1. Count all of your strokes. If you don’t, I am sure someone will help you. Do you know who can only count to 8? Someone who doesn’t want a 9. We all, on occasion, have missed counted our strokes. Don’t be a douche, if the playing group is telling you that you hit the ball 9 times then you should listen to them and work out the number.

1.1 If you swing with the intent of hitting the ball and miss, add the stroke. However, if you hit the ball twice, on accident, within the same swing, you no longer count the extra stroke.

2. You cannot improve your lie.

2.1. Exception:

Stance: If your ball lands such that you are not able to stand on the playable ground--such as if your stance would be on a cart path or sprinkler head--you may move your ball one club length from the spot where it lies, but not closer to the hole.

2.2 Plugged ball: A plugged ball may be picked up, cleaned and dropped one club length and no closer to the hole without penalty.

3. Teeing Ground

The "teeing ground" is the starting place for the hole to be played. It is a rectangular area two club-lengths in depth, the front and the sides of which are defined by the outside limits of two tee-markers. A ball is outside the teeing ground when all of it lies outside the teeing ground.

4. Lost ball off the Tee Box:

a. New 2019: Go to the spot where the ball went out of play. Moving straight across to the fairway and no closer to the hole, measure 2 club lengths and drop your new ball from knee height. This comes with a 2 stroke penalty so you are now hitting 4.

b. Hit a provisional ball. Hit the provisional ball if you even think that it might not be lost. (Add one stroke). In the interest of time, you can only hit 2 balls off the tee box - the first tee shot and then a provisional. If both balls go out of play you will drop a 3rd ball two club lengths from where the 2nd ball went out of play. You would then be hitting 5.

***New for 2019: You may move this 3rd ball straight across the fairway, measure 2 club length and drop this 3rd ball from knee height. This comes with an additional 2 stroke penalty, so you would be hitting 6.****

5. Lost ball – First determine where the ball was lost. Your riding partner must agree where the ball went out of play. The simple concept is where you started looking for your lost ball is where you should be taking the drop. You have 3 minutes to find your ball and hit it. Now you have choices.

a. IF YOU HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD, you may hit a provisional ball for a one stroke penalty.

b. New 2019: From the spot of the lost ball, moving straight across to the fairway and no closer to the hole, measure 2 club lengths and drop your new ball from knee height. You may drop the ball anywhere between where the ball was lost and the where you measured the two club lengths but not closer to the hole. This comes with a 2 stroke penalty.

6. Out of Bounds – If you ball is out of bounds, you may:

a. IF YOU HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD, you may hit a provisional ball for a one stroke penalty.

b. From the spot of the lost ball, you may move straight back and on line with the flag and drop the new ball from knee height for a one stroke penalty.

c. New 2019: From the spot of the lost ball, moving straight across to the fairway and no closer to the hole, measure 2 club lengths and drop your new ball from knee height. This comes with a 2 stroke penalty.

7. Penalty Areas (Water Hazard):

a. If your ball is in a penalty area (red or yellow stakes) you may play the ball as it lies with No Penalty or, under penalty of one stroke: b. If you have not moved forward, you may play a ball from where your last shot was played, OR

c. Measure 2 club lengths from where the ball ENTERED the margin of the penalty area and no closer to the hole, drop the ball from knee height, OR d. Drop a ball any distance behind the penalty area, keeping a straight line between the hole, the point where the ball ENTERED the margin of the penalty area.

e. Drop a ball from a designated drop zone.

8. Unplayable ball.

A player can determine at any time that their ball is unplayable. Your choices, under penalty of one stroke, are:

a. If you have not moved forward, you may play a ball from where your last shot was played, OR

b. Drop the ball in a straight line backward between the unplayable ball and the hole OR

c. Drop the ball 2 club lengths (no closer to the hole).

D. Or for 2 strokes, move the ball straight across to the fairway and measure 2 club lengths but no closer to the hole.

8.1. An unplayable ball in a bunker must be dropped in the bunker. New rule for 2019 is that you can drop your ball behind the bunker, no closer to the holes, for a 2 stroke penalty.

​

9. Relief is given if your ball is on a cart path, the ground under repair and any manmade object. You get one club length but the ball cannot move closer to the hole. In general, the ball should always be dropped toward the fairway side and your stance should be off the cart path or away from the ground under repair or any manmade object.

9.1. A root does not constitute the need for relief. A fence that is marking the boundary of the golf course is not a “manmade object” and in fact, is probably out of bounds. When in doubt, get a ruling from your playing partners.

​

10. Grounding your club in a bunker, add a stroke. You may ground your club on the fairway, rough, off the tee and in a penalty area.

​

11. Hitting the wrong ball – add 2 strokes.

12. The flagstick may remain in the hole while putting.

13. In general, the PGA rules will be in effect for any other rule that are not covered here. The Commissioner can make a final ruling.

​

14. Mark your ball, hell, mark all of your balls. You must always know what ball you are hitting and your group must know what ball you’re hitting. Don’t be the guy that hits 2 balls into the woods and then pretends he found the first one or say “Oh yeah, I forgot I was playing ball x.” Just add the 2 strokes and play on.

​

15. You must finish every putt and call your score to the group before leaving putting green. You must turn in your scorecard.

​

16. Any player who witnesses a violation of the rules must say something as soon as possible so that the violation can be corrected. In case of any dispute, table it until the end of the round and the Commissioner will make his ruling.

​

17. In cases of a tie during a Major, there will be a single sudden-death playoff (with no more than 3 extra holes played). For all other rounds, the tie will be broken by a putt-off on the practice green.

​

18. Be competitive but don’t forget to have fun. If you not laughing at yourself then it just makes the rest of us look bad for laughing at you. Remember, no one gets out alive, so enjoy the moment.

​

19. Last but not least, the Commissioner is always right.

20. If you believe that the Commissioner is wrong, you can appeal his decision to the Competition Committee. While it is true that the Commissioner and the Competition Committee is the same person, I do take more time to make a ruling as the Competition Committee. This works well in the NFL, just ask Roger Goodell.

21. If at any time you believe that the Commissioner is wrong, please re-read rule number 19.

Respectfully,

Broken Joe

Commissioner