Our Rules...
Every good society needs a set of rules & regulations to ensure clarity and fairness for all its members
To see a quick guide to the rules of golf by the R&A, click the image below.
Bunkers Rules and Regulations...
· The society shall be called Bunkers Golf Society.
THE COMMITTEE
· The Committee shall consist of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Handicap Secretary (plus the President and Captain) making no more than seven.
· The Handicap Committee shall consist of the Handicap Secretary [Verified by the Captain & Chairman]. It will be the sole responsibility of the Handicap Secretary to choose what type of competition will be played and stroke allowance, if any, to be given. In the case of a discrepancy the Handicap Secretary will make a ruling on the day and their decision will be final. If they cannot make a decision then the full committee will meet and their decision will be absolute.
- The society AGM shall be held in November each year.
· All members of the Committee [including the Captain] shall remain in office until they decide to retire or another member decides to stand for a position on the Committee. Then it will be proposed and seconded and voted upon at the next AGM.
· Any member of the Society can apply for a position on the Committee.
· An AGM shall be held once every year. Any voting at an AGM shall be one vote per member, the Chairman having the casting vote.
· Any proposal for a rule change, addition, or a new rule applied or amended must be given in writing no less than fourteen days prior to an AGM with the proposers and seconders name on it.
· Two-thirds majority of the members present must pass all proposals at the time. Proposers and seconders must be present at the AGM for their proposals to be passed. The Committee has the power to introduce new emergency rules it considers being in the best interests of the society.
PAYMENTS TO PLAY
This is potentially the most difficult part of any society and is usually a reason why they would fail or cease to run.
As I am sure you can appreciate most bookings will need to be made months in advance and most places will want a deposit of some description. [Generally a minimum of £100 per venue]
Therefore, the following rules apply to payment:
1 – It is a members responsibility to inform the society that they wish to take part in an event.
Members will be notified of events AT LEAST 28 days in advance [but in most cases can see several months in advance of an event via the website]. However, notifications are sent via this website, individual email, Twitter and Facebook. Once notified you must pay FULL payment within 21 days of playing and then inform the Treasurer or Chairman that you have paid and are playing the event.
Event and payment due dates will be made clear in all correspondence. More info CLICK HERE
Unfortunately, payments are NON-REFUNDABLE. If you make full payment and then inform us that you cannot make the event we will make all reasonable steps to recover and refund the payment. However, should the golf club refuse refunds, and we cannot find an alternative player to fill your space - then unfortunately the full payment will be lost.
Members wishing to save monthly are welcome to do so and should contact the chairman to make arrangements for this to be done via standing order. CLICK HERE TO CONTACT
GAMES AND RULES
· All games are to be played under the rules of golf as directed and approved by the Royal and Golf Club of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. All Handicaps will be adjusted under the rules of the Council of National Golf Union & The English Golf Unions.
· There is no rule of Golf requiring a player to initial any mistake on a scorecard. Any mistake must be crossed through and the correction entered at the side, all players must sign the scorecard at the end of a round to confirm gross scores only. The player may initial instead of signing, it doesn’t need to be in the correct space, it can be in either the player or markers space. Rubbing out will not be allowed, cards cannot be altered after being handed in, any doubtful points must be clarified before doing so. All comps will be made up of rounds of Stableford and rounds of Strokeplay, so scores must be returned. A no return on one hole on a card will result in disqualification from the competition (except for Stableford events), but will still count towards your handicap, so it is in your interests to ensure you return a score.
· Players WILL NOT mark their own scorecards. Players should enter their name, society handicap and the date onto the scorecard before exchanging it with another player in their group. Scorecards should be signed by the player and marker at every event.
· It is a player’s responsibility to ensure his correct handicap is entered onto his card as posted on our website. If the wrong handicap is entered onto his card and he does not correct it, the player will be disqualified.
- It is a players responsibility to ensure they learn how to complete a scorecard correctly [SEE HERE] We appreciate that new players may require some guidance and therefore it is advised that if you are unsure that you openly mark cards with the players in your group to ensure they are correct and that you are learning how to do so for the future.
· Any player found guilty of trying to falsely build a handicap would have his existing handicap suspended for the remainder of the season.
· Gimmees will be agreed pre round and members will be informed they are in play during the event introductions in the clubhouse. If gimmes are in play, they MUST be agreed by all players within the group. If not, and a player takes a gimme then no score shall be submitted for that hole and therefore loss of score for that round will be submitted.
· Lost or out of bounds [OB] - The Rules of Golf Rule 27.1. A player should proceed with a provisional ball and not carry on in the hope it is neither lost or out of bounds.
If you hit your shot and there is a chance it is lost or out of bounds you should:
- Drop a provisional ball as close as possible to the location of the original shot. In doing so, you MUST inform your playing colleagues that the ball is a provisional.
