Local Rules and Terms of Competition - 2026

Minnesota Public Golf Association (MPGA) tournament play is governed by the Rules of Golf and by the following Terms of Competition and Definitions. Any changes or additions to these will be supplied on a Notice to Players and/or supplemental Local Rules Sheet at the specific championship site.

Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for the breach of a Local Rule or Condition is the General Penalty:

STARTING TIMES

A player’s round starts when the player makes a stroke to start their first hole (see Rule 6.1a). The player must start at (and not before) their starting time:

• This means that the player must be ready to play at the starting time and starting point set by the Committee.
• A starting time set by the Committee is treated as an exact time (for example, 9 am means 9:00:00 am, not any time until 9:01 am).

If the starting time is delayed for any reason (such as weather, slow play of other groups or the need for a ruling by an MPGA Official), there is no breach of this Rule if the player is present and ready to play when the player’s group is able to start. Penalty for Breach of Rule 5.3a: Disqualification, except in these three cases:

• Exception 1 – Player Arrives at Starting Point, Ready to Play, No More Than Five Minutes Late: The player receives the general penalty applied to their first hole.
• Exception 2 – Player Starts No More Than Five Minutes Early: The player gets the general penalty applied to their first hole.
• Exception 3 – Committee Decides that Exceptional Circumstances Prevented Player from Starting on Time: There is no breach of this Rule and no penalty.

REPORTING RESULTS (Stroke Play Only)

“Digital” scoring will be the method by which scores are entered and returned to the Committee. Upon completion of play, the player should check the hole scores entered by the marker and raise any issues with the Committee. Any changes made by the player must be certified by the marker (Note: marker certification may be verbal at the scoring table). The player must not change a hole score without the marker’s agreement or Committee’s approval and must certify the hole scores promptly with the Committee (player certification may be verbal at the scoring table).

MISSING PLAYER OR MARKER CERTIFICATION

Model Local Rule L-1 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

PRACTICING BEFORE & BETWEEN ROUNDS (Stroke Play Only)

Model Local Rule I-1.1 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

PRACTICING BETWEEN HOLES (Stroke Play Only)

Model Local Rule I-2 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

PACE OF PLAY (Rule 5.6b); Stroke Play and Match Play

The pace of play is governed by the MPGA Pace of Play Policy on the MPGA Tournament Page and will be distributed as part of each competition package and be available at the starting hole(s) of all MGA competitions. PENALTY: 1ST Breach – Warning; 2ND Breach – One Penalty Stroke; 3RD Breach – General Penalty; 4TH Breach – Disqualification.

LIST OF CONFORMING BALLS

Model Local Rule G-3 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

INTEGRAL OBJECTS

Include cables, rods, wires and wrappings when closely attached to trees, and artificial walls and pilings when located in penalty areas or in or adjacent to bunkers, and bunker liners. An exposed bunker liner may be treated as ground under repair, but interference does not exist if the liner interferes only with the player’s stance.

GATES IN BOUNDARY FENCES AND WALLS

Model Local Rule F-26 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

WOOD CHIPS & MULCH

Are loose impediments.

GROUND UNDER REPAIR

Defined by white lines or otherwise listed on the Local Rules Sheet. French drains and cultivated flower and shrubbery beds on the course are ground under repair even if not so marked.

RELIEF FROM SEAMS OF CUT TURF

Model Local Rule F-7 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

WHITE-LINED AREAS TYING INTO ARTIFICALLY SURFACED ROADS AND PATHS

White-lined areas of ground under repair and the artificially-surfaced roads, paths or other identified obstructions to which they are connected are treated as a single abnormal course condition when taking relief under Rule 16.1.

BALL DEFLECTED BY ELEVATED POWER LINE

Model Local Rule E-11 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect. However, a ball striking a tower, pole or support wire without striking the power line itself, or striking the power line when out of bounds, must be played as it lies. There is no line of flight relief from these obstructions.

ANIMAL NEAR BALL

Model Local Rule E-13 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

TEMPORARY IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS

All tents, scoreboards and other temporary equipment on the course, provided it is not readily movable, are considered to be Temporary Immovable Obstructions. Model Local Rule F-23 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

PENALTY AREAS

Penalty areas are marked as either red or yellow.

• When stakes or flags and painted lines are used to mark a penalty area, the stakes or flags identify and the lines define the penalty area.
• When a penalty area is defined on only one side, it is deemed to extend to infinity.
• When a penalty area is connected to an out-of-bounds edge, the penalty area extends to and coincides with out of bounds.

OUT OF BOUNDS

Defined by the line between the course-side points, at ground level, of white stakes, fence posts and white lines (if used to define the boundary). If both stakes and lines are used to mark the boundary, the stakes identify and the lines define the boundary. When stakes used to define or show the boundary edge, they are boundary objects.

SUSPENSION OF PLAY SIGNALS

Immediate suspension - One prolonged air horn note, repeated.
Normal suspension - Three consecutive air horn notes, repeated.
Resumption of play - Two short air horn notes, repeated.

When play is suspended for a dangerous situation, players must stop play immediately and must not make another stroke until the Committee resumes play. All practice areas are closed during an immediate suspension for a dangerous situation until the Committee has declared them open. PENALTY: Disqualification. NOTE: Players who practice on closed practice areas will be asked to stop practicing; failure to stop practicing might result in disqualification.

MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION

Motorized transportation is permitted at all Minnesota Public Golf Association tournaments.

PROHIBITING USE OF CERTAIN TYPES OF SHOES

Model Local Rule G-7 as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect.

WHEN COMPETITION IS FINAL

The competition is final when the trophy has been presented to the winner or, in the absence of a prize ceremony, when all scores have been approved by the Committee. The result of a match is final when the Committee has approved the result and published the results on the public scoreboard (including a digital scoreboard).