The Gaggle Golfers Men’s Group

The Gaggle Golfers Men’s Group is an inclusive group of local men, which aims to provide enjoyable and challenging golf to our members of all skill levels.  The group currently enjoys a block of morning tee times on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at The Golf Course at Hawks Prairie. Normally, we contribute $4.50 to a payout pot each game day and an additional nominal amount for skins payout. USGA Rules govern all play with the exception of the following local rules specific for this group, which is to assist in speeding up the play and accommodate the demographics of the group. The World Handicap System (WHS) includes the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System and will govern the handicap rules.

Gaggle Golfers Men’s Group Local Rules:

**It is okay to lift the ball in play and relocate not more than six inches from the original lie. The “embedded ball” rule is in effect through the green. A ball which is embedded in its own pitch mark "through the green" may be lifted without penalty, cleaned and placed as near as possible to the spot where it lay but no nearer to the hole.

**The ball in play must be putted out to the hole completely.

**When playing the Woodland’s Long Red Tees, you may tee it up at the front edge of the Long Red Tees teeing area on the four alternate tee boxes.  On Hole 8 and 18, if the Red Tee ‘markers’ are placed on a tee box behind the original forward Red Tee box, players playing the Short Red Tees will always then use the original forward Red Tee box.

**When playing the Woodland’s White Tees, players will play the White Tee markers provided they are on the White Tee box or forward. For example, if the White Tee markers are on a Tee box behind the White Tee box, then the player will play from the White Tee box.  If the White Tee markers are located on the forward Red Tee box then the player will play from the White Tee markers located there.

**In bunkers:

1 - The lie of the ball in the bunkers cannot be moved or improved unless the ball is in an animal track or standing water, whereas you may place the ball at the nearest point of relief within the bunker, no closer to the hole.  Human footprints are not considered animal tracks.

2 - You are allowed to remove stones from around and under your ball (no penalty).

3 - If your ball lies on or if your swing is affected by exposed landscape lining in the bunker, you are entitled to free relief.  You may choose to place your ball either (1) within one club-length of the nearest relief, no nearer the hole or (2) at any point on a line backwards from the pin to where your ball currently lies.  Relief must be within the bunker.

**When a player’s ball lies on the putting green, there is no penalty if the ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved.  The moved ball or ball-marker must be replaced.

**There are no mulligans or free shots.  All strokes count for score.

**There is no restriction on the number of clubs that may be in the accompanying golf bag.

**All scores should be posted to the GHIN Scoring System within 48 hours.

**While playing with the Gaggle Golfers Men’s Group, you do not have to record on the scorecard a hole score greater than two shots over the Maximum Hole Score as established by the World Handicap System if picked up at that point.  If player continues to putt past this point then all strokes will count toward the score. However, you would post in the GHIN Scoring System the appropriate Maximum Hole Score as governed by the WHS.

The Maximum Hole Score for each hole played is limited to a Net Double Bogey – which is equal to Par of the hole plus 2 strokes (double bogey) plus any handicap strokes the player is entitled to receive on that hole based on their Course Handicap Index.

Although the WHS updates the Individual’s Handicap Index daily, the Gaggle Handicap Index Chart posted on the cover of The Gaggle Book located in the clubhouse will be updated and posted only on the 1st and 15th of each month.  This Gaggle Handicap Index Chart will govern the Handicap play of our group between postings.

**Your individual Course Handicap Index for a specific Tee Box is now determined by the following formula: Handicap Index x (Slope rating ÷ 113) + (Course Rating-Par).

The following are the WHS ratings for Course and Slope for The Links and The Woods tee boxes:

The LINKS:

BLUE –        72.3/127/72

WHITE –      70.3/124/72

GOLD –       67.7/118/72

RED –          65.3/112/72

The WOODS:

BLUE –        72.9/134/72

WHITE –      70.3/127/72

LONG RED –   68.5/121/72

SHORT RED – 67.0/119/72

Since all three numbers are now figured in your individual Course Handicap Index for a specific Tee Box, there is no differentials for playing from different Tee Boxes. There are no adjustments for different Tee Boxes unless the Par rating is different.

**To speed up play, players may treat the white stakes (out of bounds), the red stakes (lateral hazards) and yellow stakes (water hazards) equally, and apply one of the options as noted below.  Unmarked wooded and long grass areas may be played as a lateral penalty area.  If a cart path is adjacent to the area, treat the inner boundary of the cart path as the penalty area line.

1. Red Lateral Hazard (red stakes and/or lines) or Yellow Water Hazard (yellow stakes and/or lines) will be superseded by the expanded concept of “penalty areas” and will provide the following options for relief:

Option 1 – Play it from the penalty area. There is no special restrictions when a ball is in a penalty area.  A player is allowed to touch or move loose impediments and touch the ground with hand or club, subject only to the prohibition on improving conditions for the stroke.

Option 2 – Replay the shot from the original position incurring a stroke and distance penalty of one shot.

Option 3 – Draw a line from the hole to where the ball last crossed the margin of the penalty area and drop anywhere behind that point keeping the point between you and the hole, incurring a one shot penalty.

Option 4 -  Go to the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the penalty area and drop within two club lengths, no nearer the hole, on either side of the penalty area, incurring a one shot penalty.

Option 5 - If a Drop Zone is available for a particular penalty area, you may proceed by dropping a ball, under penalty of one stroke, in the Drop Zone.

2. Lost Ball (other than in a penalty area) or Out-of-Bounds

Option 1 - After looking for a maximum of three minutes, you may go back to where the shot was originally played from and replay the ball, incurring a stroke and distance penalty of one shot.

Option 2 - Go to the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the out of bounds and drop within two club lengths, no nearer the hole, on either side of the penalty area, incurring a one shot penalty.  Although there is an option to play the ball out of a penalty area so as to not incur a one stroke penalty, that option does not apply to an out of bounds ball.

Option 3 - If, after playing a shot, you think your ball may be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds you may play a provisional ball. You must announce that it is a provisional ball and play it before you go forward to search for the original ball. If you play a provisional ball and your original ball is lost or out of bounds, you must play the provisional ball and not take the option of treating it as a lateral penalty area.

**The most important Gaggle Golfers Men’s Group Local Rule is to have FUN and enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow golfers.

May 2022