Rules of Golf
- Competitions are played in accordance with the Rules of Golf and the MGC Local Rules. All who play or mark scorecards in competitions are expected to be familiar with both. An abridged version of the Local Rules is printed on the back of the scorecard.
- Temporary Local Rules are displayed on the whiteboard outside the Pro Shop.
- The use of Distance Measuring Devices is allowed.
- The use of Motorised Transportation (buggies) is allowed.
- The use of Caddies is allowed.
Handicaps
The use of World Handicap System (WHS) handicaps and allowances is mandatory for all competitions.
Handicap Allowance
Refer to Appendix F for Handicap Allowances.
Handicap Limits
- There are no handicap limits for entering club competitions and winning Divisional prizes.
- Some Major Stroke play Competitions have handicap restrictions on winning the trophy. Refer to Appendix B (men) and Appendix C (ladies) for further details.
- For competitions that are played over 2 rounds on the same day or on 2 consecutive days, players will play the entire competition with the handicap as at the first round of the competition.
- When prizes are awarded based on results across two or more separate individual competitions not on the same day or 2 consecutive days (such as the Mens and Ladies Millennium Trophies), players will play with the current handicap applicable on the day of play.
Note: England Golf guidance is that when there is a handicap limit on entry to a competition, permitting players to play from a lower handicap than their entitlement is permitted, though contrary to the spirit of handicapping and not recommended. The full Course Handicap must be used for handicapping purposes and the restricted handicap is simply for competition result purposes.
Teeing Areas
In general:
- Men’s competitions are played from white tees in the summer and blue tees in the winter
- Seniors competitions are played from yellow tees in the summer and blue tees in the winter
- Ladies competitions are played from red tees
- The Mens Major Competitions listed in Appendix B (apart from the rounds comprising the Millennium Trophy) are played from the white distance markers (tombstones)
- The Ladies Major Competitions listed in Appendix C are played back towards the red distance markers (tombstones)
- All knockout competitions are played from the appropriate distance markers (tombstones); Men (white), Ladies (red), Seniors (yellow)
Divisions
When results in singles competitions are calculated in Divisions, the following splits are used w.e.f. from April 2024:
- For Midweek stablefords, Sunday stablefords and other competitions with a low number of entrants, results may be calculated as all in the same division.
- Divisions in Seniors Competitions may be adjusted to give a similar number of players in each division.
Practice
A player may practise on the course before a round or between rounds of a Match Play competition.
A player must not practise on the course before a round on the day of a Stroke Play competition.
A player must not practise on the course between rounds of a Stroke Play competition when the rounds are played on the same day.
Exception: A player may practise putting or chipping on or near:
- The first teeing area before the round
- The putting green of the hole just completed
- The teeing area of the next hole
But such practice strokes must not be made from a bunker and must not unreasonably delay play.
3.2 Single round competitions played over several days
