Temporary Local Rules 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Preferred lies on closely mown areas, and in the general area on holes 13 & 14. 
  • Use of a fairway mat is optional and encouraged
  • Drop away from newly laid turf
  • Lift, rake and place in bunkers
  • Bunker faces are GUR
  • Lift and drop away from temporary greens
  • Relief from bird damage and bird-scaring kites

Preferred Lies

A ball lying:

  • on a ‘closely-mown’ area, or
  • in the General Area when playing holes 13 & 14

may be lifted without penalty and cleaned.  Having lifted the ball, the player must place it on a spot within 6 inches of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a penalty area or bunker and not on a putting green.

A player may place the ball only once and it is in play when it has been placed.  If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies’.

PROTECTION MEASURES FOR FAIRWAYS

Mandatory mat zones may be introduced at a later date, However, players are permitted (and encouraged) to use a mat on closely mown areas, under the temporary local rules.

The mat must be placed such that the ball, when placed on it, is within 6 inches of its original location and not nearer the hole. The ball may be cleaned when lifted. If a ball when placed rolls from the mat it may be replaced without penalty. If it still fails to remain on the mat, the mat must be moved to the nearest spot not nearer the hole where the ball, when placed on it, will remain at rest. There is no penalty should the ball move or be moved after being placed on the mat and before making a stroke, including when addressing the ball or taking a practice swing. Should a tee peg be used to secure the mat the ball must not be placed on the tee.

Bunkers and Bunker Surrounds under Repair

GUR signs in and around the bunker refers to newly laid turf around the surround, revetted face, entrance and the internal parts of the bunker and are to be treated as Ground Under Repair where play is PROHIBITED.

Relief must be taken as per Rule 16-1(a), The player must drop the ball outside the bunker or GUR area without penalty, within one club-length of the point on the course nearest to where the ball lies that; a) is not nearer the hole, b) avoids interference by the GUR and c) is not in a hazard or on a putting green.  The ball may be cleaned under these circumstances.

BUNKER REVETTED FACES - Embedded/Plugged Ball

In order to protect the revetted bunker faces and to simplify the procedure for taking relief, all bunker faces are temporarily designated as Ground Under Repair, and relief MUST be taken under rule 16-1(a).

Bunkers

If your ball comes to rest in a bunker your ball may be lifted, cleaned, the bunker raked and then the ball can be replaced, within 6-inches, without penalty.

Relief From Greens

When playing to main greens:

  • The temporary green is a ‘wrong green’ under Rule 13-1 – Wrong Putting Green.  The ball must not be played as it lies and relief must be taken, without penalty, by first lifting the ball and then dropping it, within 1-club length, outside of the identified green (marked by either a white line or dotted yellow paint boundary) and not nearer to the hole.

When playing to temporary greens:

  • In such circumstances, the main green becomes a ‘wrong green’ under Rule 25-3.  The ball must not be played as it lies and relief must be taken, without penalty, by first lifting the ball and then dropping it within 1 club length of, and not nearer the hole, than the nearest point of relief.

In both situations, the ball may be cleaned when lifted and, when dropped, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the wrong putting green and is not in a penalty area or bunker and not on a putting green.

ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITION - SIGNIFICANT COURSE DAMAGE BY BIRDS

When a ball comes to rest in an area where there is significant damage caused by birds foraging for grubs, relief may be taken by dropping a ball at the nearest point which affords full relief from this condition, not nearer the hole. Note that relief is not granted for interference of stance, just a ball within that condition.

BIRD SCARING KITES

These may be treated as Temporary Immovable Obstructions (TIOs). Relief may be taken under Rule 16.1b (Immovable Obstructions). Additionally the player may take relief where there is Line of Sight interference in the following situations:


  • The TIO is on the player's line of sight to the hole (that is the TIO is located on the straight line between the ball and the hole), or
  • The ball is within one club-length, measured on an equidistant arc from the hole, of a spot where the TIO would be on the player's direct line of sight to the hole (this one club-length arc commonly referred to as the 'corridor').

If a player finds their ball in such a situation relief may be taken by dropping the ball or another ball in the relief area:

  • The Reference Point is the nearest point of complete relief where both physical and line of sight interference no longer exists
  • The size of the relief area is the entire area within one club-length of the reference point but ;
  • must be in the General Area and must not be nearer the hole than the reference point

Relief may not be taken in the following situations:

  • When playing the ball as it lies would clearly be unreasonable because of something other than the TIO (such as when the player is unable to make a stroke because of where the ball lies in a bush outside the TIO)
  • There is no relief when interference exists only because the player choose a club, type of stance or swing or direction of play that is clearly unreasonable under the circumstances Line of Sight only:
  • There is no relief when it is clearly unreasonable for a player to play the ball far enough that the ball will reach the TIO 

COURSE ETIQUETTE

  • Please do not take trolleys/buggies between the edges of greens and bunkers.
  • Please ensure that all pitch marks are repaired.
  • Please do not climb over, under or around ropes/posts that are in place to protect areas of the course. If you do need to remove ropes/posts to play your shot, please put back immediately after you have played your shot.

Suspension of Play

  • Suspension – One prolonged blast on the siren/klaxon
  • Resumption – Two blasts + verbal communication
  • Abandonment – Three blasts + verbal communication

Electrical Storm Advice

If it is not possible to give sufficient warning to clear the course prior to the onset of an electrical storm, please consider the following advice. This advice is designed to be of assistance to enable players to leave the course safely. It is not an instruction or part of the conditions of any competition or event. Fairhaven Golf Club will not accept liability for any damage or injury caused by the following of this advice.

After marking the ball:

  • Leave the course immediately and report back to the clubhouse.
  • Do not put up an umbrella
  • Do not shelter under trees or high ground
  • Do not use a mobile phone