Amateur Championship Rules

Sussex County Golf

 Amateur Championship 2024

Highwoods Golf Club

Local Rules in addition to the England Golf Hard Card

No other local rules are in operation for the Sussex County Golf Junior Championship unless otherwise advised by the Championship Committee.

Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for breach of a local rule is the general penalty (two penalty strokes in stroke play; loss of hole in match play).

Out of Bounds (Rule 18.2)

a) Where the out of bounds is defined by a fence, the boundary is defined by the course side edge of the
     fence posts at ground level;

b) On or beyond the path surrounding the Clubhouse;

c)  Beyond the ditch on the right-hand side on the 2nd hole, adjacent to the practice area. Where the ditch is      
             in-filled, a ball is out of bounds if it lies on or beyond an extension of the practice ground edge of the
             ditch. The white stakes are for visibility only;

d) When playing the 2nd hole, a ball lying on or beyond the closely mown area of the 8th fairway;

e) Beyond the electric fence on the right-hand side of the 3rd hole;

f) A ball lying on or beyond the course side edge of the sleepers behind the 9th green. The white stakes
     behind the sleepers are for indication only;

g) Beyond the electric fence on the left-hand side of 10th and 11th holes;

h) When playing the 15th hole, a ball lying on or beyond the closely mown area of the 14th fairway.

Penalty Areas (Rule 17)

a) All Penalty Areas, including any unmarked ditches, are to be treated as Red Penalty Areas.  Any stakes are for indication purposes only and are movable obstructions;

b) Where marked by stakes, penalty areas are defined by where the ground breaks away. Where a penalty area is marked by a red line, the penalty area is defined by the line;

c)   There are no Yellow Penalty Areas.

3.   Abnormal Course Conditions (Rule 16)

a) If a player’s ball lies on the course and within 2 club lengths of an electric fence on 3rd, 10th or 11th holes the player may take free relief using the procedure in Rule 16.1b, but based on this reference point:

Reference Point: Two club lengths from the fence and an equal distance from the hole to the spot of the ball

Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: One club-length, but with these limits:

* Must be in the general area
* Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point
* There must be complete relief from lie, stance or swing from interference by the electric fence

Abnormal Course Conditions – No Play Zones (Rule 16.1f)

a) All defined flower beds including any retaining sleepers are No Play Zones and relief MUST be taken in accordance with Rule 16.1f;

b) Where young trees are identified by wrapping, stakes or other protection, both the staked tree and the related protection are No Play Zones and Relief Must be taken under Rules 16.1f;

c) The practice putting green, behind the 18th green, and all temporary greens not in use, are wrong greens and relief MUST be taken under Rule 16.1f. In addition;

d) A wrong green includes an area of 2 club lengths from the putting surface. When a player has interference from a wrong green, including this expanded area, the player MUST take free relief under 16.1f

Animal Dung

Animal Dung (Model Local Rule F-12)

MLR F-12 applies. At the player’s option, goose or duck or dog dung may be treated as a loose impediment that may be removed under Rule 15.1 or GUR, from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1.

Pace of Play and Code of Conduct

There are Pace of Play and Code of Conduct policies as published on the Sussex County Golf website under “Competition Policies” in operation for this event.

Caddies

No player who has played in the Sussex County Amateur Championship 2024 on any of the three days is allowed to caddie for another competitor on any day.

 Penalty for breach of this Local Rule:

The player gets the general penalty for each hole during which they have a caddie.
If the breach happens or continues between two holes, the player gets the general penalty for the next hole.

Referee

Chief Referee – Steve Williamson

If you need a ruling, please call our Championship referee (or call him over).

Contact details for calling a referee: Steve Williamson – 0797 002 9474

During the stroke play event, if a referee is unavailable, you may also play 2 balls until the end of the hole, by proceeding under Rule 20.1c. Note – you must then resolve the rules issue when you finish your round and before you sign and return your scorecard.

There will be an assigned referee for the semi-final and final matches.

Score Recording Area

A player’s score is deemed as officially returned to the Committee when the player has left their chair at the Championship Scorer’s table.

Tee Markers

Play is from the White Tee Markers.  Any adjacent “Sussex County Golf Marker” is a movable obstruction.

Additional Information

An on course shelter is situated near the 5th tee/13th green