Course Care

The following points are provided to assist the upkeep of the course and ensure that you and your fellow member have an enjoyable round of golf:

Sand buckets must be carried and used at all times. They are provided in a bin near the 1st Tee.
Repair all plug marks on greens with a pitch repairer.
Enter and leave bunkers from the lowest access point – generally the back of the bunker or a tongue.
Once footprints are raked out do not leave the rake against the edge of the bunker.
Do not lean on your putter when on the green.
Players must not take buggies across greens.
No motorised carts on tees, greens, fescue surrounds, nor between greens & bunkers.
Replace hoops & ropes.
Course Care: Bunker Maintenance
Without wishing to be too harsh, the way in which many of us treat the bunkers after we use them leaves a lot to be desired. With the number of rakes scattered throughout each bunker, the surfaces at all times should be pristine. Instead, by the end of any competition day they look as though a herd of wild elephants have been through them.
To quote the Rule Book where it refers to etiquette – “The overriding principle is that consideration should be shown to others on the course at all times.”
The first section on care of the course relates to bunkers as follows:
“Before leaving a bunker a player should carefully fill up and smooth over all holes and footprints made by them and any nearby made by others.”
It can be argued that smoothing with the feet is at least as effective as raking. Rakes can cause bad lies when used ineffectively, thrown back onto the floor or left hard up against the edge of the lip. However, if they are used in the following way the result should be better:

Course Care: Bunker Rake Policy

Always leave rake in the flat of the bunker with the handle parallel to the line of flight of the hole being played.
Rakes should be placed as far from the edge as possible.

Course Care: Repairing Ball-Marks

Please try not to bring soil to the surface at any time during the repair.
It should take 10 – 15 seconds to complete this task properly.

Course Care: Repairing Divots

All players are asked to carry a sand bucket or dispenser attached to their buggy.

• Bucket & soil bins are located adjacent to the path leading to the 1st & 10th tees and beside the 2nd & 11th tees.
• Soil bins are also located adjacent to most tees.

Course Care: Damage to Greens – Removing & Replacing Flagstick

Players should ensure that, when putting down bags, or the flagstick, no damage is done to the putting green, and that neither they nor their caddies damage the hole by standing close to it in handling the flagstick or in removing the ball from the hole. The flagstick should be properly replaced in the hole before the players leave the putting green.

Removing Ball
Players are requested to NOT to use their putter to remove their golf ball from the hole.

Course Care: Damage to Greens – Buggies on & Across Greens

Course Care: Motorised Golf Cart Operation

Golf carts and 3 wheel ride-on buggies permit those unable to walk the course with the opportunity to play,
however these machines place considerable stress on golf course turf, especially around greens and tees.
If they are driven carefully and according to the following guidelines the wear and tear on the turf can be minimised.
Please ensure that carts are:

• Not taken within 5 metres of greens and tees, unless on established pathways.
• Not driven on fairways during wet or frosty conditions.
• Not driven through newly planted or sensitive areas of rough.
• Not parked in front of greens – this also applies for pull buggies.

Motorised ride-on buggies may only be used after providing the Committee with a medical certificate from a doctor stating the reasons for the request.
Note: Members and visitors without a medical certificate may hire a club owned motorised cart if they are available for use after preference has been given to members and visitors with a medical certificate.

In finals of traditional club events the approval of opponents is required for any unauthorised players wishing to ride in a motorised buggy.

 

Course Care: Ground Staff Safety

The nature of golf course work can at times place course staff in danger. Whilst staff members are trained to be aware, golfers must also be mindful of the situation. The noise coming from machines makes it impossible for operators to hear a golfer call ‘FORE’.
The onus is on members & their guests to provide our staff with safe working conditions.
IT IS UNSAFE TO HIT UNTIL THE STAFF MEMBER IS AWARE OF YOUR INTENTION.

Members and their guests must give right of way to Ground Staff who are working on the course. When a flag stick has been removed from the hole by a member of the ground staff, the green is out of play and no shot shall be hit to the green until the flag stick has been replaced.

 

Course Care: Inclement Weather

In the event of lightning in the proximity of the Club or the course becoming unplayable a siren will be sounded. Members and guests should immediately suspend play, mark the location of your ball and return to the Clubhouse.

Course Etiquette

All members should read and understand the rules and etiquette of golf and the By-Laws of the Club, both of which are available from the Office.

• Players should play at all times without delay.
• It is the duty of every group to keep up to the group in front.
• If a group is consistently holding up players behind, and they have a clear hole in front of them, it is their responsibility to call the players following ‘through’, as well as increasing their own speed of play.
• Players who call through another group should, if convenient, play their next shot and walk forward with the group called through. They should then not continue to play until the players called throug h are out of range.
• To ensure that the large fields on competition days move at a reasonable pace the Committee recommends that the owner of a ball which is likely to be lost: plays a provisional ball; and searches for the ball alone whilst the group play their shots. If the ball is then not found after a brief search by the group it should be abandoned.
• Walk quickly between shots and always be ready to play your shot when it is your turn.
• Avoid wheeling buggies on tees whenever possible.
• Leave buggies beside the green, nearest the next tee and wheel across green, not around edges.
• Do not practice putts after completing the hole when other groups are following.
• In other than stroke competitions pick up your ball when you cannot score.