A look at 10 very important rules in golf

1. Clubs in your bag

You’re allowed to carry up to 14 (that’s FOURTEEN!) clubs in your bag during a competitive round. You may carry less but make sure you check the contents before you start and discard any additional ones - it can cost you penalty strokes for every hole you play .

The 2001 Open Championship final round overnight leader Ian Woosnam can tell you all about this rule after being deducted two strokes for having one club too many in his bag! Do not commit the same mistake!

2. Play within the parameters of the tee

The first tee shot of a round is always daunting, even for seasoned golfers, so make sure you tee up between and behind the front of the appropriate markers - usually white for medal tees, yellow for men, red for ladies - and within two club lengths.

With all the swing thoughts that go through the average player’s head, it can be easy to forget about these basic parameters. There is a two-stroke penalty for teeing up the ball outside of them (you may take your stance outside if you prefer) in strokeplay

3. Avoid playing the wrong ball

Sounds blindingly obvious but unless you mark your ball before you start, there’s a danger - with so many golf balls similarly stamped - you may mistake yours for another player’s ball.

Playing the wrong golf ball in matchplay could mean loss of hole in singles and will be a two-stroke penalty in strokeplay. To avoid such a penalty, then get marking your ball more clearly with distinctive personalised symbols.

But if you’re unsure the ball - in the rough, for example - is yours, notify your playing partners, mark it carefully with a tee peg, lift but do not clean it (only to identify it) and replace in the identical spot you’re within your rights.

4. Green rulings

Once you have reached the green, there are a couple of key Rules of which you need to be aware. Once the ball comes to rest on the putting surface you may mark it with a coin, or disk, lift and clean it but remember to replace in the exact spot.

Golfers are now allowed to repair almost any damage on the green, such as spike marks, ball-marks, indentations from a club or flagstick, and animal damage.

However, golfers are not permitted to repair aeration holes, natural surface imperfections, or natural wear of the hole.

5. Play your ball as it lies

Always play your ball as it lies, wherever it comes to rest, unless the Rules allow you to do otherwise.

If the player’s ball comes to rest and is then moved by natural forces such as wind or water, the player normally must play it from its new

Maple Ridge Golf Course 8921 Center Road Ashtabula 44010 440-969-1368 mapleridgegolfcourse.com See Our Ad On Page 5

Yardage: 6001

Carts: Yes

Attire: Proper golf attire

Tee Times: Available

Driving Range: No

Food: Snack bar

Village Green Golf Course

North Rt. 193 North Kingsville 44068 440-224-0931 villagegreengc.us

CUYAHOGA COUNTY Big Met Golf Course

4811 Valley Parkway Fairview Park 44126 440-331-1070 clevelandmetroparks.com

Briardale Greens Golf Course

24131 Briardale Avenue Euclid 44123 216-289-8576 www.briardalegreens.com

Grantwood Golf Course

38855 Aurora Road Solon 44139 440-248-4646 Ext. 0 www.grantwood.net

Hilliard Lakes Golf Club

31665 Hilliard Road Westlake 44145 440-871-9578 www.hilliardlakesgc.com

Meadowood Golf Club

29800 Center Ridge Road Westlake 44145 440-835-6442 www.cityofwestlake.org/289/ Meadowood-Golf-Course

North Olmsted Golf Club

5840 Canterbury Road North Olmsted 44070 440-777-0220 northolmstedgolfclub.com

Shawnee Hills Golf Course

18753 Egbert Road Bedford 44146 440-232-7184 clevelandmetroparks.com

Springvale Golf Club & Ballroom

5871 Canterbury Road North Olmsted 44070 440-777-0678 springvalegolfcourseandballroom.com

ERIE COUNTY Mills Creek Golf Course

1933 Mill Street Sandusky 44870 419-627-5803 ci.sandusky.oh.us/residents/ recreation/mills_creek.php See Our Ad On Page 10

Yardage: White 2,858, Blue 3,010, Red 2,287

Carts: Riding Cart rental

Attire: No tank tops

Tee Time: Available

Driving Range: No

Food: Sandwiches, snacks, beverages & beer

Sawmill Creek Golf Club

600 Mariner Village Huron 44839 419-433-3789 www.golfsawmillcreek.com

Thunderbird Hills Golf Course

1316 Mudbrook Road Huron 44839 419-433-4552 www.thunderbirdhills.com

Twin Lakes Golf Course 100 Decker Street Bellevue 44811 419-483-2842 www.twinlakesbellevue.com See Our Ad On Page 10

Yardage: 3034 Par 36

Carts: Yes

Attire: Casual golf attire

Tee Times: No

Driving Range: No

Food: Twin Lakes Restaurant

Vermilion Country Club

12210 W. Lake Road Vermilion 44089 440-967-3492 vermilioncountryclub.net

Willow Creek Golf Club

15905 Darrow Road Vermilion 44089 440-967-4101 www.willowcreekgolfohio.com See Our Ad On Page 16

Yardage: Blue 6356, White 5957, Red 5419 Par 72

Carts: $7 per person for 9 holes,

$14 per person for 18 holes

Attire: Casual golf attire

Tee Times: Yes

Driving Range: Yes

Food: Snack bar

Woussickett Golf Course

6311 Mason Road Sandusky 44870 419-359-1141 www.woussickett.com

See Our Ad On Page 11

Yardage: Blue 6149 Par 70, White 5669 Par 70, Red 4502 Par 71

Carts: Yes

Attire: Casual golf attire

Tee Times: Recommended

Driving Range: Yes and practice area.

Food: Snack bar/grill

Chardon Lakes Golf Course

470 South Street Chardon 44024 440-285-4653 www.chardonlakes.com

Fowlers Mill Golf Course

13095 Rockhaven Road Chesterland 44026 440-729-7569 www.fowlersmillgc.com

See Our Ad On Page 7

Yardage: Gold 7,025, Black 6,623, Green 6,200, Silver (Senior) 5,873, Red (Ladies) 5,815

Carts: Yes

Attire: Golf attire only

Tee Times: Required

Driving Range: Yes

Food: Grill Room banquet hall

Hidden Valley Golf Course

17261 Thompson Road Thompson 44086 440-298-3912

Legend Lake Golf Club

11135 Auburn Road Chardon 44024 440-285-3110 www.legendlakegolfclub.com See Our Ad On Page 7

Yardage: Tees: Red 5,476, Gold 5.582. Black 6,608, Green 5,807, Gray 6,352

Carts: Yes, golf carts

Attire: Proper golf attire

Tee Times: Yes

Food: Yes bar and grill and banquet hall for events