LOCAL RULES

The Essex Golf & Country Club

Protection of Young Trees (Rule 16.1)

Protection of young trees identified by stakes. If such a tree interferes with a player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the ball must be lifted without penalty, and dropped in accordance with the procedure described in Rule 16.1 Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions). If the ball lies in a water hazard, the player must lift and drop the ball in accordance with Rule 16.1, except that the nearest point of relief must be in the water hazard and the ball must be dropped in the water hazard or the player may proceed under Rule 17. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Local Rule.

Exception: A player may not obtain relief under this Local Rule if (a) interference by anything other than such a tree makes the stroke clearly impracticable or (b) interference by such a tree would occur only through use of a clearly unreasonable stroke or an unnecessarily abnormal stance, swing or direction of play.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE: Match Play – Loss of hole; Stroke Play – Two strokes

Immovable Obstructions (Rule 16.1)

Hoops and ropes for direction of traffic around areas needing protection from foot traffic are defined as Immovable Obstructions.

Open drains filled with pebbles, and drainage runs that have sunk since being filled with turf, are defined as Immovable Obstructions.

Relief from interference by an Immovable Obstruction may be taken under Rule 16.1

In addition, if a ball lies through the green, and an immovable obstruction on or within two club-lengths of the putting green, and within two club-lengths of the ball, intervenes on the line of play between the ball and the hole, the player may take relief as follows:

The ball must be lifted and dropped at the nearest point to where the ball lay that (a) is not nearer the hole, (b) avoids intervention and (c) is not in a hazard or on a putting green.

If the player’s ball lies on the putting green and an immovable obstruction within two club-lengths of the putting green intervenes on his line of putt, the player may take relief as follows:

The ball must be lifted and placed at the nearest point to where the ball lay that (a) is not nearer the hole, (b) avoids intervention and (c) is not in a hazard.

The ball may be cleaned when lifted.

Exception: A player may not take relief under this Local Rule if interference by anything other than the immovable obstruction makes the stroke clearly impracticable.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE: Match Play – Loss of hole; Stroke Play – Two strokes

Ground Under Repair (Rule 16.1)

Areas ringed by white paint, deep ruts made by tractors and other green-keeping equipment are Ground Under Repair, relief may be taken in accordance with Rule 16.1

Unused holes on putting greens are Ground Under Repair, relief may be taken according to Rule 16.1

Out of Bounds (Rule 18.2)

A ball is out of bounds when it is lying beyond any perimeter boundary of the course, or lying to the right of the white stakes on the first hole

Aeration Holes

Through the green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole may be lifted without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball, when dropped, must first strike a part of the course through the green.

On the putting green, a ball that comes to rest in or on an aeration hole may be placed at the nearest spot not nearer the hole that avoids the situation.

Distance Measuring Devices

For all play at this course, a player may obtain distance information by use of a distance-measuring device. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g. elevation changes, wind speed, etc.) the player is in Breach of Rule 4.3

Additional Winter Rules

When conditions warrant the introduction of Winter Rules, as posted, the following Local Rules will also both be in effect.

Preferred Lies

When a player’s ball lies on a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, it may be lifted once without penalty, and may be cleaned. They must replace the original ball, or another, on a spot within a relief area.

Reference Point: The spot of the original ball.

Relief Area: The size of the relief area is up to 6 inches (150 mm) from the reference point, not nearer the hole than the reference point, and which is 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 the ball under rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e.

Penalty for breach of Local Rule: General Penalty (Matchplay: loss of hole, Strokeplay: two stroke penalty)

Note: When lifting a ball it is recommended that a player marks the position of the ball to establish a fixed reference point.

Rules of Golf applicable to County Match Play and Stroke Play Competitions, and all Essex Golf & Country Club competitions:

Please note that Model Local Rule E-5 (Alternative to Stroke and Distance) is not to be in place during any of the Competitions covered under Regulation 1 of the County Competition Regulations 2019, and is not in place for any Club Competition.