Par 2 Bar Golf League

Local/league and most common rules and guidelines are adapted or modified below to support an adequate pace of play and enjoyability. Unless specified below, rules will be as stated in the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) now Golf Canada rule book.

1. Rules and General Guidelines

   1. Games are played, to the extent reasonable, according to Golf Canada rules of golf. The League maintains a set of exceptions that may be updated from time to time by approval based on a majority of votes cast by current Members.
   2. In addition to interpreting the rules as situations arise, the EC is expected to meet at least once each year to review rules and make recommendations before the start of the season.
   3. There will be no mulligans or do-overs.
   4. Number of Clubs: There is no maximum number of clubs allowed in one player's bag.
   5. A player may use or replace a damaged club if desired and clubs can be borrowed from another player.
   6. Anchored Putting: A Player may ‘anchor’ their putter to their body.
   7. A player, between the play of two holes, may practise putting or chipping on or near the putting green of the hole just completed if pace of play is respected.
   8. All players will play from the white tees unless determined by the EC before start of play. For greater certainty, the nine (9) hole total yardage will be between 2900 and 3150 yards.
   9. Ball Identification: A ball can be lifted at any time for identification purposes. It must be returned to the exact same position and in the exact same condition as when lifted.
   10. Lost Ball
       1. Your ball is considered lost if not found in three minutes after you begin to search for it.
       2. Immediately after your stroke, if you suspect your ball is lost, you may choose to hit a provisional ball from the same area incurring a one (1) stroke penalty.
          1. If the original ball is found after hitting a provisional one, while respecting 1.10.1 the player may:
             1. Continue to play the original ball as it lies, in which case the provisional ball must not be played. All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned do not count, or
             2. Continue to play the provisional ball (which may include penalty strokes) in which case the original ball must not be played.
             3. If the original ball is found in a penalty area while respecting 1.10.1 the player may:
                1. Continue to play the original ball as it lies in the penalty area, in which case the provisional ball must not be played. All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count or
                2. Continue to play the provisional ball in which case the original ball must not be played.
   11. Preferred Lies
       1. Tee boxes: In cases where the tee box is severely damaged or flooded where the tees are located (and back two club lengths), the player may seek a better tee off location within the tee box but not closer to the hole.
       2. Fairways: Players may lift, clean and place their ball on the fairway of the hole being played; not nearer to the hole and preferably (depending on conditions) no more than one club length away.
       3. Greens: A player may obtain relief on the green to a point no nearer the hole and as close as possible to the original ball position to avoid an obstructed putting line or damage on the green.
       4. Casual water: After landing a ball in casual water, a player may obtain relief by moving it not nearer to the hole and preferably (depending on conditions) no more than one club length away.
       5. Limited Relief for Embedded Ball: Free relief is allowed only when a ball is embedded in part of the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.
       6. Free relief for a ball embedded in the wall or lip of a bunker (such as a stacked turf or soil face) is not permitted.
       7. If a bunker is flooded to the extent that a reasonable relief within the bunker cannot be obtained, then relief is allowed outside the bunker with a drop within two (2) club lengths of the point of entry into the bunker without penalty.
   12. Unplayable Lie
       1. If you find your ball in play, but in a circumstance where you are not able to make a swing or advance the ball, then you are always entitled to claim an unplayable lie. Under this rule, you incur a one (1) stroke penalty, but are permitted to take relief from your troubling situation:
          1. Go back to the spot of your previous stroke and play again (stroke and distance relief).
          2. Go back as far as you’d like and drop on the line from the hole through the spot where the ball lies (back-on-the-line relief).
          3. Drop anywhere within two club-lengths of where your ball lies, no closer to the hole (lateral relief).
       2. If your ball lies in a bunker, you must remain inside the bunker unless claiming relief under 1.11.7.
          1. For an extra penalty stroke (two (2) penalty strokes total) you can go back on the line and drop your ball outside the bunker.
       3. If your ball is in a hazard, the unplayable lie rule does not apply.
   13. Errors in play
       1. Playing the wrong ball
          1. If a player plays a ball other than his own, the player incurs a two-stroke penalty and must correct the mistake by playing his ball. If your ball is lost, then you must proceed under stroke and distance.
          2. In cases where the player plays another player’s ball, the other player must replay within the general area of where his ball landed within two (2) club lengths no closer to the hole.
       2. Ball Collisions
          1. If the player’s ball in motion hits another ball at rest on the putting green and both balls were on the putting green before the stroke, the player incurs a two (2) stroke penalty.
          2. If a player’s ball in motion hits another ball at rest other than on the putting green, the player whose ball was responsible for the collision will have to play his ball as it lies. The player whose ball was resting before the collision will have to replace his ball back to its original position.
       3. Ball at Rest Lifted or Moved - If a ball at rest is lifted or moved by natural forces (wind/water), anyone or any outside influence before the stroke is made, the ball must be replaced on its original spot.
       4. Inadvertent/Practice Hit- If you strike and move your ball with a practice swing (or accidentally cause your ball to move in any other way), you can simply replace your ball on its original spot without penalty and play on.
   14. Obstructions or Interference by Abnormal Course Condition
       1. Sprinkler heads, stairs/steps and concrete cart paths are a common example of an immovable obstruction.
          1. Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing.
          2. You are entitled to free relief from an immovable obstruction if your ball, stance or area of intended swing is affected by the immovable obstruction.
       2. Abnormal Course Conditions include temporary water accumulation, animal holes or ground under repair.
          1. You are entitled to free relief from an Abnormal Course Condition with the following:
             1. In the general area (not including hazards) dropping within two (2) club length not nearer to the hole where full relief is obtained.
             2. On the green by moving the ball to the spot of the nearest point of complete relief not nearer to the hole. This maybe off of the putting surface.
             3. In the bunker, free relief from an Abnormal Course Condition may be taken by moving the ball within the bunker to the nearest point of complete relief not nearer to the hole.
             4. In a bunker, you may choose to obtain relief from an Abnormal Course Condition by moving your ball outside the bunker while incurring a one (1) stroke penalty.
          2. When obtaining a relief, unless declaring a ball unplayable, a player may not improve his lie. i.e. move the ball from the rough to the fairway.
   15. Loose Impediments and Movable Obstructions
       1. A loose natural object is a loose impediment and may be removed anywhere on the golf course. This includes:
          1. An unattached natural object such as: stones, loose grass, leaves, branches, and sticks.
          2. Stones or natural loose objects in bunkers.
          3. Stones, sand and loose soil on the putting green.
   16. White, Red and Yellow Stakes
       1. The white, red, and yellow stakes shall all be treated equally in the league
       2. Your ball is considered in the hazard or out of bounds when it touches the white /yellow /red (ditch/drainage/water/penalty areas without water) stakes or lies within the hazard.
       3. When a player’s ball ends up in this these areas, the player can:
          1. Play the ball as it lies. Grounding the club is permitted, or
          2. Incur one (1) penalty stroke and drop the ball outside the hazard area and:
             1. Play from where your previous stroke was made (Stroke and Distance) or
             2. Drop the ball within two club length (no nearer to the hole) of the hazard point of entry (Back on the line relief) or
             3. Take the flagstick, and the point where your ball last cross into the hazard, and move back on a straight line away from the hole as far as you like. You can choose to drop your ball at any point on this line.

