VIII. GOLF RULES

8.0 Members and their guests using golf facilities shall observe and comply with all of the Official Rules of the Club.

8.1 USGA Rules govern all play except as modified by local rules.

8.2 The Chairperson of the Green's Committee, the Golf Course Superintendent and/or the Club Professional may close the course or limit the use of golf carts when conditions warrent such action.

8.3 No play shall start before 8:00 AM, except on weekends and holidays during May through September, when play may begin at 7:30 AM.

8.4 All Members and their guests must sign the daily register sheet in the Golf Shop before teeing off.  If 13 or more holes are played, the player must post an 18-hole score.  If 7-12 holes are played, the player must post a nine-hole score.  All members must post adjusted gross score on the daily register sheet at the conclusion of play.  In the absence of a recorded score, the player's best score out of his/her last 20 will be recorded.  Such posting will be at the discretion of the Handicap Chair and/or the Golf Professional.  Additionally, in the event that a player posts a score inaccurately, the score will be changed by the Handicap Chair and the player will be notified in writing.  If the event reoccurs a letter to the member will be generated notifying then that on such a date they posted  a score incorrectly and it has been adjusted.  Also, should it occur a 2nd time their tournament playing privileges will be suspended for 15 days.  A 2nd warning letter will notify them that on such a date they posted a score incorrectly for the 2nd time and therefore their tournament playing privileges are suspended for 15 days.  A 3rd warning letter will notify them that on such a date they posted a score incorreclty for the 3rd time and therefore their tournament playing privileges are suspended for 30 days.

8.5 All play shall start on the first tee unless permission is obtained from the Golf Shop Staff.  When matches starting elsewhere arrive at the first tee, groups shall alternate play, and shall alternate starting with the group on the first tee.

8.6 A single player has no standing on the course.  Twosomes, threesomes and foursomes have equal rights, but must hold their place.  Faster matches should, without hesitation, be invited to play through the moment there is an open hole ahead.  Smaller groups are encouraged to pair up or may be paired by the Golf Shop.  Fivesomes are restricted from play on the weekends or holidays from opening to 1:00 PM during the months of April through October and on Fridays from noon through 2:00 PM from May 15th through September 15th.  At all other times fivesomes, while not encouraged, will be allowed subject to approval by the Golf Shop Staff. (04-01-2015)

8.7 When stopping at the Snack Bar, players have the right to their position on the tenth (10th) fairway if all are ready to return to the course after the last person in the group following has teed off.  If the stopping players are not ready, the following foursome has the right to play through.

8.8 WITHOUT EXCEPTION, every player shall replace divots, rake bunkers and properly repair ball marks on greens.  Players should enter and leave bunkers at their lowest point.  Rakes should be placed in the bunkers away from the line of play.

8.9 All persons using the golf course, the driving range, the practice green or any other golf related facility shall wear footware equipped with non-metal, non penetrating spikes or be of a spikeless design as defined by the USGA.  Any footware that is deemed by the Golf Shop Staff or Course Superintendent to damage the greens is prohibited.

8.10 When "Winter Rules" are in effect, appropriate signs will be placed on the first tee.

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8.11 Sports and Social Members may have access to the golf course by paying the prevailing guest fee, but cannot play until after 1:00 PM on weekends and holidays as stated in Rule 1.0.4 and 1.0.6.  They may play any time during operating hours on weekdays as long as their access does not interfere with any scheduled tournaments of outings.  Sports and Social Members are prohibited from playing in Member tournaments and may not appear as guests of Members since they hold a class of Membership.

8.12 The golf course shall be closed to all Member play on Mondays until 12:30 PM, except for holiday weekends.

8.13 Club employees may play the golf course on Mondays as specified in the employee manual.  Caddies may play the golf course on Mondays as specified in the caddie manual.

8.14 The use of range balls is restricted to  the practice ranges only.

8.15 Members who remove towels from the locker room areas will be charged if towels are not returned.

8.16 In order to have access to the golf course and to participate in Club tournaments, all Members and dependents of Members less than twenty-four (24) years of age must have either full or limited golf privileges or pay daily greens fees.  (Exception for Rule 1.0.7 as it applies to dependents, unmarried and living at home) (04-01-2015)

8.17 Full Members and Non-Resident Members without golf privileges may play golf at any time, and in tournaments where space is available (as determined by the Golf Shop staff and tournament chairperson), but are required to pay the prevailing guest fee.  Full Members with limited golf privileges may play in Club sponsored tournaments where space is available, but are required to pay guest fees if played prior to 1:00 PM weekends and holidays.  Fees may be waived for mixed tournaments on weekends and holidays at the discretion of the Golf Committee.

8.18 Children 17 years of age and under are restricted from golf course access on weekends and holidays during the following times:
  • No access prior to 1:00 PM
  • Limited access between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM with Golf Shop approval for qualified Juniors
Qualified Junior golfers are eligible to play in Club sponsored tournaments that are identified on the official calendar as "Juniors Eligible".  If tournament play begins prior to 11:00 AM, the Member's account will be charged the prevailing tournament fee only.  Note: Juniors and/or Junior guests must be accompanied by an adult at all times unless they have passed the player's ability test and the written rules/etiquette test which shall be administered by the Golf Shop staff. (04-01-2010)

8.19 Effective April 1, 2008, any person can play golf as a guest an unlimited number of times throughout the fiscal year from April 1st through March 31st with the guest privilege fee being the then current established rates for each of the first six (6) times and $200.00 for all times over six (6).  However, participation in Club sponsored tournaments shall not be counted or included in this calculation of guest appearances. (04-01-2015)

8.20 No more than three (3) guests of one Member playing together with that Member may have greens privileges on weekends and holidays and no more than seven (7) guests playing with that Member may have greens privileges during weekdays, unless approved by the Chairperson of the Golf Committee.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Member will be allowed only one (1) guest on weekends and holidays prior to 10:00 AM with the exception of special events.

