Local Rules – Updated 17th September 2025

Abnormal Course Conditions

• All areas bounded by a white line are Ground under Repair (GUR) and relief may be taken in accordance with Rule 16.1b.
  
  
• Newly planted trees on the 3rd, 7th 10th, 12th. These have been marked as GUR with white lines and/or stakes and relief MUST be taken in accordance with Rule 16.1b.
  
  
• GUR includes areas of unusual damage such as bare areas of ground caused by the removal of large mounds of piled earth, clearly defined tyre ruts, or where traffic has combined with wet conditions to alter the ground surface materially and relief may be taken under Rule 16.1b. For avoidance of doubt, light tyre indentations from trolleys or similar are not covered under this Local Rule.
  
  
• As an extra relief option, players may take relief from the nearest Drop zone on holes 3 and 6, adjacent to the GUR that the relief is being taken from.
  
  
• Ground clearance to the right hand side of the 18th fairway, adjacent to the water tanks is not considered GUR and free relief is not available.
  
  
• If a player’s ball lies in or touches a seam within an area of newly planted heather or a seam interferes with the player’s area of intended swing, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. Interference does not exist if the seam only interferes with the player’s stance. All seams within the area of newly planted heather are treated as the same seam in taking relief. This means that if a player has interference from any seam after dropping the ball, the player must proceed as required under Rule 14.3c(2) even when the ball is still within one club length of the reference point.
  
  
• If a player’s ball lies in or touches a seam within an area of newly laid turf or a seam interferes with the player’s area of intended swing, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
  
  Interference does not exist if the seam only interferes with the player’s stance. All seams within the area of newly laid turf are treated as the same seam in taking relief. This means that if a player has interference from any seam after dropping the ball, the player must proceed as required under Rule 14.3c(2) even when the ball is still within one club length of the reference point.

1. Goose Droppings
   
   As a result of goose droppings being prevalent on the course, at the player’s option, droppings from geese may be treated either as: a) Loose impediment that may be removed under Rule 15.1 or b) Ground under repair from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1 (by cleaning and dropping the original ball or another ball in the relief area).
   
   Immovable Obstructions (Rule 16)
   
   1. All artificially surfaced paths and artificially surfaced tracks are immovable obstructions.
   
   2. The Halfway Hut, the gardens surrounding it and the pathway directly adjacent to the Hut and gardens are considered one obstruction.
   
   3. Immovable obstructions close to or on the putting green - when a ball lies in the general area and interference exists if an immovable obstruction is on the player’s line of play and is within two club-lengths of the putting green and within two club lengths of the ball. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
   
   4. If a player’s ball is on the putting green and there is interference from an abnormal course condition free relief may be taken under rule 16.1d by placing a ball on the nearest point of complete relief. Note, this may come into play on the 10th hole with the sprinkler heads now sitting inside the green edge. Note, the outside edge of the white dotted line marks the edge of the green.
   
   (Exception - There is no relief under 3) and 4) this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable).

Out of Bounds (Rule 18.2)

1. Over any boundary fence of the course.
2. The Clubhouse, patio area, surrounding flower beds and greenkeepers
   compounds.
3. Beyond the line of white stakes to the right of the 2nd and behind the 14th and 15th
   holes.
4. Beyond the nearside kerbstone of the road to the right of the 18th hole.

Penalty Areas
Penalty Areas are defined by red stakes.

As an additional option for the Red Penalty Area behind the green on the 14th hole the player may drop a ball in the DZ.

Wrong Green (Rule 13.1f)

The practice putting green behind the 18th green and the green on the RHS of the 3rd short of the lake are Wrong Greens. Relief must be taken. As an extra option on the 3rd the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in the dropping zone (DZ), which may be nearer the hole. The circular DZ is defined as being within one club length from the sign and is a relief area under Rule 14.3.

Aeration Holes
On Putting Green

If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole, 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, area of intended swing or the player’s line of play.

Additional Temporary Local Rule

Preferred Lies

Model Local Rule E-3 is in force:

When any part of a player's ball touches 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 this relief area:

Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.

Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: 6 inches from the reference point, but with these limits:

Limits on Location of Relief Area:

• Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and

• Must be in the general area.

In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e. But, for the purposes of applying Rule 14.2e, the player has only chosen the spot on which to place the ball once the ball has been set down, and the player has let the ball go with the intent for that ball to be in play.

After a ball has been placed and is in play under this Local Rule, if the player then proceeds under another Rule that provides relief, this Local Rule may be used again.