Harewood Downs Golf Club

Local Rules

 A ball is Out of Bounds (rule 18.2) if it lies:

• Beyond any fences, white marker posts or hedges defining the boundary of the course
• On the tarmac car park alongside the Clubhouse
• On or over any paved area around the Clubhouse
• On or over the road/path along the left of the 10th fairway
• Beyond white marker posts to the left of the 18th fairway adjacent to practice area

Internal Out of Bounds:

During play of the 10th hole a ball is Out of Bounds if it lies on or over the road/path along the left of the 10th fairway defined by white stakes. A ball is not out of bounds when beyond these posts when playing the 18th hole, unless defined by (b) and (c) above. These stakes are treated as boundary objects during the play of the 10th hole. For all other holes, they are immovable obstructions.

NOTE: If the ball is Out of Bounds the player must play a ball (under the penalty of one stroke) as near as possible to the spot from where the original ball was last played. Out of Bounds is defined by the line between the course-side points at ground level of white stakes. If a line is marked between white stakes the course side of the line marks the out of bounds. A ball is out of bounds when all of the ball is on or over the out of bounds line.

No Play Zones and Ground Under Repair in General Area defined as Abnormal Course Conditions (Rule 16):

• Ground Under Repair is defined by an area encircled by a white line.
• No Play Zones is defined by an area encircled by a blue line and marked NPZ
• Protected Young Trees and Shrubs identified by stakes and wire, or plastic meshing are No Play Zones.  If a player’s ball lies in the General Area and is on or touches such a tree or such a tree interferes with a player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rules 16.1.f Relief under Rule 16.1f is Not available if the Young Trees are on line of sight and does not interfere with player’s stance or intended swing.
• Pop-up Sprinkler Heads and fairway distance markers All fixed sprinkler heads and fairway distance markers are immoveable obstructions and relief may be obtained from them under Rule 16.1 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 players line of play, is within two club-lengths of the putting green , and is within two club-lengths of the ball. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b (Exception – There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player choses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable)
• Relief from Cracks in Ground. Cracks in the ground (including drain lines filled with stone or sand) in parts of the general area cut to fairway height or less are ground under repair. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
• Damage by Animals In the general area cut to fairway height or less, areas of damage caused by birds are treated as ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b. But interference does not exist if the damage only interferes with the player’s stance
• Areas in bunkers where sand has been removed by the movement of water resulting in deep furrows through the sand are ground under repair.
• Protective post and rope around greens are immovable obstructions, the ball must be dropped within one club length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole, in the general area. (Note: Post/Ropes not to be removed)
• Tractor or Greenkeeper Equipment tyre ruts.
• Greenkeeper equipment on the course (including hose reels) are temporary immovable obstructions, and line of sight relief is available, the ball must be dropped within one club length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole, in the general area.

Paths:

All paths on the course, even if not artificially surfaced, are treated as immovable obstructions from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1.

Relief from Aeration Holes/Slits and drain lines:

If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole/slit or stone filled drain line:
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, on the putting green, on the player’s line of play

Embedded Ball (Rule 16.3):   

Relief for Embedded Ball. When a player’s ball is embedded in the general area and relief is allowed under Rule 16.3a, the player may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area.  If a ball is embedded in the grass bank in the face of a bunker, free relief is allowed provided that the ball can be dropped within 1 club length of the embedded ball, not nearer the hole, and not in the bunker. If there is no part of the general area available, relief may be taken under Rule 19.2 (a) (b) or (c) under the penalty of one stroke.

Winter Rules: (Effective 1 October to 31st March, unless otherwise notified)

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 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:  6 inches from the reference point,  but with these limits:

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

2 - 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.

Post and Rope protecting greens – See 3h above:

Notes

General Area:

The area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole he or she is playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.

The general area includes: All teeing locations on the course other than the teeing area, and All wrong greens.

Ground Under Repair:

Ground Under Repair is marked by a white line or as defined in Local Rule 3 above.  The player may decide whether to take relief or not. If relief is taken, the ball must be dropped within one club length of the nearest point of relief not nearer the hole, with no penalty.  The nearest point of relief must provide full relief, including stance being outside of the Ground Under Repair area. The nearest point of relief may not provide a playable lie.

No Play Zones:

No Play Zones are marked by a blue line or defined in Local Rule 3c above.  No play zones can be used for any reason, such as:

• Protecting wildlife, animal habitats, and environmentally sensitive areas,
• Preventing damage to young trees, flower beds, turf nurseries, re-turfed areas or other planted areas,
• Protecting players from danger.

Play is prohibited from No Play Zones, and Relief must be taken.  The ball must be dropped in either:

• The nearest point of relief providing full relief, including stance outside of the No Play Zone, or
• Within a drop zone marked for the No Play Zone.

Distance Markers:  

Brown stakes at the side of fairways with White tops indicate 150 yards to the centre of the green from the middle of the fairway. Such markers are moveable obstructions, and no relief is available. Yellow concrete discs in the middle of the fairway indicate 150 yards to the centre of the green, red concrete discs in the middle of the fairway indicate 100 yards to the centre of the green.  Such discs are immovable obstructions and relief is available as per Local Rule 3d above.

Out of Bounds Markers:

 Where white stakes mark the boundary edge of the course. The boundary edge is defined by the line between the course-side points of the stakes or fence posts at ground level and those stakes or fence posts are out of bounds and are immovable objects.