Local Rules and Preferred Lies

1. OUT OF BOUNDS (Rule 18)

i. Beyond any of the course boundary hedges and fences, including the cottage and gardens between the 5th and the 12th.

ii. As indicated by white lines and markers, but in any case, the clubhouse, adjacent paved areas, The Professional’s shop and gardens, on or over the paved path between the Professional’s shop and the Clubhouse, the practice putting green and surrounding flower beds and all car parks.

2. ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITIONS (INCLUDING IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS).     

a. Shelters, Machinery, Roads, Tracks.

i. All shelters, machinery used for maintenance of the course, artificially surfaced roads and paths on the course (including the stone paths on hole 14 and regular machinery routes evidenced by permanent tracks) are treated as immovable obstructions from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1.

ii. All wooden sleepers (including the bunker on the 10th hole), water taps, manhole covers, black matting and range net and posts are deemed to be immovable obstructions from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1. (or 16.1c specifically relating to sleepers in the 10th hole bunker).

iii. Ant Hills and Nests. Large or hard ant hills on the course are, at the player’s option, loose impediments that may be removed under Rule 15.1 or ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1.

iv .Fixed Sprinkler Heads and Irrigation Boxes. Relief from sprinkler heads may be taken under Rule 16.1. The player may also take relief under Rule 16.1b if a sprinkler head is on the line of play and is within two club lengths of the putting green, and within two club lengths of the ball.

Exception- There is no relief if a player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.

b. Ground Under Repair/ Staked Trees, including No Play Zones (Rule 16)

i. Young trees identified by white lines, protective sheaths, or stakes are No Play Zones. If a players’ ball lies anywhere on the course other than in a penalty area and it lies on or touches such a tree, or such a tree interferes with a players’ stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1f.

ii. The range between the 1st and 9th holes is a No Play Zone and relief is to be taken under Rule 16.1f.

iii. All Ground Under Repair is to be treated as a No Play Zone and relief must be taken under Rule 16.1f.

3.WRONG GREEN / NO PLAY ZONE

i. Relief must be taken from a wrong green (which includes the short-mown fringes within one club length of the wrong green) under Rule 13.1f. Temporary greens, and practice greens are deemed to be a wrong green even when not in use and relief must be taken under Rule 13.1f.

4. BREACH OF LOCAL RULE

General Penalty.  Matchplay - Loss of hole.  Strokeplay - 2 strokes.

5. INTEGRAL OBJECTS (Rule 8.1)

The black rubber lining within the bunkers is an integral part of the course and no relief is allowed for any ball coming to rest on, or close to, this lining.

Course Distance Markers

Flags. White- Back of Green, Yellow- Middle of Green, Red- Front of Green

Distances on tee markers and boards, sprinkler heads and 150-yard posts are to the middle of the green.

NOT ON THE CARD-PROVIDED UNDER QR CODE/FOR INFORMATION

SUSPENDING AND RESUMING PLAY (Rule 5.7b)

An immediate suspension of play for a dangerous situation will be signalled by 1 prolonged note of the siren.  All other suspensions will be signalled by 3 consecutive notes of the siren.  In either case resumption of play will be signalled by 2 short notes of the siren.  (see rule 5.7.b)

RULE REMINDER: PRACTICING ON THE COURSE.

Prior to stroke-play events (and excluding Match-play) players are not allowed to practice on the course according to Rule 5.2b. This means that playing to chipping greens from outside this area are in breach of this rule and subject to a General Penalty and for further offenses subject to Disqualification.

Preferred Lies (Winter Rules)

The following Local Rules are effective from 1 October 2024 until further notice.

When any part of a player’s ball touches part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:

• Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.
• Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: 6 inches from the reference point, but with these limits:
• Limits on Location of Relief Area:
• Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and
• Must be in the general area.

In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e.  But, for the purposes of applying Rule 14.2e, the player has only chosen the spot on which to place the ball once the ball has been set down, and the player has let the ball go with the intent for that ball to be in play.

After a ball has been placed and is in play under this Local Rule, if the player then proceeds under another Rule that provides relief, this Local Rule may be used again.