(Posted after approval from El Presidente and the other officers. I was consulted since I usually know the rules fairly well, I think!)

There has been some discussion about players possibly touching their golf ball when it is not permitted. Just to review, here are the rules according to USGA and the way the league is currently set up (local rules).

In your own fairway (only in the fairway of the hole you are playing. This does not include the first cut of rough or the fringe of the green.):
Rolling of the ball is currently permitted by league local rule, meaning you can move the ball to a better lie with your club somewhere near your current lie (grip length max) but no nearer the pin. There is discussion about a possible change to this rule, but until any change Is voted on and announced, this is permitted.

In bunkers:
Because maintenance on the course sometimes isn’t often done on the bunkers, Marty suggested that we permit lift/rake/place in the bunkers. So we made a local rule two years ago to allow this. Currently with no rakes due to Covid, we allow smoothing with your foot or to just place it on an undisturbed flat lie no nearer the pin (this is permitted by USGA).

Elsewhere on the course, meaning the first cut of rough, the rough, another fairway or in a hazard/penalty area:
You are not permitted to touch the ball with anything (hand, club, foot, nose, towel, your buddy’s hand, etc) except to ID the ball or to check if it is embedded. Please refer to the USGA rules about when/where each is allowed and how each is properly done. You do not (by USGA rule) need to notify someone in your group for either action, but it is recommended in order to let others know why you are touching/lifting a ball in play at a location typically not permitted. This helps prevent people from thinking you may be cheating.

In addition, there might be a need to touch/lift your ball when taking relief due to an immovable obstruction or when taking an unplayable lie penalty, but I’m pretty certain everyone knows how these work, and again it is always best to notify someone in your group what you are doing. Otherwise there is rarely a need to bend over and touch anything near your ball unless you are removing a loose impediment. Even then you aren’t permitted to touch the ball and if the ball moves while removing an impediment, that is a one stroke penalty. So be careful and keep your paws off of the rock!

Last edited by Alex G (6/23/2020 1:46 pm)