Ohio Golf Journal July 2018

I was at my local club and noticed a sign on the counter, “Please excuse the state of our bunkers. We are currently reshaping and UHĆOOLQJ WKHVH KD]DUGV IRU better future play. You may take free relief during this process.” Under normal playing conditions, there is no current rule to allow free relief from When the Rules Don’t Apply By Richard Todd a hazard. So how can an individual course allow such an action? The answer: ‘ local rule ’. A local rule is the permissible change to the standard rules of golf by the course committee in order to protect the course or the player due to local and DEQRUPDO SOD\LQJ FRQGLWLRQV b b In this case, if a ball lands in a hazard, the golfer can pick it up and drop the ball into play outside the bunker within a club length of the nearest point of relief, but not nearer the hole. b The most common ‘local rule’ is ‘winter rules’, known as preferred lies. This permits a golfer to lift, clean, and place his ball due to playing conditions that could damage the course if the ball is played as it lies. b Other local changes by a course include attire, such as no metal spiked shoes or the requirement of colored shirts or pants. b Howabout stones in bunkers? Again, normally not allowed to be moved but if the course is having trouble maintaining the conditions, this can be permitted. Golf fans recently saw this rule being used at Shinnecock Ohio Golf Journal