TRGA BASICS (Traditional Rules of Golf)

[lagpressure]

TRGA BASICS (The One Page Rule Book)

Play The Ball As It Lies:

If a player chooses to not play the ball as it lies, the player may use the universal
drop procedure.

Universal Drop Procedure:

Any ball off the fairway that is deemed unplayable by the player can be put back into play from a point in the center of the fairway perpendicular to where the unplayable ball had come to rest (or is believed to have come to rest if not visible or found… tall brush, water, lost etc).

The player plays the next shot with a one stroke penalty moving to the center of the fairway perpendicular to where the ball is or was last believed located. The player then proceeds backwards 30 yards dropping the ball over their shoulder while facing the hole.

The universal drop procedure covers “out of bounds”, hazards of any kind, lateral or otherwise, sand, water, tall grass or any situation where the player chooses not to play the ball.

Play the ball as it lies, or take the 30 yard penalty with one stroke assessed.

If a player finds his ball in a hazard, the player may play the ball from where it lies without penalty and proceed. Relief seeked from greenside situations are taken back 30 yards from the front edge of the green. If water or other green fronting hazard exists, a designated local drop area should be presented.

A player may look for his ball for no more than 3 minutes once arriving in the general vicinity of it’s suspected location.

A player may not play a shot from beyond any obvious golf course boundary such as a road, fence or a backyard.

In Fairway Relief Situations

A player may take relief from sprinkler heads, drain covers or other similar objects that would clearly lie in the fairway, not off the fairway, and this relief is only for the ball and reasonable risk of contact with the club while striking a shot. Relief from stance is not allowed. Relief may be taken with two paces of where the ball rested then dropped over the shoulder.

A player may take relief if their ball lies upon a cart path or against it or suspected contact with it might occur from playing a shot, however relief from stance alone is not permitted. Drop same as above.

A player may take relief from a staked tree or sapling only if the swing of the player poses a significant threat to the safety and well being of the protected plant. A mature tree with a stake still attached, but clearly no longer required for it’s safety, would not qualify for relief. Drop to nearest full relief, as above.

Additional Rules:

You may putt with the pin in the hole. There is no attending the pin… pull it, or leave it in.

If you are off the green, the pin stays in.

You may give and receive advice on the course, but are not required to do so…

You may tap down spike marks, ball marks, and fix the cup.

Drops are taken facing the hole and over the shoulder.

There are no provisional balls.

### RULES OFFICIATING

Disputes on the course as to where drops should be taken or other disputes, should be resolved within the group first, but if a dispute still continues, the tournament rules official will hear both (all) sides after the round, and decide if the player received a significant unfair advantage. If the official deems the drop or inequity proposed by the opponent was significantly questionable, a one stroke penalty may be assessed and the decision will be final without contest. Players agree to the authority given the designated ruling official before commencing play.

[lagpressure]

Historical References

1809/ 10. If a ball is lost on the green, the player shall drop another behind the place where the other was lost, and lose one.

Unplayable…1920: Ball now can be ‘deemed’ unplayable anywhere on the course; penalty stroke and distance in match play, stroke and distance or tee behind the place for 2 strokes in stroke play.

Although a ball could be declared unplayable anywhere at this time, if a player’s ball was in a water hazard, by following the water hazard Rule he could get back into play for one penalty stroke instead of two in stroke play

The first ‘procedure’ for dropping a ball came in 1754: throwing it behind a water hazard ‘six yards at least’.

1950 penalties reduced to distance only for lost, out of bounds and unplayable.

1952 Lost, Unplayable, OOB all under same rule and penalties. Player is sole judge whether his ball is unplayable, and it can be declared Unplayable anywhere.

1960 USGA. reduced penalty to 1 stroke and removed Provisional option.

1968 R&A. OB penalty reduced to 1 stroke, no provisional.

In 1908 the new procedure of dropping over the shoulder introduced.

1851 With the consent of one’s adversary, a player could lift and drop behind the place for 1 penalty stroke.

Leith code of 1775, the rule was stroke only, and a player dropped a ball where he judged the original was lost.

1964 USGA allowed a stroke-only option if it was felt that stroke and distance would be “'unduly severe.”

1956 Ball may be declared lost by player.

1947 (USGA) said "It is impossible to lay down exact rules to govern always the play of a ball which lies in a water hazard.

The five minute time limit for searching for a lost ball was introduced by the Aberdeen Golfers in 1783.

1812 XIII. All loose impediments of whatever kind, may be removed upon the putting green.

1891 all balls must be holed out in SP.

1899 ball must not be pushed scraped or spooned.

