Just a quick clarification concerning the blog. Yes, I intend to get the blog out each Wednesday, but sometimes that just isn't possible for one reason or another. If the blog doesn't go out on Wednesday, most of the time it will go out on Thursday. Rarely, will it have to go out on Friday. No matter, when the blog goes out, you will always get a text from me ,telling you the blog has been posted.

Now, back to our currently scheduled blog post

We will discuss the BJG rules in detail at the Winter Meeting. This is where we can make any last-minute changes to the rules. You will also receive a copy of the rules for your golf bag at the first golf event.

 1. Mark your ball, hell, mark all 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.

d.     When you get to the next tee box, you will be hitting a 1 ball.

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, add the 2 strokes, and play on.   

2. Count all 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 miscounted our strokes. Don’t be “that guy”, if you’re 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 not closer to the hole without penalty.  

a.     If the plugged ball is in a soaked, swampy area, you may drop your ball in the closest dry area, but not 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 all 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).

           c.  You ONLY get two attempts from the Tee Box and then you are hitting from somewhere else.  YOU CAN NEVER GO BACKWARDS.

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 (Stroke & Distance.  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 - Occasionally, you may lose a ball in the fairway or 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 past the point where the first ball was lost, then the provisional ball becomes the ball in play)  There is no other option. If you hit your ball 100 yards into the woods or a swamp area or down a mountain slope AND you find your ball, YOU MUST PLAY THAT BALL…

Remember, you can continue to play your provisional ball until you reach the place where your original ball is likely to be. If you make a stroke at your provisional ball at or beyond that point the provisional becomes the ball in play and the original ball is considered lost.

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/lines.  You may play the ball as it lies for No Penalty, OR If you have not moved forward, you may play a provisional ball for a one-stroke penalty. OR, Under penalty of one stroke, you may declare the found ball UNPLAYABLE (see rule 9), OR. If the ball is LOST, move to the fairway (two club lengths), and add 2 strokes (see Rule 6).

8. Penalty Area: 

Penalty areas are marked as red or yellow lines/stakes. When your ball lies in a Penalty area,

1.     You can play it as it lies for no penalty or

2.     You can take relief outside the penalty area for a one-stroke penalty (two club lengths).

3.     If you have not moved forward, you can play from where your last stroke was played for a one-stroke penalty.

4.     Or you can take back-on-line relief by going back as far as you like on the line between the hole and where your ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area.

5.     In a RED penalty area, you can also take Lateral relief where your ball last crossed the penalty area (two club lengths).

Note:  There are a few restrictions when playing your ball in a penalty area.  You cannot deem your ball unplayable or take relief from abnormal course conditions (such as a bridge or sprinkler control box. You are also not allowed to play a provisional ball when you think your ball is lost in a penalty area. 

 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.

10.5 If your ball moves while moving a movable obstruction (artificial objects such as a water bottle, score card, broken tee trash can, bench, rake, etc.), there is no penalty, and you simply replace the ball.  However, if you move loose impediments (sticks, leaves, twigs, downed trees, etc.) and it causes the ball to move, you get a one-stroke penalty and you must replace your ball to its original spot.

​11.  Relief is granted, without penalty, if your ball is on a cart path, ground under repair, or 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 marks 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 can 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. 

15.  You must finish every putt and call your score to the group before leaving the 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 before leaving that hole’s green.   Circle the score on the scorecard and the issue can be addressed at the clubhouse.

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17.  Unsportsmanlike Conduct -  Any golfer who loses control of their emotions in such a way as to affect the play of the other golfer in their cart or the other golfers in their group, will be immediately disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct. 

18. In the event of a first-place tie, there will be a tiebreaker. A putt-off on the practice green is the preferred method, but sometimes that is not possible and the Commissioner will use a different method to break the tie.

19.  Be competitive but don’t forget to have fun.  If you are 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.

​20.  The Commissioner is always right.

21. If you believe that the Commissioner is wrong, you can appeal his decision in writing (text, email, or letter). The Commissioner will review his initial ruling, taking into account the written appeal.  The Commissioner will make a final ruling which will be posted in the blog.

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

23.  Be On Time (DON’T BE LATE): For each round of BJG, you will be assigned a Tee Time, a Group, and a Cart.  Do yourself a favor, be 15 minutes early and you won’t get a DNP.

24.  Handicaps:  BJG uses Fringe.com  PGA Classic. Handicaps are based on your lowest 10 rounds of your last 20 rounds. 

As I said, we will go through these rules in more detail at the Winter Meeting which is in 39 Days.

Respectfully,

Broken Joe

Commissioner