Winter Playing Protocols
Please take note of playing protocols coming into effect
Winter Playing Protocols
Please use appropriate footwear
With ground conditions being wetter and softer in the winter, the surface can become a lot more slippery than you are accustomed to. Please take this into account and consider the footwear you are using. Summer shoes which do not have cleats are not appropriate for winter conditions. Please use shoes which have cleats and ensure that the cleats are in good condition. The professional staff will be able to advise you on the most appropriate footwear for winter conditions.
Grass Pathways
While the grass pathways take time to bed in it will be necessary to close off some areas and in some cases, close off the path altogether and use an alternative route. Please adhere to directional signage and ropes that will be in use as required.
Handicap Qualifying
Handicap qualifying golf has now ceased and all rounds going forward will no longer count for handicap purposes.
Fairway Mats
The use of fairway mats will be mandatory from Wednesday 20th of November2024 until further notice.
This will be the same as last year whereby you are required to use a fairway mat when on the fairway and you can play the ball as it lies in the rough. You will see a white line painted around the green surface, when your ball is within that white line, closer to the hole, you may play the ball as it lies, with no requirement for using a fairway mat. If using a putter to play a shot from off the putting surface, you do not need to use a fairway mat. When playing from par three tee boxes or using an iron on any other teeing surface, you must use a fairway mat.
Bunkers Out Of Play
There are now 6 bunkers out of play as the winter programme of works gets under way. These are the 2 greenside bunkers on the 10th and the 18th , the green side bunker on the 8th and the fairway bunker on the 6th. As work progresses, notification of the bunkers that are out of play will be on the competition information sign in the pro shop and all bunkers that are out of play will be clearly marked. Relief MUST be taken at the nearest point of relief if your ball comes to rest within the marked area, even if that is behind the bunker.
Winter tees/ Use of Mats on tee boxes
The use of winter tees and larger mats will be in play where necessary on some tee boxes throughout the winter. The large mats will be used in order to maintain full length of holes and to protect teeing surfaces as much as possible and only when necessary. Use of these mats is compulsory, you may not tee the ball behind or to the side of the mat on the grass surface.
Course rotation
In order to distribute play through the winter, the 10th tee will be used as the starting tee in 3-week blocks with effect from Friday 6th December.
Upper Practice Area
The use of grass surface on the upper practice area is no longer permitted, play is to be from the astro turf strip only until further notice.
Please use appropriate footwear
With ground conditions being wetter and softer in the winter, the surface can become a lot more slippery than you are accustomed to. Please take this into account and consider the footwear you are using. Summer shoes which do not have cleats are not appropriate for winter conditions. Please use shoes which have cleats and ensure that the cleats are in good condition. The professional staff will be able to advise you on the most appropriate footwear for winter conditions.
Grass Pathways
While the grass pathways take time to bed in it will be necessary to close off some areas and in some cases, close off the path altogether and use an alternative route. Please adhere to directional signage and ropes that will be in use as required.
Handicap Qualifying
Handicap qualifying golf has now ceased and all rounds going forward will no longer count for handicap purposes.
Fairway Mats
The use of fairway mats will be mandatory from Wednesday 20th of November2024 until further notice.
This will be the same as last year whereby you are required to use a fairway mat when on the fairway and you can play the ball as it lies in the rough. You will see a white line painted around the green surface, when your ball is within that white line, closer to the hole, you may play the ball as it lies, with no requirement for using a fairway mat. If using a putter to play a shot from off the putting surface, you do not need to use a fairway mat. When playing from par three tee boxes or using an iron on any other teeing surface, you must use a fairway mat.
Bunkers Out Of Play
There are now 6 bunkers out of play as the winter programme of works gets under way. These are the 2 greenside bunkers on the 10th and the 18th , the green side bunker on the 8th and the fairway bunker on the 6th. As work progresses, notification of the bunkers that are out of play will be on the competition information sign in the pro shop and all bunkers that are out of play will be clearly marked. Relief MUST be taken at the nearest point of relief if your ball comes to rest within the marked area, even if that is behind the bunker.
Winter tees/ Use of Mats on tee boxes
The use of winter tees and larger mats will be in play where necessary on some tee boxes throughout the winter. The large mats will be used in order to maintain full length of holes and to protect teeing surfaces as much as possible and only when necessary. Use of these mats is compulsory, you may not tee the ball behind or to the side of the mat on the grass surface.
Course rotation
In order to distribute play through the winter, the 10th tee will be used as the starting tee in 3-week blocks with effect from Friday 6th December.
Upper Practice Area
The use of grass surface on the upper practice area is no longer permitted, play is to be from the astro turf strip only until further notice.