Rule 16.1 Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions)

This Rule covers free relief that is allowed from interference by animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstructions or temporary water: These are collectively called abnormal course conditions, but each has a separate Definition.

a. When Relief Is Allowed

(1) Meaning of Interference by Abnormal Course Condition. Interference exists when any one of these is true:

• The player’s ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course condition,
• An abnormal course condition physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing, or
• Only when the ball is on the putting green, an abnormal course condition on or off the putting green intervenes on the line of play.

If the abnormal course condition is close enough to distract the player but does not meet any of these requirements, there is no interference under this Rule.

b. Relief for Ball in General Area

If a player’s ball is in the general area and there is interference by an abnormal course condition on the course, the player may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):

• Reference Point: The nearest point of complete relief in the general area.
• Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: One club-length, but with these limits:
• Limits on Location of Relief Area:
  • Must be in the general area,
  • Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and
  • There must be complete relief from all interference by the abnormal course condition.

Definition of General Area

The area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas:

1. the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole he or she is playing,
2. all penalty areas,
3. all bunkers, and
4. the putting green of the hole the player is playing.

The general area includes:

• All teeing locations on the course other than the teeing area, and
• All wrong greens.

21.2 Maximum Score

a. Overview of Maximum Score

Maximum Score is a form of stroke play where a player’s or side’s score for a hole is capped at a maximum number of strokes set by the Committee, such as two times par, a fixed number or net double bogey.

The normal Rules for stroke play in Rules 1-20 apply, as modified by these specific Rules. Rule 21.2 is written for:

• Scratch competitions, but can be adapted for handicap competitions as well, and
• Individual play, but can be adapted for competitions involving partners, as modified by Rules 22 (Foursomes) and 23 (Four-Ball), and for team competitions, as modified by Rule 24.

b. Scoring in Maximum Score

(1) Player’s Score on Hole. A player’s score for a hole is based on the player’s number of strokes (including strokes made and penalty strokes), except that the player will get only the maximum score even if the actual score exceeds the maximum.

A player who does not hole out under the Rules for any reason gets the maximum score for the hole.

To help pace of play, players are encouraged to stop playing a hole when their score has reached the maximum.

The hole is completed when the player holes out, chooses not to do so or when his or her score has reached the maximum.

(2) Score Entered for Each Hole. To meet the requirements in Rule 3.3b for entering hole scores on the scorecard:

• If Hole Is Completed by Holing Out:
• When Score Is Lower Than Maximum. The scorecard must show the actual score.
• When Score Is Same as or Higher Than Maximum. The scorecard must show either no score or any score at or above the maximum.
• If Hole Is Completed Without Holing Out. If the player does not hole out under the Rules, the scorecard must show either no score or any score at or above the maximum.

The Committee is responsible for adjusting the player’s score to the maximum for any hole where the scorecard shows either no score or any score above the maximum and, in a handicap competition, for applying handicap strokes to the score entered for each hole.

c. Penalties in Maximum Score

All penalties that apply in stroke play apply in Maximum Score, except that a player who breaches any of these four Rules is not disqualified but gets the maximum score for the hole where the breach happened:

• Failure to hole out under Rule 3.3c,
• Failure to correct mistake of playing from outside the teeing area in starting a hole (see Rule 6.1b(2)),
• Failure to correct mistake of playing a wrong ball (see Rule 6.3c), or
• Failure to correct mistake of playing from a wrong place when there is a serious breach (see Rule 14.7b).

If the player breaches any other Rule with a penalty of disqualification, the player is disqualified.

After applying any penalty strokes, the player’s score for a hole cannot exceed the maximum score set by the Committee.

9.6 Ball Lifted or Moved by Outside Influence

If it is known or virtually certain that an outside influence (including another player in stroke play or another ball) lifted or moved a player’s ball:

• There is no penalty, and
• The ball must be replaced on its original spot (which if not known must be estimated) (see Rule 14.2).

This applies whether or not the player’s ball has been found.

But if it is not known or virtually certain that the ball was lifted or moved by an outside influence and the ball is lost, the player must take stroke-and-distance relief under Rule 18.2.

If the player’s ball is played as a wrong ball by another player, that is covered by Rule 6.3c(2), not by this Rule.

Penalty for Playing Incorrectly Substituted Ball or Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 9.6: General Penalty Under Rule 6.3b or 14.7a.

If multiple Rule breaches result from a single act or related acts, see Rule 1.3c(4).

Definition of Outside Influence

Any of these people or things that can affect what happens to a player’s ball or equipment or to the course:

• Any person (including another player), except the player or his or her caddie or the player’s partner or opponent or any of their caddies,
• Any animal, and
• Any natural or artificial object or anything else (including another ball in motion), except for natural forces.

-Calendar-

Mar 06 - Nth Turramurra
Mar 20 - Nth Turramurra
Apr 03 - Nth Turramurra
Apr 17 - Nth Turramurra
May 01 - Nth Turramurra
May 15 - Nth Turramurra
May 29 - Nth Turramurra
Jun 05 - Nth Turramurra
Jun 19 - Nth Turramurra

The New Rules of Golf - Effective 1st January 2019

You can find a new rules flyer from Golf Australia in this PDF file and a new rules poster in this PDF file.

The Main Changes

1. New dropping height.

All drops must be from knee height.

2. New dropping procedure.

Ball must land in and come to rest in relief area.

3. Time reduced for search.

Ball is lost if not found within 3 minutes.

4. Putting with flagstick in.

Hitting unattended flagstick in hole now allowed when putting.

5. Spike mark repair on green.

Repair of almost any damage to green now allowed.

6. Ball or ball-marker moved on green.

No penalty for accidental movement of ball or ball-marker on green.

7. Ball accidentally moved while searching.

Replace ball with no penalty.

8. Loose impediments in bunker or penalty area.

Removal of loose impediments in bunker or penalty area now allowed.

9. Touching Line of play on green.

Touching line of play on green now allowed.

10. READY GOLF.

(in Stableford, Stroke Play, Par)
The new rules actively encourage Ready Golf.

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