Temporary Local Rules

4. PREFERRED LIES ON

Preferred lies are currently in operation.

When a player's ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less , the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:

Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.
Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: 6 inches from the reference point, but with these limits:

Limits on Location of Relief Area:

Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and must be in the general area.

In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

5. LOCAL RULE F-7

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:

(a) Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.

(b) Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.

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 reference point.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

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6 . LOCAL RULE E-12

When a player's ball lies in a part of the marked general area cut to fairway height or less and a putter is not being used for the stroke, the player must take free relief by lifting the original ball and placing the original ball or another ball on an artificial mat and play it from there. The mat must be placed on top of the spot where the ball came to rest.

If a ball when placed rolls off the mat, the player must try to place it a second time. If the ball again does not stay on the mat, the mat must be moved to the nearest spot, not nearer the hole, where the ball will come to rest on the mat when placed.

If the ball on the mat is accidentally moved before a stroke is made, there is no penalty and the ball must be placed again on the mat.

If a tee is used to secure the mat into the ground, the ball must not be placed on the tee.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

7. LOCAL RULE E-4

If a player's ball lies in or touches an aeration hole:

(a) Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole the player may take relief again under this Local Rule.

(b) Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.

But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player's stance or area of intended swing or, on the putting green, on the player's line of play.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: 

General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

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GUIDANCE NOTE FOR LOCAL RULE 1:

This is a significant change from how rules relating to paths have been used before at Hankley, so we wish to provide some guidance to golfers as to how this should work.

Whilst new to Hankley, most clubs have rules in place providing optional relief from artificially surfaced paths. In almost all cases, this is very clear and easy to use - if the ball lies on what is clearly an artificially surfaced path or the player will stand on the path to play their shot, relief is available. The nearest point of complete relief (for both ball AND stance) is found, a Relief Area measured and relief is taken without penalty.

Some key points are outlined below:

• Deciding whether a path is artificially surfaced or has been naturally formed over time may be occasionally difficult. The general rule of thumb is that, if it is clear that material such as gravel, rubber bark or concrete has been deliberately placed in an area, often with a defined edging, this is likely to be an artificial path and free relief is available. If the path is more rough, with some stones, tree roots, sand or mud making up the surface, with no obvious intention of the path being built by green staff deliberately and no artificial surface being put down to form a path, this is not an artificially surfaced path and no relief is available.

• In some places the end of, or edges of artificially surfaced, deliberately constructed paths are hard to determine. The path reaches its end point, but then proceeds through an area of part path, part rough area, before reaching a more normal grass area. The rule of thumb here is that if a great deal of the artificial surface material is present, then this is still the path.  If there is very little such material and is clearly beyond the end or edge of the artificially created path, then no relief is available.

• When taking permitted relief from a path, it is vital that golfers understand that COMPLETE relief must be taken using the nearest point of complete relief, not the nicest point of complete relief, as the reference point for their Relief Area.  

• Complete relief means both the ball AND the stance of the player must be completely away from the path from which relief is being taken. You cannot simply drop the ball on the edge and then stand on the path. This can sometimes lead to the nearest point of complete relief being on the opposite side of the path than originally thought.

• It is strongly recommended that golfers establish where their nearest point of complete relief lies BEFORE picking up the ball in anticipation of relief.  If a player picks their ball up to take relief and then decides that, once they find the Relief Area is in thick heather, they would rather have played from the path, the player will incur a one stroke penalty when replacing the ball as they have caused a ball at rest to move. A great video explaining this point can be found by  clicking here.

Any queries should be directed to the General Manager or their team.