [USGA] If a ball is lost or OB, golfers in the area should assist in the search for the ball, but the search should take no more than three minutes.
  12. [USGA] When dropping a ball in a relief area, for example, a drop zone, the ball should be dropped from knee height. If the ball rolls out of the relief area, it should be placed in the area.
  13. [USGA] Accidentally moving the ball, for example, during a search, on the green, or with a practice swing, does not result in a penalty. Replace the ball as near as possible to its original position.
  14. [USGA] Hitting the flag stick with a putted ball does not result in a penalty.
Golf Club Rules