STPGA Junior Golf Hard Card
Little Linksters, Junior Links, and Caddies
Rules of Golf will govern all play. The following Local Rules, STPGA Rules, and Caddie Rules apply for all tournaments.
Local Rules
Out of Bounds: A ball coming to rest on or beyond the road is out of bounds, even if it comes to rest on another part of the course that
is in bounds for other holes. When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player
may proceed as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance. For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by
dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3): Two estimated reference points are the ball reference point
(the point where the original ball is estimated to have come to rest on the course or last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go
out of bounds) and the fairway reference point (the point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point,
but if not nearer the hole than the ball reference point. The size of Relief Area based on reference points is anywhere between a line
from the hole through the ball reference point and within two club-lengths to the outside of that line, and a line from the hole through
the fairway reference point and within two club-lengths to the fairway side of that line. The player may NOT use this option to take
relief for the original ball when the player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance. A player may use
this option to take relief for a provisional ball that has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds. (Model
Local Rule E-5)
Ground Under Repair: Areas completely encircled with white lines, seams of cut turf, fire ant mounds, and French drains filled with
stones.
Doubt as to Procedure: Under Rule 20.1c, p.122, when in doubt as to procedure, a player may play two (2) balls without penalty.
The player must determine which ball they want to count and report all facts of the situation to the committee before signing and
submitting the scorecard.
Penalty Area: Native area, fescue, wooded areas or the like may be defined by red or yellow stakes or freshly painted lines. Check
with an STPGA staff member prior to playing.
Close of Competition: The competition shall be deemed to have closed when all scores have been validated in the Scoring System
and approved by the STPGA Rules Committee. In the event of a playoff the competition shall be deemed to have closed when the
playoff scores have been approved by the STPGA Rules Committee.
Replacing Club that is Broken or Significantly Damaged: Model Local Rule G-9 is in effect.
Ball Played from Outside Relief Area When Taking Back-On-The-Line Relief: Model Local Rule E-12 is in effect.
STPGA Rules
Artificial Devices: Cell phones can be allowed to be used as a distance measuring device. It cannot measure slope or wind.
Transportation: All players must walk but are allowed to use a pull cart at the discretion of the host facility. Shuttle holes will be
designated on a per tournament basis by the STPGA staff.
Stroke Limit: There is a 9 stroke per hole limit in effect. Once the player has hit their 8
th
stroke and is not holed out, they must pick
up and record a 9. A player may be subject to disqualification if they pick up their ball prior to their 8
th
stroke and give themselves a 9.
Bunker Rule (Little Linksters only): If a player’s ball is in a bunker and the player has taken two (2) strokes at the ball in the same
bunker and has not advanced the ball out of the bunker, the player has the option, for no additional penalty, to drop the ball outside the
bunker. The player will drop the ball at the nearest point of relief, one club length no closer to the hole and continue play.
Penalty Area Rule (Little Linksters only): If a player hits 2 balls into the same designated penalty area, they have the option to drop
a ball on the opposite side of said penalty area with no additional penalty.
Note: Players must count the two penalty strokes for hitting into the penalty area before proceeding under this rule.