RULES OF PLAY
All club play, tournaments and events are governed by the Golf Canada/AGA Rules of Golf and Code of Conduct.

 RULES
Members are encouraged to acquire and become familiar with the Rules of Golf. A full PDF version and/or a Quick Guide are available on-line for viewing and printing on the websites for:
     -          Golf Canada at http://golfcanada.ca/rules-of-golf/#rules-of-golf
     -          Alberta Golf at http://www.albertagolf.org/education/rules/ (Easy Guide to the Rules)

 LOCAL RULES

Golf Canada, Under Appendix 1 Part A of Rules of Golf, allows each club/course to make and publish Local Rules as long as they are consistent with the policy established in the Rules of Golf. Recommended Sample local rules are provided covering various topics such as course boundaries, protection, and conditions as well as obstructions, water hazards, drop zones and distant measuring devices. The VLGC has adopted some of these for members to use as noted below. The hole specific, accidental movement of ball, and use of measuring devices are in place for all league play. However, the ones relating to "ADVERSE COURSE CONDITIONS" must be declared prior to the game by the designated VLGC Executive as outlined below or players will be assessed a penalty.

Local Rule for VLGC 

1. Golf Ball Lost or Out of Bounds - Rule 18.2 page 112
Your ball is Out of Bounds only when all of it is outside the boundary edge of the course (white stakes - Holes #4,9,13 and 18)

  • If your ball is lost or out of bounds, you must take stroke-and-distance relief by adding one penalty stroke and playing a ball from where the previous stroke was hit.

    Rule 18.2 will be applied during Victoria Ladies Golf Club Tournament. For example,

    Club Championship, Seniors Championship, Victoria Cup, Erlanger, Jennifer Jaclyn, etc.

    Applying the 2019 Local Rule for Lost or Out of Bounds Ball:

    During Regular Tuesday League Play, you have two options if your ball is lost or goes Out of Bounds:

    (i) Stroke and distance, meaning returning to the area where you last hit the ball.

    One stroke penalty(as above), or

    (ii) At point of entry, take a golf ball to the nearest point of relief on the fairway as follows:

  • Estimate the point where your ball is lost or went Out of Bounds

  • Find the nearest fairway edge, no closer to the hole

  • Within 2 club lengths, drop the ball on the fairway or within the shaded are area (see attached diagram).

  • Two stroke penalty

    2. Hole #13 Relief from Ditch:

    If your ball lands in the ditch that runs across the fairway on Hole #13, you have two options:

    (i) Play the ball where it lies, or

    (ii) Bring the ball, back-of-the-line, from the point of entry and take full relief.  

    No Penalty

    Hole #13 - Relief without penalty is available from the drainage ditch provided the ball is dropped within one club length behind the ditch.  If the ball is dropped beyond one club length, the penalty is one stroke.  Golfers have the option to play the ball as it lies in the ditch.

3. Hole #18 - use of White Tees - Upper and Lower Teeing Area:
There are two teeing area on Hole #18 for the white or forward tees.
Currently, the white or forward tee markers are located on the upper tee box.
During VLGC Tournaments (examples above), and League play, the Upper tee box will be used.
The exception will be that the lower teeing area can be used during Regular Play, at the members discretion. Note, Regular Play is identified as such on the schedule of play, and means there is no prize money and/or trophies involved.

Note: There is no impact on the Course Rating or your Handicap when using either the Upper or Lower teeing area (Alberta Golf Director-Course Rating)

Local Rule for Cleaning Ball (Lift, Clean and Replace)
Decisions about the few times of using “Lift, Clean, and Place” will be made by the Course Professional and a member of the Executive in the following order. First the Sports Captain, or in her absence the President, or in her absence, a member of the Handicap Committee prior to tournaments if  there has been some adverse weather conditions. The Local Rule will be in effect for that day only. 

Declaration - Used when conditions, such as extreme wetness cause significant amounts of mud to adhere to the ball.

Rule - "On the fairway a ball may be lifted and cleaned without penalty. The ball must be replaced"

Procedure - mark ball, lift, then clean and place back down (not dropped)

Penalty - failure to mark the ball before being lifted, is a one stroke penalty.

TOURNAMENT ISSUES
If your ball is in trouble and you do not know the rule, play a second ball in the area close to the point of entry, hole out, and keep score for both balls. When the round is completed, ask the Rules Committee for a ruling.
In tournament play, players can not agree to violate a rule. Penalty is disqualification to all players involved.
Rules Committee Members: Club Profession, VLGC President and Sports Captain.

ADVICE
During a game, including Tuesday morning play, you may not ask anyone for advice nor give advice on how to play.  An example of this would be asking a fellow player what club was used for a particular shot.  However, you may ask about rules or for public information such as distances, the position of hazards, or the flagstick.