If you DID NOT play a provisional ball - you can either go back to the position of the original shot, if time permits, and play the stroke again under penalty of stroke and distance or withdraw from that hole altogether. You cannot take a drop from where the ball went out of bounds [as was a previous Bunkers rule to aid speed of play]
FOR FULL DETAILS ON THESE RULES - CLICK HERE
· There are a lot of wrong balls played, so to clarify, it is up to you to ensure the correct ball is played. If a wrong ball is played you must play the correct one adding two penalty strokes Rule 15.3.
- SOCIETY GUESTS will be played off Handicaps provided, as long as they can be verified. Official handicappers should provide a copy of their CONGU certificate. Society Guests should provide a link to their handicap on their society website. Guests attending without any handicap will play off three-quarters and with no more than an 18 handicap.
· The society has limitations on the number of associate members initially, this shall be reviewed six monthly. Presently this is set at 35 and we do not believe this number will rise as we want to provide the best quality service to members rather than being swamped by numbers.
· These rules cancel all other rules in force.
DRESS CODE
· DRESS CODE is strictly smart and in keeping with the game [and our own personal standards] COURSE DRESS shall be polo shirts or collared t-shirts. Pants without studs or leg pockets must be worn and golfing shoes in keeping with course rules apply. Jumpers should be as plain as possible and should not be covered in large advertising or brand logos. POST GOLF DRESS for any meals/functions shall be smart casual as you would expect on any respectable 'night out' and should be shoes NOT trainers. We do not require any of this 'jacket & tie' nonsense for the purposes of enjoying a bite to eat. If its that important to a club, then we will not pay them for food and take our business elsewhere.
DISPUTES
· The Committee shall exercise its discretion on any point of dispute; any point not covered by these rules shall be referred to the rules of golf. The committee decision is final.
· These rules are not exhaustive but are expected of us all. Please take the time to read and digest, and hopefully we can all enjoy a fantastic season.
· It is a requirement of the society that the annual subscriptions of £50.00 be paid at the start of February each year. Subscriptions provide you with a Bunkers welcome pack consisting of a embroidered polo shirt, a membership benefit & discount card entitling you to money off when using our partner agencies and the ability to have your handicap calculated throughout the year and the chance to win prizes and competitions on our society dates.
They are also to assist with the cost of booking deposits, the upkeep of this website and social media sites and all administration costs the society may incur. Any monies carried forward will contribute to the next year’s subscriptions. The amount of annual subscription will be reviewed at the AGM. Monies will be verified by the society treasurer.
Last Updated: 15/08/2015
THE COMMITTEE
· The Committee shall consist of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Handicap Secretary (plus the President and Captain) making no more than seven.
· The Handicap Committee shall consist of the Handicap Secretary [Verified by the Captain & Chairman]. It will be the sole responsibility of the Handicap Secretary to choose what type of competition will be played and stroke allowance, if any, to be given. In the case of a discrepancy the Handicap Secretary will make a ruling on the day and their decision will be final. If they cannot make a decision then the full committee will meet and their decision will be absolute.
- The society AGM shall be held in November each year.
· All members of the Committee [including the Captain] shall remain in office until they decide to retire or another member decides to stand for a position on the Committee. Then it will be proposed and seconded and voted upon at the next AGM.
· Any member of the Society can apply for a position on the Committee.
· An AGM shall be held once every year. Any voting at an AGM shall be one vote per member, the Chairman having the casting vote.
· Any proposal for a rule change, addition, or a new rule applied or amended must be given in writing no less than fourteen days prior to an AGM with the proposers and seconders name on it.
· Two-thirds majority of the members present must pass all proposals at the time. Proposers and seconders must be present at the AGM for their proposals to be passed. The Committee has the power to introduce new emergency rules it considers being in the best interests of the society.
PAYMENTS TO PLAY
This is potentially the most difficult part of any society and is usually a reason why they would fail or cease to run.
As I am sure you can appreciate most bookings will need to be made months in advance and most places will want a deposit of some description. [Generally a minimum of £100 per venue]
Therefore, the following rules apply to payment:
1 – It is a members responsibility to inform the society that they wish to take part in an event.
Members will be notified of events AT LEAST 28 days in advance [but in most cases can see several months in advance of an event via the website]. However, notifications are sent via this website, individual email, Twitter and Facebook. Once notified you must pay FULL payment within 21 days of playing and then inform the Treasurer or Chairman that you have paid and are playing the event.
Event and payment due dates will be made clear in all correspondence. More info CLICK HERE
Unfortunately, payments are NON-REFUNDABLE. If you make full payment and then inform us that you cannot make the event we will make all reasonable steps to recover and refund the payment. However, should the golf club refuse refunds, and we cannot find an alternative player to fill your space - then unfortunately the full payment will be lost.
