Beverley and East Riding Golf Club local rules

Additional local rule added January 2023:

• The player is responsible for showing their handicap index, course handicap, and playing handicap on the scorecard.

Version dated 5th May 2019

1 Character of the course

B&ERGC is located on common land (the Westwood) and the club is thereby restricted in what it may place on the course. This is part of the unique character and challenge of our course. Members of the public or animals may also move or remove markers. Do not expect to find posts or markings made by the club that define the boundaries of the course and areas that are out of bounds.

We share the Westwood with members of the public. Please be patient and observe general courtesies at all time and bear in mind that many users will be unaware of the practice of golf and the direction and potential inaccuracy of golf shots.

2 Out of Bounds and Course Boundaries

2.1 Out of Bounds
Areas defined as out of bounds:

• Beyond all boundary fences or hedges, including the fences surrounding the car park.
• Beyond the tan gallop when playing the 5th hole.
• A ball that comes to rest on or beyond a public road or pavement is out of bounds, even if it may come to rest on another on another part of the course that is in bounds for other holes.
• The cattle grid (including the concrete surround and base) to the rear of the 18th green.

2.2 General Area of the Course
For the avoidance of doubt, the following are defined as part of the general area of the course:

• The tan gallop whether or not crossing the fairway.
• The practice area to the right of the 1st and 2nd holes.
• All footpaths and tracks other than those defined as abnormal course conditions in Local Rule 3.

The ball must be played as it lies, or declared unplayable (Rule 19)

3 Abnormal Course Conditions

Unless otherwise stated, interference from an Abnormal Course Condition exists when any one of these is true:

• The player’s ball touches or is in or on an Abnormal Course Condition, or
• An Abnormal Course Condition physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing, or
• Only when the ball is on the Putting Green, an Abnormal Course Condition on or off the Putting Green intervenes on the line of play.

The following are Abnormal Course Conditions from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1 anywhere on the general area of the course:

• Ground under repair, whether marked or not
• Holes made by greenkeeping staff in maintaining the course
• Ruts and deep tracks made by vehicles
• Molehills, including bare earth left after a molehill has been flattened
• Artificial mats or tee stands
• Protective fences around putting greens (but see 3.6 below)
• All shingle and artificial paths:
  • the path behind the 10th green
  • the path from the 13th tee through the trees
  • the path to the 15th tee from the 14th hole
  • the path down from the 15th tee
  • the path to the left of the 17th green to the road crossing.
• All parts of the automatic watering system
• Distance marker discs, waste bins, benches, bells and signposts

3.1 Animal Dung
If a ball rests in or touches animal dung in the general area or a putting green and interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player may:

• Play the ball as it lies, or
• Treat it as a loose impediment that may be removed under Rule 15.1, or
• Treat it as ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1.

3.2 Protection of Young Trees
Young trees are identified by stakes or fencing. If such a tree, stake or fence interferes with a player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, relief must be taken in accordance with Rule 16.1b

3.3 Relief from Aeration Holes
If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole in the General Area, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1b

If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole on a Putting Green, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1d. Relief is not available if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or the player’s line of play.

3.4 Relief from Artificial Hole Plugs
If a player’s ball lying on a Putting Green is in or touches an artificial hole plug, or if the hole plug intervenes on the line of play, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1d. Relief is not available if the hole plug only interferes with the player’s stance.

3.5 Hoof Marks
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.

3.6 Note on Protective Fences
Putting greens are protected from wandering animals by a wire fence.

For a ball lying outside the wire for the putting green on the hole being played, relief will always be outside the wire, and for a ball lying inside the wire relief, will often be outside the wire.

If a ball strikes any part of a protective fence around the green of the hole being played, the player may choose to disregard that stroke, either abandon the ball or retrieve it and play a ball at the reference point and the 1 club length relief area from which the original ball was played.

If the player’s ball strikes a protective fence around the green being played any penalty strokes incurred by the player prior to the contact with the fence are retained. if the player’s ball strikes a fence and then the player incur any penalty strokes the penalty strokes incurred solely by playing that ball are cancelled if the ball is abandoned or retrieved.

4 Wrong Putting Green

The whole of the area within a green’s protective fence is deemed to be the putting green for the purposes of Rule 13.1f (Relief must be taken from a wrong putting green).

5 Penalty Areas

There are no permanent penalty areas on the course.

6 Bad Weather Policy and Suspensions of Play

6.1 Fog Policy
If the trees to the right of the 1st fairway cannot be seen clearly from the clubhouse, then the course is deemed to be closed and play is not allowed on the course. The Professional shop will be responsible for enforcing the closure and re-opening the course when the fog has lifted.

6.2 Methods of Stopping Play
A suspension of play for a dangerous situation will be signalled by one prolonged note from the siren and play must cease immediately.

6.3 Bunkers Out of Play
Any Bunker that is taken out of play due to bad weather, maintenance, or for any other reason is Ground Under Repair and is part of the General Area. Free relief is available under Rule 16.1b.

7 Winter Rules

Winter Rules are normally in force from November 1st until April 30th, although the Committee may sometimes extend the period when course conditions dictate. Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs (YUGC) must be informed of any extension.

While Winter Rules are in force a player may lift, mark and clean a ball in accordance with Rule 14.1 when it rests in the general area of the course where the grass is cut to “fairway height” or less. The relief area is 6” from the reference point, not nearer the hole and must be in the general area. Note: that this area does not include the tan gallop whether or not crossing the fairway.

8 Penalties

Penalty for the breach of local rules 2-7 unless covered by the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf: Match Play – loss of hole; Stroke Play – 2 strokes.

9 General

• The full Local Rules are posted on the club web site and the club notice board.
• Temporary Local Rules are posted within the Pro Shop
• The short form of the Local Rules printed on Scorecards includes the following rules: 2, 3 (except list of paths and 3.3 and 3.4), 4, 7 (2nd para) and 8.
• Personal ride-on buggies are permitted subject to written approval from the Secretary. A disclaimer should be signed which will be available in the Pro Shop or from the Secretary. Insurance for the buggy must be in force.
• Non-playing children under 10 years old are not allowed to accompany players

10 Etiquette during play

• Members and visitors should be dressed for golf which includes golf shoes. Wearing denim jeans or jackets, tracksuits, shell suits and football kit on the course is not permissible.
• Greens staff have priority at all times
• Please replace divots everywhere on the course
• Please repair your pitch marks on Putting Greens and repair any other pitch marks that you see
• Please rake bunkers
• If your group fails to keep its place on the course and loses more than one clear hole on the group in front, it should invite the group following to play through. Please endeavour to keep up with the group in front at all times
• Casual play should give way to official club competitions and knock out matches