Throughout these rules Berksdale Golf Course is designated by the letter B and Kingswood Golf Course is designated by the letter K

USGA Rules will govern play, with the following exceptions and clarifications which apply to the Bella Vista Men’s Nine Hole Golf Association.

1. HANDICAP All new players must have an established handicap to be eligible to be
awarded any prizes for the first day of play. Players joining later must also submit five scores of
nine holes each for a handicap. Members who belonged to the Association last year and did not
play an event which was used for handicap will have to re-establish a new handicap with five
scores of nine holes each.

2. SCORECARDS The scores must be recorded under the proper hole and correctly totaled. Scorecard must be signed and attested and if not signed and attested, the players in that group will be ineligible for that week’s prizes.

3. ALL STROKES Count all strokes including any whiffs.

4. TEE BOXES
A/B flights. All players will use # 3 tee box
C/D flights. All players will use # 4 tee box

5. CREEKS On holes numbered B4,B9,B18,K4,K18, if the tee shot is in the water you must hit another ball from the green side of the water and add one penalty stroke. On hole number B9, if the approach shot is in the creek, play the next shot on the green side of the creek and add one penalty stroke. If the ball is on any part of the bridge (over Sugar Creek) play the next shot from the green side of the creek without penalty.

6. ROCKY AREAS In any rocky area in the fairway or rough that is not considered a hazard, where golf clubs could be damaged and the ball is playable, it may be moved no closer to the green without penalty. However, if you are in a hazard (all ditches, water areas, tree areas bounding the fairway, etc) and the ball is unplayable, it may not be moved without a one stroke penalty. In Native grass areas, a free dropout no closer to the hole, is allowed to speed up play.

7. WINTER RULES Winter rules concerning improving the lie of your ball in fairways and roughs apply in Association play.

8. CARTPATHS Balls may be dropped away from the cart paths that interfere with stance or swing without a penalty stroke. Drop must be no more than two club lengths from the original lie and no closer to the green.

9. LATERAL HAZARDS (red stakes) Creeks and lakes running along holes B1, B2, B3, B7, B8, B10, B11, B12, B16, B17, B18 & K1, K4, K5, K7, K14, K17, (behind #17) are lateral hazards. If your ball is in a lateral hazard, drop a ball no closer to the green and take a penalty of one stoke or play the ball as is lies without a penalty.

10. WATER HAZARDS (yellow stakes) Water hazards exist on holes B9, B15, B18 & K3, K7, K14 (see rule 5 for creek on B4 and B9). If ball is in the hazard, drop a ball no closer to the green and take a one stroke penalty or play the ball as it lies without a penalty.

11. OUT OF BOUNDS (White stakes) White markers indicating out of bounds are on hole B2, B6, B9, B10, B12, B13, B14, B15 & K1, K11, K14, K15, K16, K17, K18. If your ball is out of bounds, drop in bounds no closer to the green and take a penalty of one stroke.

12. GROUND UNDER REPAIR If your ball is in an area designated as ground under repair (orange stakes or orange maintenance flags or white lined areas) you must drop a ball within two club lengths of the marked area and no closer to the green without penalty.

13. LOST BALL A lost ball is a penalty of one stroke. Players must drop a ball at the approximate spot the ball was last seen. Do not delay other players while hunting for a ball. Players must observe a two minute time limit for searching for a lost ball.

14. SAND TRAPS Club may not be grounded in a sand trap. If a ball is imbedded in a footprint or standing water, the ball may be moved away from the footprint or water not more than one foot and no closer to the green and still in the trap.

15. CLEANING OR CHANGING BALLS A ball on the green may be cleaned or a different ball used after properly marking its location.

16. APPROACH SHOT STRIKING ANOTHER BALL ON GREEN Play the approach ball from where it lies, no penalty. Ball that was struck may be played from where it lies or be replaced to the approximate original position.

17. PUTTING While putting, a penalty of one stroke is incurred if your ball strikes another ball on the putting surface. Ball is played from where it lies. Struck ball may be moved back to approximate original spot or played where it lies.

18. FLAGSTICK Players ball must not strike the flagstick, attended or unattended, when playing from the putting surface. One stroke penalty for hitting the flagstick.

19. PUTTS All putts less than 18 inches from cup will be picked up unless the rules of the game of the week state differently.

20. NUMBER OF CLUBS There is no limit to the number of clubs you may carry in your bag except for specifically designated games. You must have a minimum of three clubs and a putter to conform to POA course rules.

21. GREENS UNDER REPAIR When greens are under repair, you will put once after getting on the green. And if ball does not go in the hole, pick up and add one stroke to your score for a total of two putts

22. WRONG BALL STRUCK If you hit the wrong ball, the penalty is one stroke .

23. DISPUTES Any dispute regarding infractions of rules should be brought to the attention of the Executive Committee for clarification and ruling.

24. MAXIMUM HANDICAP A maximum handicap per individual will be used for all team events.

GOLF COURTESIES
Courtesies are not rules, yet should be applied as stringently as are the rules. It is always essential that we be considerate of all other players and the courses and especially the greens. By applying the following common courtesies diligently, we will all enjoy a better game.

1. Unless specifically asked, never offer advice or instruction or criticism to your fellow golfers.

2. Please be ready to check in at least 30 minutes before your assigned starting tee time. Then check in with the hole starter on the tee you are assigned to play at least 10 minutes before your scheduled tee time.

