1. Mark your ball, hell, mark all of your balls. No, the manufacturing name and number is NOT your mark.

At a minimum, your balls will have your initials and three balls will be marked 1, 2, and 3. It can be with dots, dashes or even stars, but you need to know which ball is which.

a. Ball 1 is the ball in play until you lose it.

b. Ball 2 is used as a provisional ball until you find ball 1 or you finish the hole.

c. Ball 3 is used if you lose balls 1 and 2.

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 pretends he found the first one or say “Oh yeah, I forgot I was playing ball x.” Just drop a new ball on the fairway and add the 2 strokes and play on.

2. 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 your playing group is telling you that you hit the ball 9 times then you should listen to them and work out the number.

2.1 If you swing with the intent of hitting the ball and miss, add the stroke. However, if you accidentally double hit the ball on one continuous swing, no penalty is assessed.

3. You cannot improve your lie.

3.1. 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.

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

a. In the event that the plugged ball is in a soaked, swampy area, you may drop your ball in the closest dry area but no closer to the hole.

b. A pugged ball that is lost in the fairway may be dropped on the fairway with no penalty assessed but the group must agree that the ball:

1. Landed in the fairway

2. The landing area in the fairway was soaked and swampy

3. The ball is more than likely plugged

4. 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. 2 Stroke Penalty and you must replay from the tee box.

5. Lost ball off the Tee Box: You only have two choices.

a. Declare to the group that you will take the drop for a 2 stroke penalty (stroke and distance) without searching for the lost ball. Drive directly to the spot where the ball was last seen entering the out of bounds and stop (not where it may have landed). 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. Declare to the group that you will hit a provisional ball for the initial one-stroke penalty.

1. If you find the original ball within 3 minutes, the provisional ball is picked up and no penalty is assessed.

2. If the original ball is not found within 3 minutes the provisional ball becomes the ball in play with the one-stroke penalty.

3. If the provisional ball off the tee is lost out of bounds, you have 3 minutes to search for the ORIGINAL lost ball. If the original ball cannot be found in those 3 minutes then you must drive directly to the spot where the provisional ball was last seen entering the out of bounds and stop (not where it may have landed). 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 6. (first tee shot = 1, drop = 2, provisional tee shot = 3, lost ball / stroke and distance = 4 & 5, you are now hitting 6).

4. Once you hit the provisional ball for a 3rd time, it becomes the ball in play and the original ball is dead.

c. You ONLY get two attempts from the Tee Box and then you are hitting from somewhere else.

6. Lost ball (not off the tee): Drive to the spot where the ball was last seen and stop (not where you think it may have landed). 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. If you have not moved forward, you may hit a provisional ball and follow those rules.

6.1 - You have 3 minutes to look for your lost ball. At the end of 3 minutes your ball is lost, move on with your life.

6.2 – Leave the cart where the ball went out of bounds and look for the lost ball on foot. After 3 minutes, use the cart as the known point to move to the fairway to drop your ball for the 2 stroke penalty.

6.3 - Every once in a while, you may lose a ball in the fairway or in the first cut. Look for 3 minutes and then suck it up, take your 2 stroke penalty and drop on the fairway because you are not going back to the tee box. Sorry (Not Sorry).

6.4 – If you find your lost ball, YOU MUST PLAY THAT BALL unless you have hit a provisional ball for a 3rd time.

There is no other option. If you hit your ball 100 yards into the woods or into the swamp area or down a mountain slope AND you find your ball, YOU MUST PLAY THAT BALL…

*** Unless you have hit a provisional ball for a 3rd time, then the original ball is dead. ***

7. Out of bounds. We don’t really play out of bounds, normally, if you find it, you can play it.

Out of bounds is marked with white stakes and or white lines.

a. You may play your ball as it lies out of bounds for no penalty OR

b. If you have not moved forward, you may play a provisional ball from where your last shot was played for a one stroke penalty, OR

c. From where you found your ball, moving straight across to the fairway and no closer to the hole, measure 2 club lengths and drop your ball from knee height. This comes with a 2 stroke penalty.

8. Penalty Area (and Water): If your witness (actually see) your ball land into the water or cross a RED LINE or RED STAKES , you may play the ball as it lies for No Penalty or, under penalty of one stroke:

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

2. Measure 2 club lengths from where the ball ENTERED the margin of the Water / RED LINE / RED STAKES, and no closer to the hole, drop the ball from knee height, OR 3. Drop a ball any distance behind the Water / RED LINE / RED STAKES, keeping a straight line between the hole and the point where the ball ENTERED the margin of the penalty area.

But if you DID NOT witness (actually see) your ball land into water, then ball is lost. Drop a new ball 2 club lengths on to the fairway, no closer to the hole and take your 2 stroke penalty for a lost ball.

*** After you have hit TWO balls into the WATER (with one stoke penalty for each), you may hit your next ball from the BJG “drop zone” which will be marked with a BJG white flag. ****

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

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

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

9.1. 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.

10. Golf Ball Accidentally Moved:

10.1 You, the player, accidentally cause your ball to move while searching for it. There is no penalty but you need to replace the ball to its original position (estimate that spot to the best of your ability if you cannot be 100% sure.

10.2 Natural forces cause the ball to move - play it from where the ball comes to rest without penalty.

a. The only exception to this is on the putting green after you have marked the ball - in that scenario, the marking of the ball represents a kind of stopping point, and you can replace it where it was marked if natural forces then cause it to move.

b. If you hadn’t marked your ball on the putting green, though, you would need to play it from where it then comes to rest after moving – something to think about on windy days.

10.3 You accidentally cause your ball or ball-marker to move on the putting green - there is no penalty but, of course, you will need to replace the ball or ball-marker in its original position, estimating it if you can’t be 100% sure.

10.4 If somebody other than you or your partner has caused the ball to move, there is no penalty, but again, you will need to replace the ball in its original position

​11. Relief is granted, without penalty, if your ball is on a cart path, ground under repair and any manmade object. You get one club length, but the ball cannot move closer to the hole.

11.1. 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.

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12. 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.

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13. Hitting the wrong ball – add 2 strokes.

14. In general, the PGA rules will be in effect for any other rule that is not covered here. The Rules Committee will make the initial ruling, Commissioner can make a final ruling.

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

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16. Any player who witnesses a violation of the rules must say something as soon as possible so that the violation can be corrected. The alleged violation must be addressed prior to leaving that hole’s green. Any issue(s) or questions can be brought up after the round, in the club house, and directly to the Rules Director.

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17. In cases of a tie there will be a putt-off on the practice green. The Rules Director will handle all ties.

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. The Commissioner is always right.

20. If you believe that the Commissioner is wrong, you can appeal his decision to the Rules Director in writing (text, email or letter). The Rules Director will review any decision with the Commissioner before the ruling is posted on the blog.

21. If at any time you still believe that the Commissioner is wrong, please re-read rules number 19 and / or 20.

22. Be On Time (DON’T BE LATE): Each round of BJG, you will be assigned a Tee Time, a Group and a Cart. If you are late for your tee time, you will receive a DNP (Did Not Play). Do yourself a favor, be 15 minutes early and you won’t get a DNP.

23. YOU SHOULD NEVER BE GOING BACK TO PLAY YOUR GOLF BALL.

Respectfully,

Broken Joe,

Commissioner