1899 play on putting green when another ball in motion, 1 penalty stroke.

No practice on the course and ‘undue delay’ introduced 1950

R&A 1891 The rectangular shape of the teeing ground is stipulated for the first time: a ball must not be teed in front of, nor on either side of, nor more than two club lengths behind the teeing markers.

The wooden tee peg was patented in 1899 by George F. Grant

Through the green was first defined in 1899, as being all parts of the course except hazards and the putting green. The teeing ground was added to the definition in 1933.

The hole size was standardised in 1891 at the dimensions of today.

1956 No penalty for striking an unattended flagstick from any distance.

1960 Lifting a ball on the putting green was allowed, so cleaning was added to the list.

Burntisland 1828, which allowed the removal of ‘loose obstructions’ on the fair green.

Practice anywhere on the course was prohibited from 1950 (1952 in USGA); at the same time playing a practice stroke during play was also banned.

giving unsolicited advice was not an offence until 1947 (USGA) and 1952 (R&A).

The competitor was obliged to countersign his card for a brief period, 1899-1901

Steel shafts were initially banned by the R&A and USGA in 1914 as “not a permissible departure from the traditional form and make of golf clubs”. However, following further developments and pressure from manufacturers, the increasingly popular steel shafts were legalised in April 1924 by the USGA, and in Sept 1929 by the R&A, the main reasons being that steel shafts conferred no playing advantages, and conservation of the world’s supply of hickory.

1909 The Rules of Golf Committee is, however, of opinion that it is not allowable to employ the vertical croquet stroke as a method of putting.

July 1921 deeply grooved irons made illegal by the R&A.

1947 USGA. Grips must be substantially straight and plain, but may have flat sides.

1952 Putter shafts may be fixed at any point in the head.

steel shafts were legalised in April 1924 by the USGA, and in Sept 1929 by the R&A, the main reasons being that steel shafts conferred no playing advantages, and conservation of the world’s supply of hickory.

Legal number of clubs carried becomes 14 on 1 Jan 1938; the R&A followed suit 1 May, 1939.

[lagpressure]

TRGA RULES OF GOLF (OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT PLAY)

I: STARTING THE HOLE AND ESTABLISHING “IN PLAY”

The ball may be teed or played from the ground between and behind the markers on the area known as the tee box and not farther back than 3 yard like paces… If the ball falls off the tee while the player addresses the ball, it may be re teed without penalty. If the player’s ball moves during the swing, the player simply must continue the playing of the shot. A player teeing off in front or outside the teeing area shall replay with a one stroke penalty.

A. MISSING TEE TIME

A player is deemed late and out of turn once a fellow player has hit their second shot on the first hole and will incur a one stroke penalty. Players arriving after their pairing group have finished the first hole may be re-paired into a later grouping at the discretion of the ruling committee incurring a two stroke penalty.

II: PLAY THROUGH THE GREEN

The ball shall be played down from tee to green unless the ball has been lost, exited the boundaries of the property (OB), or deemed unplayable by the player, in which case the player shall follow the protocols set forth by The Universal Dropping Procedure. (see section III: UNIVERSAL DROPPING PROCEDURE)

A. THE PLAY OF THE BALL

1. A player may remove loose impediments as long as the ball does not change position.
   If the ball changes from its position a one stroke penalty shall be incurred.
2. If a ball is moved by the wind, or any other outside agency such as a spectator or animal, the ball shall be replaced to it’s original location without penalty.

B. IDENTIFYING THE BALL

A player may rotate the ball without changing its position to identify it.

C. PLAYING WRONG BALL

A player shall not play the wrong ball or an opponent’s ball. The wrong ball shall be replaced as close to it’s original position as possible with a fresh ball, and the player who played the wrong ball shall play their correct ball adding a one stroke penalty.

D. BALL STRIKING PLAYER

1. If a player’s ball strikes himself, his equipment (including cart) or his caddie, the penalty shall be one stroke, and the ball shall be played from where it lies.
2. If a player’s ball unintentionally strikes another player, or an opponent’s equipment or caddie, it is considered the rub of the green, and the ball shall be played from where it lies.

E. PUSHING OR STRIKING THE BALL TWICE

1. A player making a swing and unintentionally striking the ball twice shall not be penalized and will proceed playing from the ball’s new resting location. A player intentionally striking a ball twice or striking a moving ball shall replay the stroke and incur a two stroke penalty.
2. Likewise, a player shall not push, drag or scrape the ball void of a specific intended momentary impact. Two stroke penalty shall be incurred.

F. SAND and WATER PLAY

1. A player may not ground his club in a sand trap or water trap. Penalty is one stroke.
2. A player may gain reasonable footing but may not build a stance in either water or sand. Penalty one stroke.

