Special Rules of Play for the 5Gs Golf League

(May 21, 2023)

Why does 5Gs have special rules?

The 5gs golf league was founded to provide a golf league for people who's goal is to enjoy a round of golf with friends. The founders determined that some of the strict rules of golf should be amended so that the round would be played at a quicker pace and with less stress for those golfers who haven't yet achieved a high level of skill in Golf. Over the years of the 5Gs existence these special rules have been passed along from member to member. Unfortunately, this method of communication often results in inaccurate or incomplete transfer of the information. The officers of the 5Gs decided it was time to document the 5Gs league special rules so that new and current members could have an easy way to gain an understanding of the differences between 5Gs and USGA rules.

The Special Rules of Play allowable in 5Gs tournaments

Rule 1: Have Fun and Allow Others To Have Fun!

Rule 2: OUT OF BOUNDS rule

Rule 3: LOST BALL rule

Rule 4: BUMPING and CLEANING THE BALL rule

Rule 5: GIMMIE PUTTS rule

Rule 6: MERCY rule

Rule 7: SENIOR FORWARD TEES

RULE 1: HAVE FUN and ALLOW OTHERS TO HAVE FUN !

We know that after a "few" bad shots it can be tough to think of Golf as FUN, but remember a "Bad day of golf should be better than a good day at work!". Also, your playing partners don't want to see you throw a "tantrum" every time you hit a bad shot. So be courteous and respectful to others throughout your play – including course rangers.

RULE 2: OUT OF BOUNDS RULE

If you think you hit your ball OUT OF BOUNDS as determined by the local golf course designation, you don't have to follow the USGA rules for hitting your ball OUT OF BOUNDS. This is what you can do instead….

· Condition 1: If after searching you find your ball in the OUT OF BOUNDS area…

o First, bring your ball laterally (no closer to the hole), out of the OUT OF BOUNDS area.

o Second, drop your ball inbound within 2 club lengths of the OUT OF BOUNDS line and resume play.

o Third, remember to add one penalty stroke to your score.

· Condition 2: If after searching (see LOST BALL RULE) you don't find your ball in the OUT OF BOUNDS area.

o First, go to the spot where you and your partners determine your ball crossed over the OUT OF BOUNDS line.

o Second, drop a ball inbounds within 2 club lengths of the spot where your ball crossed OUT OF BOUNDS line and resume play.

o Third, remember to add one penalty stroke to your score.

RULE 3: LOST BALL RULE

If you hit your ball but can't find it after searching for no more than 3 minutes you must declare it a LOST BALL, but you don't have to follow the USGA rules for a LOST BALL. This is what you can do next ….

· First, go to the spot where you and your partners think your ball should have been.

· Second, drop a ball at that spot and resume play.

· Third, remember to add one penalty stroke to your score.

RULE 4: BUMPING and CLEANING THE BALL RULE

The term BUMPING THE BALL means you can roll the ball (no more than 1 foot from where it originally came to rest) with your club head in order to establish a better lie from which to hit the ball.

The term CLEANING THE BALL means you can pick up the ball, clean it off, and then replace it within 1 foot of where it originally came to rest.

5Gs allows BUMPING and/or CLEANING THE BALL anyplace EXCEPT for the following places (or conditions):

· You cannot bump or clean your ball if it lies in a PENALTY AREA, (Sand Traps, and Red or Yellow Staked water hazard areas.)

· You cannot bump your ball to get it out from behind a course obstacle (example: an unstaked tree), or to get it out of an UNPLAYABLE LIE.

· If your ball is in an UNPLAYABLE spot, you need to follow one of the three options allowed by USGA rules, (and take 1 a stroke penalty).

o The most common UNPLAYABLE LIE relief is USGA Option 2:

§ Drop a ball within 2 club lengths from where the ball lies without getting closer to the hole, (with a 1 stroke penalty).

RULE 5: GIMMIE PUTTS RULE

This rule was put in place to speed up play. 5Gs allows players to pick up their ball and add 1 stroke to their score if the ball is on the GREEN sufficiently close to the HOLE. This rule goes into effect if the following

condition is met.

· Your ball comes to rest on the GREEN close enough to the HOLE that when measured with your putter it is "within the leather".

Note: "Within the leather" measurements are performed as follows - Stick the head of your putter into the hole and lay its shaft flat on the green such that the putter is on the line from the hole to your ball. If ANY part of your ball is

closer to the hole than the bottom edge of your putters grip, your ball is considered "within the leather". Also - Anyone's putter in your group can be used for this measurement.

RULE 6: MERCY RULE

This rule was put in place to speed up play. 5Gs allows players to pick up their ball if they have taken twice as many strokes as the PAR for the hole and are not in the HOLE yet. Their score on that hole is then twice PAR plus

one.

Example 1: On a PAR 3 hole a player should pick up their ball when they have reached 6 strokes and are not in the HOLE yet. Their score on that HOLE is recorded as a 7, (Twice PAR plus 1)

Example 2: On a PAR 4 hole a player should pick up their ball when they have reached 8 strokes and are not in the HOLE yet. Their score on that HOLE is recorded as a 9, (Twice PAR plus 1)

Example 3: On a PAR 5 hole a player should pick up their ball when they have reached 10 strokes and are not in the HOLE yet. Their score on that HOLE is recorded as an 11, (Twice PAR plus 1)

Rule 7: MOVE TO THE FORWARD TEE RULE

This rule was put in place to make the game more fun for the Senior Men players. The 5Gs of A allows players to hit from the forward tees provided you meet the following conditions.

· Condition 1: You may request to move to the forward tees when you reach age 75

or

· Condition 2: You may request to move forward when the sum of your age and handicap equals or is greater than 95

1. If your request is granted, you must play from the forward tees in all tournaments and special events.

2. Men playing from the forward tees will continue to play men handicaps and pars for each specific course, in accordance with the USGA guidance on this matter.

3. When moving to the forward tees, your handicap index will be recalculated the same as if you were a new member establishing a new index. All previous rounds from alternate tees will no longer be used in determining your index, and you will play in the Callaway flight for your first tournament after moving to the forward tees.

4. Men playing from the forward tees will utilize the slope for the forward tees for the course being played that week to arrive at their tournament handicap based on their forward tee handicap index.

5. The forward tees will be defined as the Women’s/Senior tees with no difference between the two.

Note: The league rule regarding the Transfer of External League Information for Use in Determining a 5Gs Handicap Index provided that tees played Senior/Women’s as defined above can be validated