IHSAAIGA Golf Rules

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IHSAA/IGA Golf Rules Interpretation Meeting
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The IHSAA and the Indiana Golf Association
The Indiana High School Athletic Association
adopts United States Golf Association rules for
interscholastic competitions among member schools
in both regular season events and the IHSAA
tournament series. The Indiana Golf Association
is the empowered entity to make rules
interpretations on behalf of the Association with
regard to USGA rules. Questions regarding the
rules of golf should be referred to the Indiana
Golf Association office. Specific IHSAA rules
associated with the conduct of regular season
events and the tournament series should be
directed to the IHSAA.
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IHSAA- Rules Card

• Embedded Ball as written in the Appendix is in
  effect through the green.
• Coaches Rule will be discussed under Rule 8.
• Cell Phones, Range Finders, MP3 Players Such
  items are deemed illegal for use by players
  during a stipulated round. Use of said items
  shall result in a two stroke penalty.

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Definitions
Definitions are italicized in the Rule Book

• Rule 18-2b Ball at Rest Moving after Address

If a players ball in play moves after he has
addressed it, the player is deemed to have moved
the ball and incurs a penalty of one stroke. The
ball must be replaced, unless the movement began
after the player has begun the stroke or the
backward movement of the club.
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Important Definitions

• Addressing the Ball A player has addressed the
  ball when he has taken his stance and has also
  grounded his club, except that in a hazard a
  player has addressed the ball when he has taken
  his stance.
• Move or Moved A ball is deemed to have moved if
  it leaves its position and comes to rest in any
  other place.
• Stroke is the forward movement of the club made
  with the intention of striking and moving the
  ball. If the player voluntarily checks his
  downswing before the clubhead reaches the ball he
  has not made a stroke.

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Fable Of The Oak Leaf I.
Teeing Ground

• Prior to the first stroke, the players ball is
  accidentally knocked off the tee in the process
  of removing a leaf.
• No penalty, ball is not yet in play
• Rule 11-3 (Ball Falling off Tee)

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Fable Of The Oak Leaf II.
Through The Green

• The player moves the leaf and directly causes the
  ball to move.

NE04

• 1 stroke penalty, replace
• Rule 23-1 refers to the penalty in rule 18-2a

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Fable Of the Oak Leaf III.
Bunker

• The players ball is in a bunker, he removes the
  leaf that is in the same bunker but the ball
  doesnt move.
• 2 stroke penalty
• Rule 13-4c, 23-1

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Fable Of The Oak Leaf IV.
Putting Green

• The player, in the process of removing the leaf
  on a putting green, accidentally moves the ball.
• No penalty, replace
• Rule 18-2a

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• Player Responsibilities

6-1.
The Player and his caddie are responsible for
knowing the rules.
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6-3. Time of Starting and Groups

• a. TIME OF STARTING
• The player shall start at the time laid down by
  the Committee.
• PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 6-3
• Disqualification.

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4-4. Maximum of 14 Clubs

• Count your clubs.
• The player shall start a stipulated round with
  not more than fourteen clubs (Rule 4-4a).

Penalty 2 strokes/hole Maximum of 4 strokes
Player counting clubs, 1st tee.
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6-5. Playing Proper Ball

• Put an identification mark on your ball. If you
  cant identify it as yours, its lost (Rule 27).

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Rule 12-2. Identifying Ball

• A player is permitted to identify his ball in
  any location, including hazards using this
  procedure

• Announce intention to fellow competitor
• Mark the position of the ball
• Allow him to witness lifting and placing

Failure to follow this procedure results in a one
stroke penalty
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6-6. Scoring in Stroke Play

• No alterations after the scorecard is returned.
• Committee defines returned Rule 6-6c/1
• The player and marker shall sign the card

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6-6. Scoring in Stroke Play
Player signs card for a 7 where they got a 6
Player must keep the score they have signed for.
Player signs card for a 6 where they got a 7
The Player is Disqualified.
Player Signs card for a 71 but they shot a 72
Players are responsible for the hole by hole
total. The Committee is responsible for the
addition.
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Practice (Rule 7)
During a hole you may practice swing but not play
a practice stroke.

• Between holes you may practice chip and putt on
  or near the putting green of the hole last played
  or the tee of the next hole but not from a hazard
  (Rule 7-2).

The committee can make a local rule prohibiting
practice from the green of the last hole played.
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8-1. Advice

• You cant GIVE or ASK for advice from anyone
  except your caddie or a partner. (Rule 8-1).

Teammates are not partners.
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IHSAA Revised Coaching Rule

• Coaching (Non-Dual Meets) A single identifiable
  coach may only give advice to players between the
  play of two holes.
• Between the play of two holes is defined by the
  time between holing a putt on one hole and
  hitting a tee shot on the next hole.
• Instructing players while the ball is in play
  shall be considered a violation of Rule 8-Advice.
  
