RULES OF PLAY
All club play, tournaments and events are governed by the Golf Canada/AGA Rules of Golf and Code of Conduct. Members are encouraged to acquire and become familiar with the Rules of Golf. A full PDF version and/or a Quick Guide are available on-line for viewing and printing on the website: Golf Canada at http://golfcanada.ca/rules-of-golf/#rules-of-golf

LOCAL RULES

Golf Canada, Under Appendix 1 Part A of Rules of Golf, allows each club/course to make and publish local rules as long as they are consistent with the policy established in the Rules of Golf. Recommended sample local rules are provided covering various topics such as course boundaries, protection, and conditions as well as obstructions, water hazards, drop zones and distant measuring devices. The VLGC has adopted some of these for members to use as noted below. The hole specific, accidental movement of ball, and use of measuring devices are in place for all league play. However, the ones relating to "ADVERSE COURSE CONDITIONS" must be declared prior to the game by the designated VLGC Executive as outlined below or players will be assessed a penalty.

LOCAL RULES FOR VLCG

1. Golf Ball Lost or Out of Bounds - Rule 18.2b
Your ball is out of bounds only when all of it is outside the boundary edge of the course (white stakes - Holes #4,9,13 and 18). During Regular Play and Club Competitions, you have two options if your ball is lost or goes out of bounds.

i) Stroke-and-Distance, meaning returning to the area where you last hit the ball. (1 stroke penalty) or

ii) E-5: Alternative to Stroke- and-Distance (2 stroke penalty). When a provisional ball has not been played, significant issues with pace of play can result from a player needing to take stroke-and-distance relief for a ball that is out of bounds or can’t be found. The Local Rule E-5 is appropriate for general play where golfers are playing casual rounds or playing their own competitions.

This Local Rule cannot be used for an unplayable ball, or for a ball that is known or virtually certain to be in a penalty area. If a provisional ball is played and neither the original ball nor the provisional ball is found, then the Local Rule E-5 may be applied for the provisional ball that cannot be found. Click on the following links for a video demonstration: E5 Alternative to Stroke & Distance USGA Video

How to Take Relief. Two Estimated Reference Points:

a) Ball Reference Point:

  • Find the point where the original ball is estimated to have come to rest on the course, or last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.

b) Fairway Reference Point:

  • Estimate the point where your ball is lost or went out of bounds and then find the nearest fairway edge, no closer to the hole. Within 2 club lengths, drop the ball on the fairway.

2. Hole #13 Relief from Ditch:

If your ball lands in the ditch that runs across the fairway on Hole #13, you have two options:

  • Play the ball where it lies, or

  • Bring the ball, back-of-the-line, from the point of entry and take full relief (no penalty).

Relief without penalty is available from the drainage ditch provided the ball is dropped within one club length behind the ditch.  If the ball is dropped beyond one club length, the penalty is one stroke.  

3. Gimmies

For the 2026 season, to help address the Pace of Play, we are piloting a new local rule; we are permitting “gimmies” during regular play.

  • When scoring, the player receiving the gimmie must count the gimmie as a stroke.

  • Gimmies cannot be given during competition/tournaments or when a player is putting for birdie.

Please note: gimmies are not automatic. They are at the discretion of the players in the foursome and the intent is to speed up play for those very short putts (nothing longer than 12”). However, just because we are using 12” as a guide, it does not mean all putts at this length should be conceded. For example, a challenging downhill putt should still be made. The idea is if someone in the group thinks the putt is pretty much guaranteed, then feel free to say “pick it up.” Again this new local rule is a pilot, and we will assess at the end of the season.

To also help with Pace of Play, players are encouraged to pick up their ball after they have reached the maximum number of strokes on the hole. The maximum number of strokes will be calculated as follows:

  • Par 3- 7 strokes

  • Par 4- 8 strokes

  • Par 5- 9 strokes

Again, this Local Rule only applies to regular play. During tournaments and prize challenges, all balls must be putted out and the gross score recorded.

4. Local Rule for Cleaning Ball (Lift, Clean and Replace)
Decisions about the few times of using “Lift, Clean, and Replace” will be made by the Course Professional and a member of the Executive in the following order. First the Sports Captain, or in her absence the President, or in her absence, a member of the Handicap Committee prior to tournaments if  there has been some adverse weather conditions. The Local Rule will be in effect for that day only. 

Declaration - Used when conditions, such as extreme wetness cause significant amounts of mud to adhere to the ball.

Rule - On the fairway a ball may be lifted and cleaned without penalty. The ball must be replaced.

Procedure - mark ball, lift, then clean and place back down (not dropped)

Penalty - failure to mark the ball before being lifted, is a 1 stroke penalty.

5. Advice
During a game, including Tuesday morning play, you may not ask anyone for advice nor give advice on how to play.  An example of this would be asking a fellow player what club was used for a particular shot.  However, you may ask about rules or for public information such as distances, the position of hazards, or the flagstick. 

6. Bluetooth Speakers/Music are not allowed during regular play or Club competitions.

7. Ground Under Repair (GUR) on Putting Greens

Due to abnormal conditions such as winter kill, the Rules Committee will make a week-to-week determination whether or not free relief will be permitted on specified holes that have been damaged. This will be provided to players prior to scheduled play. When it is determined GUR is in effect and your ball has landed on or is in line of the affected area of the green, you may:

  • locate the nearest point of relief, and within a club length, no nearer to the hole, place your ball on the green. It is good practice to not lift/move your ball until you have determined the nearest point of relief.

POINTS TO CONSIDER

Tournament Issues
If your ball is in trouble and you do not know the rule, play a second ball in the area close to the point of entry, hole out, and keep score for both balls. When the round is completed, ask the Rules Committee for a ruling. In tournament play, players can not agree to violate a rule. Penalty is disqualification to all players involved. Rules Committee Members: Club Profession, VLGC President and Sports Captain.

The Nearest Point of Relief (Reference Point) is the estimated point where your ball would lie that is:

  • nearest to the ball’s original spot, but not nearer the hole than that spot.

  • is in the required area of the course, and

  • where there is no interference (under the rule being used) from which relief is being taken for the stroke the player would have made from the original spot if the condition were not there.

Provisional Ball

At any time in the round if you hit a shot that you suspect is in play, but might be out of bounds or difficult to locate, play a provisional ball then proceed to look for your original ball. This will help speed play. You can play the provisional ball until you reach the spot the original ball is likely to be. If you make a stroke from the place where the original ball is likely to be or from a point nearer the hole than that place, the original ball is considered lost and the provisional ball becomes the ball in play under the penalty of stroke-and-distance.