Local Rules

LOCAL RULES

Aeration Holes – If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole:

(a) Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. The ball must be marked and then lifted, and may be cleaned, without penalty, and then dropped, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the general area. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole the player may take relief again under this Local Rule.

(b) Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d. If the ball comes to rest in an aeration hole it must be marked and then lifted, and may be cleaned, without penalty, and then placed at the nearest spot, not nearer the hole, that avoids the situation

Note:- Relief only applies to the position of the ball not to the player’s stance or their intended line of play.

Balls Struck Beyond the Boundaries of the Course – Any player who strikes a ball beyond the boundary of the course must report the time and place of the incident to the Professionals Shop as soon as possible after leaving the Course.

Drainage Hole on 12th Green – Is an immovable obstruction only if a player’s ball lies on the putting green. If the Drainage Hole intervenes on the player’s line of putt, the player may take relief by placing the ball on the nearest point, not nearer the hole, that avoids interference from the Drainage Hole (Rule 16.1a)

No Play Zones – are Abnormal Course Conditions and marked by Blue Stakes. Free relief must be taken from interference by the no play zone under Rule16.1f.

Pathway to the roadside of the 11th Tee – together with the whole of the Garden, Pavilion and Patio areas is designated a no play zone. Relief must be taken by playing from the dropping zone located at the top of the 11th fairway, marked by the white line.

Practice Putting Green – is designated a no play zone. Relief must be taken by playing from the dropping zone above the 18th green, marked by the white line.

Note:- If a Dropping Zone is marked, it is a relief area under Rule 14.3, and the ball must be dropped within the marked area.

Out of Bounds – is the area beyond the boundaries of the course or any part of the course so marked. Objects defining out of bounds, such as hedges, fences and white stakes are not obstructions but are fixed, there is no relief (Rule 8.1a)

A ball is out of bounds if :-

All of the ball lies beyond the inside face of a white stake or fence post at ground level.

At the 7th and 10th holes the ball lies in or beyond the ditch on the edge of the Car Park,

At 16th, 17th, and 18th holes, if the ball lies in or beyond the ditch, or within the white stakes, marking the perimeter of the Practice Ground.

If it lies on any part of the Car Park or within the precincts of the Clubhouse.

If it lies in the cultivated border areas – under the wall adjacent to the 16th Medal Tee and behind the 15th Green, the border alongside the Practice Putting Green, or the border behind the 1st Tee

Note:- (a) Where out of bounds is defined by a ditch, white stakes with black tops have been placed for visibility only and are movable obstructions. Relief may be taken under Rule 15.2a.

(b) A player may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying in bounds.

Paths – All artificial paths, including the sides thereof, and gravelled areas, are immovable obstructions. Relief may be taken under Rule 16.1.

Note:- The sides and ends of such paths are clearly defined; there is no relief from any surface material that has been ‘carried’ beyond these limits.

Professional’s Teaching Bay – is an immovable obstruction. Relief may be taken under Rule 16.1

Note:- Relief does not include ‘line of sight’.

Red Penalty Areas – A player may take relief as stipulated by Rule 17.1d.

In addition:- At the 13th hole, a player may take relief from either of the Red staked areas, to the left and right of the hole, by dropping a ball on the ‘Astroturf’ dropping zone situated in front of the Red Tees with a one shot penalty.

Note:- When a ball is in a penalty area, there is no relief for:

• Interference by an abnormal ground condition (Rule 16.1)

• An embedded ball (Rule 16.3) or

• An unplayable ball (Rule 19)

Sprinkler Heads – are immovable obstructions. If a sprinkler head is within 2 club lengths of the putting green and the player’s ball is within 2 club lengths of the sprinkler head, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1b (Exception – There is no relief if the player adopts an unusual stance, or a line of play, that is clearly unreasonable)

Staked Trees – are immovable obstructions. Relief must be taken under Rule 16.

Suspension of Play – A suspension of play for a dangerous situation (lightning, etc.) will be signalled by a

Single ‘Prolonged’ Blast of the klaxon. All other suspensions will be signalled by ‘Three’ Consecutive Blasts of the klaxon. In either case, resumption of play will be signalled by ‘Two’ Consecutive Blasts of the klaxon. See Rule 5.7b

Tractor Tracks & Tree Roots – If a player’s ball is at rest in the general area, which is cut to fairway height or less, and there is interference from tractor tracks or exposed tree roots, relief may be taken under Rule 16.1b

Winter Greens - When not in play, are Wrong Greens. Relief must be taken under Rule 16.1f. 

Winter Tees:- Prepared from ‘Astroturf’(along with any ‘Astroturf’ surrounds), when not in play, are immovable obstructions, relief must be taken by dropping a ball at the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole, (see Rule 16.1b).

 

M. Barker Match Secretary

Updated April 2023 

 
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