Local Rules
- Out of Bounds (Rule 18.2)
Beyond any wall, fence, railing, or hedge bounding the course and/or beyond a line defined by white stakes. Also, beyond the ditch on the right-hand side of the 14th fairway running all the way around the back of the 14th green and onwards along the right hand side only of the 15th hole to behind the 16th tee is out of bounds. A ball in this ditch is within bounds.
2. Penalty Areas (Rule 17)
Any body of water on the course including lake, pond, ditch or surface drainage ditch, whether or not containing water, should be treated as a red penalty area. The edge of the penalty area is defined by its natural boundaries, that is, where the ground breaks sharply downwards. Relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed.
When penalty areas are formed by sleepers, the sleepers themselves are deemed to be in the penalty area and so relief without penalty is not an option.
As an additional relief option, on holes 5 (left-hand side only), 14 and 15, a player in a penalty area may drop a ball on the opposite side of the penalty area to where the ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty area but the same distance from the hole.
3. Abnormal Ground Conditions & Integral Objects (Rule 16 & Rule 8.1a)
In accordance with Rule 16, a player may take relief without penalty from any area identified as Ground Under Repair (GUR) by being contained within a freshly painted white line. Relief MUST be taken from any area identified as GUR by being contained within a freshly painted blue line or blue stakes.
The artificial surfaces lining the bunkers are an integral part of the course. Relief under Rule 16 is therefore not available.
Should a ball come to rest in a deep rut, not a shallow indentation, made by vehicle tyres, relief may be taken under Rule 16.1. A rut is considered deep where if a ball is lying in it, the club head cannot connect with it or follow through without interference from an edge of the rut or, if the player has to stand with a foot in it, the player cannot take a normal balanced stance. Relief may be taken even if the area is not marked by a white line at the nearest point of relief on either side of the damage but not nearer the hole.
At the player’s option animal
waste may be treated as either a loose impediment that may be removed under
rule 15.1 or ground under repair from which relief is allowed under rule 16.1
4. Wrong Green (Rule 13)
A player MUST take relief under Rule 13 if the ball comes to rest on a wrong putting green or a wrong putting green interferes with either the stance or intended swing. When taking wrong green relief, a wrong green is defined to include the area within 2 club lengths of the edge of the putting green.
5. No Play Zones (Rule 16)
Free relief MUST be taken from interference by the no play zone under Rule 16.1f.
The memorial plantation to the right-hand side of the 1st tee, as defined by blue stakes, is a no play zone.
6. Immovable Obstructions
All parts of the irrigation system are deemed to be immovable obstructions whether fixed or not. Relief may be taken without penalty.
This includes ‘habitat piles’ (piles of logs situated in woodland areas to encourage bugs and insects). These are defined as immovable obstructions.
In addition, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1b if an immovable obstruction is on the line of play and is within 2 club lengths of the putting green and within 2 club lengths of the ball.
7. Protection of Young Trees
Areas around young trees, identified by being supported or protected by a stake or other device such as a tube or rabbit cage, are no play zones.
8. Suspension of Play
A suspension of play for a dangerous situation will be signalled by one prolonged note of the siren. All other suspensions will be signalled by 3 consecutive notes. In either case, resumption of play will be signalled by 2 short notes.
PENALTY for breach of any of the above Rules
Match Play – Loss of hole
Stroke Play – Two Strokes
Last updated: 09 Feb 2024 12:24