Rules

For the most part, Golf Dinner follows the USGA rules.  There is an exception to the rules regarding a lost ball or ball out of bounds.  Instead of taking a stroke and distance penalty (replaying from previous location), Golf Dinner allows these to be played as a lateral water hazard.  Take a penalty stroke and drop where it crossed out of bounds or was lost.  You do not drop perpendicular to where the ball came to rest.  Desert terrain or ravines, even if not called out by the local golf course, will also be treated as lateral water hazards.

Be honest and count your strokes accurately (flubs, penalty strokes, etc).  That’s why we use handicaps, to level the field.  You don’t have to be anal, for instance if you hit your ball on a practice swing, replace it and move on, no penalty.

If you’re behind a tree, in a bush, etc and can’t hit your ball, take your penalty stroke and drop the ball no closer to the hole.

Putt your putts – no gimmie’s.  If you take a backhand swing and miss, count it.

All devices allowed by the USGA are allowed in Golf Dinner.  Laser range finders without the slope, GPS, brush tees, etc.

DO NOT MOVE YOUR BALL – PLAY IT AS IT LIES.  If in the rocks you can not move your ball so it’s in a clearing or on dirt/grass.  If you can’t or don’t want to hit the ball as it lies, take a penalty stroke and drop.

Teams and tee times will be determined the week before Golf Dinner.  You are responsible for being at the tee at your correct time.  You’re a grown a$$ man.  If you miss your tee off time, you get a score of 3+your handicap for each hole you miss.  If you catch up with your group in the fairway or on the green, that’s still a missed hole.

• All general rules apply
• Each player tees off and then you as a team select which ball you play next.  This is done for each shot until the ball is holed.
• Once you have selected the ball you are playing, each player hits from no more than 1 club length from that ball.
• Don’t be dumb.  If the ball you select is in a sand trap, you can not drop out side the sand trap.  Ball is in a bush, you can not drop out the bush.  Same goes for water hazard, etc.

• Ball in Water Hazard (yellow stakes) – Replay shot from original location (1 stroke penalty) – Drop in line with the hole and teh point where the ball crossed the hazard any distance back (1 stroke penalty) – Play ball in hazard (no penalty)
• Ball in Lateral Water Hazard (red stakes) – Replay shot from original location (1 stroke penalty) – Drop in line with the hole and the point where the ball crossed the hazard any distance back (1 stroke penalty) – Drop within 2 club lengths from the point where the ball crossed the hazard, no closer to the hole (1 stroke penalty) – Drop within 2 club lengths from the point where the ball crossed the hazard on the opposite side of the hazard, no closer to the hole (1 stroke penalty) – Play ball in hazard (no penalty)
• Ball Lost or Out of Bounds (white stakes) – Replay shot from original location (1 stroke penalty) – GD EXCEPTION: use any of the Lateral Water Hazard options with the 1 stroke penalty. You can never hit a ball that is OB without penalty.
• Movable object (hazard stakes, can, rake, etc) – Move object, if ball moves, replace ball (no penalty) – Natural objects, branches, grass, pinecones, rocks can be moved but you incur a 1 stroke penalty if your ball moves. – Out of Bounds markers are never movable
• Immovable object (sprinkler head, cart path, etc) – Determine Nearest Point of Relief. (nearest point where object no longer interferes with stroke, i.e. not standing on cart path), drop within 1 club length no nearer the hole
• Unplayable Ball (in bush, rocks, weeds, etc) – Replay shot from original location (1 stroke penalty) – Drop in line with the hole and where the ball lay, any distance back (1 stroke penalty) – Drop within 2 club lengths of where the ball lay, no near the hole ( 1 stroke penalty) – GD EXCEPTION:  use any of the Lateral Water Hazard options with the 1 stroke penalty if in desert conditions.