Local Rules and Conditions of Play

Each player shall be responsible for being acquainted with the rules and conditions of play. USGA rules shall govern all play and shall be supplemented by the LVMC Local Rules and Conditions of play.

1. Out-of-Bounds is defined by the inside edges at ground level of:

   1. White stakes along the left side of holes #1 and #2 fairways

   2. All perimeter fence posts

   3. Driving range fence posts

2. Declared Immovable Obstructions: White stakes defining the out-of-bounds on hole #1 are declared to be immovable obstructions while playing any hole other than hole #1, where they are considered out-of-bounds markers. The stakes must not be moved. The player gets relief without penalty for stance and swing only.

3. Ground Under Repair: is designated by white lines, white stakes or roped stakes encircling the area. Relief may be taken under Rule 25-1, Abnormal Ground Conditions. Drop without penalty within one club length from the nearest point of relief no nearer the hole.

4. Embedded Ball: Through the green, a ball that is embedded in its own pitch mark in the ground may be lifted, cleaned, and dropped as near as possible to where it lay but not nearer the hole.

5. Edging Grooves: If a ball lies on an edging groove around a putting green, the player may without penalty, lift the ball, clean it, and place it out of the groove within 6 inches to where it lay, whether on or off the putting green, which is not nearer the hole.

6. Immovable Obstruction Close to Putting Green: If a ball lies off the putting green and an immovable obstruction (i.e. sprinkler head) within two club lengths of the putting green and within two club lengths of the ball, not in a hazard, intervenes on the line of play between the ball and the hole, the ball may be lifted, cleaned and dropped at the nearest point that (a) is not nearer the hole, (b) avoids intervention and (c) is not in a hazard or on the putting green.

7. Aeration Holes: Through the Green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole may be lifted without penalty, cleaned, and dropped, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. On the putting green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole may be placed at the nearest spot not nearer the hole that avoids the situation.

8. Stones in Bunkers: are movable obstructions. Rules 24-1 Movable obstruction applies.

9. Staked Trees: If a staked tree interferes with a player's stance or swing the player must take relief without penalty to protect the young tree. Proceed under Rule 24-2b Relief from an Immovable Obstruction.

10. Distance Measuring Devices: that measure distance only are allowed for all play at Los Verdes.

11. Winter Rules: Winter Rules shall be in effect when declared by the Greens Chairman. A ball may be lifted cleaned and placed within 6 inches no nearer the hole.

12. Bunker Rule: In a bunker, a player whose ball lies in a disturbed area that should have been raked by another player, is allowed to place the ball elsewhere in the bunker within one club-length no closer to the hole of where the ball came to rest without penalty.

13. Smut grass Rule: A player whose ball lies close to smut grass, in a position where the swing movement of the clubface to hit the ball is obstructed by the smut grass, is allowed to place the ball within one club-length of where the ball came to rest no nearer the hole without penalty. There is no relief for stance on smut grass, only the clubface obstruction.

14. Exposed Tree Root Rule: If a player’s ball is in play and there is interference with the lie of the ball or the area of intended swing from exposed tree roots that are in a part of the general area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing, the tree roots are treated as ground under repair. The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b. Find the nearest point of relief that is not closer to the hole and the ball must be dropped within 1 club length and come to rest in the relief area. Interference does not exist if the tree roots only interfere with the player’s stance.

15. Model Local Rule E-5 will be in effect:

    1. Under this local rule, golfers are given an additional relief option for a lost ball or a ball that is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds.

       1. For 2 penalty strokes, instead of having to take stroke-and-distance relief (re-hitting from where you last hit from), the player may take relief by dropping their ball within 2 club lengths of the nearest point of the fairway on the hole that is being played.

    2. If you are taking this relief option, here are the steps you should take:

       1. Inform your playing partners that you are taking this relief option.

       2. Identify your ball reference point:

          1. For a lost ball = The point where the original ball is estimated to have come to rest (where you think the ball ended up).

          2. For a ball out of bounds = The point where the original ball is estimated to have last crossed the edge of the course boundary or OB line.

       3. Identify your fairway reference point:

          1. The point of the fairway on the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point but is not nearer to the hole.

       4. i. Identify your relief area:

          1. Draw a line from the pin through the ball reference point (and add 2 club lengths to the outside of that point)

          2. Draw a line from the pin through the fairway reference point (and add 2 club lengths to the fairway side of that point)

          3. Your relief area is the entire area between these two lines.

       5. Drop your ball within the relief area:

          1. Ensuring that you are dropping no nearer to the hole than your ball reference point.

    3. While this local rule gives players an additional relief option, we still strongly recommend that players remember to hit a provisional ball if there is any reasonable chance that the original ball is either lost or OB.

16. A red penalty area (indicated by a red line) will be in play on the left side of #16, starting approximately 200 yards from the green and extending up past the green.

    1. If your ball is known or virtually certain to be in the penalty area, you will have the option to take lateral relief under a penalty of 1 stroke.

    2. If you are taking this relief option, here are the steps you should take:

       1. Inform your playing partners that you are taking this relief option.

       2. Identify your reference point:

          1. The point where the original ball is estimated to have crossed the boundary of the penalty area (red spray-painted line)

       3. Identify your relief area:

          1. 2 club lengths from the reference point (point of entry)

       4. Drop your ball within the relief area:

          1. Ensuring that you are dropping no nearer to the hole than your ball reference point.

    3. You still have the option to take stroke-and-distance or back-on-the-line relief for shots that end up in the penalty area.

    4. You still have the option to play the ball from within the penalty area if you are able to locate it within the allotted 3-minute search period.

    5. *This red penalty area is NOT applicable for balls that are known or are virtually certain to have come to rest OB (left of the boundary fence on #16). If there is any uncertainty regarding this, we recommend using your best judgment and coming to an agreement/decision through discussion with your playing partners.

    6. **This red penalty area is only located within the boundaries indicated by the spray-painted red line on the left side of #16. No other areas of the course are considered to be red penalty areas at this time.