Local Rules 

1. Out of Bounds

Beyond any line of white stakes, posts and/or fence bounding the course. Also where white lines are painted between white stakes which define the OOB, the white lines represent the boundary and the white stakes indicate the presence of OOB.

2. Immovable Obstructions
(a) The roadway crossing the course, (b) staked trees, (c) stone chipped pathways, and (d) astroturf/synthetic covered pathways.

3. Sprinkler Heads
All fixed sprinkler heads are immovable obstructions and relief from interference may be taken under rule 16.1.

In addition, if a sprinkler head is on the 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.

The reference point is the nearest place of complete relief from the interference, and the relief area is 1 club length from that point and must be:

(a)  not nearer the hole,

(b) avoids intervention and

(c) not in a penalty area or on a putting green.

4. Bunker Faces
Embedded Ball in Stacked Turf on Bunker Face, Rule 16.3 is modified such that no free relief is allowed for a ball embedded in the stacked turf face. Penalty relief may be taken under
Rule-19.2 (Unplayable Ball)

Temporary Local Rules 

Summary:

Preferred Lies

When a player’s ball lies in a 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:
  • 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.

Holes 13 & 14 ONLY - Preferred Lies In the General Area

A ball lying ‘In the General Area’ 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’. If the player moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke.

OPTIONAL Use of Fairway Mats

The use of a fairway mat is permitted (and encouraged) on closely mown areas, excluding teeing grounds, as follows:

When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less and a putter is not being used for the stroke, the player MAY take free relief by lifting the original ball and placing it or another ball on an artificial mat and play it from there. The mat must be placed on top of the spot where the ball came to rest.

If a ball when placed rolls off the mat, the player must try to place it a second time. If the ball again does not stay on the mat, the mat must be moved to the nearest spot, not nearer the hole, where the ball will come to rest on the mat when placed.

If the ball on the mat is accidentally moved before a stroke is made, there is no penalty and the ball must be placed again on the mat.

If a tee is used to secure the mat into the ground, the ball must not be placed on the tee.

Ground Under Repair

Areas marked by a white line or blue stakes are Ground Under Repair. Relief may be taken under 16- 1(a), i.e. determine the nearest point of full relief and then drop the ball within 1 club length of that spot, no nearer the hole. The ball may be cleaned in this situation.

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 for an embedded ball MUST be taken under rule 16-1(a).

Bunkers and Bunker Surrounds under Repair

A GUR sign in and around the bunker refers to newly laid turf around the surround, revetted face, entrance and the internal parts of the bunker, all of which 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 penalty area, bunker, or on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned under these circumstances.

Rake & Place

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

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 outside of 4 club lengths of the winter hole, and not nearer the hole playing to.

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 

Tractor Marks

If a ball comes to rest in tractor tracks anywhere on the course, relief may be taken under 16- 1(a), i.e. determine the nearest point of full relief and then drop the ball within 1 club length of that spot, no nearer the hole. The ball may be cleaned in this situation.

Handicap Qualifying Scores

Handicap qualifying scores, including general play, competitions and the obtaining of new handicaps are now no longer accepted whilst the above temporary local rules remain in situ. 

General Information

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