PENRITH GOLF CLUB – TEMPORARY LOCAL WINTER RULES Applicable 1st November 2023 until further notice.
- 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 by placing the original ball or another ball within 6 inches of where the ball lay, no closer to the hole. The ball MUST marked before being lifted.
- FAIRWAY MATS: When a player’s ball lies on the fairway, any closely mown area, and the fringes of the
putting green the use of mats is compulsory. The mat must be positioned as close as possible to where the orig- inal ball lay, no closer to the hole. The ball must be lifted and placed onto the mat and played from that position. From off the putting green balls may be played using a putter without the requirement to use a mat, in which case the “preferred lie” rule applies. Before lifting, the ball must be marked and placed within 6 inches of where it originally ball lay, no closer to the hole. Mats may be used on any teeing ground. - TEES: Astroturf Mats. Where tee markers are placed onto astroturf mats, the ball must be played from within the mat. It is not permitted to tee the ball in ground outside the mat to the front, side or behind.
- ROPES, STAKES and HOOPS: All ropes, stakes and hoops used to protect the course are deemed Immovable Obstructions and must not be moved. Free relief is available at the Nearest Point of Complete Relief, no nearer the hole.
If when playing a stroke, a player’s ball strikes a rope, a stake or hoop which is between them and the green, they may disregard that shot and replay the stroke.
5. WRONG PUTTING GREENS: (Temporary Putting Greens from which play is Prohibited).
Any ball that has come to rest on a winter green (defined by a white painted line) when playing to a permanent green or, has come to rest on the permanent green when playing to a winter green MUST be: lifted, cleaned if required and dropped within one club-length of the Nearest Point of Complete
Relief off the green, not nearer the hole.
6. AERATION HOLES: When an area of the course has been aerated, relief may be taken: –
a) In the General Area. A ball that comes to rest in an aeration hole may be lifted without penalty, cleaned, and placed as near as possible to the spot where it lay, no closer to the hole.
b) On the putting green, a ball that comes to rest in an aeration hole may be placed at the nearest spot, no nearer the hole that avoids the situation.
Note. There is no relief from small micro aeration holes.
- MUD ON THE BALL: In the General Area a ball with mud adhering to it may be lifted, cleaned and replaced on the spot, without penalty. The ball must be marked before lifting.
- MISCELLANEOUS COURSE DAMAGE: Throughout the General Area course damage caused by tyre marks, vehicle tracks and heavy equipment are to be treated as Ground Under Repair. If a player’s ball lies in such a condition or, if such a condition interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player may take free relief at the Nearest Point of Complete Relief.
9. BUNKER RENOVATIONS. Any bunker in the General Area being renovated is deemed to be Ground Under Repair. Free relief must be taken outside the bunker at the nearest Point of Complete Relief, no nearer to the hole.
Definition of “General Area” The area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four areas.
- the teeing area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing.
- all penalty areas,
- all bunkers, and
- the putting green of the hole you are playing to.
The penalty for breach of a Temporary Local Rule is the general penalty. (stroke play – two strokes penalty, match play – loss of hole).November 2023