Braintree Municipal Golf Course Local Rules
(revised May 2009)

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Basic Rules & Guidelines

Hazards are defined geographically and/or by distinctive feature and usually further defined by stakes.  Refer to scorecard and the USGA Rules for added guidance.  USGA Rule Books are available in the Barry Room.

White Stakes – 1 stroke penalty, play ball from original spot (same as lost ball)

   Yellow Stakes – Under penalty of one stroke, a player may:

                a. Play a ball at the spot from which the original ball was last played; or

                b. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point where the original ball last crossed the water hazard margin directly between the hole and spot where ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped.

Red Stakes – Under penalty of one stroke, a player has additional options beyond those described above.  If the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop ball outside water hazard within 2 club-lengths of and no nearer the hole than:

             * The point where the original ball crossed the margin of the water hazard; or

             * A point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.

Relief Areas - No penalty; one club length, no nearer hole, from nearest point of relief.  Stance or swing interfered by:  

                * All roads and cart paths

                * Bridges & paths over brooks 

                * Man made drainage ditches & rough growing at edge of Drains (i.e. Hole #8)  

                * Weather Station and surrounding fence on Hole #18

Due to course conditions, the Rules Committee may institute a temporary local preferred lie rule such as: (1) Ball can be rolled the length of a scorecard; or (2) Lift, clean and place rule.  Please review bulletin boards for any rule posts.

Additional Rules by Hole

 Hole #1

• Out of Bounds Left – Defined by stakes, Property Lines & Fences - Tee to Green

Hole #2 

• Out of Bounds Left – Defined by Fence, staked swamp and boulder area - Tee to Green

• Lateral Hazard on Right - Tee to Green, defined by stakes, tree line & marsh

• Water Hazard on Right (“Burley’s Pond”) - near Green

Hole #3

• Out of Bounds Left – Defined by Fence

Hole #4

• Out of Bounds Left – Parking Lot & Fence on Left; Tee to Green

• Water Hazard (Pond) behind Green  

• Lateral Hazard on Left - Over Cart Path adjacent to, and beyond Green 

Hole #5 

• Out of Bounds on Left - Defined by Fence

• Lateral Hazard on Right – Pond behind service road, woods and cart path

Hole #6

• Out of Bounds on Left - Defined by white stakes or in the absence of stakes, by the right side boundary of the Reservoir Service Road

• Lateral Hazard on Left – Tee to Intersection of Pond and Reservoir Service Road

• Lateral Hazard on Right – Area before Pond to path to 7th tee and around green

• Water Hazard (Stream) immediately in front of gold teeing area

Hole #7 

• Water Hazard (Brook) crossing fairway

• Lateral Hazard on Left - Defined by Pond from tee to Brook in front of green

• Lateral Hazard on Right – From Tee through Green

Hole #8 

• None

Hole #9 

• Water Hazard - Defined by marsh area in Front of Tee

• Lateral Hazard on Left - Defined by tree line from Tee to behind Green

Hole #10 

• Lateral Hazard on Left from Tee through Green and around back of Green

• Lateral Hazard on Right from Tee to opening leading to 11th gold tee ground

Hole #11

• Lateral Hazard on Left from Tee to 12th Tee - Primarily defined by the brook and its banks with further definition provided by staking

• Lateral Hazard on Right from Tee to marsh area adjacent to Green

Hole #12

• Yellow staked Water Hazard (Brook) crossing fairway

• Lateral Hazard on left of Brook to and around Green and pond on right.

Hole #13

• Lateral Hazard on Left - tee to green and behind green to 14th tee area

• Lateral Hazard on Right from road between 13th & 14th holes to behind green

Hole #14

• Lateral Hazard on Left defined by Pond

• Lateral Hazard on Right from Tee to water hazard around and behind the green and terminating behind 15th teeing area.  Two Service Roads connecting 13th & 14th fairways are not part of the hazard.

Hole #15

• Lateral Hazard on Left defined by Pond to behind & around green

• Lateral Hazard on Right from Tee to Path leading to 16th tee  

Hole #16 

• Water Hazard (Stream) crossing fairway

• Lateral Hazard on Right from tee to a service bridge leading to 10th tee  

• Lateral Hazard on Left from Tee to behind and around back of green

Hole #17 

• Yellow staked Water Hazard (Stream) Crossing fairway

• Lateral Hazard on Right from Tee to path leading to 18th hole  

• Lateral Hazard on Left from Tee to Green and behind Green.  Ball landing over chain link Fence behind green is out of bounds

Hole #18 

• Out of Bounds Left, defined by paved parking lot, cart barn, access road and wood fence directly behind clubhouse.  Area further defined by White Stakes.  

 • Lateral Water Hazard on Right from Tee to beyond Green to Snack Shack.