Pace of Play
Having respect for others should underpin behaviour on the course, we don’t want to injure or upset them, or drive them into the depths of frustration.
In all Strokeplay/Stableford events (i.e. not Matchplay) we adopt the guidance on Ready Golf (more detail available on request) key elements of which are moving promptly towards your ball and being ready to hit it, not slavishly waiting for “your turn” and not delaying other groups whilst you search for a ball. Remember the guidance:
- that you have 40 seconds to hit your ball
- you have 3 minutes to look for it when lost.
- if apparent that you are not going to find your ball immediately and the group behind are waiting – wave them through.
- If you have lost a hole on the group in front you MUST stop and allow the group behind to play through.
Notes:
a/ If you are the group waved through – you MUST go through, you might not be in a hurry but somebody behind you will be.
b/ When you let a group play through you then need to keep pace with them because if you lose a hole to them, you must allow the group now behind you to play through!
When deciding whether to take your shot – never go ahead if there is a possibility of reaching the group in front, or if a ball landing at a safe distance is likely to disrupt their game.
Use of Buggies
Although the Committee are firmly convinced of the value of exercise, we leave it entirely up to individual players to decide whether their physical condition justifies the use of a buggy to complete a round. Anyone planning to use a buggy should avoid an early tee time or make prior arrangements with the office to have one available. If you are intending to make long term use of a buggy a special arrangement is sometimes possible.
Playing Groups
The number of players in a group is mostly determined by the type of competition, however in individual competitions there is normally a maximum of three players in each group. But everyone should be able to get a game, so in fields not divisible by three a two ball at the front of the field or a fourball at the back is acceptable provided the fourball does not lose ground on the groups in front. In that case they should split into two balls.
Where, because of cancellations etc there are two balls in the middle of the field, players should arrange themselves to cause the least problems for others by, wherever possible changing groups to convert 2 ball groups into 3 ball groups. Co-operation on the first tee is required to achieve this.
Abandonment and Inclement Weather
We generally rely on the Club Manager and Head Greenkeeper to make decisions about course conditions and playability. Particularly in winter they will determine if the course is open and advise if any areas are out of play (e.g. bunkers or particular greens). The committee may make additional decisions about e.g. preferred lies.
If a competition is scheduled and the course is open then members may play regardless of weather conditions so long as there is a minimum of 10 players and the card is appropriately completed. However, there are some points to consider: –
Your card must be handed in and your score entered even for an incomplete round .
The Prize Purse is a fixed percentage of the entry fee.
There must be a minimum of 10 players for Order of Merit points to be awarded.
If less than 10 competitors, then the Competition will be cancelled and refunds issued. Scores will still count for WHS handicaps if the competition is a qualifier.
If the weather effected competition is a Trophy Competition the Competition Secretary may make a decision about its status i.e. converting it to a non Trophy Competition if he judges numbers to be too low to justify the award of a Trophy.
Lightning –a player may make an individual decision to leave the course because of concern about lightning they must still return their card and enter their scores for handicap purposes, as the round is unlikely to figure in your 8 best rounds it is improbable that it will effect your handicap index
If a Competition is cancelled because of Course closure or insufficient competitors it is not usually rearranged unless it is a Trophy Competition, other competitions may be removed to enable a Trophy Competition to be played after cancellation. Because we run a very full programme there is little room for manoeuvre in the diary.