Members wishing to save monthly are welcome to do so and should contact the chairman to make arrangements for this to be done via standing order. CLICK HERE TO CONTACT
GAMES AND RULES
· All games are to be played under the rules of golf as directed and approved by the Royal and Golf Club of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. All Handicaps will be adjusted under the rules of the Council of National Golf Union & The English Golf Unions.
· There is no rule of Golf requiring a player to initial any mistake on a scorecard. Any mistake must be crossed through and the correction entered at the side, all players must sign the scorecard at the end of a round to confirm gross scores only. The player may initial instead of signing, it doesn’t need to be in the correct space, it can be in either the player or markers space. Rubbing out will not be allowed, cards cannot be altered after being handed in, any doubtful points must be clarified before doing so. All comps will be made up of rounds of Stableford and rounds of Strokeplay, so scores must be returned. A no return on one hole on a card will result in disqualification from the competition (except for Stableford events), but will still count towards your handicap, so it is in your interests to ensure you return a score.
· Players WILL NOT mark their own scorecards. Players should enter their name, society handicap and the date onto the scorecard before exchanging it with another player in their group. Scorecards should be signed by the player and marker at every event.
· It is a player’s responsibility to ensure his correct handicap is entered onto his card as posted on our website. If the wrong handicap is entered onto his card and he does not correct it, the player will be disqualified.
- It is a players responsibility to ensure they learn how to complete a scorecard correctly [SEE HERE] We appreciate that new players may require some guidance and therefore it is advised that if you are unsure that you openly mark cards with the players in your group to ensure they are correct and that you are learning how to do so for the future.
· Any player found guilty of trying to falsely build a handicap would have his existing handicap suspended for the remainder of the season.
· Gimmees will be agreed pre round and members will be informed they are in play during the event introductions in the clubhouse. If gimmes are in play, they MUST be agreed by all players within the group. If not, and a player takes a gimme then no score shall be submitted for that hole and therefore loss of score for that round will be submitted.
· Lost or out of bounds [OB] - The Rules of Golf Rule 27.1. A player should proceed with a provisional ball and not carry on in the hope it is neither lost or out of bounds.
If you hit your shot and there is a chance it is lost or out of bounds you should:
- Drop a provisional ball as close as possible to the location of the original shot. In doing so, you MUST inform your playing colleagues that the ball is a provisional.
If you DID NOT play a provisional ball - you can either go back to the position of the original shot, if time permits, and play the stroke again under penalty of stroke and distance or withdraw from that hole altogether. You cannot take a drop from where the ball went out of bounds [as was a previous Bunkers rule to aid speed of play]
FOR FULL DETAILS ON THESE RULES - CLICK HERE
· There are a lot of wrong balls played, so to clarify, it is up to you to ensure the correct ball is played. If a wrong ball is played you must play the correct one adding two penalty strokes Rule 15.3.
- SOCIETY GUESTS will be played off Handicaps provided, as long as they can be verified. Official handicappers should provide a copy of their CONGU certificate. Society Guests should provide a link to their handicap on their society website. Guests attending without any handicap will play off three-quarters and with no more than an 18 handicap.
· The society has limitations on the number of associate members initially, this shall be reviewed six monthly. Presently this is set at 35 and we do not believe this number will rise as we want to provide the best quality service to members rather than being swamped by numbers.
· These rules cancel all other rules in force.
DRESS CODE
· DRESS CODE is strictly smart and in keeping with the game [and our own personal standards] COURSE DRESS shall be polo shirts or collared t-shirts. Pants without studs or leg pockets must be worn and golfing shoes in keeping with course rules apply. Jumpers should be as plain as possible and should not be covered in large advertising or brand logos. POST GOLF DRESS for any meals/functions shall be smart casual as you would expect on any respectable 'night out' and should be shoes NOT trainers. We do not require any of this 'jacket & tie' nonsense for the purposes of enjoying a bite to eat. If its that important to a club, then we will not pay them for food and take our business elsewhere.
DISPUTES
· The Committee shall exercise its discretion on any point of dispute; any point not covered by these rules shall be referred to the rules of golf. The committee decision is final.
· These rules are not exhaustive but are expected of us all. Please take the time to read and digest, and hopefully we can all enjoy a fantastic season.
· It is a requirement of the society that the annual subscriptions of £50.00 be paid at the start of February each year. Subscriptions provide you with a Bunkers welcome pack consisting of a embroidered polo shirt, a membership benefit & discount card entitling you to money off when using our partner agencies and the ability to have your handicap calculated throughout the year and the chance to win prizes and competitions on our society dates.
They are also to assist with the cost of booking deposits, the upkeep of this website and social media sites and all administration costs the society may incur. Any monies carried forward will contribute to the next year’s subscriptions. The amount of annual subscription will be reviewed at the AGM. Monies will be verified by the society treasurer.
Last Updated: 15/08/2015