LOCAL RULES

Welcome to the Local Rules page, a new feature of the Kingsdown Golf Club website! 

Please use the links below to access the Kingsdown Golf Club Local Rules, presently in force.

Permanent Local Rules

Kingsdown Golf Club – Local Rules

Penalty for breach of Local Rule is the General Penalty

1. OUT OF BOUNDS (Rule 18.2)

A ball is out of bounds when:

 it comes to rest on or over a public road even if the ball lies on another part of the course
 it is beyond the course-side points at ground level of all white or creosoted lines or white stakes
 it is beyond the course-side edge of hedges, walls, openings or closed gates at the boundary of the course

2.  ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITIONS (ACC) (Rule 16)

 Ground Under Repair:

A. Areas encircled by white lines

B. Damage caused by animal hoofs in the General Area

C. Protruding tree roots and bedrock stones that are in the General Area

Exceptions to B and C:

Free relief is NOT available if:

 interference by anything other than the ACC makes the stroke clearly impracticable
Interference would only occur through the use of a clearly unreasonable stroke, stance, area of intended swing or direction of play
The ACC only interferes with the player’s stance

2.2  Immovable Obstructions

Concrete bases around distance marker posts
Telegraph poles and retention cables
Telephone box to the left of the 5th putting green
Dedication signs
The path or retaining wall to the right of the 10th teeing area.  Players MUST use the dropping zone provided or play the ball as it lies

2.3 Immovable Obstructions Close to the Putting Green

In addition to the types of interference described in Rule 16.1a, when a ball lies in the general area, interference also exists if an immovable obstruction is on the player's line of play, is within two club-lengths of the putting green and is within two club-lengths of the ball. Relief may be taken under Rule 16.1b

(Exception - There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.)

2.4  No Play Zones

Staked or tagged trees

3. INTEGRAL OBJECTS

 The three stones on the ridge crossing the 16th fairway
All bridleways as indicated by blue stakes

4. WRONG GREEN

A wrong green is any green other than the putting green being used for the hole in play.
Rule 13.1 applies, relief MUST be taken under Rule 13.1f, for the player’s ball lying on a wrong green and any interference by the player’s intended stance or intended swing.

Temporary Local Rules - Active only when notified on H&C board in clubhouse

Please see below for all of the current temporary local rules applicable to Kingsdown Golf Course:

Model Local Rule E-4 : Relief from Aeration Holes.

If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole:

(a) Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole the player may take relief again under this Local Rule.

(b) Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.

But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing or, on the putting green, on the player’s line of play.

Model Local Rule F-7 – Relief from Seams of Cut Turf

If a player's ball lies in or touches a seam of cut turf or a seam interferes with the player's area of intended swing:

(a) Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.

(b) Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.

But interference does not exist if the seam only interferes with the player's stance.

All seams within the area of cut turf are treated as the same seam in taking relief.

This means that if a player has interference from any seam after dropping the ball, the player must proceed as required under Rule 14.3c(2) (must drop again) even when the ball is still within one club-length of the reference point.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a

Preferred Lies

When any part of a player's ball touches part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:

Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.

Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: Six inches /150mm from the reference point, but with these limits:

Limits on Location of Relief Area:

Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and

Must be 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 a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e. But for the purposes of applying Rule 14.2e, the player has only chosen the spot on which to place the ball once the ball has been set down, and the player has let the ball go with the intent for that ball to be in play.

After a ball has been placed and is in play under this Local Rule, if the player then proceeds under another Rule that provides relief, this Local Rule may be used again.