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FCG TOUR HARDCARD RULES SHEET

BALL AT REST MOVED
Ball Moved During Search – No penalty for accidentally moving your ball during search.
Ball Moved on Putting Green – No penalty for accidentally moving your ball or ball-marker on the putting green.
Determining Why a Ball Moved – New standard to determine if you caused your ball to move.

BALL IN MOTION DEFLECTED 
Ball in Motion Accidentally Deflected – No penalty if your ball in motion is accidentally deflected by you, your equipment, or your caddie.

TAKING RELIEF 
Measuring the Size of the Relief Area Where a Ball Must Be Dropped and Played – Your relief area for dropping a ball will be a fixed size of either one or two club-lengths using the longest club in your bag, other than your putter.
New Procedure for Dropping a Ball – Your ball must be let go from knee height and fall through the air without touching any part of your body or equipment.
Where a Dropped Ball Must Come to Rest – Your ball must come to rest in the relief area where it was dropped, or else it must be redropped.
Procedure for Taking Lateral Relief – In taking lateral relief, you will drop within two club-lengths of where your ball entered the penalty area. The size of a club-length will always be measured using the longest club in your bag, other than your putter.

Procedure for Taking Back-on-the-Line Relief – One of your options for relief from either a red or yellow penalty area will be called back-on-the-line relief.

Relief for Abnormal Course Conditions is allowed anywhere on the Course EXCEPT in Penalty Areas.  Abnormal Course Conditions include Immovable Obstructions, Temporary Water, Ground Under Repair, Burrowing Animal Holes or Mounds, and Dangerous Animal Conditions – Relief is provided under Rule 16.1a. – 16.1c.

PUTTING GREEN 
When to Replace a Ball That Moves on Putting Green –  After your ball has been lifted and replaced, you would always replace your ball on its original spot, even if it was blown by the wind or moved for no clear reason.
Repairing Damage on the Putting Green – Repair of almost any damage allowed on the putting green (including spike marks and animal damage).

Touching Line of Play on Putting Green – No penalty for touching your line of play on the putting green so long as doing so does not improve the conditions for your stroke.

Ball Played from Green Hits Unattended Flagstick in Hole – No penalty if your ball played from the putting green (or anywhere else) hits the unattended flagstick in the hole.

Practice Putting – FCG doesn’t allow practice putting during the tournament round after you have holed out. There is a 2 shot penalty for every breach of this rule.  Disqualification may be an option for multiple breaches.

PENALTY AREAS & BUNKERS 
Touching Loose Impediments or Ground in Penalty Area –  No penalty for moving loose impediments, touching the ground, or grounding your club in a penalty area.
Moving or Touching Loose Impediments or Touching Sand in Bunker –  Relaxed Rules relating to loose impediments and touching the ground in a bunker.
Unplayable Ball in Bunker – Relief allowed outside a bunker for an unplayable ball for two penalty strokes.

EQUIPMENT 
Use of Clubs Damaged During Round –  A club damaged during a round can continue to be used, even if you damaged it in anger.

Adding or Replacing Damaged Club During Round – You will not be allowed to replace a damaged club during a round if you were responsible for the damage.

Use of Distance-Measuring Devices – The use of DMDs will be allowed unless a Local Rule has been adopted prohibiting their use.

PLAYING A BALL 
Caddie Standing Behind Player to Help Line Up –  A caddie is not allowed to stand on a line behind you while you are taking your stance and until your stroke is made.

When playing a second ball for rules question: Before hitting either ball, the player must announce which ball will count if the Rules allow the procedure used for that ball.
Caddie Lifting Ball on Putting Green – Your caddie may lift and replace your ball on the putting green without your specific authorization to do so.

Double Hitting Golf Ball – If your club accidentally strikes your ball more than once during a stroke, there will be no penalty and your ball will be played as it lies.

PACE OF PLAY 
Prompt Pace of Play –  Always play “ready golf” and make each stroke in no more than 40 seconds.  First 1-2 players that putt out are to head to the next tee to tee off. Your group may be put on the clock at any time if you fall behind and once on the clock you will remain in the clock until end of round. Search time for in lost ball is limited to 3mins max then the ball is determined to be lost and no longer in play

PLAYER BEHAVIOR 
Expected Standards of Player Conduct –  The proposed new Rules speak to the high standards of conduct expected from players.

Committees are given authority to adopt their own code of player conduct and to set penalties for breaches of that code. FCG Code of Conduct Policy.

NEW LOCAL RULE
Local Rule: Alternative to Stroke and Distance –  Local Rule NOT ALLOWED – any local rule allowing a player to drop a ball under a 2-stroke penalty for a ball out of bounds or lost outside of a penalty area, will NOT BE ALLOWED.

Credits: USGA, R and A, and Carolinas Golf Association

Use of all drop zones allowed / All drainage ditches not marked as hazard are free drops / Waters edge or cement barrier are hazards when stakes or red lines aren’t available.

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