PCLGA Rules Clarification  6/15/2026

LOST BALL
Your ball is not in a penalty area and you cannot find it within 3 minutes:
1. Go back to where you hit the ball and hit it again. This is 2 strokes, 1 to take it back and 1 to hit it again.  The stroke that lost the ball counts as a stroke as well.    OR
1. Take the ball to the fairway even with where the ball was lost, drop within two club lengths of the edge, this is 2 strokes. (Local Rule E-5, purpose- improves Pace of Play).
Note: If you lose your tee shot, and opt to go back and re-tee a ball, you are hitting your 3^rd shot off the tee.
If you lose your tee shot and opt to put it in the fairway, you are hitting your 4^th shot w/o the loss of distance. (Local Rule E-5, purpose- improves Pace of Play).
If your lost tee shot and your replayed tee shot are of equal length, you will be hitting your 4^th shot from close to the same spot, no matter which option you choose.

BALL IN RED PENALTY AREA
Your ball crossed over a red penalty line/ red staked area, and you find it or you cannot find it.
Note: The lost ball rules DO NOT apply in a penalty area. And, you are never allowed to drop a ball in a penalty area.
You must note where the ball crossed the red line, go to that spot.
1. Go back to where you hit the ball and re-hit. 2 strokes  OR
2. Drop within 2 club lengths of where the ball crossed the red line, no closer to the hole,1 stroke OR
3. Drop as far back on a line to the flagstick from where the ball crossed the red line, 1 stroke

UNPLAYABLE LIE
Your ball is not in a penalty area, but you still cannot hit the ball, e.g. In deep grass, in a tree, too close to a tree, your swing is blocked…
1. Go back to where you hit the ball and re-hit, 2 strokes OR
2. Drop within 2 club lengths of the ball, 1 stroke OR
3. Drop as far back on a line to the flagstick from the ball, 1 stroke.
Note: Sometimes 2 club lengths from your ball it still unplayable, sadly, you must call it unplayable again, go 2 more club lengths for another stroke.  Sometimes you cannot walk back on a line with the flag stick and the ball without getting in worse trouble.

NOTE: Hitting a “Provisional” ball if you think your ball may be lost or unplayable, improves the Pace-of-Play, because you do not have to “go back.”

MORE LOCAL RULES

A HOLED PUTT:  Any ball rolling toward the cup that STAYS in the cup is considered HOLED.  Play on a hole will continue until the ball is holed.
A CHIP-IN:  A ball chipped or pitched to the hole that STAYS in the hole is considered HOLED.
HOLE IN ONE: Any FIRST shot from a tee box that STAYS in the hole and is witnessed is considered a HOLE IN ONE.

The following are local rules of golf as they pertain to Pole Creek Ladies Golf:

Slope Adjustment Feature on Range Finders. We allow the use of the slope adjustment feature on Range Finders for both Tournament and Club Championship play.

Optional Local Rule E-5 is followed by our group:  https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/major-changes/golfs-new-rules-stroke-and-distance.html