CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION

The following Conditions of Competition, together with any additions or amendments published by the DCGU on the relevant entry form or at the golf course, will apply under Rule 33–1 to all DCGU Championships.

Golf Meetings shall be held each year at which there shall be competitions to decide such County Championships as may be sanctioned by the Council.  The Executive Committee shall be responsible for all Championships, Competitions and Golf Meetings organised on behalf of the Dorset County Golf Union, and to determine the amount of the Entrance Fee.

All Competitions and Matches shall be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf as approved by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and Bye-Laws and Local Rules of the Host Club where the event is played so far as they are approved by the Executive Committee

Eligibility.

To be eligible to compete in the Union County championship or Matches a player:

(i)        must be of Amateur Status as defined by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, and

(ii)       must not have taken part in a County Championship of another County Union (this being the Championship in which the winner qualifies to play in the English Golf Union County Champions Tournament) or have represented another County Union at golf in the 12 months previous to the starting date of the event in question, and

(iii)      must conform to the age and handicap limits which are included in the regulations of the event, and

(iv)     must be a member of a Member Club or must be born in Dorset and be a member of a Club affiliated to another County Union.

In Union Competitions all disputes shall be referred to the Competition Committee of the Union whose decision shall be final. 

T ime of Starting (Rule 6–3)

All players in a group must be present and ready to play at the time established by the Committee and should report to the starter at least five minutes before their start time.

Entries - Withdrawals.

Entrance Fees for all events shall be decided from time to time by the Executive Committee and shall be paid at the time of entry.  No entry fee will be refunded unless intimation of scratching is received before the closing date for entries, except from any entrant who may be balloted out and who does not subsequently compete. No entry fee shall be returned once the start sheet has been published.

All entries shall be subject to the approval of the Executive which reserves the right to accept or refuse an entry without giving reason for its decision which shall be final.

If in any Championship or Tournament it becomes impossible to complete the Championship or Tournament in accordance with the Conditions thereof because of adverse weather conditions or other circumstances which in the opinion of the Championship Committee make it impossible or impractical to do so, the Championship Committee shall be empowered to vary such Conditions to the extent necessary to achieve a result within the time available.

List of Conforming Driver Heads

The specimen Condition in the Rules of Golf (pages 154–155) is in effect.

Note:  An updated List of Conforming Driver Heads is available on the R&A’s website ( www.randa.org) and can be checked by the DCGU Secretary.

List of Conforming Golf Balls

The specimen Condition in the Rules of Golf (page 155) is in effect.

Note: An updated List of Conforming Golf Balls is available on the R&A’s website ( www.randa.org) and can be checked by the DCGU Secretary.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDITION: See Rules of Golf, page 156

Transportation

The specimen Condition in the Rules of Golf (page 159) is in effect: Players must not ride on any form of transportation during a stipulated round unless authorised by England Golf.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDITION: See Rules of Golf, page 160.

Suspension of Play Due to a Dangerous Situation (Note to Rule 6–8b)

a)      The specimen Condition in the Rules of Golf (pages 158) is in effect

i.e. when the klaxon sounds, play must be discontinued immediately.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDITION: Disqualification.

Note:  A suspension of play will be signalled by a prolonged blast of the klaxon.

b)      Resumption of Play (Rule 6–8b) will be signalled by two short blasts of the klaxon.  Competitors must then (but not before then) resume play.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE: Disqualification.

        Note:   i.  Competitors will be informed by DCGU Officials that play will resume shortly.

                ii.  Competitors will be given sufficient time to reach the place where they were on the course before play was suspended.

Inclement Weather: If, in the opinion of the DCGU, it becomes impossible to complete a Championship in accordance with that Championship’s Conditions because of adverse weather or other circumstances, the DCGU may vary the Conditions to the extent necessary to achieve a result within the time available.

Returning Score Card

A player’s score card is deemed officially returned to the Committee when he has left the recording office/area. 

Note:  Players must promptly return their score cards to the Committee.

Disputes will be settled by a Committee, formed by the Secretary.  That Committee’s decision shall be final.

General Behavior

Any competitor who during the course of an event (including practice days) misbehaves by, for example, swearing, spitting, abusing others, throwing clubs or purposely damaging the golf course, clubhouse, or other club property, or acts in a manner which otherwise might bring the game into disrepute may be barred from entering any DCGU event for such period as the Championship Committee may decide.

Trolleys Must not be taken onto tees or between a greenside bunker and the green and/or onto fringes of greens.

Practice Rounds

One ball only may be played during practice rounds, with the following exceptions:

a)      If a player misses the green with his shot to the green, he may play one additional shot.

b)      Where the Rules of Golf apply (e.g. provisional ball).

c)      A player may practice putting (but not chipping or bunker play) provided play is not unduly delayed. 

“Mobile phones (including pagers and similar devices): May not be used on the course (including on practice days) by players or caddies for making/sending or receiving calls or texts, except in cases of emergency”.

The DCGU would take disciplinary action against a player for breach of this regulation.  The DCGU is very happy for players to carry mobile phones in their golf bags, so that, if there is an emergency, they can phone the office, pro shop, emergency service etc.

Note: Local Rule (below) covers the use of mobile phones when used as a distance measuring device.

If a serious breach of the above Regulations occurs, or where there are repetitive breaches, a player may be disqualified under Rule 33–7 for a serious breach of etiquette and/or may be barred from entering or playing in DCGU Championships for such period as the Championship Committee may decide.

Dress Code

Competitors in any DCGU event shall always be required to adhere to the Dress Codes and/or Guidelines prevailing at any Club at which a DCGU event is being played, unless notice is given of any particular relaxation of a normal requirement.

Practice (Rule 7–1)

a.   Match play: On any day of a competition, practice on the Championship course is prohibited before the player’s first match and between matches. When a match is completed, no further holes in that round may be played.

b.   In stroke play, the provisions of Rule 7–1b apply. 

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF CONDITIONS a & b: Disqualification

Distance-Measuring Devices (Rule 14–3)

In all DCGU Championships, a player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only.  The specimen Local Rule in the Rules of Golf (pages 136) and DMD specifications (page 162) are in effect. 

Note:

i.  Trolleys with a distance-measuring capability:  May be used provided any other features, which are non-conforming, are disabled (e.g. ‘taped up’ or switched off).

ii.  Multi-functional devices (such as a mobile phone) with a distance-measuring application:  May be used provided the application is restricted to “distance only” and the device does not have any other “non-conforming” features or applications.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF ABOVE: Disqualification

Other playing “aids”.  If your DMD has a feature or App which helps you, for instance, read/gauge/measure the slope on a green (such Apps can be downloaded on to some mobile phones), then, whether or not that feature or App is used, the penalty is disqualification.

“DCGU’s advice on the use of mobile phones as a distance measuring device:  Because of problems over whether a particular phone conforms to the Local Rule and, therefore, to protect players from the risk of disqualification, the DCGU strongly recommends that mobile phones are not used as distance measuring devices”.  

Unless otherwise specified above or the breach is covered by a Rule of Golf,

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF A LOCAL RULE:

Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.