The following Local Rules and Red Penalty Areas are in effect for all Club Events


Local Rule E-5

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:

  • a. 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.
  • b. Fairway Reference Point: The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point, but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point. For purposes of this Local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.


    • If a ball is estimated to be lost on the course or last crossed the edge of the course boundary short of the fairway, the fairway reference point may be a grass path or a teeing ground for the hole being played cut to fairway height or less.


    Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points: 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).

    • But with these limits:

    Limits on Location of Relief Area:

  • Must be in the general area, and
  • Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.

    • Once the player puts a ball in play under this Local Rule:

  • The original ball that was lost or out of bounds is no longer in play and must not be played.
  • This is true even if the ball is found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 6.3b).

    • But the player may not use this option to take relief for the original ball when:

  • That ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or
  • The player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.3).

    • 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.


    Local Rule B-3

    If a player does not know whether his or her ball is in the penalty area (such as Holes #11 through Hole #15), the player may play a provisional ball under Rule 18.3, which is modified in this way:

    In playing the provisional ball, the player may use the stroke-and-distance relief option (see Rule 17.1d(1), the back-on-the-line relief option (see Rule 17.1d(2)) or, if it is a red penalty area, the lateral relief option (see Rule 17.1d(3)). If a dropping zone (see Model Local Rule E-1) is available for this penalty area, the player may also use that relief option. Once the player has played a provisional ball under this Rule, he or she may not use any further options under Rule 17.1 in relation to the original ball.


    In deciding when that provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play or if it must or may be abandoned, Rule 18.3c(2) and 18.3c(3) apply except that:

  • When Original Ball Is Found in Penalty Area Within Three-Minute Search Time. The player may choose either to:
  • Continue to play the original ball as it lies in the penalty area, in which case the provisional ball must not be played. All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count, or
  • Continue to play the provisional ball in which case the original ball must not be played.
  • When Original Ball Is Not Found Within Three-Minute Search Time or Is Known or Virtually Certain to Be in Penalty Area. The provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play.

    • Penalty for Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty.

    Mountain Meadows Red Penalty Areas

    Many of the red penalty areas described below may not be properly marked at this time, but they are the red penalty areas defined by the Committee for the Mountain Meadows Men’s Club events and Team Play. The Course management intends to properly mark these penalty areas in the near future, but in the meantime, these penalty areas are defined by either red stakes, the contour of the stones/cement, edge of adjacent cart path, or the contour of the bushes.


    As a reminder, when your ball lies in a penalty area, one may NOT take free relief of abnormal ground conditions, like gopher holes or the like, nor immovable obstructions, such sprinkler boxes, etc..


    Hole #1
  • Creek around 40 yards from the green

    • Hole #2
  • Creek just past the tee box.
  • Near the green, left of the cart path, the bush delineates the beginning of the penalty area, up to the tee box on 3.

    • Hole #3
  • Past the left tree line in the bushes.

    • Hole #4
  • The hill on the right side of the fairway.

    • Hole #5
  • The same hill on the right side of the fairway.

    • Hole #6
  • Behind the bunkers.

    • Hole #9
  • Water on the right.
  • Out of bounds: Last post on the range fence and the right of the cart path towards #1 tee box.
  • The Flower bed above the wall is a no play zone OUTSIDE of the red penalty area and must be treated as an abnormal course condition. If a player's ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course condition, or interferes with the player's stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1b - One club length, no closer to the hole, no penalty.

    • Hole #10
  • Deep left on the hill
  • The cement tower on the left side is an immovable obstruction. Free relief from interference with stance or swing - NO line-of-sight relief.

    • Hole #11
  • Hill on the left side.
  • Right side of the fairway in the bushes.

    • Hole #12
  • Hillside left.
  • The hill on the right side, continuing throughout the right side and up to and around the back of the green.

    • Hole #13
  • Anything left of the cart path.
  • The ditch just past the tee box which runs all along the right side.
  • Out of bounds over the fence on the left, passed the red penalty area.

    • Hole #14
  • Anything left of the cart path up to the green and around behind the green
  • Along the right side in the wooded area.
  • Out of bounds over the fence on the left, passed the red penalty area.

    • Hole #15
  • Anything right of the dirt cart path, and the waste area that continues on the right side.
  • Water left, 30 yards short of the green.

    • Hole #16
  • To the right of the dirt cart path, continuing on the right side up to the green.



    • If you have any questions on these local rules or any other rules, contact our Rules Chairman - Jose Alvarez (jalvarez4300@gmail.com)