GOT League

Rules and Policies

 
  1. Rules - Follow USGA rules with the following exceptions and Local Rules:
    1. Preferred Lies or Winter Rule (Model Local Rule 8E-3)
      1. When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the player may take free relief once by,  placing or rolling with a club, the ball within a 6 inches, no closer to the hole.
      2.  If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other rule apply.
      3. Note: "general area" means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.
      4. Exception: A player may not take relief under this Local Rule if interference by anything that makes the stroke clearly impracticable.
    2. Penalty Area (formally Water Hazards) - B-3 Provisional Ball for Ball in a Penalty Area (Basic Water Hazard Rule) - “If a player does not know whether his or her ball is in the penalty area, the player may play a provisional ball under Rule 18.3,
    3. Root Rule
      1. In order to avoid injury or club damage due to roots, a player may pick up and place the ball. In fairness, the player must seek a new lie which closely duplicates the shot faced prior to moving the ball.The rule does not apply if a tree or bush etc, impedes the swing or stance.
      2. The rule is in the spirit of the Exception in USGA rule 16.1a, "When playing your ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something other the root condition exists"
    4. Out of bounds or Lost ball Options
      1. Normal Stroke and Distance rules apply.
      2. Model Local Rule E-5: Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds
        1. This option allows the player to drop in a large area between the point where the ball is estimated to have come to rest or gone out of bounds and the edge of the fairway of the hole being played that is not nearer the hole.
        2. The player gets two penalty strokes when using this relief option. This means that the relief is comparable to what could have been achieved if the player had taken stroke-and-distance relief.
        3. This Local Rule cannot be used for an unplayable ball, or for a ball that is known or virtually certain to be in a penalty area.
        4. If a provisional ball is played and neither the original ball nor the provisional ball can be found, then the Local Rule may be applied for the provisional ball that cannot be found.
    5. Penalty Area -  only two consecutive attempts to clear a penalty area, after the second attempt the player may drop the ball across the penalty area with a stroke penalty.
    6. Aeration Holes - Model Local Rule 4-E - “If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole:
      1. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole the player may take relief again under this Local Rule.
      2. But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or, on the putting green, on the player’s line of play.
    7. Model Local Rule G-8- Rule 4.3a(4) is modified in this way: During a round, a player must not listen to or watch content of any nature on a personal audio or video device.
    8. Rule 16.1 and Model Local Rule F-5 - Line of Play relief from interference by an immovable obstruction (ie Sprinkler Head) may be taken when such immovable obstructions are close to the putting green and on the line of play:
      1. Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b if all the below criteria are met:
        1. On the line of play
        2. Within two club-lengths of the putting green
        3. Within two club-lengths of the ball.
      2. Exception – No Relief If Line of Play Clearly Unreasonable. There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.

  2. Policies
    1. Team splits after a season, are not guaranteed a position the following season. The committee will decide based on several criteria including reason for split, available team slots, and player s longevity in the league.
    2. Substitute player who wish to become regular players will be prioritize based on when the player indicates that would like to be a regular member.
    3. Number of team remains constant unless majority of current league members vote to change it.
    4. New players must provide a valid verifiable handicap. Players without a verifiable handicap will be assign a handicap by the league committee based on information provided by the player, this handicap is subject to change at the discretion of the league committee until the player enters 3 league scores.
    5. League play is Net Match play, 2 member teams, 3 points per match, one point for each individual match and one point for the team best ball.
    6. Handicaps are calculated based on league play only; no scores outside league play will be used except when a new player joins the league.
    7. As noted in USGA Handicap Manual Section 3-4, players may have a handicap index above the stated maximum handicap index limit.
    8. Forfeits will no longer occur, the software will place a "ghost" player who will have the average score plus 3 strokes and average handicap on that particular day.