3. Be ready to play when it is your turn at all times. Slow play is discourteous . Play ready golf. If you find your foursome is slow and there is one open hole in front of you, allow the foursome behind you to play through.

4. Do not spend more than two minutes looking for your ball. If you cannot find your ball in two minutes, drop another ball, take your penalty, and get on with play.

5. Park carts on the paths while teeing off. Use the 90 degree rule when driving your cart on the fairways and anywhere from tee to green. When the Pro Shop designates that carts are on paths for that play day, this means to stay on the paths at all times including in the rough.

6. Keep all carts at least 25 feet from the edge of the green and follow all cart signs where they are installed.

7. Upon reaching the green, park your cart on the path to the rear or far side of the green, so that you exit from the rear of the green and not toward the following players.

8. Do not walk across the putting line of another player’s ball in your foursome.

9. Get to the ball as soon as possible and be prepared to hit as soon as it is your turn. Always check the ball to make sure that it is yours before hitting. Try to park your cart halfway between your ball and your cartmate’s ball, so both of you can be ready to hit as soon as it is your turn. This is to eliminate extra steps and time.

10. Repair all divots on fairways and roughs.

11. Repair all ball marks on greens. Yours and one more!

12. Rake all sand traps after hitting out.

13. After each hole is finished, each player including the scorekeeper, should announce his score at
the next tee box so that all players can hear .

14. Do not linger on the greens or in the carts near the greens after putting out. Return your clubs to your bag and record scores at the next tee box.

15. When you ride with someone in a private cart, & you are not a leaseholder or a
cart owner, remember that carts are expensive to maintain. You are expected to
pay ½ of a cart rental to the owner to help offset that expense.
In this same vein, the use of carts should not be unfairly loaded on private cart
owners. If team members with lease carts are available, prefer to use them over
private carts unless owners want to bring their cart. Always give the owners this
option when there is one.

16. First thing in the morning on play days, please allow the first three foursomes for the front and
back nines to have priority for payment of green fees so that we can
have a timely start.

GAMES & SCORING
The game to be played for each play date is shown in the current Roster and on the sign up sheet each week, as well as on the POA website. In the event of ties, a scorecard playoff will be used as determined by the Scoring Committee. The Scoring Committee Chairman will pick a hole to start and whether to go forward or backward to break all ties.

BEST BALL (SCORE) (TWOSOME OR FOURSOME)
For either twosome or foursome, keep the individual scores for each player for each hole of the scorecard and total these scores on each card for use in computing handicaps by the Handicap Committee. The low score for each hole of the twosome or foursome is circled on the scorecard. For ties between players on the twosome or foursome, circle only one score. Use the handicap of each player as printed on the scorecard and total these handicaps by twosome or foursome. Divide twosome or foursome total by 2 or 4 to determine the team handicap. For each team twosome or foursome, total the circled scores and subtract the team handicap to get the team score for the event.

BEST 3 BALLS
Keep each player’s score by hole. Low score of 3 players is circled and added as total score for each hole. Add total nine holes and subtract 1/2 of total handicap to arrive at net score. Low net score wins the event.

LOW INDIVIDUAL NET
The player’s scores are entered for each hole and totaled for the nine holes. Handicaps as shown on the scorecard are then subtracted to determine the net score. Low net score wins the event.

LOW TEAM NET (TWOSOME OR FOURSOME)
The Pairings Committee will pair teams so teams are as even by total handicap as possible. Scores are recorded for each player, totaled and then the handicap for each player subtracted. The team (twosome or fourso
me) scores are totaled to obtain net team score. Low team net score wins the event.

SCRAMBLE (TWOSOME OR FOURSOME)
The Pairings Committee wil pair teams to obtain, as close as possible, teams with equal handicaps. Each player of each team tees off from his normal tee on each hole. The best drive is selected and each hits his second shot from that spot. This continues until the ball is holed. Only one score for each hole is recorded on the scorecard for the team. The team with the lowest score is the winner. In the event of “no shows” for this event, the player in the twosome without a partner will hit two shots from each spot and the players in the foursome will rotate on each shot taking the fourth shot for the team.

TWO HOLE THROWOUT
Individual scores are kept for each player for each hole. The player’s total score for the nine holes is recorded. This score will be posted by the Handicap Committee. Each player then selects scores for the two holes he wishes to throw out and identifies the scores by circling them on the scorecard. He totals the score for the remaining seven holes and subtracts his handicap to arrive at a net score for the event. Low net score wins the event.

TURKEY SHOOT
Player’s scores for each hole are entered and totaled for the nine. Handicaps are then subtracted to determine the net score. Each player pays $2 to his Captain before teeing off. The low net score in each team wins. Captains turn in $2 for each player on the scorecard to the scoring table. There will be one winner for a team of eight players or two foursomes.

BELLA VISTA ( Texas ) SCRAMBLE
Each player hits a tee shot. The best drive is selected. Then each player plays his own ball from that location until it is holed out. Handicaps are not used, since the teams will have balanced handicaps. This is played as a two-man scramble or as a four man scramble. In the two man scramble, the highest handicapper is paired with the lowest handicapper & the two middle handicappers are paired.

WEEKLY CHARITY POT
An optional donation of $1 to the “Charity Pot” is to be made to the starter on the first hole of play. The closest shot to the pin by a contributor on the designated par 3 hole is the weekly winner. Each week the “Charity Pot” is divided with the winner receiving a check for ½ of total pot and ½ is retained for year end distribution to local charities as chosen by the 9 Hole Executive Committe from player reccommendations each year.