TEXT OF MODEL LOCAL RULE G-11
G-11 Restricting Use of Green-Reading Materials
Purpose: Rule 4.3, and specifically Clarification 4.3a/1, puts limitations on the size and scale of detailed green-reading materials. But to ensure that players and caddies use only their eye and feel to help them read the line of play on the putting green, the Committee may further restrict the use of green-reading materials by requiring that players are limited throughout their round to using only the yardage book that has been approved for use in the competition.
This Local Rule is intended only for the highest levels of competitive golf and, even then, only to competitions where it is realistic for the Committee to undertake an approval process for yardage books.
When introducing this Local Rule, the Committee is responsible for approving the yardage book that players may use, and the approved yardage book should contain diagrams of putting greens with minimal detail only (such as significant slopes, tiers or false edges that indicate sections of greens).
Players and caddies may add handwritten notes to the approved yardage book to help them read the line of play on a putting green, so long as those notes are allowed under this Local Rule.
Model Local Rule G-11
“Rule 4.3a is modified in this way:
During a round, the player may use only the yardage book(s) approved by the Committee. This restriction also applies to any other maps of the course, including hole-location sheets.
Additional restrictions apply to handwritten notes and any other materials used by the player that could help read the line of play on the putting green:
- Handwritten notes may be added to an approved yardage book or approved hole-location sheet before or during the round by the player or the player’s caddie only and are limited to information gathered by the player or caddie only.
- Handwritten notes may contain information gained only through personal experiences of the player or the player’s caddie from the course or by watching a televised broadcast, but are limited to information gained:
- While observing a ball that was rolled or played (whether by the player, caddie or someone else) or
- Through the player’s or caddie’s feel or general observations of the putting green.
These additional restrictions on handwritten notes or other materials do not apply to such information when they could not help the player read the line of play on the putting green (such as handwritten or printed information containing swing thoughts or listing carry distances for the player’s clubs).
During a round, if a player uses:
- A yardage book, other maps of the course or a hole-location sheet that has not been approved by the Committee,
- An approved yardage book or approved hole-location sheet that contains a handwritten note or information gained in a manner that is not allowed, or
- Any other materials that could help with reading the line of play on the putting green (whether a specific putting green or greens in general),
the player is in breach of this Local Rule.
“Use” means to look at:
- Any page of a yardage book or other maps of the course or a hole-location sheet that has not been approved by the Committee, or
- Any of the following when doing so could help the player or caddie read the line of play on the putting green:
- A page in an approved yardage book or an approved hole-location sheet that contains a handwritten note or information gained in a manner that is not allowed, or
- Any other materials.
Penalty for Breach of this Local Rule:
- Penalty for first breach: General Penalty
- Penalty for second breach: Disqualification”