2019 Proposed Rules Changes   Click Here

OLMGC Tournament Lost Ball Search
Please limit your search for a lost ball to three (3) minutes.  Most lost balls are in the "native area" which allows you to drop a ball under the local native area rule to speed up play.

Olivas Links Native Areas Local Rule
If your ball lands in a native area you may play the ball when you find it.  If you look for 5 minutes (3 minutes for OLMGC tournaments) and do not find the ball, you must drop a new ball within 2 club lengths of where you crossed into the native area with one stroke penalty.  This is much better than the normal lost ball penalty of stroke plus distance.
Although it is tempting to look for your ball longer than the alotted 5 minutes, please realize that this affects the playing time of all the groups behind you.

Slow Play
Your board of directors continues to monitor playing times. We have tried a marshal to let people know when they are "out of position" at several tournaments.  With that in mind, please read the next paragraph about USGA determination of "out of position".  Also, please be aware that the golfers behind you may be waiting.

On a Par 5, if your group is on the tee and the group ahead is on the green, your group is behind. On a Par 4, if your group is on the tee and the group ahead is on the next tee box, your group is behind. On a Par 3, if your group is on the tee and the group ahead is already hitting second shots to the next green, your group is behind. The USGA gives a 15 minute warning for the whole group to catch up and get back into position, or all members of the group get a one stroke penalty.

A Review of Taking a Drop
Immovable Obstructions and Abnormal Ground Conditions (Rules 24-2 and 25-1)
An immovable obstruction is an artificial object on the course that cannot be moved (e.g., a building) or cannot readily be moved (e.g., a firmly embedded direction post). Objects defining out of bounds are not treated as obstructions. An abnormal ground condition is casual water, ground under repair or a hole or the cast from a hole made by a burrowing animal, a reptile or a bird. Except when your ball is in a water hazard, relief without penalty is available from immovable obstructions and abnormal ground conditions when the condition physically interferes with the lie of the ball, your stance or your swing. You may lift the ball and drop it within one clublength of the nearest point of relief (see Definition of “Nearest Point of Relief”), but not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief (see diagram below). If the ball is on the putting green, you place it at the nearest point of relief, which may be off the putting green. There is no relief for intervention on your line of play unless both your ball and the condition are on the putting green. As an additional option when your ball is in a bunker, you may take relief from the condition by dropping the ball outside and behind the bunker under penalty of one stroke. 22 A Quick Guide to the Rules of Golf A Quick Guide to the Rules of Golf 23 The following diagram illustrates the term “nearest point of relief” in Rules 24-2 and 25-1 in the case of a right-handed player. B1 = position of ball on road, in ground under repair (GUR), etc. P1 = nearest point of relief P1 shaded area = area within which ball to be dropped, radius of one club-length from P1, measured with any club B2 = position of ball on road, in ground under repair (GUR), etc. = notional stance required to play at P2 with club with which player would expect to play the stroke P2 = nearest point of relief P2 shaded area = area within which ball to be dropped, radius of one club-length from P2, measured with any club.