LOCAL RULES

Revised Feb 2019

1. OUT OF BOUNDS

(proceed under rule 18.2)

Beyond any boundary of the course

  • In or beyond the ditches marked by white stakes on the left of 1st/10th, 6th/15th and 9th/18th
  • On or beyond path marked by white stakes on the left and rear of 18th green

2. PENALTY AREAS Defined by Red stakes

(proceed under rule 17)
  • 1st/10th holes the ditch to the RHS of the General area
  • 2nd/11th holes the ditch to the LHS of the General area and to the RHS of the practice ground.
  • 3rd/12th holes ditch on the right bounding the practice ground
  • 4th/13th holes the ditch on the LHS before and adjacent to the flood bank
  • 5th/14th holes the ditch bordering the 2nd/11th holes over the flood bank on the left
  • 9th/18th holes the ditch on RHS of the General area

3. ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITIONS AND IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS

(proceed under rule 16)

3a Abnormal Course conditions

Ground under repair is defined by any area encircled by a white line or as otherwise defined by the Committee, play is prohibited from any GUR. The sand area of the practice bunker on the practice area is GUR.
No Play Zones will be identified by green Stakes, play is prohibited within the No Play Zone.

3b Immovable Obstructions

All shelters, huts and sheds, obstructing greens equipment, constructed paths, man-made steps, manhole covers, ball washers, litter bins and marker discs on the course are Immovable Obstructions.
All roads and paths on the course even if not artificially-surfaced, are treated as immovable obstructions from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1

3c Fixed sprinkler heads, control boxes and drainage plugs

Relief maybe obtained under rule 16.1b. In addition, if the obstruction is either on or within two club-lengths of the green being played and it intervenes on the line of play between the ball and the hole. Relief is obtained as follows:

  • If the ball lies on the putting green, it must be lifted and placed, not nearer the hole, at a point where the intervention would be avoided.
  • If the ball is off the putting green and, not in a hazard, is within two club lengths of the obstruction, it must be lifted, cleaned and dropped, under rule 16.1b, using the nearest point of complete relief as the reference point.

Breach of local rule, General Penalty: in Match play loss of hole, in Stroke play two Strokes.

4. PROTECTION OF YOUNG TREES

Individual trees that are staked and/or marked with white tape.
If a player’s ball lies anywhere on the course other than in a penalty area and it touches such a tree or such a tree interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1f.

5. PRACTISING BEFORE ROUNDS

(proceed under rule 5.2)

In a Stroke play competition, a player must not practise on the competition course before or between rounds.
Practice is permitted before a Stroke play competition on the general course area but is restricted to the designated triangular Practice area between the 1st 2nd and 3rd holes bounded by the ditch alongside the 1st and treelines bounding the 2nd and 3rd.
If the 36-hole competition is to be played over 2 days, practice is permitted after and on the day of the first round.
The chipping, putting and net areas in front of the clubhouse are outside the general area of the course

6. STOPPING AND RESUMING PLAY

A suspension of play for a dangerous situation will be signalled. Resumption of play will be signalled

7. PLAYING PRIORITIES

Players in competitions have priority on the course. Players teeing from the 1st and 10th tees shall take alternative turns to tee off. Players leaving the 9th have no priority
Players must not to start a round from the 4th tee without prior approval.

TEMPORARY LOCAL RULES

TO BE APPLIED AS AND WHEN REQUIRED

T1. Status of Putting Green when Temporary Putting Green is used

When temporary putting greens are in play on holes a general notice to this effect will be displayed. Such greens will be defined by areas surrounded by white lines or ropes. Any putting green that has been replaced by a temporary putting green is a wrong green and free relief for interference must be taken under Rule 13.1f.

T2. Prohibiting Play from Fringe of Wrong Green

When taking wrong green relief from the wrong green is defined to include the area of fairway within two club-lengths from the edge of the putting green. This means when taking relief under Rule 13.1f, the nearest point of complete relief must avoid interference from this area in addition to the wrong green.

T3. Cleaning Ball

Notice will be displayed of the area of the course when players are permitted to lift clean and replace their ball without penalty. The player must mark the spot before lifting the ball (see Rule 14.1) and the ball must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2).

T4. Preferred Lies

A general notice will be displayed when preferred lies are in play. Those parts of the general area from which a ball may be preferred will also be identified.
The player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area as follows:
Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.
Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: Will be 6 inches from the reference point, (alternative relief areas will be separately advised) but within these limits:
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 and 14.2e.

T5. Relief from Aeration Holes

A notice will be displayed indicating if relief is available from 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. 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.
But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or, on the putting green, on the player’s line of play.

T6. Relief from Cracks in Ground

Notice will be displayed if this condition exists and relief is available.

Cracks in the ground in parts of the general area cut to fairway height or less are ground under repair. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
Interference does not exist if the crack only interferes with the player’s stance.

T7. Bunker Filled with Temporary Water

Notice will be given if this condition applies. Such a flooded bunker on (location will be identified) is ground under repair in the general area. It is not treated as a bunker during the round.
If the player’s ball lies in or touches this ground under repair or the ground under repair interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b.

All other bunkers on the course whether they contain temporary water or not, are still bunkers for all purposes under the Rules.

T8. Removal of Temporary Water

If a player’s ball lies on the putting green and there is interference by temporary water on the putting green, the player may:
• Take free relief under Rule 16.1d; or
• Have his or her line of play squeegeed.
Such squeegeeing should be done across the line of play and extend a reasonable distance beyond the hole (that is, at least one roller length) and only be carried out using the equipment provided for this purpose

FOR INFORMATION AND CLARIFICATION

Practicing on or Near Previous Putting Green

Members are to note Rule 5.5. While playing a hole and between holes, you must not practice stroke.

Exception: Between holes you may practice putting or chipping on or near the putting green of the hole you just completed and any practice green, and any teeing area of your next hole. But practice strokes must not be made from a bunker and must not unreasonably delay play

Alternative to Stroke and distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds

Players must note that there will be no local rule in operation providing alternative relief for a ball Out of Bounds or lost during any competition. A stroke and distance penalty will apply to a ball that is out of bounds or lost.

To note, FOR CASUAL GOLF ONLY and, by agreement with players:
When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds or lost, the player may proceed as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance penalty.
For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):

Two Estimated Reference Points:

(a). Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball is estimated to have come to rest on the course, or last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.
(b). Fairway Reference Point: The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point.

FGC Feb 2019