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8.21 Members may not individually or collectively invite guests for the purpose of participating in a non-Club tournament unless the holding of the tournament shall have been approved by the Chairperson of the Golf Committee.

8.22 Unaccompanied guests may be sponsored by a Member with the approval of the Golf Chairman and/or the Golf Professional.

8.23 A Member who brings a guest and is unable to complete five (5) holes of play due to inclement weather will not be charged a guest fee or a cart charge. (04-01-2015)

8.24 In the case of a Junior Family Member without golf privileges (17 years of age or under who is dependent of a Sports Member, AGM or Social Member) or a Junior guest (17 years of age or under), the Member shall be charged fifty percent (50%) of the guest or greens fee otherwise due provided that the Junior plays with a Member or otherwise has prior permission from the Golf Shop. (04-01-2015)

8.25 Motorized riding carts must follow the specially constructed cart paths or the paths indicated by signs.  They must not be run on or across tees and must be driven or parked within the thirty (30) foot approaches to the greens.

8.26 From April 1st through October 31st, Members and their guests must use a motorized riding cart or caddie, if available, on weekends and holidays until 1:00 PM.

8.27 Only a Member who has applied for and recieved disabled stickers or license plates for his/her automobile will be extended special privileges by submitting a letter to the Board along with a letter from his/her doctor specifying the malady and the temporary time frame requested.  The Golf Professional or Assistant Golf Professional may also use his/her discretion to extend temporary privileges when the need for such temporary privileges is obvious.  This should only be done until proper letters from the Member and his/her doctor can be recieved.

8.27.1 Disabled guests who meet the criterion will also be extended the privileges set forth in Section 8.27 above.

8.27.2 Motorized riding carts must be identified with a blue disabled flag to be purchased by the Club.  The flag will let other golfers know that the flagged cart has permission to go where an unmarked motorized riding cart cannot.

8.27.3 Flagged motorized riding carts do not have unrestricted access to all parts of the golf course.  Flagged motorized riding carts will obey the following rules:
  1. Carts are not allowed to drive around the back of greens unless on a cart path.
  2. Carts are not allowed to cross rope lines except where an opening has been made to allow them to do so.
  3. Carts will not be allowed within thirty (30) feet of a green or trap unless they are on a macadam cart path.
8.28 To operate a motorized riding cart at any time, all persons must be at least sixteen (16) years of age and have a current valid driver's license. (09-25-2007)

8.29 No privately owned motorized riding cart may be used on Club property.

8.30 If a motorized riding cart is used on the golf course for 9 holes or less, excluding use of the driving range or short range only, the Member will be charged a 9 hole fee (except as provided under rule 8.22).  If more than 9 holes are played, an 18 hole fee will be charged.  It is each Member's responsibility to inform the Golf Shop and/or the bag room staff of the number of holes played. (04-01-2015)

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8.31 Proper attire as set forth in Appendix "IV" of these Rules must be worn at all times. (VIII. Golf Rules: 2-19-2002)

8.32 A golfer playing one ball, is considered to have made a hole-in-one provided that at least nine holes are completed, except that a hole-in-one made during a match should be acceptable even if the match ends before the stipulated round is completed.  A hole-in-one must be attested by someone acceptable to the Golf Committee.  If made at a hole with temporary tee and/or green, it is considered to be a hole-in-one. (04-04-2004)

8.33 Golf privilege fees (golf privelege, range and maintenance contingency fees) are based on annual rates.  A Member is liable for the full annual amount of these fees, although a Member may request billing of these fees on a monthly basis. (03-01-2005)

8.34 To be elegible to compete in a Club sponsored tournament a Member must have 10 scores posted in the Golf Handicap and Information Network (GHIN) or 10 scores posted from another accepted/approved peer review handicap system within the last 24 months.  Entry in major tournaments is open in the following order:

  1. Full Members with unrestriced golf privileges
  2. Full Members with restriced golf priveleges
  3. Annual Golf Members
  4. Full Members with/without golf privileges and Annual Golf Members playing with a non-dues paying Family member (on a space availability basis only)
Non-dues paying Family members are not permitted to play in tournaments with any other non-dues paying Family members unless specifically stated in the Golf calendar and approved by the Golf and Tournament Committees Chairs.  In major tournaments such as Member-Member, a specific entry cutoff point ending 1 week prior to the start of the tournament will be enforced.  If space is available after the cutoff point then Full members with/without golf privileges and Annual Golf Members playing with a non-dues paying Family member are permitted to enter the tournament and their place is permanent.  The non-dues paying Family member's Parent-Member's account will be billed the tournament fee (04-01-2012)

8.35 Competitors in tournaments are expected to complete 18 holes of golf in 4 hours, 20 minutes and 9 holes of golf in 2 hours, 10 minutes.  Exceeding this time frame and finishing more than 1 1/2 holes behind the group in front of them can result in the foursome incurring a penalty for slow play.  Any penalty imposed will be for the entire group playing regardless of whose slow play created the infraction.  The assessed penalty will be announced prior to the tournament and the General Golf Committee has been authorized to determine the extent and application of the penalty.

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