News

Play It Safe During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The following guidelines should be followed to provide for a safe environment for you and your fellow golfers.

  • If you have a fever, cough or other symptom of COVID-19, please stay home.
  • Wear a facemask in the parking lot, in and around the Club House including on the practice green, and whenever you can not maintain a social distance of 6' from others.
  • Stay away from the starting area until the previous group has left the tee.
  • Leave the course after completing your round; do not congregate behind the 18th green or in the parking lot. 

Posting Scores under the World Handicap System (Updated)

The World Handicap system limits the maximum score on a hole, to Net Double Bogey (Par + 2 Strokes + Handicap Strokes). To use Net Double Bogey, golfers will need to know on which holes they receive strokes. As an alternative to posting an adjusted score, both the NCGA and GHIN apps and the computer in the Pro Shop, support entering unadjusted hole-by-hole scores. The allowable score for each hole will be determine by the posting site. 

Clarification on Maximum Score

Following the updating of the Rules of Golf in 2019, the Committee adopted a Maximum Score form of play for our weekly stroke play competitions. The maximum score allowed on any hole is 9. After making 8 strokes, a golfer must pick up his ball a record a score of 9. A golfer can pick up anytime before holing out and record a score of 9. The maximum score for competition purposes (9) is distinct from the maximum score allowed for handicap purposes (net double bogey). A golfer who picks up his ball after reaching the maximum score for handicap posting must still record a score of 9 on the hole for competition. In the competition, all stokes (up to the maximum of 9) are counted, even if some of those strokes will not be included in the next calculation of a golfer's handicap.

Fifteen Rules Every Golfer Should Know

  1. If a ball moves accidentally during a search, just replace it. There is no penalty. 
  2. If a ball moves on the green after being marked, just replace it. There is no penalty.
  3. You can always repair damage on the green.
  4. You can touch your line of play.
  5. You can leave the flag stick in.
  6. In a bunker, you can remove loose impediments, but if your ball moves, it must be replaced and there is a 1 stroke penalty.
  7. In a penalty area, you can ground your club, take a practice swing, touch water, and remove loose impediments or for a 1 stroke penalty you take relief outside the penalty area.
  8. When taking relief, drop from knee height in the relief area. The size of the relief area depends on the rule under which relief is being taken.
  9. When taking relief from a penalty area, there are 2 options for an area marked by a yellow line or stakes and 3 options for an area marked by a red line or stakes:
             - Stroke and distance (yellow or red);
             - Back on line (yellow or red);
             - Lateral (red only).
  10. You can always change balls when taking relief.
  11. There is no penalty for accidental deflections including double hits and normally the ball is played as it lies. If the ball is intentionally deflected or stopped, the ball is normally placed where it would have likely come to rest. A penalty stroke may apply depending on the circumstances (see Rule 11).
  12. The search for a lost ball begins when a player reaches the area in which the ball is lost and the search time is limited to 3 minutes.
  13. A play may not use any device or person to help with alignment for making a stroke.
  14. A damaged club may not be replaced during a round, but a player can continue to use the damaged club or may repair and continue to use the club, if done without delay.
  15. A yardage book or similar electron device must comply with USGA the limits on scale.

Guidance for Scoring Holes not Played 
The NCGA has provided guidance on posting for holes not played or not completed.  If a golfer plays at least 7 holes, but less than 14 holes, the golfer should post a score for 9 holes. If the golfer plays 14 holes or more then the golfer should post a score for 18 holes. For a hole not played, the golfer should estimate his or her most likely score which is normally par plus any handicap strokes. For a hole a hole not completed, if the ball is on the green and within 5 feet of the cup, the golfer should add one stroke to the number of strokes already taken. If the ball is on the green and between 5 feet and 20 feet of the cup, the golfer should add 2 additional strokes to his or her score. If the ball is more than 20 feet from the cup, the golfer should add 3 or 4 strokes to his or her score depending on the golfer’s playing ability and the situation. (Note: SIR 146 Golf has adopted a maximum score local rule. In SIR 146 competitions, a golfer would record the maximum score for any hole not completed or not played.)

Pace of Play Recommendations

Pace of Play is problem at all levels of golf and slow play hampers our ability to recruit new members. Check out Rule 5.6 which covers the issues of unreasonable delay and prompt pace of play. Here are several things you can do to keep your round going smoothly:

  • Manage your cart more efficiently. When sharing a cart, don't wait in the cart while your cart mate hits and then drive to your ball. Grab a few clubs and walk to your ball or drop off your cart mate and drive to your ball. After making your shot, return and pick up your cart mate. Park your cart where you'll exit the green, leave the area in front of the green clear for the following group to hit their approach shots. And finally, wait until you're at the next tee to record scores.
  • Always play your shot before aiding in the search for a lost ball. Playing before searching can shave minutes off the time required to complete a hole.
  • Stay in position. The correct position is immediately behind the group in front of you, not immediately in front of the group behind you.
  • Know the Rules of Golf, particularly Rules 15 and 16 covering free relief and Rules 17, 18 and 19 covering penalty relief. Knowing your options will permit you to make quicker and better decisions.

The Committee is also doing its part to speed up the pace of play. The Committee has adopted a local rule which provides at alternative procedure for stroke and distance relief for a lost ball or a ball hit out of bounds. For a two stroke penalty, a golfer may drop a ball in a relief area which is defined, in part, by a point on nearest fairway plus two club lengths instead of returning to the spot where the previous stroke was made. The Committee has also adopted a local rule which sets the maximum score on any hole at 9 strokes. Once a golfer has made his 8th stroke, he should pick up his ball and record a score of 9.

-Updated 4/2/2021