Local Rules

Out of Bounds (Rule 18.2)

Out of bounds is defined by the line between the course-side points at ground level of white stakes and fence posts and by barbed wire strung along the hedgerows.

Practice Putting Green

The practice putting green is a wrong green and free relief is required to be taken under Rule 13.1

Dropping Zones 

i) When playing the 5th hole a ball coming to rest anywhere on the path extending from the upper 6th tee to the lower 6th tee may be played from the dropping zone at the back of the 6th tee. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

ii) When playing the 9th hole, if a ball finds the yellow penalty area left of the 9th green, including when it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found came to rest in the penalty area, the player may:

1. Take stroke-and-distance relief under Rule 17.1d(1), adding one penalty stroke
2. Drop the original ball or another ball in the dropping zone before the lake, adding one penalty stroke. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

The player may not take relief under Rules 17.1d(2)

iv) When playing the 14th hole, if a ball comes to rest on the tarmacadam, the ball must be played from the dropping zone at the back of the 14th green.  The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

Relief from Aeration Holes

If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole

i) Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole the player may take relief again under this Local Rule.

ii) Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.

But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or, on the putting green, on the player’s line of play.

Abnormal Course Conditions (including Immovable Obstructions) (Rule 16)

i) Ground under repair is defined by any area encircled by a white line.

ii) Any area defined as GUR is ground under repair and is a no play zone from which play is prohibited. If a player’s ball lies in the area, or if it interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1

iii) Growing daffodils are deemed to be GUR

iv) On the 6th, 12th and 15th holes areas defined by drainage trenches filled with sand and gravel are GUR.

v) Areas in bunkers where sand has been removed by the movement of water resulting in deep furrows through the sand are ground under repair.

vi) The fence protecting the 16th tee is an immovable obstruction.

Immovable obstructions close to putting green (i.e. sprinkler heads)

The player also has these extra options to take relief when such immovable obstructions are close to the putting green and on the line of play: 

Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b if an immovable obstruction is:

• On the line of play, and is:
  • Within two club-lengths of the putting green and 
  • Within two club-lengths of the ball. 

Exception - No Relief If Line of Play Clearly Unreasonable. There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.

Protection of Young Trees

Trees which are staked or otherwise identified or protected (e.g. by wrapping) are no play zones. 

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 interferes with the players stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1f.

Integral Objects

i) Areas of rubber matting laid on top of turf to promote grass growth and to protect damage or form pathways are integral parts of the course unless otherwise marked as GUR.

ii) The Ha-Ha is an integral part of the course.

Damage by Animals

In the general area, areas of damage caused by badgers, crows or squirrels are treated as ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b.

But interference does not exist if the damage only interferes with the player’s stance. 

Damage that is clearly identifiable as having been caused by animal hoofs is ground under repair from which free relief is allowed under  Rule 16.1 [But on the putting green,  Rule 16.1 does not apply as such damage may be repaired under  Rule 13.1.]

Temporary Immovable Obstructions

Parked vehicles are to be treated as a Temporary Immovable Obstruction (TIO) and the player can choose to take relief by using either: 

• The procedure for taking relief from an abnormal course condition in  Rule 16 as if the TIO were an immovable obstruction or;
• The additional relief option available under this Local Rule.

a. When Relief Is Allowed

Relief from a TIO is when there is physical interference or line of sight interference from the TIO. 

 (1) Meaning of Physical Interference by Temporary Immovable Obstruction. Physical interference exists when: 

• The player's ball touches or lies in or on a TIO, or 
• The TIO interferes with the player's area of intended stance or area of intended swing. 

(2) Meaning of Line of Sight Interference by Temporary Immovable Obstruction. Line of sight interference exists when: 

• The player's ball touches or lies in, on or under a TIO, or 
• The TIO is on the player's line of sight to the hole (that is, the TIO is located on the straight line between the ball and the hole), or 
• The ball is within one club-length, measured on an equidistant arc from the hole, of a spot where the TIO would be on the player's direct line of sight to the hole (this one club-length wide area is commonly referred to as the "corridor"). 

(3)  When No Relief Is Available Despite Having Interference. If the ball touches or is in or on the TIO, relief is always available. 

But when the ball neither touches nor is in or on the TIO, there is  no relief under this Local Rule if any of the following applies: 

• From either physical interference or line of sight interference:
  • There is no relief when playing the ball as it lies would clearly be unreasonable because of something other than the TIO (such as when the player is unable to make a stroke because of where the ball lies in a bush outside the TIO), and 
  • There is no relief when interference exists only because the player chooses a club, type of stance or swing or direction of play that is clearly unreasonable under the circumstances; and 
• From line of sight interference:
  • There is no relief when it is clearly unreasonable for a player to play the ball far enough that the ball will reach the TIO, and 
  • There is no relief when the player cannot show that there is a stroke that he or she could reasonably play that would both (a) have the TIO (including the corridor) on the line of that stroke, and (b) result in the ball finishing on a direct line to the hole.

b. Relief from Interference for Ball in General Area

If the player's ball is in the general area and there is interference by a TIO (including a TIO located out of bounds), the player may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area: 

• Reference Point: The nearest point of complete relief where both physical and line of sight interference no longer exist. 
• Size of Relief Area from Reference Point: The entire area within one club-length from the reference point,  but with these limits: 
• Limits on Location of Relief Area:
  • Must be in the general area, 
  • Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and 
  • There must be complete relief from both physical and line of sight interference by the TIO. 

Preferred Lies

Preferred lies may be in operation between 1st October and 30th April.

When Preferred Lies are in operation the following local rule applies:

When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from the relief area.

The relief area is defined as 6 inches from the spot of the original ball and must not be nearer the hole than the spot of the original ball and must be in the general area. (see rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e)

Penalty For Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty under Rule 14.7a.

Use of Motorised Transportation

A player who will play, or has played, under penalty of stroke and distance is always authorised to ride on motorised transportation. 

Methods for Stopping and Resuming Play

If there is a risk of lightning, players should take responsibility for their own safety and discontinue play as permitted by rule 6-8(a), irrespective of whether the klaxon has sounded.  On hearing one long blast from the klaxon, you  must cease play by marking and lifting your ball and return to the clubhouse if it is safe to do so. Resumption of play will be signalled by two short blasts from the klaxon.

A defibrillator is located in the clubhouse at the base of the main staircase.

List of conforming driver heads

Any driver the player uses to make a stroke must have a clubhead, identified by model and loft, which is on the current List of Conforming Driver Heads issued by The R&A. This list is regularly updated and is found at RandA.org.

Exception – Pre-1999 Driver Heads: A driver with a clubhead that was made before 1999 is exempt from this Local Rule.

Penalty For Making a Stroke with Club in Breach of this Local Rule: Disqualification.

There is no penalty under this Local Rule for carrying but not making a stroke with a driver that is not on the List of Conforming Driver Heads.

Groove and punch mark specifications

In making a stroke, the player must use clubs that conform to the groove and punch mark specifications in the Equipment Rules that took effect on 1 January 2010.

An Equipment Database of fairway woods, hybrids, irons and wedges which have been tested for conformance to the current Equipment Rules is found at RandA.org.

Penalty For Making a Stroke with Club in Breach of this Local Rule: Disqualification.

There is no penalty under this Local Rule for carrying but not making a stroke with a club which does not conform to these groove and punch mark specifications.

List of conforming golf balls

Any ball used in making a stroke must be on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls issued by The R&A. This list is regularly updated and is found below.

R&A

Penalty for Making a Stroke at a Ball Not on Current List in Breach of this Local Rule: Disqualification.