January 2023

Message from Ron Hanson (2023 Foxtail Men's Club Rules & Handicap Chairman)

New USGA Rules for 2023

*  Modification for player with disabilities
*  Handicap usage in stroke play
*  Club damage during round
*  Ball moved by natural forces
*  Back-on-the-Line relief procedure

For details and explanations of USGA rules, please see www.usga.org/2023rules. 

Foxtail Golf Course Local Rules

All local rules for the North and South courses are provided on the back of the Foxtail scorecard.  For your convenience, the local rules are provided below.

• Alternate to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball 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 proceed under USGA Rule E-5 under a 2-stroke penalty.
  
• Protection of Young Tees: The young trees identified by stakes are no play zones:
  o  If a player’s ball lies anywhere on the course other than in a penalty area and it lies in or 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.
  o  If the ball lies in a penalty area, and interference to the player’s stance or area of intended swing exists from such a tree, the player must take relief either
      with penalty under Rule 17.1e or with free relief under rule 17.1e(2).
  
• Immovable Obstructions Close to Putting Green: Relief from interference by an immovable obstruction may be taken under Rule 16.1. The player also has these extra options to take relief when such immovable obstructions are close to the putting green and on the line of play: Ball in general area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b if an immovable obstruction is on the line of play, and is:
  o  Within two club lengths of the putting green, and
  o  Within two club lengths of the ball.
  
  Exception – No Relief if Line of Play Clearly Unreasonable. There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.

Winter Rules
When the club plays events under Winter Rules, all players must abide by the following procedures:

Fairways: lift, clean and place within 1 club length, no closer to the hole without changing cuts
Rough: lift, clean and place within 1 club length, no closer to the hole without changing cuts Fringe- lift, clean and replace
Bunkers: lift, clean and place nearest playable point. Must remain in bunker. 1 stroke penalty to remove from bunker
Red and Yellow staked areas: NO FREE RELIEF (see below for options)

Penalty Area Relief: Penalty areas are one of the five defined areas of the course and can be marked as either red or yellow. When your ball lies in a penalty area:

• You can play it as it lies.
• Take relief outside the penalty area for one penalty stroke.
• You can play from where your last stroke was made (stroke and distance).
• Take back-on-the-line relief by going back as far as you’d like on the line between the hole and where your ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area. One stroke penalty.
• In a red penalty area, you have one additional relief option, which is to take lateral relief within two club-lengths of where your ball last crossed into the penalty area. One stroke penalty

If you have questions about rules or handicap issues, you may email Ron at ronhanson36@gmail.com.