G. STAKING AND BOUNDARIES

TRGA does not acknowledge colored stakes defining hazards or internal boundaries. TRGA does acknowledge course boundaries such as fences, yards, roads, parking lots, clubhouse grounds and other obvious lines of demarcation defining the playing area or course boundary therefore requiring Universal Drop Procedure.
The Universal Drop Procedure shall be implemented for lost balls, unplayable lies, balls laying outside the course boundary or otherwise exiting the common playing area. A player may deem their ball lost or unplayable at any time and option for the universal drop procedure.

III: UNIVERSAL DROP PROCEDURE [Diagrams](file:///Users/johnminer/Desktop/trgaweb/Universal_Golf_Drop.html)

All Drops are taken facing the hole and dropped over the shoulder. If the ball rolls forward past the player’s feet, then the player may place the ball by hand.

Step One:

Determining Location:
The last suspected location of the ball determined by reasonable consensus within the group, meaning the general area where the ball likely came to rest or would be located if it left the boundaries of the property (excluding bouncing on concrete or other similar surfaces), was generally believed to have been lost in this area, or found to be unplayable in water, brush, trees or any other situation deemed by the player to be “unplayable”.

Step Two:

Locate the" back in play" point near the middle of the fairway.
A player taking a drop must establish both points, where the unplayable ball lay or lost ball would have laid, and then a point approximately middle of the fairway consistent with the general shape of the hole.

Step Three:

30 yard-like paces straight back from the back in play point, then the ball may be hand placed by the player and is then considered back in play with the addition of a one stroke penalty.

1. For drops taken from beside or over the green, 30 yards back from the front edge of the green.
2. If no area is available to drop short of the green because of water or other non fairway conditions, either a designated drop area should be defined or the best reasonable option consistent with the Universal Dropping Procedure should be agreed upon within the group.
3. A player is not required to drop a ball in a hazard such as a sand bunker that lies
   in the fairway.
4. For holes with extreme dogleg shape, the player is not required to drop the ball outside an area generally considered as the fairway in the event 30 yards straight back from the hole places the ball off the fairway. The player may adjust to place the ball back into the fairway consistent with the general shaping of the hole being played.

IV: FREE RELIEF EXEMPTIONS

(All Drops are taken facing the hole and dropped over the shoulder. If the ball rolls forward past the player’s feet, then the player may place the ball by hand.)
A player may take a free drop from a cart path or sprinkler head or similar irrigation or drain grate only if such an obstacle is situated in the area known as the fairway and the ball rests on it, or near enough to create reasonable concern for striking it with the golf club and injuring the player. A player does not get relief from stance or standing upon such a surface. The Player may then move the ball one pace or yard dropping over their shoulder no closer to the hole.

1. CASUAL WATER

In the event of water pooling on the fairway, a player may take nearest relief no closer to the hole without penalty if the ball itself is over halfway submerged in water, meaning the level of water is covering 50% of the ball above its equator.

2. EMBEDDED BALL

If a ball has been embedded in it’s own pitch mark in an area clearly defined as the fairway or within 10 yards of the green, the ball may be lifted, cleaned and placed within 6 inches of it’s found location not closer to the hole. A ball may not gain relief from an area such as a sand bunker, edges of a water hazard, or any other unkempt area through or near the green. In the event the ball has embedded at 10 yards from the green, any dispute on exact measurement should go in favor of the player.

3. STAKED TREES or SHRUBS

A player may take relief from a staked tree or sapling only if the swing of the player poses a significant threat to the safety and well being of the protected plant. A mature tree with a stake still attached, but clearly no longer required for its support, would not qualify for relief. Drop to nearest full relief, as above.

V: ON THE GREEN AND HANDLING THE PIN

A. A player may mark and clean their ball once on the area known as the putting green.
B. A player may move his marker out of the line of another player and then replace its position and is required to do so.
C. A player may elect to have the pin remain in the hole or have it removed.
D. Once a player has chosen to remove the pin, they must finish out the hole with the pin removed.
As common courtesy to other players, players choosing to putt with the pin in, should putt first.
E. There is no attending the pin. The pin is either in or out.
F. A player may not pull the pin out while playing a shot from off the green.
G. Players may fix ball marks and tap down spike marks and fix a damaged cup prior to playing their putt. However, a player may not press a furrow into the green to aid the roll of their putt.
H. A player may not draw a line on the green, nor may a caddie stand behind the golfer to aid in alignment. The penalty is one stroke.
I. If a player’s ball strikes that of another player’s upon the green, the stroke must be replayed from its original position, and a stroke is deemed to have been taken. The struck ball must be replaced in its original location. J. A player may not roll a ball across the green by hand or foot. Penalty one stroke.K. A player may not straddle the line of his /hers putt while making the stroke. Penalty one stroke.
L. A player may not enlarge or depress the edges of the hole. The penalty is one stroke.
M. When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is allowed enough time to reach the hole without unreasonable delay and an additional ten seconds to determine whether the ball is at rest. If the ball falls into the hole in the time beyond ten seconds, a stroke is considered to have been taken.

