Local Rules
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- Relating to the Double Green for Holes 9 & 12:
When a player's ball lies on the putting green of Hole 9, interference does not exist
for the player's stance on the putting green of Hole 12 or the reverse. - Alternative to Stoke and distance for Lost Ball or Out of Bounds:
When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of
bounds, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in
the relief area, for two penalty strokes.
Excluded Holes; all our Par 3’s: 2, 6, 11, 13, 15 & 16
This Local Rule is NOT available in Competition or Handicap Qualifying Rounds - Relating to Penalty Areas:
3a) Holes 16, 17 & 18
When playing these holes; if the ball enters any burn as the result of a stroke played
from greenside of the burns, relief may be taken as per a Red Penalty area including
from the opposite side of the burn.
3b) When a penalty area adjoins a boundary, the penalty area extends to and
coincides with the boundary.
3c) When a player’s ball is found in or it is known or virtually certain to have come to
rest in any penalty area where the ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area at a
point that coincides with the boundary of the course, opposite side relief is available. - Relief from Aeration Holes on the Putting Greens:
When a ball is on a Putting Green, recent aeration holes could interfere with the lie,
in which case the player may take relief under Rule 16.1d, but, interference does not
exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s line of play. - Embedded Ball protocol:
Rule 16.3 is modified in this way: No free relief is allowed for a ball embedded in the
soiled areas above a bunker. - Practise on or near Previous Putting Green
In Strokeplay Qualifying Competitions or Rounds, a player must not:Make any practise stroke on or near the putting green of the hole just completed,
or
Test the surface of that putting green by rubbing same or rolling a ball - Relief from Seams of Cut Turf
If a player’s ball lies in or touches a seam of cut turf or a seam interferes with the
player’s area of intended swing:
Ball in the General Area; player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
But interference does not exist if the seam only interferes with the player’s stance.
All seams within the area of cut turf are treated as the same seam in taking relief.
This means that if a player has interference from any seam after dropping the ball,
the player must proceed as required under Rule 14.3c(2) even when the ball is still
within one club-length of the relief point. - No Play Zones – Young Trees
The areas to the left of the ninth fairway (beyond the eighth green) and to the left of
the twelfth fairway defined by Blue Stakes are no play zones (NPZ) that must be
treated, until further notice, as an abnormal course condition.
To protect the recently planted saplings, a ball must not be played from within these
areas.
Free relief must be taken from interference by the NPZ under Rule 16.1f using the
procedure under Rule 16.1b (the nearest point of compete relief).
Note: the nearest points of complete relief will be:
When playing the 8th – the Drop Zone to the North of the nursery area
When playing the 9th – outside the NPZ, between the NPZ and the 9th fairway
When playing the 12th – playing this hole ONLY, the NPZ includes the adjacent
wooded conifer area, so the nearest point of compete relief is either the area
between the NPZ and the drainage channel or the area between the NPZ and the
12th fairway.
Additionally, any young trees on the course identified by a stake or plastic surround
are deemed to be no play zones. Therefore:
If a player’s ball lies anywhere on the course and it touches such a tree or such a tree
interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player must take
relief under Rule 16.1f. using the procedure under Rule 16.1b
Rules & Technical Committee
Balmore Golf Club
31st March 2024
COVID19 Temporary Local Rules: There are presently none in place.