2026 Local Rules and Terms of Competition

List of Conforming Golf Balls – Model Local Rule G-3 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

List of Conforming Driver Heads – Model Local Rule G-1 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

Practice – Prior to and after a round in stroke play, a player may practice on the designated practice areas. Rule 5.2b covering practice in stroke play is in effect.

Footwear – During a round, a player must not wear shoes with: traditional spikes which are spikes have single or multiple points designated to penetrate deeply into the surface of the ground (regardless of whether made of metal, ceramic, plastic or other materials); or, spikes of any design that are entirely or partially made of metal if such metal may come in contact with the course.

Stopping and Resuming Play – Model Local Rule J-1 is in effect.

All practice areas are closed during an immediate suspension for a dangerous situation until the Committee has declared them open. Players who practice on closed practice areas will be asked to stop practicing; failure to stop practicing might result in disqualification.

An immediate suspension will be signaled by one prolonged airhorn note. All other types of suspension will be signaled by three consecutive airhorn notes. Resumption of play will be signaled by two airhorn notes.

Distance Measuring Devices – Are permitted provided they are used to measure distance only.

Ground Under Repair – Defined by white lines. French drains are ground under repair. For grass-covered trenching, see Temporary Power Lines and Cables.

Ground under repair may include areas of unusual damage, including areas where spectators or other traffic has combined with wet conditions to affect materially the ground surface, but only when so declared by an authorized member of the Committee.

When immediately adjacent to an immovable obstruction, such an area is part of that obstruction. An exposed bunker liner may be treated as ground under repair, but interference does not exist if the liner interference only with the player’s stance.

Immovable Obstructions – Includes plastic bumpers on roads and paths and mats secured to the ground with spikes when the bumpers or mats cover cables. Unless stated in the Notice to Players, when railroad ties, curbing, and the like adjoin cart paths and roads, they are deemed to be part of the same abnormal course condition. Landscaped garden areas that are surrounded by an artificially surfaced road or path (including everything growing within that area) and the road or path are treated as a single abnormal course condition

White-Lined Areas Tying Into Artificially Surfaced Roads and Paths – White-lined areas of ground under repair and the artificially surfaced roads, paths, or other identified obstructions that they are connected to are a single abnormal course condition when taking relief under Rule 16.1 (Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions).

Integral Objects – Include cables, rods, wires, and wrappings when closely attached to trees, and artificial walls and pilings when located in penalty areas or in or adjacent to bunkers, and bunker liners. A gate for getting through a boundary wall or fence is deemed to be an integral object. But if gate meets the definition of movable obstruction (i.e. can swing to different position with reasonable effort), the gate is treated as a movable obstruction.

Temporary Power Lines And Cables – Model Local Rule F-22 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

Ball Deflected By A Power Line – Model Local Rule E-11 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

Relief from Seams of Cut Turf – Model Local Rule F-7 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

Animal Near Ball – Model Local Rule E-13 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

Temporary Immovable Obstructions – Model Local Rule F-23 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect. Maintenance fans used to support air flow near a putting green and their supporting posts are deemed to be temporary immovable obstructions. Note: Artificially propelled air and water are Outside Influences.

Immovable Obstructions Close To The Putting Green – Model Local Rule F-5.2 is in effect. For a ball in the general area, relief is only allowed when both the ball and the obstruction are in an area cut to fairway height or less.

Out of Bounds – Defined by the line between the course-side points of white stakes and fence posts at ground level. A ball coming to rest on or beyond a road defined as out of bounds is out of bounds, even if it comes to rest on another part of the course that is in bounds for other holes.

Penalty Areas – When both stakes and lines are present, stakes identify and lines define margins. When a penalty area is defined on only one side, it extends to infinity. When a penalty area is connected to the out-of-bounds edge, the penalty area extends to and coincides with out of bounds.

Wood Chips and Mulch – are loose impediments unless otherwise provided for in the Notice to Players.

When Competition is Final – The competition is final when the trophy has been presented to the winner or, in the absence of a prize ceremony, when all scores have been approved by the Committee. The result of a match is final when the Committee has approved the result as posted and made it available to the public.

Shotgun Starts – Contestants much enter their scores using the Golf Genius Mobile App. After the round, both the contestant and the marker must verify the accuracy of each hole’s score before submitting the electronic scorecard. Scores may be submitted electronically or in person at the scoring review area.

All scores must be finalized within 45 minutes of the first completed score being returned. Scores will remain available for review until the 45-minute deadline, after which they will be considered certified, and awards will be announced.

Single or Double Tee Start – Once a scorecard has been returned and the player has left the scoring area, they may return within 15 minutes to correct any mistakes on their scorecard.

Missing Player or Marker Certification – Model Local Rule L-1 is in effect.