Month: February 2019

The following Special Event list have been updated and/or corrected:

Find your Swing Entry List

Ryder Cup Waiting List

Best Ball Entry List

Pick Your Partner Entry and Waiting Lists

Founder’s Day Waiting List

The Entry and Waiting List have been updated for all of the Special Event tournaments as of 2/13/2019.

The 4-Person Find Your Swing Tournament is 97% full.

The 2-Person Ryder Cup Tournament is 100% full w/waiting list.

The 4-Person Best Ball Tournament is 86% full.

The 2-Person Pick Your Partner Tournament is 100% w/waiting list.

The 4-Person Founder’s Day Tournament is 100% full w/waiting list.

The Individual Samr Flight Tournament is 67% full.

For the 2021 season the Board of Governors approved the following changes in rules and operations.

The most important changes are in the changes in the Rules of Golf as implemented by USGA starting January 1, 2019. The rule book was completely rewritten for better clarity and easier play. Metro Seniors (MSLAGA) started adopting some of these rules in 2018.

The most important changes are in defining the Penalty areas – previously know as either “lateral hazards – Red Stakes” or “water hazards” as defined by Yellow Stakes. These are now either Red or Yellow Penalty areas.

Most important MSLSGA has more clearly defined our rules for improving lies, Lost Balls, Out of Bounds, and Penalty areas. The MSLSGA rules are targeted to provide a little extra relief beyond USGA for OB, Lost Balls, and Yellow Penalty areas. These will help keep pace of play moving along.

The Rules Committee will be posting information regularly to help all members understand and follow these rules. CLICK HERE for the Rules Roundtable

MSLSGA does NOT ALLOW the Stroke and Distance penalty anywhere on the courses (returning to the location of your last shot). This would be a major disruption to pace.

LAST REGISTRATION – 1 1/2 Hour After Start Tee Times

In 2018 we looked at reducing registration end time. Larger divisions had concerns. Now the official registration ending time for Division 1-5 weekly tournaments is again 1 1/2 hours. However, Division VPs may announce adjust the time if attendance is low.

Click on this Link to see all revisions for 2023:

Summary of Major USGA Changes with Videos

Pace of Play Ideas
Here is a link to a video from USGA about ideas on Pace of Play.  CLICK HERE

Ideas on faster play at the Greens – CLICK HERE

Where do I drop the ball?

I have seen many variations of the correct place to drop your ball if it’s out of bounds, lost in the weeds or in a Penalty Area. My hope is to show everyone the correct place to drop with this communication. I have included a couple of illustrations created by Rick Hines (Thank you Rick). You must scroll down and put your glasses on to see them.

There is some confusion about the term “Back on the Line Relief” as well. Most golfers I have talked to, thought that meant the line from their previous shot to where the ball came to rest, but that is not correct. The best way I can describe “Back on the Line” is to, stand behind the ball while looking at the pin and then taking your relief back on that line 1 club to either side of it. Then drop the ball from your knee height. Metro seniors allows us to roll the ball with our club up to a foot, left, right or back to try and improve our lie.  

Lift, Clean and Place of the ball within one (1) foot, not nearer the hole, allowed on the whole of the course except:

• 1. The putting green of the hole being played; and
• 2. All Penalty Areas on the course including Bunkers
• 3. If the grass your ball is in, is longer than 6”
• 4. NOT ALLOWED to improve line of play, to get relief from behind tree, in a different cut of grass (rough to fairway),

Enjoy this video of the proper way to use “Back on the Line” relief: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/major-changes/procedure-for-taking-back-on-a-line-relief.html

Lateral Relief: Is another option for determining your drop options in some cases.  This option may be used to your advantage, depending on where your ball entered the Red Staked Penalty area (Sand traps are not Red staked). I have also included a video on the proper Drop Procedures.   

Lateral Relief: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/major-changes/procedure-for-taking-lateral-relief.html

Looking over the rules changes for 2019 brings all kinds of interesting information to the fore.

Interested in the history of the “Rules”? USGA has prepared a very interesting summary of the rules over a 270 year period.

Some of these are quite interesting, especially the relief drops. Some give shine a light on why some rules were established.

Makes for interesting reading when taking a rest from putting new grips on, cleaning up the grooves, or otherwise tuning up for the new season.

CLICK HERE for a little fun reading.

I also recommend that you visit the USGA site to look at the new rules. The videos are really good. Metro Seniors is founded on USGA rules. We make a very few “local” variations to keep pace moving and allow for “seniors” abilities. However, if you know and follow all USGA rules, it will help you with the few variations from Metro Senior.

CLICK HERE for USGA Major Rule Changes with videos