Updates to Our
Local Rules & Course Designations

New Course Designation
Vistas Course Hole #2, #5, #12, #13
Location: Wash in between holes #2 & #5, #12 & #13
Past: These areas have been played as Abnormal Course Conditions (ACC). Under our local rules, you were allowed to take free relief to the nearest grass, no closer to the hole.
Beginning April 15^th: Both of these areas will become Red Penalty Areas. For red penalty areas, you have three relief options; (1) the spot at which your last stroke was made under stroke and distance (see Rule 17.1d), (2) the back-on-the-line relief procedure (see Rule 17.1d) or (3) the option to take lateral relief. Lateral relief allows you to drop a ball into a relief area measured from where your ball last crossed the edge of red penalty area. From that reference point, you are allowed to drop outside the penalty area and anywhere within two club-lengths of that spot, no nearer to the hole (see Rule 17.1d).

New Course Designation
Lakes Course Hole #10
Location: Right side of the cart path
Past:
The inside edge of the wall on the right side of #10 designated the out of bounds boundary.
Now:
There is a white line to the right of the cart path that now serves as the out of bounds boundary. The ball is determined to be out of bounds when all of the ball is outside of the boundary edge and the boundary edge is the course-side edge of the line.

Penalty and relief from hitting the ball out of bounds:

• Stroke and Distance: If your ball is lost or out of bounds, you must take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing a ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).
• Provisional Ball (Rule 18.3): In order to speed up play, if you suspect that you may have hit your ball out of bounds but are unsure, you can play a provisional ball. Before playing the second ball, announce your intention of hitting a provisional ball by using the word “provisional” or otherwise making it clear that your intent is to play a ball provisionally. If it is not made clear that your intent is to play the second ball provisionally, that ball will automatically be in play with the penalty of Stroke and distance.
• Local Rule E-5: The new stroke-and-distance local rule allows players the option of dropping in the fairway if they so choose. Players must find where their ball went out of bounds and create an imaginary perpendicular to the fairway, no closer to the hole. From there, you can now drop anywhere within two club-lengths behind the line. The next shot will be your fourth. This rule keeps groups moving and speeds up play.

Abnormal Course Conditions (ACC)

• Rocks formed to create drainage areas.
• Cart paths and maintenance repairs alongside drainage rocks are considered as one
• Pump houses are immovable obstructions including shrubs, plantings and bricks in the immediate area.

Staked Trees and their Tree Well are ACC (*New)

• Newly planted trees that are staked or marked and their tree wells are treated as immovable obstructions.

Xeriscape ("Desert") Edge Relief

• Any player whose ball lies within 6" of the xeriscaped collar (desert meets the grass) may take optional free relief using rule 16-1b. ACC. The ball may be marked, lifted, cleaned, and dropped within one club length of the nearest point of relief.

Animal Droppings Relief

• Animal Droppings (ie duck, coyote, geese, etc.) may be treated as loose impediments or ACC (Local Rule F-12). The player may take free relief, one club length of the original lie, but, not nearer the hole.

*Out of Bounds

• Maintenance yards, driving ranges, inside edges of sidewalks bordering the streets and inside edge of property walls are all considered out of bounds.
• On Vistas Hole #5 and Lakes #10 (*New), the areas to the right side of the cart path, defined by the white line, is Out of Bounds.

Out of Bounds/Lost Ball Rule E-5

• Out of Bounds local rule E-5 is an options for stroke and distance for a ball that is LOST or OUT OF BOUNDS.
• Relief is from where it is known or virtually certain to be lost or where it went out of bounds, all the way to the nearest fairway plus two club lengths, no closer to the hole plus two stroke penalty.
• This option may only be used if a provisional ball was not put into play or if the provisional ball was lost or OB.
• This option may NOT be used with an unplayable lie
• Local rule E-5 will be an option for all regular weekly games.
• Notice must be given to all players in Tournaments or rounds where option local rule E-5 is withdrawn