GOLFWEEK JUNIOR TOUR LOCAL RULES AND CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION

All tournaments conducted by the Golfweek Junior Tour are conducted under the USGA Rules of Golf and the Golfweek Junior Tour Local Rules/Hard Card as listed below.

 

At each tournament there is usually an additional set of rules known as the Local Rules Addendum that take into consideration the circumstances and condition of that particular golf course. All GJT tournament players are urged to become familiar with the Golfweek Junior Tour Local Rules and Conditions of the Competition. Please print out a copy and keep it in your golf bag for easy reference.

​

​

GOLFWEEK JUNIOR TOUR HARD CARD

Play is governed by the USGA Rules of Golf and by the following Local Rules and definitions where applicable. Any changes and additions to these Local Rules will be provided on a Local Rules Addendum sheet at each event.

Any questions must be resolved before the scorecard is signed and turned in. Once the scorecard has been verified by a competitor and marker and signed and the competitor has left the scoring area, no alterations will be made.

​

Players are to disregard any local rules printed on the course scorecard or posted at that facility for all GolfWeek Jr Tour tournaments

​

1- Golf Balls: Only golf balls that have been tested and are on the current list of USGA Conforming Golf Balls may be used. Model Local Rule G-3  

Penalty - Disqualification

​

2- One Ball Rule : The One Ball Rule is NOT in Effect. Model Local Rule G-4 is NOT in effect

​

3- List of Conforming Driver Heads : Any driver the player uses to make a stroke must have a clubhead, identified by model and loft, which is on the current List of Conforming Driver Heads issued by the USGA. Model Local Rule G-1. Penalty - Disqualification

​

4 - Groove and Punch Mark Specifications: Effective 1 January 2010, the Equipment Rules were revised to provide new groove and punch mark specifications for all clubs other than drivers and putters. Until at least 2024, clubs made before 2010 are not required to meet these specifications

​

5- Replacement of Club that is Broken or Significantly Damaged - Rule 4.1b(3) is modified in this way:

If a player’s club is “broken or significantly damaged” during the round by the player or caddie, except in cases of abuse, the player may replace the club with any club under Rule 4.1b(4).

When replacing a club, the player must immediately take the broken or significantly damaged club out of play, using the procedure in Rule 4.1c(1).

For the purposes of this Local Rule:

• A club is “broken or significantly damaged” when:

  • the shaft breaks into pieces, splinters or is bent (but not when the shaft is only dented)

  • the club face impact area is visibly deformed (but not when the club face is only scratched)

  • the clubhead is visibly and significantly deformed

  • the clubhead is detached or loose from the shaft, or

  • the grip is loose.

Exception: A club face or clubhead is not “broken or significantly damaged” solely because it is cracked.

Penalty for Breach of Local Rule – See Rule 4.1b.  Model Local Rule G-9

​

6 - Prohibiting the use of Caddies: Most of our events will not allow caddies, however we will provide opportunities throughout the year for juniors to experience working with a caddy. Currently the only events we allow caddies are 1 day, 36 hole events. For all events, unless specifically exempted, players MUST NOT have a caddie during the round. Model Local Rule H-1.1

Penalty - if advice or help is solicited by the player, the general penalty will be applied for each hole which he or she is helped by a caddie. If the breach happens or continues between two holes, the play gets the general penalty for the next hole. 

If advice is not solicited by the player, the person acting as the caddie or giving the advice will be warned, and any subsequent actions will be penalized with the general penalty under the above procedures. 

​

7 - Out of Bounds: Defined by the nearest inside points of white stakes, fence posts, masonry walls, and/or white lines at ground level. When out of bounds is fixed by a white line on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds. All public roads are deemed out of bounds and if not otherwise marked, the nearest edge of the concrete/asphalt, or curbing shall be the boundary. If a ball crosses a public road and comes to rest on another part of the course it is deemed out of bounds

​

8 - Ground Under Repair: Areas enclosed with white lines. French drains are also considered ground under repair. Ground under repair may include areas of unusual damage, including areas where spectators or other traffic has combined with wet conditions to affect materially the ground surface, but only when so declared by an authorized member of the Committee. When immediately adjacent to an immovable obstruction, such an area is part of that obstruction.

