RMGC TEMPORARY LOCAL RULES: –
Winter Rules
With effect from 23rd November 2018 the Captain’s Committee has introduced ‘Winter Rules’ to protect the course.
A ball lying on a closely-mown area through the green may be lifted, without penalty, and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within six inches of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.
A player may place his ball only once, and it is in play when it has been placed (Rule 20-4). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it is placed, Rule 20-3d applies. 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, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.
If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke.
Note: “Closely-mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.
Embedded Ball
Through the green, a ball that is embedded may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, 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.
“Through the green” is the whole area of the course except:
- The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played; and
- All hazards on the course.
14th – Ground Under Repair (GUR)
The long trench (in front of 14th tee to maintenance building) down the left-hand side of the 14th rough, and associated grass sods and excavated soil is to be considered G.U.R. until further notice.
5th – Immovable Obstruction between new and existing 5th Putting Green
When Playing the existing 5th putting green in Competition If the player’s ball lies on the putting green and an immovable obstruction (green fence between the green being constructed and the existing green in play) interferes with the player’s stance or area of his intended swing, the player must lift the ball and place it, without penalty, at the nearest point of relief that is not in a hazard. The nearest point of relief may be off the putting green.
Ground under Repair
Local Rule # 4.1 is in effect and therefore where GUR is marked as a continuous white line (or yellow line marked with words gur) it is prohibited to play, and relief MUST be taken also if GUR interferes with stance. The player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club length of and not nearer the hole at the nearest point of relief.
