Plano Men’s Senior Golf Association

Rules for Tournament Play

1.      NO MULLIGANS ARE PERMITTED!

2.      Maximum strokes: 

A maximum of three (3) strokes over par are to be taken on any hole.

3.      Putts: 

All putts must be completed – i.e., holed out.  NO gimmies.  If you reach across the hole to tap in a “gimmie” and miss it, count it. Prove you can make it!

 If you choose not to putt out, i.e., pick up your ball, you must take the maximum score of 3 over par on that hole.

4.  Marking the ball on the green: 

When you mark your ball on the green, place the marker behind the ball as you face the hole.  If you move your marker to avoid another player’s line and do not return it to the original position before you putt, there is a one stroke penalty, per rule 20-7.

5.   Tee box area:

      When you tee up the ball on the tee box, the ball must be between the markers and no more than 2 club lengths behind the markers.

6.   Moving and cleaning your ball:

      Ball may be moved one club length (driver) in the fairway and rough, through the green, but not in a hazard, no closer to the pin.  The ball cannot be moved from the rough to the fairway.  The ball may be cleaned after each shot, except in a hazard.

7.    Hazards (except sand traps): 

      Under penalty of one stroke, you may improve your lie within two club lengths of the red or yellow hazard lines, no closer to the pin or, if appropriate, repeat the previous shot, taking a stroke and distance penalty.

8.    Sand traps: 

      Play the ball as it lies unless specified otherwise on the day of the tournament.  When you play a shot from a trap, you may not ground your club at address or on your back swing under a penalty of two strokes.

9.     Lost Ball or Out of Bounds: 

        Either can be a proper place for a provisional ball (it must be announced to the   other players prior to hitting the ball). 

• If a provisional ball is not played and the original ball is either not found or is out of bounds, the player would normally return to the spot where the ball was last played and replay the shot, thus incurring two strokes (original stroke plus penalty stroke). 

• HOWEVER, The PSMGA uses the following local rules to speed up play:

  • If a ball goes out of bounds, either hit a provisional ball with a one stroke penalty, or advance to the point where the ball went out of bounds and add one stroke. 

  • The same reasoning also applies to a lost ball.  If a ball might be lost, the player may hit a provisional ball with a one stroke penalty.  If a provisional ball is not hit, then drop as near as possible to where the ball should be and add one penalty stroke.

  • If a provisional ball is hit and the first ball is not found, then you must play the provisional ball with a stroke and distance penalty. 

• If a ball goes into a “GRATE” and can be seen, it is NOT a lost ball.  If a player thinks his ball went into a grate but cannot see it, it IS a lost ball.

10.    Drop areas:

      A drop area is to be observed on hole #9 with a one stroke penalty.  Pecan Hollow's hole # 9 has a drop area located across the creek, beside the RED tee markers.

11.  Hitting the wrong ball: 

      A penalty of two (2) strokes is added to the offending players score.  If the ball is in a hazard, there is no penalty for hitting the wrong ball.

12.  Four Man Team Scramble with 3 Players:

On those occasions where there are three (3) players on a Four Man Team Scramble, each team member will act as the 4^th man on succeeding shots, per hole, and take turns as their names are listed from top to bottom on the score card.  The number of drives to be used by each player will be specified on the day of the tournament.

13.  Ball in water: 

      A ball in the water may be played if a player desires, but, even if it is near the edge, it cannot be moved one club length backward without a one stroke penalty.

14.  Casual water or ground under repair: 

      Casual water is any temporary water on the course, which is visible before or after a player takes his stance.  Ground under repair is any portion of the course so marked.  It also includes areas where work is in progress, but not marked, such as dirt piled up or areas scraped to bare earth.  You can get relief from casual water or ground under repair by dropping a ball one club length from the trouble, no closer to the green.  A ball cannot be lost in casual water.  If a ball is known to have gone into casual water and cannot be found, a new ball may be played without penalty.

15..  Score keeping: 

      Scorekeepers should be careful to put down the correct scores.  If a player reports a score that is known to be incorrect, and the scorer knows it is incorrect, he should enter the score after consulting with the player and others in the group. Always exchange scorecards when playing an individual tournament.  For team events, scorekeepers will be announced that day.

16.  The PSMGA has waived the 14 club rule.  A player may carry as many clubs as he deems necessary.