Local Rules

OUT OF BOUNDS (Rule 18.2)

All Car Parks.

White posts with black tops (where present) INDICATE the presence of out of bounds and are immovable obstructions.
A ball is DEFINED as out of bounds when it is on or beyond any public footpath / pavement, or on or beyond the path marked by white posts with black tops situated between the 1st and 10th tees of the Creek Course.

The following are DEFINED by the line between the course-side points at ground level of white posts (or white lines if present).

  • Left of the 10th hole on the Creek Course.
  • Right of the 1st, 8th and 9th holes on the Park Course.

PENALTY AREAS (Rule 17)

Penalty areas are INDICATED by red or yellow stakes. They are DEFINED by red or yellow painted lines. In the absence of painted lines, the margins are DEFINED where the ground breaks down to form the depression containing water.
(Exception - If there is no painted line for the penalty area left of the 15th / left of the 16th holes, the penalty area is defined by a straight line between the red posts).

As an extra relief option for the penalty area left of the 5th tees when playing the 5th hole, adding one penalty stroke, a player may drop a ball in the dropping zone which is the raised mown area between the rear tee and the penalty area. The dropping zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

PROVISIONAL BALL FOR BALL IN A PENALTY AREA

If a player does not know whether their ball is in the penalty area (holes 5, 15, 18 & Park 2nd), 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, if it is a red penalty area, the lateral relief option (see Rule 17.1d(3)).
If a dropping zone is available for the penalty area, the player may also use that relief option.

Once the player has played a provisional ball under this Local Rule, they 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 if it must or may be abandoned, Rule 18.3c(2) and 18.3c(3) apply except that:

  • When Original Ball Is Found in Penalty Area Within Three-Minute Search Time.The player may choose either to:
    • Continue to play the original ball as it lies in the penalty area, in which case the provisional ball must not be played. All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count, or
    • Continue to play the provisional ball in which case the original ball must not be played.
  • When Original Ball Is Not Found Within Three-Minute Search Time or Is Known or Virtually Certain to Be in Penalty Area. The provisional ball becomes the player's ball in play.

Relief from Aeration Holes

If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole on the putting green, relief may be taken under Rule 16.1.

No Play Zones (free relief MUST be taken under rule 16.1f)

  • The practice green behind the 9th hole on the Creek Course
  • All areas marked as ground under repair (any bunker marked as G.U.R. is in the general area)
  • Staked trees when such a tree interferes with the payer's stance or area of intended swing.

Ball Deflected by Power Line

If it is known or virtually certain that a player's ball hit a power line, tower or a wire or pole supporting a power line, the player must replay the stroke by playing the original ball or another ball from the spot where that stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).
If the player replays the stroke but does so from a wrong place, they get the general penalty under Rule 14.7.
If the player does not replay the stroke, they get the general penalty and the stroke counts, but the player has not played from a wrong place.

Abnormal Course Conditions (Rule 16)

The following are ground under repair (G.U.R.) for which free relief MAY be taken:

  • Areas in bunkers where sand has been removed by the movement of water resulting in deep furrows through the sand
  • Tractor or vehicle ruts (not shallow indentations)

Waste Sand Areas

All areas of waste sand (for example between the Creek 10th and the Park 1st) are not bunkers. They are part of the general area.

Immovable Obstructions Close to Putting Greens

In addition to the types of interference described in Rule 16.1a, when a ball lies in the general area, interference also exists if an immovable obstruction is:
On the player's line of play, is within two club-lengths of the putting green, and is within two-club-lengths of the ball.
The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
(Exception - There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable).

Animal Dung

At the player’s option, dung from any animal may be treated either as:

  • A loose impediment that may be removed under Rule 15.1, or
  • Ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:

Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for breach of a Local Rule is the General Penalty.

  • Match Play - loss of hole
  • Stroke Play - two strokes

PLEASE BE AWARE OF PUBLIC FOOTPATHS AT ALL TIMES.