Updated Local Rules
1. Out of Bounds (Rules of golf 2.1)
a. Fences and /or white poles at the perimeter of the course and those surrounding the woods to the right of the 10th & 18th holes as well as to the left of the 4th, 5th, and 6th holes.
b. The fields beyond the fence to the right of the 5th hole (balls may not be retrieved)
c. The greenkeepers compound & houses bordering the 9th hole as well as beyond the white posts bordering the putting green
d. The clubhouse & patio to the rear of the 18th green
e. The private property to the left of the 10th hole (balls may not be retrieved)
2. Penalty Areas (Rules of Golf 17)
a. All ditches & ponds marked with yellow or red stakes, including constructed crossing points.
b. The ecological areas to the front of the 3rd tee, to the left of the 7th, to the rear of the 12th, right of the 14th & to the front of the 18th white tees are marked by yellow or red stakes with a green band near the top. The areas are designated NO PLAY ZONES and may not be entered to retrieve a ball or take a stance. If a ball comes to rest in any of these areas then the ball must not be played or retrieved & relief must be taken from the interference by the no play zone under Rule 17.1.e or the ball should be dropped under penalty of one stroke within the marked dropping zone.
c. If a ball comes to rest on the boardwalks crossing the 3rd &18th no play zones, these are classed as within the penalty area & relief must be taken as described above.
d. The penalty area crossing the 3rd hole is a no play zone (ESA) – indicated by yellow stakes with green tops. When a ball is in the no play zone penalty area, the ball must not be played as it lies and relief must be taken from interference by the no play zone under Rule 17.1e.
If a player does not know whether his or her ball is in the no play zone penalty area, the player may play a provisional ball under Rule 18.3, which is modified in this way:
In playing the provisional ball, the player may use the stroke-and-distance relief option (see Rule 17.1d(1)), the back-on-the-line relief option (see Rule 17.1d(2)) or, as an extra option, drop the original or another ball in the dropping zone defined by the area within the white tipped posts just short of the ESA. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.
Once the player has played a provisional ball under this Rule, he or she may not use any further options under Rule 17.1 in relation to the original ball.
In deciding when that provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play or must be abandoned, Rule 18.3c(2) and 18.3c(3) apply except that when the original ball is found in the no play zone penalty area within the three-minute search time or is known or virtually certain to be in the no play zone penalty area the provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play.
(This rule has been simplified for ease of understanding as follows:- If, after teeing off the 3rd Tee, a player is not certain whether his or her ball has crossed the no-play ESA in front of the tee, the player may use the dropping zone in front of the ESA to play a provisional ball. If after playing such a provisional ball the original ball is subsequently found to have crossed the ESA, the provisional ball may be abandoned and the original ball becomes the ball in play. This option is only available if it is known or virtually certain that, if not found, the original ball must lie in the ESA. In any other circumstance the player must play a provisional ball under stroke and distance or back on the line of relief rule in the usual way.)
e. The drop zone on the 7th short of the ditch must be used if a ball comes to rest in the no play zone and you do not know or cannot be virtually certain where it entered the no play zone. If you know or are certain where it entered the no play zone then lateral relief may be taken under Rule 17.1.d (2 club lengths lateral relief no nearer the hole from the reference point.)
f. The ponds on the 1st, 2nd, 9th, 16th & 18th holes.
g. 15th hole – When the ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty area, being the ditch running laterally to the second half of the 15th fairway, as an extra option adding one penalty stroke the player may drop the original ball or another ball on the opposite side of the penalty area.
3. Moveable Obstructions (Rules of Golf 15.2)
a. Any loose impediment laying within the golf course
b. Distance & hazard marker posts
4. Immovable Obstructions (Rules of Golf 16.1)
a. All constructed paths except where they lie within a penalty area as described in local rule 2a.
b. Drain covers, the water pump housing on the 2nd/9th, shelters, benches, waste bins & ball cleaners
c. Logs stacked for removal
d. Sockets for distance marker posts
e. Sprinkler Heads
5. Abnormal Ground Conditions (Rules of Golf 16.1)
a. All areas ringed in white
b. Grass cuttings piled for removal
c. Ruts caused by heavy machinery
d. Fouling by animals/animal droppings
e. On or within 1 club length of the track crossing the 3rd, 4th,7th, 10th & 18th holes
f. QEII memorial woodland in area of 2nd fairway /7th green / 8th fairway /9th fairway, marked by blue posts. This is a NO PLAY ZONE, balls may be retrieved and free relief must be taken
6. Safety in Fog
Play must not commence until the relevant orange & white posts can be clearly seen from the yellow tees on the 1st & 10th holes. Our full fog policy can be viewed on the ClubV1 app or our website.
7. Distance Markers Posts
Distance marker posts are to the centre of the green
8. Flag Colours
Our pin flags are colour coded: Red = Front; Yellow = Middle; White = Back
9. Pace of Play (Rules of Golf Section I)
Players should play at a good pace & aim to keep up with the group in front. Groups should invite those behind them to play through if they are delaying them, irrespective of the number of players in the group. Ready golf should be implemented by all groups on the golf course.
10. Defibrillator
There are 2 defibrillators on site, one in the clubhouse & one on the intersection between holes 6, 14 & 17.
Last updated: Captain’s Committee - December 2022
Temporary Local Rules
Temporary local rules & other relevant course information will be added below as and when appropriate.
1. Winter rules have now ended for Summer 2023. They will resume normally on 1st October each year and end on 30th April each year, unless otherwise stated. For full details of Winter Rules please contact the club. If you're a member, please see separate file in club documents.
2. If any tree has a stake attached, has a stake standing next to it where it is obvious the tethering has broken from the tree, or has been recently transplanted and has a watering bag attached then relief may be taken under Rule 24-2(b) – Nearest point of full relief no nearer the hole. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this local rule.