• Advice Penalty Statement
• 2009 Boys Season (2-stroke penalty)
• 2009 Girls Season (2-stroke penalty)
• Coaching (Dual Meets) A single identifiable
  coach may give advice at any time.

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8-1 Advice Examples of Breach of the Rule

• Asking what club someone used
• Asking what type of shot to hit
• Asking what is the best option under the rules

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8-1 Advice Examples where there is no breach

• Asking the location any hazard
• Asking for Rules Information
• Stopping a Rules Violation
• Asking yardage from any point
• Discussing Pace of Play issues

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Rule 3-3 Doubt as to Procedure

• In stroke play only, when during play of a hole a
  competitor is doubtful of his rights, he may,
  without penalty, play a second ball.

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Rule 3-3 Doubt as to Procedure
After the situation which caused the doubt has
arisen, the competitor should, before taking
further action

• 1. Announce to his marker or fellow-competitor
  his decision to invoke this Rule.
• 2. and the ball which he will score if the Rules
  permit.

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3-3. Doubt as to Procedure

• The competitor shall report the facts to the
  Committee before returning his score card.
• If he fails to do so, he shall be
  disqualified.

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Playing the Ball
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13-1. Play the ball as it lies

• Dont touch the ball unless a Rule permits (Rule
  18-2).

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13-2. Dont Improve lie, Area of Intended Stance
or Swing or Line of Play

• A player shall not improve the lie, the area of
  intended stance or swing, line of play or a
  reasonable extension of that line beyond the hole
  by moving, bending or breaking anything fixed or
  growing except in fairly taking the stance or
  making a swing.

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13-2/1 Explanation of Fairly Taking His Stance

• in taking his stance for the selected stroke,
  the player should select the least intrusive
  course of action which results in the minimum
  improvement in the position or lie of the ball,
  area of intended stance or swing or line of play.

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(No Transcript)
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13-4. Before making a stroke at a ball which is
in a hazard (bunker or water hazard) the player
shall not

• a. Test the condition of the hazard or any
  similar hazard
• b. Touch the water or ground in the hazard or
  water hazard with your hand or club or
• c. Touch or move a loose impediment lying in or
  touching the hazard.

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13-4 Exceptions

• Exception 2
• After making the stroke, if the ball is still in
  the hazard, the player may smooth sand or soil
  in the hazard, provided nothing is done to
  improve the line of play.
• If the ball is outside the hazard after the
  stroke, the player may smooth sand or soil in the
  hazard without restriction.

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13-4 Exceptions

• Exception 3
• If the player makes a stroke from a hazard and
  the ball comes to rest in another hazard
• The player may smooth or even take practice
  swings in the bunker that shot was taken.

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Rule 11. Teeing Ground

• Tee off within two club-lengths behind the front
  and outside edges of the tee-markers.

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Rule 11-4b. Playing Outside Teeing Ground --
Stroke Play

• The player incurs a two-stroke penalty and must
  then play from within the proper area.
• Strokes played from outside the teeing ground do
  not count in the players score.

The player must correct the error or be
disqualified.
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14-2. Assistance

• In making a stroke, a player shall not allow his
  caddie or partner to position himself on or close
  to an extension of the line of play or line of
  putt behind the ball.
• PENALTY
• Match play - Loss of hole
• Stroke play - Two strokes.

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Rule 15. Wrong Ball
A player must hole out with the ball played from
the teeing ground, unless the ball is lost, out
of bounds..

• If you play a wrong ball (even in a hazard)
• you incur a two-stroke penalty and must then
• complete play of the hole with the correct ball
  or
• be disqualified.

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Rule 16. Putting Green

• You may lift, and if desired clean, your ball on
  the putting green.
• Always replace it on the exact spot (Rule 16-1b).

Rule 16-1e There is no penalty if the stance is
inadvertently taken on or astride the line of
putt (or an extension of that line behind the
ball) or is taken to avoid standing on another
players line of putt or prospective line of
putt.
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Rule 16-2. Ball Overhanging Hole

• The player is allowed a reasonable amount of time
  to reach the hole Plus an additional 10 seconds
  to determine if the ball is at rest.
• If the ball has not fallen in the hole it is at
  rest and it subsequently falls in the hole, the
  ball is holed with a 1-stroke penalty.

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17-3. Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant

• The players ball shall not strike
• a. The flagstick when attended, removed or held
  up or

Penalty 2-strokes
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17-3. Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant

• The players ball shall not strike
• b. The person attending the flagstick or anything
  carried by that person or

Penalty 2-strokes
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17-3. Ball Striking Flagstick or Attendant

• The players ball shall not strike
• c. The flagstick in the hole, unattended, when
  the ball has been played from the putting green.

