At yesterdays Top Dog Competition there was a number of playes who asked about local rules in winter especially using fairway mats and lost balls in leaves. Listed below is an extract from the local rules that can be found on the documents folder on the Club V1 Members Hub.

Lost Balls in Leaves
(3g) During play of all holes during the autumn period last week of September to end of
November any ground with temporary accumulation of leaves in the general areas or in a bunker is treated as Ground Under Repair from which free relief no nearer the hole is allowed under rule 16.1. If a ball is lost in the accumulation of leaves in the general areas and all playing partners agree it is lost you can take free relief no nearer the hole where you all agree it was lost in the leaves.

Use of Fairway Mats:
Acceptable Scores may be returned in Competitions and in General Play when there is a Local Rule requiring the compulsory use of fairway mats provided. Their use is restricted to the preferred lie period (period as directed by the National Association)
“When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less and a putter is not being used for the stroke, the ball must be lifted, placed on and played from an Astroturf, or similar type of, mat. The mat must be placed as near as possible to where the ball originally lay, and the ball must be placed on the mat.
The ball may be cleaned when lifted. If a ball when placed rolls off the mat, the player must try to place it a second time. If the ball again does not stay on the mat, the mat must be moved to the nearest spot, not nearer the hole, where the ball will come to rest on the mat when placed.
If the player accidentally causes the ball on the mat to move before a stroke is made, there is no penalty and the ball must be placed again on the mat.
If a tee is used to secure the mat into the ground, the ball must not be placed on the tee.”