Local Rules AND INFORMATION

1. OUT OF BOUNDS (OOB)

1.1 Boundary of the Course

A ball is OOB when lying beyond the boundaries of the Course defined by: the perimeter fences, walls, hedges (defined by their trunks at ground level), stiles, gates and their continuation, the hedge adjacent to the 6th and 11th tees (Humphreys Wood). Wherever more than one of these defined boundaries occur, the innermost is the boundary of the Course.

Exception: The ‘stile’ near the right-hand side of the 12th green is defined as an Integral Object from which free relief is not available.

The area along the right-hand side of the 1st hole and behind the green, defined by white stakes, white fence posts or white lines, is OOB.

The areas along the right-hand side of the 4th, 5th and 18th holes, defined by white stakes or white fence posts are OOB.

NOTE: The netting structures behind the 1st green and by the 4th tee are defined as Boundary Objects from which free relief is not available.

1.2 Internal Out of Bounds

During play of the 11th hole the area along the left-hand side, defined by white stakes, is OOB.

During play of the 14th and 17th holes the areas along the right-hand side, defined by white stakes, are OOB.

NOTE: White OOB stakes on the 11th, 14th and 17th holes are defined as Immovable Obstructions when playing any hole other than the one that the post is designated for and relief may be taken under Rule 16.

NOTE: When 2 OOB posts or a painted fence post and an OOB post are close together, this indicates that the OOB line continues in the direction indicated to the course boundary. This may be a short distance e.g. either side of the fence behind the first green or a much longer distance e.g. on the left of the 11th green.

2. PENALTY AREAS

All Penalty Areas are marked with red stakes and/or red lines. Relief may be taken under Rule 17.

The right-hand boundary of the red penalty area in front of the 11th green, as viewed from the 11th fairway, extends to infinity.

3. YOUNG TREES

All young trees supported by stakes are designated as No Play Zones and relief must be taken under Rule 16.1f, Abnormal Course Conditions.

• If a player's 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 the player's area of intended stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1f.
• If the ball lies in a penalty area, and interference to the player's stance or area of intended swing exists from such a tree, the player must take relief under Rule 17.1e.

4. TRACTOR RUTS

Deep Ruts  are defined as Ground Under Repair and relief may be taken under Rule 16.1, Abnormal Course Conditions, when meeting the following criteria:  

Areas of unusual or exceptional damage, normally caused by maintenance vehicles, resulting in deep ruts, will generally be marked with white lines as Ground Under Repair and relief may be taken under Rule 16.1.  However, and by exception, there may be deep ruts that are not so marked. Such ruts are treated as GUR if they substantially impair the playing of the stroke, relative to the stroke that would have been played had the condition not existed, and if consistent with interference under Rule 16.1a.

Rule16.1a:

When Relief Is Allowed:
Interference exists when any one of these is true:

• The player’s ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course condition,
• An abnormal course condition physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing, or
• Only when the ball is on the putting green, an abnormal course condition on or off the putting green intervenes on the line of play.

If the abnormal course condition is close enough to distract the player but does not meet any of these requirements, there is no interference under this Rule.

5. FIXED SPRINKLER HEADS

All fixed sprinkler heads are Immovable Obstructions and relief may be taken under Rule 16.  In addition, relief may be taken 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 is within two club-lengths of the ball.

6. IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS

Examples of Immovable Obstructions (but not restricted to) are: yardage discs in the fairway, artificially surfaced roads and paths, grass collection boxes, wooden drainage covers, gravel/gauze drainage channels, green irrigation boxes, artificial tees, the centenary garden near the 18th green. Relief may be taken under Rule 16.

7. SHORT GAME PRACTICE AREA

The Short Game Practice Area adjacent to the 1st, 17th and 18th holes is part of the General Area as defined under the Rules of Golf. The 3 short game practice greens are wrong greens and relief must be taken under Rule 13.1f. The practice bunker is in play and the ball must be played as it lies, or penalty relief taken under Rule 19.3 for an Unplayable Ball.

8. YARDAGE DISCS:

150 yds (yellow) and 100 yds (red) discs are to the centre of the greens.

9. TEMPORARY Water on Greens:

If a player’s ball lies on the putting green and there is interference by temporary water on the putting green, the player may: 
(a) take relief under Rule 16; or 
(b) have their line to the hole squeegeed by their playing partner.

Squeegeeing can be done with either; one of the limited number of squeegees provided on our most likely affected greens OR the back of a bunker rake which are designed for this purpose. Members are requested to please exercise caution if using a rake. 
 
Note: Such squeegeeing should be done across the line of putt and must extend a reasonable distance beyond the hole (i.e. at least one roller length).