Our club has sand greens. We have a local rule “When putting, if the ball is holed after deflecting off your scraper mark, a one stroke penalty will apply.”

This was the case many years ago, though the sand green rules were changed. It is not a stroke penalty any longer if you go “in-off”. The onus is now on your opponent or marker to request that you smooth out any ridges made on your final scrap.

Can a local rule over-ride the Australian sand green rule?

Cheers

Our club has sand greens. We have a local rule “When putting, if the ball is holed after deflecting off your scraper mark, a one stroke penalty will apply.”

This was the case many years ago, though the sand green rules were changed. It is not a stroke penalty any longer if you go “in-off”. The onus is now on your opponent or marker to request that you smooth out any ridges made on your final scrap.

Can a local rule over-ride the Australian sand green rule?

My take on it is that the Golf Australia Local Rules for Sand Greens apply as if they are formal Rules of Golf, and a local club rule may not waive a Rule of Golf under Rule 33-8b. So your local rule as written may be invalid. It would be best if the captain of your club clarified the matter with your State Association, Golf Australia or even the R&A.

You are right to assert that it is not a penalty under the Golf Australia Local Rules for Sand Greens to have your ball deflected off the smoother ridge into the hole, and that the onus is on your opponent or fellow competitor to make sure the smoothing doesn’t leave a ridge to the player’s advantage. This has been the case since at least 1992, when the most recent Golf Australia Local Rules for Sand Greens came into effect:

“The following Local Rules issued by Golf Australia will apply throughout Australia from 1 April 1992. The Rules of Golf as approved by R&A Rules Limited, so far as they are not at variance with these Local Rules, will apply, and they are to be read in conjunction with these special Rules for Sand Greens.”

The rule specifically applying to your scenario is as follows:

“1.3 The smoother shall be used in such a manner that there shall not be any ridge or heaping of sand which could operate to a player’s advantage. The player may be required by their fellow competitor or opponent, without penalty to the player, to remove any ridge or heap of sand. If the player’s ball is deflected by a ridge of sand at the edge of the smoothed portion, there is no penalty and the stroke may not be replayed.”

Reference: Golf Australia Local Rules for Sand Greens.

Thanks for your comments Publish. My way of thinking is along your lines. Thanks too for the link. Just a while ago, I Googled “Sand Green Rules” and the only link returned was from Vic Golf Association.

The link to Golf Australia is more “authoritative” as I’m in WA, so I’ll email that to the Captain and Committee.

I did think the sand green rules were published in the Australian Golfers’ Handbook, though it’s been about 10 years since I’ve seen it.

I always get into a polite argument about sand green rules when playing open events at neighboring clubs – especially the “in-off” the scrape one.

The Golf Australia link says it all though.

I did think the sand green rules were published in the Australian Golfers’ Handbook, though it’s been about 10 years since I’ve seen it.

I’ve got an older copy of the AGU Handbook (2003) and the Sand Green Rules were on page 289.

Golf Australia changed the format of their publications in 2007 and they now only print a “club directory”, which doesn’t have any of the handicapping and rules information in it. All the handicapping and rules information is now just on their web site.

In fact, their publication range these days is pretty dismal.