VI: FINISHING THE HOLE

A ball is considered holed when it is secured inside the edges of the cup or wedged between the pin and the cup.

VII: ADVICE

Players may offer or share advice during the game, but are not required to do so.

VIII: PRACTICE

A. A player may not hit extra practice shots during or between holes in a proper competition.
B. A player may not hit extra putts on the green after the hole has been completed.

IX: DAMAGED EQUIPMENT

A. A player may not replace a damaged club during a round.
B. A player may replace a damaged ball after a hole has been played. A player may replay a shot if their ball fractured into two or more pieces upon striking it without penalty. A cut or scuffed ball may not be replaced.

X: SCORING AND SCORECARD

A. An official course record or tournament scorecard must have at least two signatures.
A player must keep the score of an opponent. In the event of a dispute, the players should work toward a resolution of the conflict at the time of the incident. If the issue remains unresolved, the players must take their dispute to the designated ruling official AFTER THE ROUND to keep in the spirit of swift play. A player signing for a higher score than what was actually played must accept the higher score. A player signing for a lower score should have the score properly re-calculated and then shall incur a one stroke penalty.

XI: RULES OFFICIATING

Disputes on the course as to where drops should be taken or other disputes, should be resolved within the group first, but if a dispute still continues, the tournament rules official will hear both (all) sides after the round, and decide if the player received a significant unfair advantage. If the official deems the drop or inequity proposed by the opponent was significantly questionable, a one stroke penalty may be assessed and the decision will be final without contest. Players agree to the authority given the designated ruling official before commencing play.

XII: EQUIPMENT FOR OFFICIAL TRGA EVENTS

A. NUMBER OF CLUBS

A player may carry up to 11 irons including the sand club, no more than one putter, and up to 4 woods including the driver. A maximum of 16 clubs. A player using more than 16 clubs will be penalized two strokes per round per extra club.

B. WEDGES

A player may not carry a wedge or sand wedge with a loft greater than 56 degrees. No player may carry more than two clubs over 50 degrees in loft. Penalty for nonconforming wedges is two strokes per round per club.

C. WOODS

1. Woods must be made of an organic wood product, solid or laminated.
2. The face of a wood may be three inches wide, two inches high.
3. No woods may exceed 44 inches in length. No woods lighter than 13 ounces (370 grams) total dead weight are allowed. Penalty for non conforming woods is two strokes per round per club.

D. IRONS

Irons must be forged steel, cavity back style irons are not conforming for proper competition.

E. GROOVES

No square grooves in irons are allowed. V grooves or no grooves only in the traditional form.

F. PUTTERS

1. The putter must be the shortest club in a player’s bag.
2. Long putters are not allowed. A player may not brace the grip end of the club against their body
   as this is not deemed a golf stroke.
3. Putters may not exceed 3 inches in face width, 3 inches in depth, or 2 inches in face height

G. SHOES AND SPIKES

Steel spikes on golf shoes are allowed.

H. SHAFTS

Shafts in golf clubs must be made of either conventional steel or wood.

I. GRIPS

Grips must not be molded to the shape of the players hands and must have a continual tapered shape downward.

For further questions on TRGA GOLF RULES feel free to contact
Traditional Rules of Golf

[lagpressure]

UNIVERSAL DROP PROCEDURE (Details)

All Drops are taken facing the hole and dropped over the shoulder. If the ball rolls forward past the player’s feet, then the player may place the ball by hand.

Step One:

Determining Location:
The last suspected location of the ball determined by reasonable consensus within the group, meaning the general area where the ball likely came to rest or would be located if it left the boundaries of the property (excluding bouncing on concrete or other similar surfaces), was generally believed to have been lost in this area, or found to be unplayable in water, brush, trees or any other situation deemed by the player to be “unplayable”.

Step Two:

Locate the" back in play" point near the middle of the fairway.
A player taking a drop must establish both points, where the unplayable ball lay or lost ball would have laid, and then a point approximately middle of the fairway consistent with the general shape of the hole.