​

9 - Penalty Areas : Defined by yellow lines and/or yellow stakes. Stakes identify hazards; lines define those hazards. When a water hazard or a lateral water hazard is defined on one side only, it is deemed to extend to infinity. When a water hazard or lateral water hazard is bounded by out of bounds, the hazard margin extends to and coincides with the out of bounds line

​

10 - White lines tied into obstructions are part of that obstruction

​

11 - Permanent elevated power lines and cables: If a ball strikes such a line or cable, the stroke shall be cancelled and must be replayed without penalty. This does not apply to the tower or pole

​

12 - Late to tee: If a player arrives, ready to play, at the starting tee within 5 minutes after the assigned starting time, the penalty is two strokes at the first hole. Later than 5 minutes results in disqualification

​

13 - Suspension of play for a dangerous situation:  All practice areas are closed during a suspension for a dangerous situation. Suspensions for a dangerous situation shall be signaled by one prolonged air horn blast. Play will resume if conditions become safe again. In the event of inclement weather, the GJT staff will sound one long air horn. At that point, play must stop immediately and find shelter. An event will only be cancelled if the players’ safety and well-being is threatened or if the course becomes unplayable.

​

14 - Practice Between Holes Prohibited: Model Local Rule I-2 is enforced at all GolfWeek Events 

Rule 5.5b is modified in this way:

Between the play of two holes, a player MUST NOT:

• Make any practice stroke on or near the putting green of the hole just completed, or

• Test the surface of that putting green by rubbing the putting green or rolling a ball.

Penalty for Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty.

​

15 - Integral Parts of the Course : Include cables, rods, wires and wrappings when closely attached to trees, and artificial walls and pilings when located in penalty areas and bunkers.

​

16 - Temporary Immovable Obstruction (TIO) : Model Local Rule F-23 is in effect as it pertains to 

fans next to putting greens, portable toilets, light fixtures, or other objects identified as TIO by the GolfWeek staff in a local rule for that event

​

17 - Newly Sodded Areas : If a ball lies in or touches a sod seam, or the seam interferes with the player's area of intended swing, the player may, without penalty, lift the ball and clean it and drop the ball as near as possible to where it originally lay, not nearer the hole, where it avoids interference by the condition and is not in a hazard or on a putting green. Interference does not exist if the seam only interferes with the player's stance

​

18 - Flower Beds/Newly planted trees - The area defined by mulch, gravel, or other ground cover with flowers present, is a no play zone that is to be treated as an abnormal course condition. Free relief must be taken from the interference by the no play zone under Rule 16.1f. 

​

19 - Ball played from outside relief area when taking back-on-the-line relief: Model Local Rule E-12 is in effect.

​

20 - Exception 2 to Rule 11.1b is to be applied using the “known or virtually certain” standard. Therefore, if there is knowledge or conclusive evidence that the ball played from the putting green accidentally hit a person, animal or movable obstruction on the putting green, the stroke does not count. 

​

21 - Wood Chips and Mulch are loose impediments 

​

22 - Motorized Transportation is prohibited : Except when permitted by the tournament comittee Model Local Rule G-6 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.
· Exception: a player may ride in designated shuttles and may accept transportation from a Rules Official

 

23 - Stroke Limit Policy: There is no stroke limit on the Golfweek Junior Tour.

​

24 - Measuring Devices/Range Finders: Distance-only measuring devices and range finders are allowed in Golfweek Junior Tour events per USGA Rule 4.3a . For further information about Distance Measuring Devices and Cell Phones, please refer to that section of our Policies and Procedures page

​

25 - Pace of Play : See GolfWeek Jr Tour Pace of Play

 

26 - Code of Conduct : See GolfWeek Jr Tour Player Code of Conduct

​

27 - Results of the Competition: The competition is final when the trophy has been presented to the winner or, in the absence of an awards ceremony, when all scores have been approved by the Committee. 

​

​

​

​

​