1. Out of Bounds
The following areas are Out of Bounds:
- Beyond any boundary fence or hedge or any part of the course so marked by the Committee
- Beyond the stakes to the left of the 3rd hole
- The staked area around Wood Farm, the greenkeepers’ sheds and the halfway house
- The staked area around the clubhouse and car park
2. Abnormal Course Conditions
Unless otherwise stated, interference from an Abnormal Course Condition (ACC) exists when any one of these is true:
- The player’s ball touches or is in or on an ACC
- An ACC physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing
- When the ball is on the Putting Green, an ACC on or off the Putting Green intervenes on the line of play.
The following are Abnormal Course Conditions from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1 anywhere on the course unless the ball lies in a Penalty Area:
- Ground under repair, whether marked or not
- Holes made by greens staff in maintaining the course, including ruts and tracks made by maintenance vehicles
- Mole hills, including bare earth left after a mole hill has been flattened
- Artificial mats
- Artificially surfaced paths and roads
- All parts of the automatic watering system
- The stone boulders on the right of the 10th hole
- The stone walls of the bridge on the 13th hole (when the ball is not in the Penalty Area)
- Distance marker discs, waste bins, benches, bells, signs and water fountains
- Stakes and distance marker posts (but not Out of Bounds stakes). Stakes and distance marker posts (except O.B. stakes) may be removed as an alternative to taking relief.
2.1. Relief from Aeration Holes
If a player's ball lies in or touches an aeration hole in the General Area:
The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
If a player's ball lies in or touches an aeration hole on a Putting Green:
The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.
Relief is not available if the aeration hole only interferes with the player's stance or the player's line of play.
2.2 Relief from Artificial Hole Plugs
If a player's ball lying on a Putting Green is in or touches an artificial hole plug, or if the hole plug intervenes on the line of play:
The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.
Relief is not available if the hole plug only interferes with the player's stance.
2.3 Relief from Sprinkler Heads
There is an extra option to take relief when a Sprinkler Head is close to the Putting Green and on the line of play:
The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. if the 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.
Relief is not available if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.
3. Penalty Areas
A Penalty Area is defined as:
- Any body of water on the course (whether or not marked by the Committee), including a pond, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open watercourse (even if not containing water), and
- Any other part of the course the Committee defines as a Penalty Area.
When the edge of a Penalty Area is not defined by the Committee, the edge of that Penalty Area is defined by its natural boundaries (that is, where the ground slopes down to form the depression that can hold the water).
The Penalty Area on the left of the 13th hole defined by red stakes between the red & black stake adjacent to the ‘Pond Hole’ and the red & black stake adjacent to the 16th tee is defined on one side only and extends to infinity. When playing the 13th hole and it is known or virtually certain that the player’s ball has crossed this margin into the Penalty Area the player may take penalty relief under Rule 17.1d.
4. Bad Weather Policy and Suspensions of Play
4.1 Fog Policy
If the 10th Green cannot be seen clearly from the drive, the course is deemed to be closed and play is not allowed on the course. The Pro Shop will be responsible for enforcing the closure and re-opening the course when the fog has lifted.
4.2 Methods of Stopping and Resuming Play
A suspension of play for a dangerous situation will be signalled by one prolonged note from the siren and play must cease immediately.
All other suspensions will be signalled by three consecutive notes of the siren and players have the option of completing the hole they are on.
In either case, resumption of play will be signalled by two consecutive notes of the siren, see Rule 5.7b.
4.3 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 and only be carried out by the player, greens staff or committee representatives.
4.4 Bunkers out of Play
Any Bunker that is taken out of play due to bad weather, maintenance, or for any other reason is Ground Under Repair and is part of the General Area. Free relief is available under Rule 16.1b.
5. Winter Rules
Winter Rules are normally in force from November 1st until March 31st, although the Committee may sometimes extend the period when course conditions dictate. Please refer to the Winter Rules for further details.
6. General
- Temporary Local Rules are posted on a whiteboard near the Pro Shop
- Greens staff have priority at all times
- Dogs are not permitted on the golf course
- Non-playing children under 10 years old are not allowed to accompany players
7. Etiquette
- Please replace divots everywhere on the course, except on Teeing Grounds, where you should use the divot mix if available
- Please repair your pitch marks on Putting Greens and repair any other pitch marks that you see
- Please rake Bunkers and leave the rake in the Bunker with the handle resting on the rim of the Bunker, avoiding the line of play
- Casual play should give way to official club competitions and knockout matches
- If your group fails to keep its place on the course and loses more than one clear hole on the group in front, you should invite the group following to play through. Please try to keep up with the group in front at all times
