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2024-2025 KHSAA Golf Hard Card

July 11, 2024 Golf Blog Updates

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2024-2025 KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Local Rules and Conditions of Competition for KHSAA Events

Play is governed by the Rules of Golf effective January 2023, and where applicable, by the following Local Rules and Terms of the Competition. Committee Procedures refers to the Committee Procedures section in the current Official Guide to the Rules of Golf. The Committee refers to the Tournament Committee assigned to each event.
The Committee is the KHSAA Staff through the manager at all KHSAA postseason competitions. For postseason events, the competition rules and postseason instructions shall take precedence if any conflict occurs between the information contained in those documents and the Hard Card.
Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for breach of a Local Rule is the general penalty (2-strokes in Stroke Play / Loss of Hole in Match Play). GHK Rules Help Line (502-243-8295)

Ground Under Repair (GUR): Areas marked in white (not including DROPPING ZONES or OUT OF BOUNDS) and as defined in the Rules of Golf. Reference Rule 16 for when relief is allowed. Out of Bounds (OB) and Course Boundaries: OB is defined by the line between the course-side points at ground level of white stakes and fence posts. When a line is used for OB, the inside edge of the line defines the OB not any stakes or fence.
Relief From Sod Seams/Cut Turf (MLR F-7): If a player’s ball in the general area lies in or touches a seam of cut turf or a seam interferes with the player’s area of intended swing, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. But interference does not exist if the seam only interferes with the player’s stance. All seams within the same area of cut turf in the general area are treated as the same seam in taking relief.

Stopping and Resuming Play: A suspension of play for a dangerous situation will be signaled by one prolonged note of a siren or horn. All other suspensions will be signaled by three consecutive notes of a siren or horn. In either case, resumption of play will be signaled by two short notes of a siren or horn.

NOTE: All practice areas are closed during an immediate suspension for a dangerous situation until the Committee has declared them open.

White-lined-areas tying into immovable obstructions are treated as a single abnormal course condition when taking relief under Rule 16.1. Railroad ties, curbing or other similar artificial edges adjoining cart paths are part of the same obstruction. Restrictions on Practice (MLR I-2): In stroke play, between the play of two holes a player must not make any practice stroke on or near the putting green of the hole just completed, test the surface of the putting green by rubbing the putting green or rolling a ball. Penalty: General Penalty applied to the next hole.
Temporary Immovable Obstructions (TIO): MLR F-23 Sect. 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect. List of Conforming Driver Heads: MLR G-1 Sect. 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect. Penalty: Disqualification.
Ball Deflected by Power Line (MLR E-11): If it is known or virtually certain that a player’s ball hit an overhead power line (or supporting structures), the player must replay a ball without penalty from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6 for replaying stroke). If the player does not replay the stroke, they get the general penalty and the stroke counts, but the player has not played from a wrong place. List of Conforming Golf Balls: MLR G-3 Sect. 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect. Penalty: Disqualification.
Integral Objects (MLR F-1) (Free relief not allowed): Artificial retaining walls and/or pilings when located in penalty areas, wires, cables, wrappings, signs and lightning rods closely attached to trees or objects and bunker liners in their intended position. Note: An exposed bunker liner, not in its intended position, is ground under repair if it interferes with the lie of the ball or area of intended swing, but not if it ONLY interferes with stance. Scorecards: For the purpose of applying Rule 3.3b (2), a player’s scorecard is treated as returned when the player has first left the scoring area with both feet. MLR L-1 Sect. 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect, if the player or marker fails to certify the score card.
Penalty Areas: When a penalty area is defined only on one side, it extends to infinity. When a penalty area is connected to the out-of-bounds edge, the penalty area extends to and coincides with out of bounds. When the Competition is Final: When all scores and match results have been officially posted and approved by the Committee, the competition is final.
Animal Near Ball: MLR E-13 Sect. 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect. (Currently this is in the rules app under “additional clarifications”.) Pace of Play: The pace of play policy as prescribed in registration agreement and/or Terms of the Competition is in effect. Pace of Play will be a point of emphasis during the postseason and will be reiterated to competitors, coaches and officials.  