Penalty 2-strokes
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Relief Procedures

• Ball at Rest Moved
• Ball in Motion Stopped or Deflected
• Lifting, Dropping, Placing, Replacing

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Ball at Rest Moved -- Rule 18

• If you cause your ball to move, except as
  permitted by the Rules or if it moves after you
  have addressed it, or through the green if its
  movement is directly attributable to the removal
  of the loose impediment, add a penalty stroke and
  replace your ball (18-2).

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Ball at Rest Moved -- Rule 18

• In stroke play, if your ball is moved by someone
  else or by another ball, replace it without
  penalty to you (Rule 18).

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Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped-- Rule 19

• If a players ball is accidentally deflected or
  stopped by himself, his partner or either of
  their caddies or equipment, the player incurs a
  penalty of ONE stroke. The ball must be played
  as it lies.

Teammates are not partners
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Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped-- Rule 19
Stroke Play -- If your ball in motion is
deflected or stopped by someone else, play your
ball as it lies without penalty.

• Exception
• Following a stroke from the putting green
• If your ball in motion is stopped by something
  moving or animate - You must replay.

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Lifting, Dropping and Placing -- Rule 20

• If a dropped ball strikes the player or his
  partner, caddie or equipment, it must be
  re-dropped without penalty (Rule 20-2a).

When dropping, hold the ball at shoulder height
and arms length and drop it.
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The seven times when you are required to
re-drop
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20-2c. When to Re-drop

• (i) rolls into and comes to rest in a hazard

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20-2c. When to Re-drop

• (ii) rolls out of and comes to rest outside a
  hazard

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20-2c. When to Re-drop

• (iii) rolls onto and comes to rest on a putting
  green

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20-2c. When to Re-drop

• (iv) rolls and comes to rest out of bounds

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20-2c. When to Re-drop

• (v) rolls to and comes to rest in a position
  where there is interference by the condition
  from which relief was taken under Rules
• 24-2b (immovable obstruction),
• 25-1 (abnormal ground conditions),
• 25-3 (wrong putting green),
• 25-2 (embedded ball).

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20-2c. When to Re-drop

• (vi) rolls and comes to rest more than two
  club-lengths from where it first struck a part of
  the course

You can almost get 4 clubs relief from a water
hazard You can almost get 3 clubs relief from an
obstruction
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20-2c. When to Re-drop

• (vii) rolls and comes to rest nearer the hole
  than
• the original or estimated position,
• the nearest point of relief or maximum relief
  (Rule 24-25)
• the point where the original last crossed the
  margin of the area or hazard.

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Lifting, Dropping and Placing

• If the ball when re-dropped rolls into any
  position listed above, place it where it first
  struck a part of the course when re-dropped (Rule
  20-2c).

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• Loose Impediments
• Obstructions
• Abnormal Ground Conditions

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Loose Impediments

• Loose impediments are natural objects (such as
  stones and leaves) not fixed or growing, not
  solidly embedded and not adhering to the ball
  (Rule 23).

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Loose Impediments

• You may move them unless the loose impediment and
  your ball lie in or touch the same hazard (Rule
  23-1).

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24. Obstructions

• Obstructions are artificial (i.e., man-made)
  objects.
• There are two types of obstructions
• --MOVABLE
• --IMMOVABLE

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Obstructions

• Objects defining out of bounds such as fence
  posts or stakes and immovable artificial objects
  out of bounds are not obstructions (Rule 24).
• Therefore No relief without penalty!!!!

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Obstructions

• Movable obstructions anywhere may be moved. If
  your ball moves, replace it without penalty (Rule
  24-1).

When a ball is in motion, the flagstick when
removed and equipment of any player may be moved.
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24-2 Immovable Obstruction

• a. Interference
• Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs
  when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or
  when the obstruction interferes with the
  players stance

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24-2 Immovable Obstruction

• a. Interference
• Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs
  when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or
  when the obstruction interferes with the
  players stance, or thearea of his intended
  swing....

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24-2 Immovable Obstruction

• a. Interference
• Otherwise, intervention on the line of play is
  not, of itself, interference under this Rule.

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24-2. Immovable Obstruction
(i) How to take relief Through the Green

• The player shall lift the ball and drop it within
  one club-length of the nearest point of relief.

You must take complete relief. The obstruction
must not interfere with lie, stance or swing.
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Nearest Point of Relief

• The point on the course nearest to where the ball
  lies which
• (a) is not nearer the hole,
• (b) avoids interference (lie, stance, area of
  swing) and
• (c) is not in a hazard or on a putting green.

