TMGA Conditions of Competition & Hard Card
The Rules of Golf as approved by the United States Golf Association and the R&A govern play. See applicable championship or qualifying round Notice to Players and Tournament Information for additional Local Rules and Conditions. The following Local Rules apply for all Trans-Mississippi Golf Association (TMGA) championships; Complete text of Rules and Appendix I may be found in the Rules of Golf, effective January 2023.
The Trans-Mississippi Golf Association (TMGA) Tournament Rules Committee shall have the final decision on all claims and disputes. The following Local Rules and Conditions of Competition apply for all TMGA events. Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for breach of a Local Rule is: Match play – Loss of hole and Stroke play – Two strokes.
OUT OF BOUNDS: Defined by the line between the course-side points of white stakes and fence posts at ground level.
PACE OF PLAY: Rule 5.6b(3). The Trans-Mississippi Golf Association Pace of Play Policy is in effect.
ABNORMAL COURES CONDITIONS: See Rule 16.1.
A. Ground Under Repair:
i. Areas completely encircled with white lines.
ii. French drains.
iii. Bunker liners. Interference does not exist if the liner interferes with only the player’s stance.
iv. Seams of cut turf – Model Local Rule F-7 is in effect.
v. Damage made by non-burrowing animals (hog, skunk, and the like) – Model Local Rule F-10 is in effect.
B. Immovable obstructions
i. White-lined areas tying into an obstruction are treated as part of the obstruction.
ii. When landscaped or garden areas (flower beds, shrubbery, or the like) are completely encircled by an obstruction, the obstruction and the landscaped area are treated as one abnormal course condition.
iii. Stakes, ropes, wires, or other objects supporting trees or tree limbs, provided they are not closely attached. The tree or tree limb is not part of the obstruction.
iv. Where the outside edge (non-golf course side) of a road or path defines out of bounds, the road or path is an obstruction.
PRACTICE: Prior to and after a round in stroke play, a player may practice on the designated practice areas. Rule 5.2b covering practice in stroke play is modified in this way: A player may not practice on the competition course before or between rounds. Penalty for breach of Local Rule, see Rule 5.2.
TEMPORARY IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS (TIO): Tents, signage, electronic scoreboards, circulation fans and any other temporary structures installed specifically for this championship are deemed to be Temporary Immovable Obstructions. See Model Local Rule F-23 for interference and relief procedure.
PENALTY AREAS: When a penalty area is defined on only one side, it extends to infinity. When a penalty area is connected to the out-of-bounds edge, the penalty area extends to and coincides with the out-of-bounds.
INTEGRAL OBJECTS: Include cables, rods, wires, or wrappings when closely attached to trees and boundary objects. Artificial walls and pilings when located in penalty areas (or when used to define penalty area) or in or adjacent to bunkers and bunker liners. Note: An exposed bunker liner may be treated as ground under repair, but interference does not exist if the liner interferes only with the player’s stance.
GATES IN BOUNDARY FENCES AND WALLS: Model Local Rule F-26 is in effect. All closed gates that are attached to boundary walls and fences are part of the boundary object. Relief is not allowed from such a gate under Rule 15.2 or 16.1.
BALL DEFLECTED BY POWER LINE: If it is known or virtually certain that a player’s ball hit a power line, power line tower, or a wire or pole supporting a power line, the player must cancel the stroke and replay the original ball or another ball without penalty from the spot that stroke was made (see Rule 14.6). Model Local Rule E-11.
SPECIFICATIONS OF CLUBS AND THE BALL:
A. Conforming Driver Head – Model Local Rule G-1 is in effect.
B. Conforming Golf Ball – Model Local Rule G-3 is in effect.
C. Damaged – Model Local Rule G-9 is in effect.
WOOD CHIPS AND MULCH: Are loose impediments.
PROHIBITING USE OF MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION: Model Local Rule G-6 is in effect. During a round, a player and caddie must not ride on any form of motorized transportation except as authorized or later approved by the Committee. A player operating under a stroke and distance penalty is always authorized to ride on motorized transportation, except unless expressly permitted as part of the tournament conditions.
STOPPING AND RESUMING PLAY: Model Local Rule J-1 is in effect. An immediate suspension will be signaled by one prolonged airhorn note. All other types of suspension will be signaled by three consecutive airhorn notes. Resumption of play will be signaled by two short airhorn notes. All practice areas are closed during an immediate suspension for a dangerous situation until the Committee has declared them open. Players who practice on closed practice areas will be asked to stop practicing; failure to stop practicing might result in disqualification.
SCORECARDS: A scorecard is deemed returned once a player exits the defined scoring area. A player that remains within the defined scoring area may make alterations to their scorecard with the consent of their marker or the Committee.
WHEN THE COMPETITION IS FINAL: The competition is final when the trophy has been presented to the winner or, in the absence of a prize ceremony, when all scores have been approved by the Committee.
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TMGA CODE OF CONDUCT: Players (and their caddies) are to observe proper golf etiquette at all times. Any abuse or disrespect of competitors, officials, spectators, employees, or other persons at a TMGA sponsored event can be grounds for disqualification from the event, and possible rejection of entry for future TMGA events. Such abuse may be verbal or physical or threat thereof and includes but is not limited to the use of obscene language, physical damage to property or equipment including that of the TMGA or the host facility and being under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances during a competitive round.
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