The 2025 golf season is well underway for PGA of America Golf Professionals across the country and it’s very important to make sure you stay prepared from a Rules of Golf standpoint. As you probably know, golf associations develop a “hard card” that include all the local Rules and terms of the competition for their events. At the club level, my advice for PGA of America Professionals is to develop a hard card for your facility to be used by your members and guests. This is especially important for member tournaments such as club championships or member-guests.
During my 25 years as a Head Golf Professional, I would review my club’s hard card each winter and edit as necessary for the upcoming season. Your club’s Local Rules and terms of the competition are unique to your golf course and should include any USGA Model Local Rules that you want to enact for your day-to-day play. Keep in mind that only Model Local Rules from the USGA Official Guide may be used. Local Rules cannot waive a Rule of golf.
Some common Local Rules to consider involve penalty areas (Model Local Rule B-2.1 and B-2.2), abnormal course conditions (MLR F-7), immovable obstructions (MLR F 5.1 and F-5.2) and out of bounds (MLR A-5 and MLRE F-26).
For a list of optional Model Local Rules, check out the USGA Official Guide and Section 8 in the Committee Procedures. It’s a terrific resource that provides you with the proper verbiage for Model Local Rules applicable to your club. For those wondering about clubs and balls, please note that the PGA of America stopped using the One Ball Rule (MLR G-4) in 2006 and currently does not use MLR G-9 (Replacing Club that is Significantly Damaged). These MLRs are meant for elite competitions and are not recommended at the club level.
Notice to Players
As you prepare for each competition, another important document is the Notice to Players, which includes items such as format, teeing areas, how to break ties and any other Rules information that is not on the hard card. A recommended practice is to copy the Notice to Players on one side and the hard card on the other and make sure the document is distributed to all players and caddies, if applicable.
Course Marking
Another part of being Rules ready is to have your course marked properly. Boundaries should be clearly marked, leaving no doubt as to whether a ball is in or out of bounds. When stakes are used, make sure there is a clear sightline from stake to stake and that stakes are no more than 30 yards apart. If a wall is used, it should be clarified whether you are using the course-side edge or some other means of determining if the ball is in or out of bounds.
As for penalty areas, the best practice is to use paint to define the edge along with stakes to identify the area. When this is not practical, you can just use stakes but be careful of the placement so there is no confusion about where the edge of the penalty area is defined. What’s most important for your club is to agree on how to mark these areas and then execute the plan. Whether it’s red or yellow, if it’s marked a correct ruling can be made.
Rules Education
Once you have put together your club’s hard card and marked the golf course, it is very important to communicate this information to educate members, guests and your staff on the Model Local Rules, Terms of the Competition and Rules of Golf in general. Here are some Rules of Golf educational options for your members, guests and professional staff:
• Download the USGA Rules app
• Conduct Rules clinics both indoors and on the course
• Create Rules content for your club newsletter, website or social media platforms
• Incorporate Rules education into special events (like men’s or women’s opening day)
• Provide information on PGA/USGA Rules Workshops and other local seminars.
When you efficiently prepare Rules information and properly mark your golf course, most of your potential Rules issues are eliminated. At clubs across the country, PGA of America Professionals are on the front lines and are perceived to be the expert. Sooner or later, perception and reality are going to collide, so I urge you to be ready. Remember, failure to plan is planning to fail.
Tom Carpus, PGA, is a Tournament Official for the PGA Tour Champions
