On Monday the 13th November, the white fairway protection posts will be installed and all golf played on the course will be subject to our winter playing rules. The rules are detailed below;

• If your ball comes to rest within any area defined by these posts, you MUST mark and lift the ball and then replace it on a fairway protection mat. You may clean the ball before replacing it onto the mat.
• If your ball comes to rest on the fairway, before or beyond these posts, you may play it as it lies, or play it from a fairway protection mat. In both cases you may clean the ball as per the preferred lie rule.
• If your ball comes to rest in the rough outside the white posts, you must play it as it lies. The ball cannot be lifted or cleaned.
• If your ball comes to rest on a temporary green marked as GUR, you MUST take full relief in accordance with Rule 16-1.
• When playing a hole where the tee-off markers are positioned on an area with artificial turf, you must play from the artificial turf. The two club lengths back option is not available on these holes.
• When playing from a hole where the tee-off markers are NOT positioned on artificial turf, you MUST use a fairway protection mat on the tee, unless you are using a Driver. For clarity, a Driver is the only club that can be used without a mat on a grass tee.
  
  As an additional winter fairway protection measure, the Committee have elected that all competitions during December, January and February, will be played as Non-Handicap Qualifying events and consequently be played under the winter rules, as detailed above. This means that NO handicap adjustments will be made for these competitions. To clarify, ALL competitions (Gents, Ladies and Junior) played after the introduction of fairway protection mats on 13th November will be Non-Handicap Qualifying until the use of fairway protection mats is no longer required.

   

  The competitions will proceed as per the fixture list with the sweep and two’s entry as normal.

  Mats must also be used for all match play competitions including the Winter Foursomes.

  Additionally, no handicap qualifying acceptable scores will be allowed during this period due to the mandated use of fairway protection mats.

  It is hoped that your adherence to the obligatory use of fairway mats during this period will have a beneficial effect on our golf course come the start of the 2024 summer season.

  
  Stuart Glasgow
  Match and Handicap Convener