Rules

Updated March, 2019

1. All native grass areas are to be treated as a Penalty Area.

2. All permanent Red and Yellow Penalty Area stakes are considered Immovable Obstructions. Free relief of swing, stance and line of sight, no closer to the hole, without improving the condition of play. For example, if your ball is in the Penalty Area, relief must be taken within the Penalty Area.

3. All mulched and pine needle areas, and flower pots are considered No Play Zones.  Mandatory drop, no penalty, no nearer the hole.

4. Unmarked rock drainage is considered Ground Under Repair.

5. All birdhouses and greenside fans are considered Temporary Immovable Obstructions.  Free relief of swing, stance and line of sight.

6. Washed out areas in bunkers may be played as Ground Under Repair.  Free relief by dropping ball back in bunker no closer to the hole.

Course Handicap

Rule Change for 2020: A Course Handicap represents the number of strokes a player receives in relation to the Par of the tees being played.

The formula includes a Course Rating minus Par adjustment:

 Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (Course Rating – Par) 

Reasons for Change: 

Under the USGA Handicap System, when players competed from different tees, a Course Handicap adjustment based on the Course Rating difference had to take place to make the game fair.

Applying Course Rating minus Par within the Course Handicap calculation allows players to compete from different tees without any adjustment – unless a difference in Par exists. 

A score of Net Par is used for holes not played, and the maximum hole score for handicap purposes is a Net Double Bogey. Having a Course Handicap that is relative to Par ensures that the correct number of strokes are received and applied for both procedures.

Net Double Bogey

Click here for an explanation of  your maximum score for Handicapping purposes as a Net Double Bogey.  An example is also provided.

Click here for a Handy Cheat Sheet for calculating adjusted scores.

● Maintain the “Spirit of the Game” with a kind and gentle tone of communication.

● Take every opportunity to help our members understand the Rules, how to use the “Rules” books and other educational tools.

● Emphasize etiquette, pace of play and care of the golf course.

● Always be willing to say “I don’t know, but I will find out for you.” No answer is better than misinformation.

● The Rules of Golf are a tool to assist the player, not to punish. With the changes of 2019, this is an even greater emphasis.

● Understanding terms and definitions - see pages 136-148 in the Players Edition of Rules of Golf book. Continue to learn and become more knowledgeable of the rules of golf and changes starting in 2019.

2024

New BVWGC Play Day Rule:

When red and gold players share a tee box (ie. Par 3s and some Par 4s), the gold player is to tee the ball where the gold plaque is on the tee box, but must be aligned between the red tee markers. 

2022

There was a question during play on June 2nd about a putt ball hitting another.  Rule 11A:  if your ball in motion hits another ball at rest on the putting green and both balls were on the putting green before your stroke (putt), you get the general penalty (2 strokes for the person whose ball hit the ball at rest).  In other words, the person putting is responsible to ask others to mark ball if it interferes with her line or at risk of getting hit by accident.

There have been several questions over the last few weeks regarding how to play the water hazard on #5 of the Country Club (over the creek hole). The water hazard is not marked but it is a water hazard. I have spoken with Daryl and it will be marked for the BVWGC club championship but may not be marked before then because of the frequency of flooding on that hole. According to Daryl, the hazard begins at the tall grass cut line. Therefore, if your ball rolls into the tall cut line or up to or into the rocks, you are in the hazard. BVWGC does have a drop zone on this hole. If you roll into the cut line you may choose to hit from the hazard or take relief across the creek on the drop zone. If you take relief in the drop zone, it is a one stroke penalty. 

Also - please note that BVWGC does have some BVWGC specific course conditions rules that can be found in the BVWGC handbook link on the home page here.

2020

As a result of the board meeting on 8/28/2020, a couple of rules will go into effect immediately, as follows:

1)  Scotsdale Hole #12

The WGC player will now have a choice on hole #12 at Scotsdale. The player can attempt to hit a drive as normal or they can forego the drive attempt and proceed to the drop zone; take the stroke for the drive and penalty (just as if they hit the drive into the penalty area), hitting 3rd shot from the drop zone.

2)  Starting the Hole (Teeing Area) 

This rule is being clarified for the GOLD tee boxes since they do not have specific markers.

USGA Rule 6.2(b)

The teeing area is where you start each hole and is one of the five defined areas of the course. It has a defined size and shape that is a two club-length deep rectangle measured from the tee markers you are playing your round from. You can stand outside the teeing area as long as your ball is within the teeing area. If the gold marker is near the red tee box, you may use the red teeing area.

Golfers know they cannot tee up their ball on a hole ahead of the tee markers from the tees they are playing. That’s against the rules and comes with a severe penalty of two strokes and then needing to play a ball from what’s officially dubbed the teeing ground.