Isla Del Sol Golf Course News: Golf Cart Rules

This week you will notice implementation of a more aggressive cart management program. In 2019 we removed the yellow ropes with the expectation that our members would make their best effort to follow the 90 degree rule as listed in the Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club Rules and Regulations. Yellow ropes used to lay across each fairway and indicate when carts were to return to the cartpath. They were removed in attempt to eliminate an unnecessary obstruction from the fairway. However, we have discovered that golfers now commonly proceed all the way up to the green to the blue line. This blue line is intended to mark the boundary where those with handicap flags must stop. Now most golfers have been driving up to the blue line and handicap flags have proceeded to the edge of the green in many cases. This becomes especially problematic during periods of cool weather as we have been experiencing recently.

When we drive or walk on grass we cause wear to the leaf blades, accelerating death to those leaves. Most of the time this is not noticeable since the plant grows fast enough to put out new leaves before the old ones die. However, during periods of cool weather and low-growth the grass plants do not generate new leaves fast enough to recover. This can be troublesome in many areas but is most noticeable in areas with heavy foot or cart traffic. Issues caused by cart traffic are most obvious where carts leave the cart path from the tee to the fairway as well as when carts return to the cart path by the green. This is due to the heavy concentration of carts that all take a similar path. The best way to combat this is to be aware of wear patterns and avoid them. The Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club Rules and Regulations state:

Unless other restrictions are specified by the pro shop, the 90 degree rule will be in affect at all times. The proper procedure is to stay on the cart path until the players reach the ball closest to the tee. At that point, the cart may leave the cart path and proceed to the ball. Thereafter, all carts in the group may proceed on the fairway for remaining shots until reaching the “No Carts” boundary.

Carts should not be driven within twenty-five (25) yards of greens or beyond markers and ropes. Carts with authorized Handicap/Blue Flags will not be driven inside the blue outlines around any green. In the absence of a blue line, a cart will not be driven closer than fifteen feet (15’) of a green, and will never be driven between a greenside bunker and a green.

The intent of these rules is to effectively disperse cart traffic and reduce the amount of carts all traveling in the same spot, protect/improve course conditions and provide for a safe environment. You can find all of the club rules on the Bulletin Board of the Member Central section of the Isla webpage here: http://isladelsolycc.com/Member-Central/Bulletin_Board

This week we will be placing two white stakes with black stripes on all Par 4's and Par 5's.
The first stake will be placed off of the tee. Use this stake as an indicator for when it is safe to enter the fairway. Please proceed past this stake and all the way even with the first ball in the fairway before exiting the cartpath.
The second stake will be placed closer to the green. A straight blue line will be painted across the fairway to the vicinity of this second stake. Please use this as the farthest point you are allowed to take carts before exiting to the cartpath unless you have a handicap flag.
As used in the past, there will also be a blue line around each green. This is the limit for carts possessing a handicap flag.
Only carts with handicap flags are allowed off the path on Par 3's.
No carts are allowed off the path when a hole or course is deemed to be "Cart Path Only."