Mark all of your balls. You must always know which of your balls is in play. It is a 2 stokes penalty if you do not know what ball you are hitting or you hit the wrong ball.

You can only hit 2 balls off the tee. One would be your first tee shot, and if needed, you could hit a provisional ball. Think long and hard before you hit that provisional ball, you could be hitting 6 instead of 4.

Example One: You hit your first tee shot (1), and it goes 150 yards and then turns right, deep into the woods. You move to where the ball crossed into the woods, move straight across to the fairway, measure 2 club lengths, and drop your new ball. Counting the 2 strokes for the lost ball and you are now hitting 4.

Example Two: You hit your first tee shot (1) and, for some reason, it goes 150 yards and then turns right, deep into the woods. You decide to take the stroke (2) and hit a provisional (3), but this shot only goes 50 yards and deep into the woods. You move to where the ball crossed into the woods, move straight across to the fairway, measure 2 club lengths, and drop your new ball. Counting the 2 strokes for the lost ball and you are now hitting 6.

This works the same way for your 2nd, 3rd 4th, 5th shot.

Lost Ball – Any lost ball will cost you 2 strokes. The good news is that you get to drop your ball 2 club lengths on to the fairway. Mark a straight line from where the ball was initially lost to the fairway and no closer to the hole.

Out of Bounds (White Line or White Stakes) – A ball that has gone Out of Bounds has 4 options. 1. You can hit the ball from where it lies in the out of bounds area for no penalty 2. For a one-stroke penalty, you can move the out of bounds ball straight back, as far as you want but the drop must be in a straight line from where the ball landed out of bounds and the flag. 3. If you have not moved forward, you can hit a provisional ball for a one-stroke penalty 4. If you have not hit a provisional ball, you can drop your ball straight across to the fairway from where your ball was found out of bounds. You get 2 club lengths from the edge of the fairway and no closer to the hole. This option will cost you 2 strokes.

Penalty Area (Yellow or Red line or stakes) - If your ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certain that it came to rest in a penalty area you may take penalty relief.

1. If found, you can hit the ball as it lies in the penalty area for no penalty 2. For a one-stroke penalty, you can move the ball from where it lies in the penalty area straight back, as far as you want but the drop must be in a straight line from where the ball landed entered the penalty area and the flagstick. 3. For a one-stroke penalty, you can drop the ball 2 club lengths from where the ball entered the penalty area but no closer to the hole. If the ball landed in the middle of the pond, then you take the drop where it first entered to water and never on the far side. 4. If you have not moved forward, you can hit a provisional ball for a one-stroke penalty 5. If there is a drop zone, you may drop your ball there for the one-stroke penalty.

Unplayable Ball. If you find your ball in play, but in a circumstance where you are not able to make a swing or advance the ball, then you are always entitled to claim an unplayable lie. Under this rule, you incur a one-stroke penalty, but are permitted to take relief from your troubling situation. There are three specific options when taking an unplayable lie. 1. Play a provisional ball from where you played your last shot if you have not already moved forward. Once you move forward, this is no longer an option. You cannot go backward to play a ball. 2. The second option is to drop your ball within two club lengths of where the ball came to rest, without moving closer to the hole. 3. The third and final option is to take the flagstick and the point where your ball came to rest, and move back away from the hole in a straight line as far as you want. These are your only three options when your ball is in a position where you cannot make a swing, or otherwise choose to take relief.

Play Ready Golf. The 2019 rule changes are to help speed up the pace of play. If everyone is together than the furthest player should play first, but if someone is looking for a ball for 3 minutes, you should play your ball and then help with the search. Same goes for the green, if someone is having trouble getting on the green; go ahead and putt if you are on the green and ready. Just don’t interfere with the guy trying to get on the green. Etiquette can be a good thing, slow play IS a bad thing.

You have 3 minutes to look for your ball whether you’re looking for your first ball or/and a provisional ball, not 6 minutes. If you lost both balls, you would drop from where the provisional ball was lost, not the first ball.

Count all your strokes. Yes, it is easy to say, but everyone screws up the count once in a while. Don’t be a douchebag if someone calls you out. Take a minute, think about and then call your number. No sense fighting on the 5th hole about a number, however, if a complaint is filed, the Commissioner will take it under advisement and make a ruling. Trust me, nobody wants that.

Say your score when you pick up your ball from the hole. Yes, sometimes we have to recount our strokes, but it should not be happening on every hole.

Good luck.

Respectfully,

Broken Joe

Commissioner