Local Rules

Local Rules [ revised August 2010 and amended re steps in bunkers Dec 2010 ]

1

LOST BALLS

In all competitions after five minutes looking for a lost ball a player MUST continue play or withdraw from the hole and or the competition.

However, if another group is waiting they should be called through while the search for the lost ball continues.

2

FIXED SPRINKLER HEADS Rule 24-2

All fixed sprinkler heads are immovable obstructions and relief from interference by them may be obtained under Rule 24 -2. In addition, if such an obstruction on, or within two club lengths of the putting green being played intervenes on the line of play between the ball and the hole; The player may obtain relief without penalty under the same rule.

3

STONES IN BUNKERS

Stones in bunkers are movable obstructions and may be removed without penalty (Rule24-1). Elsewhere; stones are “loose impediments”.

4

GROUND UNDER REPAIR Rule 25-1b

Play is prohibited from all areas of “Ground under Repair”. If a player’s ball lies in an area so marked or if such an area interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the player MUST take full relief.

5

BUNKERS

Any bunkers, which are marked as “Ground under Repair”, are to be regarded as “Through the Green” and relief should be taken at the nearest point of relief outside the bunker.

6

STEPS IN BUNKERS

Steps in bunkers are to be regarded as immovable obstructions. If the steps interferes with a player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the ball may be lifted without penalty and dropped within the bunker in accordance with Rule 24-2b (ii). The ball may be cleaned when so lifted.

If it is not possible to drop within the bunker no nearer the hole, the ball may be dropped outside the bunker under penalty of one stroke, keeping the point where the ball lay directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the bunker the ball may be dropped.

On some bunkers the steps are both in and outside of the bunker.

Where the steps are surrounded on three sides by fairway then they are immovable obstructions and relief can be taken by dropping the ball, without penalty, no nearer the hole on the fairway. Where the steps are surrounded by the bunker then they are in the bunker, see above.

7

BUNKER FACES

Some bunkers have faces consisting of stacked turf. Such faces are to be regarded as closely mown areas and NOT part of the bunker. Any ball embedded in the turf may therefore be lifted, and dropped at the nearest point outside the bunker without penalty.

8

PREFERRED LIES

When preferred lies are in operation, a ball lying on a closely-mown area through the green may be lifted, without penalty, and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within six inches of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that spot must not be in a hazard and not on a putting green. A player may place his ball only once, and it is in play when it has been placed (Rule 20-4). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it is placed, Rule 20-3d applies. If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.

If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke.

Note: “Closely-mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

9

OUT OF BOUNDS Rule 27-1

A, Beyond any wall or fence or line of white stakes bounding the course.

B, Beyond any trench, white lines, white posts or marked trees to the left of the 12th hole.

C. When playing the 9th or 18th holes, on or beyond the path leading from the 1st tee area past the conservatory and the Club House and hotel complex to the 10th tee.

Out of bounds markers are walls, fences, stakes and railings and are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed.

10.

TARMAC INDENTS IN FRONT OF THE CLUBHOUSE

The tarmac indents onto the golf course from the path that is in front of the clubhouse are not out of bounds and are part of the course, therefore, they are immovable obstructions and the ball may be dropped without penalty, no nearer the hole, under Rule 24.2

11.

FENCE POSTS AND ROPES IN FRONT OF THE CLUBHOUSE

The fence posts and ropes in front of the clubhouse, by the 18^th green and fairway are immoveable obstructions and relief should be taken under Rule 24.2 e.g. a free drop, no nearer the hole, where the posts and ropes do not interfere with the players swing or stance.

12.

ROADS AND PATHS

All synthetic roads, paths and steps within bounds will be regarded as “immovable obstructions”. Relief may be taken in accordance with Rule 24-2b e.g. lift and drop the ball without penalty within one clubs length no nearer the green.

13

VIEWFINDERS
A player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only.

If a player uses a distance measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect play e.g. gradient, wind speed, temperature etc the player is in breach of Rule 14.3 and is disqualified regardless of whether or not the additional functions were used.

14

STAKES

All stakes marking ground under repair, water hazards, distance markers, where they may be easily moved, are moveable obstructions.

Out of bounds stakes and fences are deemed to be fixed and relief cannot be taken.

15

FLOWER BEDS

All flowerbeds (providing they are in bounds) are to be treated as ground under repair and relief taken in accordance.

16

TEMPORARY GREENS

When playing on normal greens, all temporary greens will be regarded as ground under repair and relief must be taken. When playing temporary greens normal greens are to be treated as GUR and relief MUST be taken

17

PRACTICE PUTTING GREEN BETWEEN THE 9^TH GREEN AND 1^ST TEE.

The practice putting green between the 9^th green and 1^st tee should be treated as ground under repair and relief must be taken e.g. ball dropped without penalty off the green no nearer the hole at the nearest point of relief.

18

STAKED TREES

Trees are classed as staked if they have:

A, A full stake securing them.

B, Are secured with the cut down double stakes

C, Are less than two club lengths in height? If such a tree interferes with a player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the ball must be lifted without penalty and dropped in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Rule 24 2b

19

WOOD BEHIND THE DITCH ON THE RIGHT OF THE FAIRWAY ON THE 5^TH HOLE

The Wood behind the ditch on the right of the fairway on the 5th hole has been declared an environmentally sensitive area and has been defined as a lateral water hazard.

This area is an Environmentally Sensitive Area and play is prohibited from within this area. ( Rule 26 )

20

OBSTRUCTIONS [ Rule 24 ]

An “obstruction” is anything artificial, including the artificial surfaces and sides of roads and paths and manufactured ice,

except:

A. Objects defining out of bounds, such as walls, fences, stakes and railings;

B. Any part of an immovable artificial object that is out of bounds; and

C. Any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course.

An obstruction is a movable obstruction if it may be moved without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play and without causing damage, and if removed must be replaced immediately afterwards. Otherwise it is an immovable obstruction.

If moved all moveable obstructions must be replaced including stakes defining the limits of water hazards, distance marker stakes, stakes marking buggy routes and directions to next green / tee and seed boxes on the tee.

Objects defining out of bounds such as walls, fences, stakes and railings are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed.

21

HAZARDS
All sleepers used to construct hazards are defined as to be part of the hazard as are any stakes defining the limits of the hazard. A ball touching or crossing any line of these is defined as being in the hazard. Bridges over water hazards within the margin of the hazard when extended upwards are obstructions within the hazard; relief under penalty of one stroke may be taken under Rule 26-1

or

The ball may be played as it lies, and as the bridge is an obstruction and since an obstruction in a water hazard, it is not ground in the hazard, the club may be grounded prior to address or in the backward movement of the stroke.

22

THE DITCH TO THE LEFT OF THE FIRST PART OF THE FAIRWAY ON THE 17^TH HOLE AND THE WOODS BEYOND

These are classed as a lateral water hazard.

23

BURROWING ANIMALS

A ball lying in an area affected by a burrowing animal ( including foxes ) or if such an area interferes with the player’s stance or the area of intended swing, they may take relief in accordance with Rule 25.1

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF ANY LOCAL RULE

MATCH PLAY – LOSS OF HOLE - STROKE PLAY – TWO STROKE PENALTY