Tour Rules and expectations

• USGA Rules and its Decisions shall apply in all events.
• Open to all boys and girls that can play, carry, or pull clubs, and keep score for at least 9 holes. Players must not reach their 19th birthday by August 15.
• All players shall comply with basic rules of etiquette - be respectful of other players, demonstrate sportsmanship, no swearing, no club throwing, record accurate scores, and no cheating.
• Form of play: Individual stroke play unless otherwise stipulated.
• Rangefinders: Are allowed for distance purposes only. Other functions, including wind and slope, must be deactivated.
• Cell phones: can be used for scoring purposes, or as a distance measuring device, but must be silenced. 
• Pace of play is important.
  • Walk with a purpose.
  • Ready golf!
  • Move to your own golf ball - no need for all players to zig-zag back and forth to each player’s ball.
  • Stay out of harm’s way. Walk to your own ball, but stay off to the side and be aware of your surroundings.
  • Be ready to play when it is your turn.
• No earbuds or music permitted during competitions.
• Caddies: 
  • 18-hole players are prohibited from having anyone (including family members) serving as a caddie.
  • 9-hole players are permitted caddies.
  • Caddies must not slow play.
• Parents/Spectators in 9-hole groups
  • For our younger, 9-hole players, adult helpers are encouraged to assist in pace of play matters. 
  • No swing lessons on the course, please.
  • Even young golfers should be taking care of their own equipment, carrying or pulling clubs.
  • Adult interactions MUST be positive and encouraging.
• Parents/Spectators in 18-hole groups
  • Parents and spectators are not participants and should minimize interactions with players - please no conversations on tee boxes or elsewhere on the course.
  • Golfers are PROHIBITED from giving or receiving advice during play (2-stroke penalty).
  • Do not walk side-by-side with golfers.
  • Help kids look for golf balls.
  • Offer encouragement or compliments (“Great shot! You got this!”).
  • Spectators MUST stay out of rules discussions and scoring discussions.
• Power Carts: Players must not ride in carts unless there is a medical issue and prior permission is granted by the Tour Director
• Rules Concerns: When in doubt, call Tour Director Ray Hill (517-414-8869). Golfers may also play 2 balls, as explained in Rule 20 of the USGA Rules.
• Flower beds and roped-off new trees - MANDATORY free relief. Drop no closer to the hole with no penalty.
• All putts must be holed out. No gimmees. 
• 10-stroke limit. If you reach 10 strokes before putting out, pick up your ball and wait for your playing partners to complete the hole.
• Ties will be broken by a scorecard playoff, using the USGA-approved net total of each player’s last 9, 6, 3, 1 holes. 

Common Rules of Golf Situations (simplified)

• Lost ball
  • If a player cannot find his/her ball, the player must take a stroke-and-distance penalty. Go back to where you last played a shot, and hit from there with a one-stroke penalty (you must count the swing that resulted in a lost ball).
• Ball hit Out of Bounds
  • If a player hits a shot out of bounds, usually marked by a white line or stakes on the perimeter of the course, the player must count that shot, take a one-stroke penalty, and re-hit the shot from where it was played.
• Ball hit into Penalty Area
  • If a player hits the ball into water, or woods marked as penalty area, the player may go into the water or woods to hit the shot with no penalty stroke. 
  • The player may opt to take a one-stroke penalty and drop within two club lengths of where it entered the penalty area, no closer to the hole.
  • In some penalty areas involving water, there may be a drop zone on the other side of the water.
• Ball hit under bush or large tree
  • For a one-stroke penalty, golfers may take an Unplayable Lie if they just can’t get to their ball or there’s no room to swing. 
    • Golfers may drop a ball two club lengths from where the ball is lying (not the outside edge of the bush or tree, but from where it lies).
    • If 2 club lengths still doesn’t provide relief, the golfer may drop behind the tree/bush as far back as they wish, as long as the tree/bush is directly between them and the hole. 
    • Or the golfer may take a stroke-and-distance penalty and go back to where they last played their shot.
• Sand traps
  • Golfers may not take practice swings from the sand trap. 
  • The golfer’s club may NOT touch the sand until their downward swing at the ball (no resting the club on the sand at address).
  • For a 2-stroke penalty, golfers may take the ball out of the sand to the opposite side and hit over the sand trap to get onto the green.
• Cart paths, sprinkler heads, and other manmade items (benches, tee signs, etc) are Immovable Obstructions, and golfers get free relief if they interfere with stance or swing.
  • Golfers must determine the NEAREST POINT of relief and then drop their ball no closer to the hole within one club length (no penalty).