Golf Club Local Rules

Rules of Play

Play is governed by the current USGA Rules of Golf, any breach of a rule unless otherwise specified is two strokes in stroke play and loss of hole in match play. 

Summer Rules

The ball is to be played as it lies except as noted in Winter Rules Preferred Lies as defined below.

Preferred Lies (Lift Clean & Place)

Known as WINTER RULES (Model local rule 8E-3)
In effect, November-March (winter rules), regardless of course conditions. 

In effect when the course is Cart Path Only all year long. 

• - Ball Location: When the ball lies in the General Area on grass cut to fairway height or first cut of rough. Note: Treeline to Treeline is NOT allowed, nor is pine straw, mulch, or wooded areas.

Additional Relief Options for Penalty Area Along Certain Cart Paths

Applicable to the following cart path locations:
Creek 2 left side
Choctaw 3 & 8 left side
Cherokee 2, 3 & 8  right side

Along the cart paths on the above holes, red arrows painted on the path physically define the Penalty Areas. These arrows represent a continuous line from the arrow to arrow. While the arrows themselves are physically painted on the cart path, the line itself is off the cart path on the PA side, and the cart path itself is outside the Penalty Area. As an extra relief option, the nearest point of complete relief will be on the fairway side of the cart path. Go to the fairway side, drop at the nearest point of complete relief. The relief area is 1 club length. Add 1 Penalty Stroke for taking PA lateral relief from the Red Penalty Area from where the ball last crossed. If a DZ is available, you may use that as an additional option.

Alternative to Stroke & Distance for a Ball That is Lost or out of Bounds

Note: This Local Rule CANNOT be used for an unplayable ball, or for a ball that is known or virtually certain * to be in a penalty area. If a provisional ball is played, then the provisional ball must be used.
When a player’s ball has not been found (lost) or is known or virtually certain* to be out of bounds, the player may continue as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance.
For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in the relief area described below. 

• Drop the ball in a wide arc between the point where the ball is estimated to have come to rest on the course for a lost ball or for a ball having gone Out of Bounds (OB) the point it crossed the course boundary, then two club-lengths into the edge of the fairway of the hole being played, not nearer the hole. If a ball is estimated to be lost on the course or last crossed the edge of the course boundary short of the fairway, the fairway reference point may be a grass path or a teeing ground for the hole being played cut to fairway height or less. See Model Local Rule E-5 for a full explanation of the relief area.

Provisional Ball Option

(pace of play)

Cherokee 9, Choctaw 3, 9
If there is doubt whether a ball is in or is lost in the Penalty Area on Cherokee 9 approach shot or Choctaw 3 and Choctaw 9 tee shots, the player may play another ball provisionally under any of the applicable options in Rule 17-1. Additionally, the player on Choctaw 3 may play provisionally from the DZ before going forward to search. Once going forward:

• If the original ball is found outside the penalty area, the player must continue to play with it. 
• If the original ball is found in the penalty area, the player has the option to play the original ball as it lies, continue to play with the ball under Rule 17-1, or play the ball hit provisionally from the DZ.
•  If the original ball is not found or identified within the three-minute search period, the player must continue with the ball played provisionally if so played. 

RULES COMMITTEE: The current Big Canoe Professional Golf Staff
*Definitions: 

Virtual Certainty: Although there is a very small degree of doubt, all reasonably available information shows that it is at least 95% likely that the event in question happened.