5C
Local Rules (Including Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities)
The Committee is responsible for deciding whether to adopt any Local Rules and for making sure they are consistent with the principles found in Section 8. A Local Rule is a modification of a Rule or an additional Rule that the Committee adopts for general play or a particular competition. The Committee needs to make sure that any Local Rules are available for players to see, whether on the scorecard, a separate handout, a notice board or the course's website.
When considering adopting a Local Rule, the Committee should keep in mind the following:
- Local Rules have the same status as a Rule of Golf for that competition or course, and
- The use of Local Rules should be limited as much as possible and be used only to deal with the types of situations and policies covered in Section 8.
A full list of authorized of Model Local Rules can be found at the start of Section 8.
Local Rules that may be adopted for competitions fall into the following general categories:
- Defining Course Boundaries and other Areas of the Course (Sections 8A-8D),
- Defining Special Relief Procedures (Section 8E),
- Defining Abnormal Course Conditions and Integral Objects (Section 8F),
- Use of Specific Equipment (Section 8G),
- Who May Give Advice to Players (Section 8H),
- When and Where Players May Practise (Section 8I),
- Procedures for Suspension of Play (Section 8J), and
- Pace of Play Policies (Section 8K).
The Committee should also take note of Section 8L - Unauthorized Local Rules.
Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities
A set of Modified Rules is available for players with disabilities. The Modified Rules only apply if adopted by the Committee and they do not automatically apply to every competition involving players with disabilities.
It is up to each Committee to decide whether to adopt any of the Modified Rules for players with disabilities who are taking part in a competition.
The goal of the Modified Rules is to allow a player with a disability to play fairly with players who have no disabilities, the same disability or different types of disabilities.
See the Modified Rules for Players with Disabilities for further information and guidance.
