Official Rules of the

Central Alabama Golf Association

Forward. Play in CAGA tournaments shall be in accordance with the USGA Rules of Golf, as periodically amended. The CAGA Rules Committee has approved these local rules specific to CAGA events in the interest of enhancing enjoyment of the game for members at all levels while maintaining the basic integrity and honor of the game. Every CAGA member is responsible for ensuring adherence to these rules by all other CAGA members.

1. Tee Box. Members are allowed to select the tees they are most comfortable playing from (Forward, Senior, Men) in consideration of the USGA’s “Play It Forward” program. All players shall register their tee selection with the CAGA Administrator not later than their second CAGA event following approval of these rules by the Committee. Players must play from their selected tees at all subsequent events.A player may elect to play a longer set of tees at any time but at no time shall a player play from tees shorter than those he has selected. Doing so constitutes disqualification for that round. A player’s tee selection can only be officially changed after approval by the Rules Committee based on appropriate justification. The only exception to this rule is when the CAGA Administrator decides it is in the best interests of a particular tournament to designate play from specific tees.

2. Preferred Lie. Players are allowed to play preferred lies in their own fairway (rolling in the fairway, lift, clean and place) within 1 club length of where the ball lies. In addition, players may play preferred lies “through the green”, where “through the green” means anywhere the ball lies other than a hazard (water lateral, sand trap, etc.), teeing area, and the green if the course has declared the “Cart Path Only” rule.

3. Give me putts. ‘Gimmee’ putts will be allowed within the steel of a normally shafted putter. For players with long shafted putters, they must get a playing partner to measure for them.

4. Relief. In order to prevent personal injury and/or damage to equipment, free relief from roots and rocks is allowed. Drop within 1 club length no nearer the hole from the determined point of relief (from the root or rock) but without improving “line of sight.”

5. Out of Bounds/Lost Ball. In the interest of speeding up play, the CAGA has elected to encourage use of the 2019 USGA recommended “Local Stroke and Distance Rule” for ‘out of bounds’ and ‘lost ball’ play. (See the attached picture for a detailed explanation.) If using the new USGA rule, the player incurs a two stroke penalty. Players are still allowed to use the USGA “stroke and distance” rule, replaying from where the ball was originally hit. In this case, the player incurs a one stroke penalty. Regardless the option chosen, if a player elects to hit a ‘provisional ball’, it must be declared as such prior to being hit.

6. Mulligans. “Mulligans” are not allowed!

Approved by the CAGA Rules Committee, 10 June 2021.

(Signed)                                                        (Signed)

Turner Clem                                                 Lee Aldridge

Chairman, Rules Committee                   President, CAGA