Local Rule

Stroke and Distance Alternative

1st of January 2019

“When a player’s ball cannot be found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance.

For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or a substituted ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):

Two Estimated Reference Points:

  1. Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball:
  • Is estimated to have come to rest on the course, or
  • Last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.

  1. Fairway Reference Point    : The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point, but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point.

For purposes of this Local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.

Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points: Anywhere between:

  • A line from the hole through the ball reference point (or within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and
  • A line from the hole through the fairway reference point (or within two club-lengths to the outside of that line).        

     
    But with these limits:

Limits on Location of Relief Area:

  • Must be in the general area, and
  • Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.


But, the player may not use this option when:

  • The ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or
  • The player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.3).”

 

PDF – Local Rule Stroke and Distance Alternative