Local Rules Update!
- Jordan Ayer
- Jun 5
- 3 min read
Good evening,
We have recently made some local rules decisions to address pace of play/course maintenance and ensure fairness in all of our competitions. These updates will eventually make their way onto the scorecards but they are effective for all CKCC play and competitions moving forward unless otherwise specified.
Rule Change 1: Naturalized Areas
This is the biggest change happening as it affects the entire course. We are now defining all naturalized/unmaintained areas as lateral/red-stake hazards or water/yellow-stake hazards and all red stakes and some yellow stakes are being removed from the property. This will hopefully speed up pace-of-play and increase the ease of maintaining these areas.
It is important to note that we will still have out-of-bounds markers and some water/yellow-stake markers on-property.
To summarize this change. If an area is unmaintained/naturalized and within course property (not OOB), it can be played as a lateral or water hazard depending on its nature. For more detail, read below!
Naturalized/unmaintained areas are considered by the club as any areas which do not receive weekly mowing or attention from the grounds crew staff. There are many, many acres of these areas on the property. To clarify, here are some examples...
Fields which are only brush hogged a few times per year (or never) are considered naturalized/unmaintained. Examples below...
The field surrounded by 5W, 6W, & 7W.
The field to the left of 13N.
The field to the right of 7S.
Forested areas are all considered naturalized/unmaintained. Examples below...
The forested area to the right of 4W.
The forested area to the left of 15N.
The forested area to the front-left of the green on 5S.
Water features are considered naturalized/unmaintained. Examples are below...
The pond on 6W.
The stream-bed on 11N, including the areas which are only weed whacked.
The stream-bed on 1S, including the areas which are only weed whacked, and even if it is dry.
The examples listed above are obviously just examples and not exhaustive.
When determining how to take a drop from these locations, use the following guidelines...
The line between the naturalized/unmaintained area and the maintained turfgrass is considered to be the boundary of the hazard.
Imagine a million little red or yellow stakes tracking right along this border.
Agree within your group on where exactly this line falls; however, it should be fairly obvious based on grass condition.
The tree-line will serve as the hazard border for heavily forested areas if grass is sparse.
Take your normal relief from your point of entry along this hazard border.
Fields and forested areas are considered to be lateral/red-stake hazards.
Players are entitled to lateral hazard relief options from these locations.
Not sure what that looks like? Click here!
Water features are considered to be water/yellow-stake hazards.
Players are entitled to water hazard relief options from these locations.
Not sure what that looks like? Click here!
Rule Change 2: Relief from Player Damage
There is no worse feeling in golf than stepping on a drive right down the middle and you find that you are sitting in an unrepaired divot. Last year we made an announcement allowing for certain types of relief in these situations but we want to fully define it this year for use in competitions.
Moving forward, all players are allowed free relief from damage caused by another player or obvious ground under repair. Examples of damage you may be entitled to relief from are below...
A divot that was not repaired or was repaired poorly.
An area with little to no turfgrass coverage owing to prolonged water exposure.
These areas are usually browned out and almost hardpan.
They can also take the form of muddy ridges from carts/equipment driving over them.
A pitch mark made by another player that your ball has come to rest in. Hi, Shane Lowry!
The procedure for taking this relief will be as follows...
Group must agree that the location your ball is in fits a situation like is described above, obvious ground under repair, player damage, etc., within your own fairway EXCEPT for the collar of the green.
Player must identify closest point of full relief from the damage.
The ball may be dropped within one scorecard length (the short way, people!) of the point of full relief no closer to the hole.
Normal dropping procedures apply.
If you are unsure what that looks like, click here!
Again, this relief is FREE but may only be taken if your group can agree that you are in damage caused by another player or prolonged water exposure. This relief obviously only matters when the entire course is playing by Summer Rules (no fluffing, moving, cleaning, placing).
Thank you for your attention to these changes!
