BLGL Handbook and Rules

Website: www.brambletonladiesgolf.org

Season Tee Time: 8:30 April and May

8:00 June, July and August

8:30 September and October

Golf is a game of integrity – please count every stroke – even whiffs.

Handicaps - You must have a USGA handicap of 40 or less to participate in the league. If you do not have a handicap the league will help you establish one.

Tees - Everyone plays from the red tees.

Tee Times - Please check in 30 minutes prior to your tee time. Players arriving less than 15 minutes before their tee time may not be able to play. Assigned tee times and groupings will be available on the web site by noon on Sunday for following Monday. Please check the site to find your tee time.

Sign Up – You must sign up on the website by 5pm Friday to get a tee time for the following Monday. If you’re not sure if you can play, it’s better to sign up and then cancel. If you need to cancel, contact the Pairings Coordinator (blglteetimes@gmail.com). If you need to cancel on Monday, please call the Pro Shop at 703-327-3403. If you have a special request for a tee time, please notify the Pairings Coordinator.

Starters – Each week a member will fill the role of Starter. The Starter is responsible for checking in players, announcing any rules for the day, and assigning players to tee times. Each member is expected to volunteer for at least one week as starter.

Lift, Clean and Place (LCP) – Prior to start of play and if unusual course conditions dictate, the starter may announce that “Lift, Clean and Place” (LCP) is authorized. When authorized, on her own fairway, a player may lift her ball, clean it and place it within 1 club length of its original position, not closer to the hole. When the course deems the round as “Cart Path Only”, then LCP applies to all holes. If the course deems a single hole as “Cart Path Only” due to a specific condition, then LCP applies to that hole even if the rest of the course is not “Cart Path Only”.

Leaf Rule - Prior to start of play and if unusual course conditions dictate, the starter may announce that the “Leaf Rule” is authorized. When authorized, if a ball is deemed to be lost in leaves on the course (fairway or rough), the player will be allowed to drop at the spot where the ball is lost without penalty.

Pace of Play – An 18-hole round of golf at Brambleton should take no more than 4 hours and 23 minutes. Keep up with the group in front of you. Play ready golf. Get to your ball as soon as possible and take more than one club with you, when appropriate. Move quickly off the green when all players have holed out. Count your strokes and record scores on the next tee.

Tournament Sheet – Scores and putts must be recorded on the Weekly Tournament Sheet. Please record birdies, chip-ins and eagles on the sheet provided. Players who fail to complete the Tournament Sheet forfeit eligibility for any prizes that week.

Score Cards – Two players in each group must record all players’ scores and putts for each hole. One score card with two signatures must be placed in the scorecard box after each BLGL round.

Maximum Score Per Hole – To help maintain a good pace of play, the league has adopted a maximum score of 10 on any hole. If you have reached 10 strokes, then simply pick up your ball. On the scorecard, just record “10” and put an “X” for putts.

Handicaps – Members of BLGL must have a USGA handicap of 40 or less. Members must update their handicaps in a timely manner. Whenever you play at least 9 holes, you must post the score to the handicap system. (The league will periodically check to ensure all golfers comply). Players are encouraged to enter hole-by-hole scores and leave any holes not played blank. The USGA system will automatically adjust any “blow up holes” to Net Double Bogey (see below) and will determine the “expected score” for holes not played.

Scoring and Posting Scores - On your scorecard, you should always record the actual number of strokes for each hole. However, for handicapping purposes, if you do not enter hole-by-hole scores, you must use use Net Double Bogey which limits the number of strokes you may enter for a hole, depending on your handicap. There is no limit to the number of holes on which you can reduce your score using Net Double Bogey.

Net Double Bogey = Par of the hole + 2 strokes + Any handicap strokes

Local Rule for Lost Ball / Out of Bounds – Members are encouraged to play provisional balls (see below) if a ball is thought to be lost or out of bounds. But, to speed the pace of play, a player who has lost a ball or discovered their ball is out of bounds, may – for a TWO STROKE PENALTY - drop a ball no more than 2 club lengths into the fairway at a spot as close to where the lost/OB ball is thought to be.

Playing a Provisional Ball – If you think your ball may be lost or out of bounds, you should play a provisional ball. Do so before going to look for your ball and announce your intention to your playing partners. If your first ball is found, play it and pick up the provisional. If the first ball is not found, play the provisional ball - it is a 1 stroke penalty and count both strokes (total of 3 strokes). If the first ball is found, after you have played a shot with the provisional ball beyond that spot, then the provisional ball is in play.

Marking a Ball on the Green – Rule 14.b states that only a player (or her caddie) may lift and mark her ball on the putting green. However, if the position of the ball is causing delay in pace of play, any other player may lift and mark another player’s ball.

Local Rule – Drop Zone on #12 – On the 12thHole, if you have hit two balls into the water, you may then drop on the other side of the lake. Your first stroke from that side is counted as your fifth shot. The drop zone is to the right of the green anywhere between the cart path and 10 yards from the green.

Local Rule - Defunct Bunkers on #14 and on #16 - The bunker to the right of the green on #14 and the bunkers on the left of the fairway on #16 are no longer maintained as bunkers. We consider these to be defunct and you may take a free drop outside of them. Line up your ball to the pin and drop anywhere along that line outside the bunker but no closer to the hole.

Local Rules - Sand Bunkers: Treat footprints (human or animal) in a bunker as an Abnormal Course Condition. Without penalty, you may drop within one club length of where the ball lies, no closer to the hole, and you must remain in the bunker.

Divot Relief – If your ball lies in a divot in your own fairway, you may take free relief by moving the ball up to 6 inches in any direction except no closer to the hole. This rule does NOT allow for cleaning of the ball.

Disagreement on Rules – If players disagree on the appropriate action or penalty during a round, or if you are unsure of the appropriate procedure during the play of a hole, the player in question may, without penalty, complete the hole with two balls. Keep a separate score for each of the balls played. When the round is completed, the player (or players) should discuss the matter with the Rules Committee Chairman to determine which ball is appropriate for scoring on the hole in question.

Revised Apr 2024