2. Handicaps

   1. Player handicaps are required to start the season in order to establish the player’s Quota.
   2. Determining a player’s handicap
      1. Preferably the handicap is determined in accordance with the Golf Canada Handicap System and Handicap Differential Table.
      2. If a player does not have an established handicap at the start of the season, the EC along with the individual will come to a mutual agreement to determine an estimated handicap.
      3. A modified version of this system is used in that handicaps are based on 9-hole scores rather than those from eighteen (18) hole matches. The nine (9) hole handicap is determined by dividing the player’s handicap by two (2).

3. Scoring

   
   Stableford is a scoring system used in golf. Rather than counting the total number of strokes taken, as in stroke play, it involves scoring points based on the number of strokes taken at each hole. Under Stableford rules, the objective is to have the highest score. Scoring is based on a modified Stableford and quota system.
   1. Stableford Scoring: points are awarded each hole according to the table below and total points for all nine (9) holes become the player’s Total Stableford Score (TSS):
      
      

      Score on hole	Points
      Double Eagle	8
      Eagle	5
      Birdie	3
      Par	2
      Bogie	1
      Double Bogey	0
      Triple Bogey	0
      Quadruple Bogey	Pick up ball

   2. Quota
      1. The player’s Quota is the expected (average) Total Stableford Score based on his handicap.
      2. Players are assigned a nine (9) hole Quota (Q) using the following formula: Q = Roundup [36 - Handicap / 2]
         Example: A player with a 15.6 handicap: Quota=Round up [(36−15.6)/2]. Player’s Quota for nine (9) holes would be Round up [10.2] = 11.
   3. Scoring System
      1. The player’s Differential would be the difference between his expected and actual Total Stableford Score.
      2. After nine holes, players will obtain their Differential (D) based on the following formula: D = TSS - Q
         Example i: A player with a 9-hole Total Stableford Score of 14 and a Quota of 10 would end up with a +4 Differential.
         Example ii: A player with a 9-hole Total Stableford Score of 8 and a Quota of 11 would end up with a -3 Differential.
   4. Maximum Score
      1. With the Stableford scoring method a player can pick up the ball after reaching double par and enter that on the scorecard. No points are allocated for double bogeys or higher. This will help with the pace of play and your piece of mind.

4. Score card

   
   
   1. The scorecard should reflect the strokes per hole and is to be emailed to the statistician and par2bargl@gmail.com at the end of play.
   2. The League Statistician collects scorecards to compile and issue the results of each round. Players are expected to review these results and report any discrepancies prior to the next round.