Local Rules

OUT OF BOUNDS

Out of bounds (Rule 18.2) are defined by the course-side edges of: walls and hedges surrounding the Course; white stakes and fence posts; and the wall surrounding the wooded area adjacent to the 9th/18th fairway.

WRONG GREEN AND ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITION

A ball lying on a wrong green, including a temporary green when not in play — complete relief MUST be taken under Rule 13.1f from the wrong green AND the fringe, which is defined to include the area of fairway within two club-lengths from the edge of the putting green.   Relief may also be taken from tractor roadways and tyre marks (not faint impressions) (Rule 16.1).

MOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS

All 'Etiquette' signs, movable tee markers, 150-yard marker posts, fairway markers and benches are Movable Obstructions: Rule 15.2 applies. A ball in motion hitting said obstruction cannot be replayed. Note: all yardage markers are to the middle of the green.

IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS

All ball washers, tee signs, fixed tee markers, tee mats, bell stanchions, fairway distance markers, artificial surfaces, gravel drainage bands, footpaths, tractor roads, aeration holes, flagpole, sheep fences, stiles, sprinkler heads and hydrant covers are Immovable Obstructions: Rule 16.1 applies. In addition, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1b (lifting and dropping the ball, not nearer the hole and not on the green) if a sprinkler head or hydrant cover is on the line of play and is within two club-lengths of the putting green and within two club-lengths of the ball.

INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE COURSE / BOUNDARY OBJECTS

The walls crossing the 3rd and 4th fairways are Integral Parts of the Course from which free relief is not available to improve a player's stance, swing or line of play. Similarly, all out of bounds posts, boundary walls and hedges are boundary objects from which free relief is not available.

NEWLY PLANTED TREES AND SPRING FLOWERS

A ball coming to rest in spring flowers or shooting bulbs, or in a position where staked trees interfere with the player’s swing or stance, must be lifted and dropped at the nearest point of relief plus one club-length not nearer the hole, without penalty (Rule 16.1b).

TEMPORARY LOCAL RULE — Fairway Mats (When in play)

When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less and a putter is not being used for the stroke, the ball MUST be lifted, placed on, and played from an astroturf, or similar type, of mat. The mat must be placed as near as possible to where the ball originally lay, and the ball must be placed on the mat. The ball may be cleaned when lifted. If the ball on the mat is accidentally moved before a stroke is made, there is no penalty, and the ball must be placed again on the mat. If a tee is used to secure the mat into the ground, the ball must not be placed on the tee.

TEMPORARY LOCAL RULE — Preferred Lies (When in Play)

When a player’s ball lies in the General Area cut to fairway height or less the ball may without penalty, be lifted, cleaned and placed within six inches from where it previously lay, not nearer the hole and still within the General Area. The position of the ball must be marked before lifting.

For information only: The General Area covers all the course except for: (1) the teeing area of the hole being played, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole being played.

Breach of local rules
 Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes