FAQ

Since we have already adopted the SYGC handicap index as the competition rule, we strongly recommend that all the members follow the golf rules during the game. Do not care too much on the gross score. Let's make the game more fun and fair.

Here are the frequent asked questions.

• When I tee off, the ball is lost in the rough in front of the tee?
  When I tee off, the ball is lost in the rough besides the fairway, I can see the ball lands?
  I see the ball dropped, but I can not find the ball when I go there and look for the ball.
  
  Rule: 27-1
  If a ball is lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, the player shall play a ball, under penalty of one stroke, as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played.
  
  It does not matter where and how you lost it. If the ball can not be identified or found within 5 minutes, it is ball lost, one stroke penalty.  GO BACK to where the ORIGINAL BALL was LAST played, and replay from there.
  We always do not replay from where the ball was last lies, but take one stroke penalty and play from where they think the ball is lost, this breaches the rules and should incur 2 stroke penalty, but we seldom see people go back and replay. Hitting a provisional ball might help resolve issues.
  
  27-2. Provisional Ball
  
  a. Procedure
  If a ball may be lost outside a water hazard or may be out of bounds, to save time the player may play another ball provisionally as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was played (see Rule 20-5). The player shall inform his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play that he intends to play a provisional ball, and he shall play it before he or his partner goes forward to search for the original ball. If he fails to do so and plays another ball, such ball is not a provisional ball and becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1); the original ball is deemed to be lost.
  
  To speed up play, some courses do have this local rule of "stroke and distance" for OB ball.  You can drop a ball near the spot the ball becomes OB but you take one additional penalty stroke for the distance you gain (i.e. you play the 4th shot if your tee shot went OB).  Going back to the original spot is the preferred rule and doing provisional will save you and your team mates some time.

• The ball is in the water, but there is no drop zone.
  
  "Drop zone" is local rule, if a golf course provides it, use it, otherwise follow the rules of golf:
  
  If a ball is in or is lost in a water hazard (whether the ball lies in water or not), the player may under penalty of one stroke:
  
  a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was LAST played; or
  
  b. Drop a ball BEHIND the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with NO LIMIT to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be
  dropped; or
  
  c. As additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a LATERAL water hazard, drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.

• Whom should play first? The ball close to the hole but not on the green, or the ball on the green, but far from the hole?
  
  Most of our tournament are played with "Ready-Golf" Rule to enhance the pace, so whoever is ready, should go ahead and play the shot.
  
  In the essence of golf, whoever is close to the hole should wait until the ones farther from the hole play their shots, no matter where the ball is.

• I was putting, and my ball hit my partner's unmarked ball, what is the ruling?
  
  Your partner will incur one shot penalty for interfering your line of putt. You will putt from where the ball lies, and your partner shall move the ball back to where it was before.

• I was chipping from green side short rough, and my ball hit my partner's unmarked ball, what is the ruling?
  
  You will putt from where the ball lies, and your partner shall move the ball back to where it was before. No penalty incurred.