PHGA Rules of Play
General
The PHGA follows the USGA rules as posted on the USGA website (www.USGA.org). Compliance and understanding of these rules by all members is required. Individual players and/or a foursome group making or allowing adjustments to these rules will not be accepted as official scores.
Palatine Hills Golf Course Local Rules
The PHGA follows the local rules as described on Palatine Hills Golf Course scorecard.
- Players must take relief from flower beds and new plantings
- Metal edging on holes 6, 7, 16, 17 and 18 defines the hazard (Penalty Area). Balls touching the edging or under the edging are considered in the hazard. For balls not touching or under the edging swing and stance relief from metal edging.
PHGA Local Rule #1 - Preferred Lies (Winter Rules) and Adverse Course Conditions
When: Preferred lies are allowed on holes designated by Palatine Hills Golf Course 1) as cart path only or 2) as having adverse conditions as posted in the Pro Shop.
Relief: A ball lying in the “general area” (that is, the area previously known as “through the green” cut to fairway height or less) may be lifted without penalty and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within six inches of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.
PHGA Local Rule #2 - Alternative to Stroke and Distance
When: For a ball lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds.
Relief: “When a player’s ball cannot be 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.
Video Explanation: USGA Video
For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or a substituted ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):
Two Estimated Reference Points:
a. Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball:
Is estimated to have come to rest on the course, or
Last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.
b. Fairway Reference Point: The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point, but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point.
For purposes of this Local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.
Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points: Anywhere between:
A line from the hole through the ball reference point (or within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and
A line from the hole through the fairway reference point (or within two club-lengths to the outside of that line).
But with these limits:
Limits on Location of Relief Area:
Must be in the general area, and
Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.
But, the player may not use this option when:
The ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or
The player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.3).”
Relief for Lost Ball or Out of Bounds Around the Green