--It is the spot where the club is grounded in a
simulated address position.
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24-2. Immovable Obstruction

• b. RELIEF
• The nearest point of relief is almost always a
  different spot for a left handed player than for
  a right handed player

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Obstructions

• In a bunker drop in the bunker, and on the
  putting green place in the nearest position which
  affords relief, not nearer the hole.

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Abnormal Ground Conditions

• Except in a water hazard a player may obtain
  relief from an abnormal ground condition (casual
  water, ground under repair, burrowing animal
  hole).
• Drop without penalty within one club-length of
  the nearest point of relief not nearer the hole.

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Relief -- Through the Green Abnormal Ground
Conditions

• The nearest point of relief shall be determined
  which is not in a hazard or on a putting green.

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Relief -- Through the Green Abnormal Ground
Conditions

• The player shall lift the ball and drop it within
  one club-length of the nearest point of relief.

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Rule 24 25 Relief -- Exception
A player may NOT obtain relief under Rule 24 or
25 if

• a) it is clearly unreasonable for him to play a
  stroke because of interference by anything other
  than the condition or

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• Water Hazards
• Lateral Water Hazards

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26-1. Ball in Water Hazard

• In order to treat the ball as lost in the hazard,
  you must be Virtually Certain that the ball is in
  the hazard.
• In the absence of such certainty, the ball must
  be treated as a lost ball and Rule 27 (Lost Ball)
  applies.

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Water Hazard (3 options)

• 1. Play the ball as it lies -- no penalty.
• OR, Under penalty of one stroke
• 2. Play a ball at the spot from which the
  original was last played.
• 3. Drop behind the hazard keeping the point at
  which the original ball last crossed the margin
  of the hazard between the hole and the spot on
  which the ball is dropped.

1
3
2
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Lateral Water Hazard 5 options - Same 3 plus 2

• 1. Play the ball as it lies--no penalty.
• OR, Under penalty of one stroke
• 2. Play a ball under the stroke and distance
  procedure.
• 3. Drop behind the hazard keeping the point
  between the hole and the spot on which the ball
  is dropped.
• 4. Drop 2 club-lengths from the point of entry
  into the hazard.
• 5. Drop 2 club-lengths from point on the opposite
  margin, equidistant from the hole.

1
5
4
3
2
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• Ball Lost or Out of Bounds

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Lost or Out of Bounds
That one might be out, Id better hit a
provisional ball

• If your ball may be lost outside a water hazard
  or out of bounds, you may play a provisional ball
  before you go forward to look for the original,
  provided you announce your intention to do so.

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Lost or Out of Bounds

• If your original ball turns out to be in a water
  hazard or is found outside a water hazard, you
  must abandon the provisional ball (Rule 27-2).

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When do you proceed under the Lost Ball Rule?

• a. It is not found or identified as his by the
  player within the five minutes after the players
  side or his or their caddies have begun to search
  for it

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When do you proceed under the Lost Ball Rule?

• b. The player has put another ball into play
  under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule
  27-1a)

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When do you proceed under the Lost Ball Rule?

• c. The player has made a stroke at a provisional
  ball from the place where the original ball is
  likely to be or from a point nearer the hole than
  that place.

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27-2. Provisional Ball

• b. When Provisional Ball Becomes Ball in Play
• The player may play a provisional ball until he
  reaches the place where the original ball is
  likely to be....

equidistant arc
P3(5)
P2(4)
P1(3)
Original (1)
where original likely to be
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27-2. Provisional Ball

• b. When Provisional Ball Becomes Ball in Play
• If he makes a stroke with the provisional ball
  from the place where the original ball is likely
  to be or from a point nearer the hole than that
  place, the original ball is lost and the
  provisional ball becomes the ball in play under
  penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1).

equidistant arc
P3(5)
P2(4)
Ball in Play (6)
P1(3)
Original (1)
where original likely to be
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Lost or Out of Bounds

• If your ball is lost outside a water hazard or is
  out of bounds, add one penalty stroke and play
  the provisional ball or, if you did not play a
  provisional ball, replay the shot (Rule 27-1).

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Rule 27 Out of Bounds

• The ball is OB when the entire ball is at rest
  OB.
• The OB line is determined by the inside edge of
  the stakes or fence posts

O.B.
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• Ball Unplayable

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Ball Unplayable -- Rule 28

• The player may deem his ball unplayable at any
  place on the course except when the ball is in a
  water hazard.
• The player is the sole judge as to whether his
  ball is unplayable.

If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he
has three options, each includes a one stroke
penalty.
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Ball Unplayable -- Three Options

• 1. Stroke and Distance

2.Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot
where the ball lay, but not nearer to hole.
2
3. Drop a ball, keeping that point directly
between the hole and the spot on which the ball
is dropped.
3
Tee
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