Coaching Advice Rule
a) The Committee may, in the conditions of a team competition (Model Local Rule H-2), permit each team to appoint a coach, who has met all KHSAA coaching requirements and who is appointed by the school and is listed within the school information on file with the KHSAA, who may give advice (including pointing out a line for putting) to members of that team. A team may have no more than five (5) designated coaches, that have been hired by the local school district and meet all KHSAA coaching requirements within Bylaw 25. Only one coach may provide advice to a golfer at any given time.
b) The Committee may establish conditions relating to the appointment and permitted conduct of that person, who must be identified to the Committee before giving advice.
c) There are no conditions on conduct of a coach in this regard, other than requiring advice to be given in a private manner and requiring that the advice does not unduly delay play. Only one coach may provide advice to a golfer at any given time.
d) Coaches are prohibited from being on the putting greens and in the bunkers. A coach may enter a penalty area to help search for golf balls, offer advice and then leave the penalty area before the player’s shot. Upon a player successfully exiting a bunker, a coach may rake the area to help speed up pace of play.
e) A breach of this advice rule by any coach will result in a 2-stroke penalty for the player. For each additional breach by a coach, a 2-stroke penalty will be assessed to the player.
f) A player may have the line indicated to him by a coach, but he/she may not be deliberately positioned on or close to an extension of the line of play behind the player’s ball when the player begins taking their stance for the stroke that is made.
g) Further rules regarding the Advice Rule may be developed for KHSAA Region and State Tournaments and shall be distributed to the competing teams.

Automotive Transportation
a) Unless otherwise permitted by the Committee, players shall not use automotive transportation during a stipulated round.
b) Penalty for Breach of Local Rule: The player gets the general penalty for each hole during which there is a breach of this Local Rule. If the breach occurs between the play of two holes, it applies to the next hole.
c) If a player accepts a ride without the permission of the Committee, the Committee can waive the penalty if it would have authorized the player to ride in that situation had the request been made. For example, if a player who had lost a ball and needed to return to the teeing area accepted a ride from a volunteer when there was no Committee member available, the Committee could waive the penalty if members of the Committee would have given the player the ride if asked.
d) When motorized transportation is not allowed by Local Rule, it is a principle of the Local Rule that players should walk the entire course, so authorization should not be given if a player has been given a ride forwards when he or she has not already walked that distance. For example, if a player stops to buy a refreshment after playing his or her tee shot, and then accepts a ride forward to his or her ball from a volunteer, the penalty under the Local Rule should not be waived.

Distance-Measuring Devices
a) For all KHSAA postseason competitions, a player may obtain distance information by using a device measuring distance only.
b) If, during a stipulated round, a player uses any other function that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect play (e.g., gradient/slope, wind-speed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 4.3, for which the penalty is 2 strokes for the first offense, and disqualification for any subsequent offense.

NOTE: The restriction on the use of distance-measuring devices that are capable of measuring anything but distance will be reiterated in the published instructions and KHSAA hard card, and golfers are directed to not use any restricted function of the device while they are on the course.
c) Helpful information concerning the use of these devices can be found on the KHSAA website at http://khsaa.org/golf/ under General Information.
d) For all regular season competition involving KHSAA member schools, host facilities are permitted to address the permissive or restrictive use of distance measuring devices, but are not permitted to allow any function of a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect play (e.g., gradient/slope, wind-speed, temperature, etc.).

NOTE: Tournament directors are encouraged to take all preventive steps possible including notification to coaches and players to prevent violation, but failure to issue such notice shall not constitute a waiver of the restriction.

Communication Devices
a) For all KHSAA postseason competitions, voice communication devices (including all types of cell phones, two-way radios, and other devices) may not be used by a player, his side or caddie as a communication device between coaches and players or players and spectators. Cell phones are permitted but may only be used as instructed.
b) If used during a round or match, for anything other than at the direction of tournament management i.e live scoring or a life or health and safety threatening emergency, the player is in breach of Rule 1-2, for which the penalty is: 1st Offense, Warning, 2nd Offense, Disqualification for serious breach of etiquette.

NOTE: The restriction on the use of voice communication devices will be reiterated in the published instructions and KHSAA hard card, and golfers directed to ensure that if the device is in the bag of the golfer for use at the direction of tournament management or in an emergency, it remain in an off position and available solely for use in the case of an actual emergency.
c) For all regular season competition involving KHSAA member schools, host facilities are encouraged to address the permissive or restrictive use of communication devices, i.e for live scoring purposes or a life or health and safety threatening emergency.

NOTE: Tournament directors are encouraged to take all preventive steps possible including notification to coaches and players to prevent violation, but failure to issue such notice shall not constitute a waiver of the restriction.

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