Step Three:

30 yard-like paces straight back from the back in play point, then the ball may be hand placed by the player and is then considered back in play with the addition of a one stroke penalty.

For drops taken from beside or over the green, 30 yards back from the front edge of the green.
If no area is available to drop short of the green because of water or other non fairway conditions, either a designated drop area should be defined or the best reasonable option consistent with the Universal Dropping Procedure should be agreed upon within the group.
A player is not required to drop a ball in a hazard such as a sand bunker that lies
in the fairway.
For holes with extreme dogleg shape, the player is not required to drop the ball outside an area generally considered as the fairway in the event 30 yards straight back from the hole places the ball off the fairway. The player may adjust to place the ball back into the fairway consistent with the general shaping of the hole being played.

IV: FREE RELIEF EXEMPTIONS

(All Drops are taken facing the hole and dropped over the shoulder. If the ball rolls forward past the player’s feet, then the player may place the ball by hand.)
A player may take a free drop from a cart path or sprinkler head or similar irrigation or drain grate only if such an obstacle is situated in the area known as the fairway and the ball rests on it, or near enough to create reasonable concern for striking it with the golf club and injuring the player. A player does not get relief from stance or standing upon such a surface. The Player may then move the ball one pace or yard dropping over their shoulder no closer to the hole.

CASUAL WATER

In the event of water pooling on the fairway, a player may take nearest relief no closer to the hole without penalty if the ball itself is over halfway submerged in water, meaning the level of water is covering 50% of the ball above its equator.

EMBEDDED BALL

If a ball has been embedded in it’s own pitch mark in an area clearly defined as the fairway or within 10 yards of the green, the ball may be lifted, cleaned and placed within 6 inches of it’s found location not closer to the hole. A ball may not gain relief from an area such as a sand bunker, edges of a water hazard, or any other unkempt area through or near the green. In the event the ball has embedded at 10 yards from the green, any dispute on exact measurement should go in favor of the player.

STAKED TREES or SHRUBS

A player may take relief from a staked tree or sapling only if the swing of the player poses a significant threat to the safety and well being of the protected plant. A mature tree with a stake still attached, but clearly no longer required for its support, would not qualify for relief. Drop to nearest full relief, as above.

V: ON THE GREEN AND HANDLING THE PIN

A. A player may mark and clean their ball once on the area known as the putting green.
B. A player may move his marker out of the line of another player and then replace its position and is required to do so.
C. A player may elect to have the pin remain in the hole or have it removed.
D. Once a player has chosen to remove the pin, they must finish out the hole with the pin removed.
As common courtesy to other players, players choosing to putt with the pin in, should putt first.
E. There is no attending the pin. The pin is either in or out.
F. A player may not pull the pin out while playing a shot from off the green.
G. Players may fix ball marks and tap down spike marks and fix a damaged cup prior to playing their putt. However, a player may not press a furrow into the green to aid the roll of their putt.
H. A player may not draw a line on the green, nor may a caddie stand behind the golfer to aid in alignment. The penalty is one stroke.
I. If a player’s ball strikes that of another player’s upon the green, the stroke must be replayed from its original position, and a stroke is deemed to have been taken. The struck ball must be replaced in its original location. J. A player may not roll a ball across the green by hand or foot. Penalty one stroke.K. A player may not straddle the line of his /hers putt while making the stroke. Penalty one stroke.
L. A player may not enlarge or depress the edges of the hole. The penalty is one stroke.
M. When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is allowed enough time to reach the hole without unreasonable delay and an additional ten seconds to determine whether the ball is at rest. If the ball falls into the hole in the time beyond ten seconds, a stroke is considered to have been taken.

VI: FINISHING THE HOLE

A ball is considered holed when it is secured inside the edges of the cup or wedged between the pin and the cup.
VII: ADVICE

Players may offer or share advice during the game, but are not required to do so.

[lagpressure]

TRGA Professional Event Winners

2009 TRGA Las Vegas Open

2009 TRGA San Francisco Persimmon Open

2010 TRGA Las Vegas Open

2011 TRGA Las Vegas Open

[lagpressure]

Visit the Rules Thread for In Depth Discussions:

The Rules Thread

There have been a few interesting rules related stories today so I thought I would kick off a thread as Styles suggested a few days back. This caught my eye from Jack Nicklaus from a interview on the Golf Channel this morning (courtesy of http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2011/1/19/jack-probably-the-whole-book-of-the-rules-of-golf-should-be.html): Here are the Traditional Rules of Golf basics: What would the game lose, if anything, by adopting this simplified set of rules?

[Sawfeat]

Common sense has become less common. Maybe if they made common sense an app, then people would start using it