Local rules

[boltonlad]

Hi

I'm fairly new to the game and have never really understood how local rules work. Are clubs allowed to introduce any local rule that they see is fit?

For example, at my local club last weekend they introduced a local rule that all bunkers were lift, rake and place. Even though this wasn't a qualifying competition is this allowed?

 

[Colin L]

Hi, and welcome to the mad obsession of golf!

To be valid, a Local Rule must be approved by the R&A/USGA. Quite a number of the ones a club may use are already approved and you can find them in the Rules of Golf Appendix A and in the Decisions on the Rules of Golf book which is like the case law of the game. The Decisions are numbered 33-8/1 to 33-8/45 so that's quite a few! They start here: http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-33,d33-8-1

Additionally, if a situation arises which a club thinks could be resolved by a local rule which is not already cited, it can ask for authorisation from the R&A/USGA. I've been through that process with the R&A and found them very helpful. What you won't get, however, is a local rule which goes against the existing rules, and on that basis I would not expect your club would ever get authority for its lift, rake and place in a bunker.

 

[boltonlad]

Ah ok I think I understand it better now. Looking at the link you provided, I recognise quite a few of those local rules which makes sense! So in terms of the lift, rake and place as it isn't one of the 'standard' local rules, permission would be needed which would be unlikely to be obtained? Does this mean that the rule shouldn't be in place?

 

[KenL]

I would think that such a local rule can be in place for social or club comps but not in comps that count for handicap.

 

[rulefan]

Ah ok I think I understand it better now. Looking at the link you provided, I recognise quite a few of those local rules which makes sense! So in terms of the lift, rake and place as it isn't one of the 'standard' local rules, permission would be needed which would be unlikely to be obtained? Does this mean that the rule shouldn't be in place?

It certainly cannot be in place for any qualifying rounds. If used it would make them non qualifiers.

The danger in publishing such a local rule for social golf is that someone thinking that hey can use the rule when returning a supplementary score would find that hadn't got a legal score. Further, it makes people believe it is a legitimate local rule.