Rathfarnham Golf Club Local Rules (March 2022)
- Out of Bounds - Rule 18
(a) Over any hedge, wall, ditch, fence or line of white stakes bordering the course. (b) The Car Park and Clubhouse Enclosure including the surrounding paved terrace and pathways.
2. Marker Poles at Hole 17
A player is not permitted to play to the right of the vertical line indicated by a white marker pole. Any player whose ball passes to the right of a pole, and whose ball finished in play, shall be penalised two strokes for every such shot. If the ball finishes out of bounds, the Rules of Golf shall apply instead of the above penalty.
3. Pylons or Overhead Cables – Model Local Rule E 11
If it is known or virtually certain that a player’s ball hit a power line or tower or a wire or pole supporting a power line on any part of the course, the stroke does not count. The player must play a ball without penalty from where the previous stroke was made.
4. Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions) Rule 16:
(a) All paths and gravelled areas. The path on the right of Hole 15 includes the vegetation at the bottom of the wall.
(b) Any part of a sleeper, bridge or handrail outside the margin of a penalty area.
(c) Pylons, shelters, seats, staked trees, bell posts, sprinkler heads, manhole covers, hole direction posts, drain covers, artificial hole covers, distance marker discs, netting and cable supports to the left of the Men’s 13th tee box and the stone bridge walls facing the edges of the grass surfaces all defined as being in the general area, not penalty areas.
NOTE: the defined area of the old mill on Hole 9 is a No Play Zone and protected by Order of a Government Agency. Play from within the defined area is prohibited and the ball must be lifted and dropped without penalty in the Dropping Zone provided.
(d) A sprinkler head within two club-lengths of the green being played that intervenes on the line of play when the ball lies within two club lengths of the sprinkler head. See Model Local Rule F 5.
(e) Ground Under Repair:
All areas marked ground under repair are deemed No Play Zones, this includes all drainage slits for the lie of the ball only complete relief must be taken. Where dropping zones are provided they MUST be used.
5. Wrong Green Rule 13.1f
The practice putting green is a wrong green and relief must be taken as per Rule 13.1f (Note; the flower beds surrounding the putting green are ground under repair and relief must be taken, see 4e above.
Penalty for Breach of Local Rule Stroke Play 2 shots, Match Play loss of hole.
6. Temporary Local Rules:
Displayed from time to time on the noticeboards in the Clubhouse.
Penalty (unless otherwise provided) for Breach of Local Rule:
Matchplay – Loss of hole
Strokeplay – two strokes
Pace of Play Policy
Target Times.
18 Holes 3 Ball Stableford - 3 hours 35 minutes
18 holes 3 Ball Strokes - 3 hours 45 minutes
18 Holes 4 Ball – 3 hours 50 minutes
14 Holes Team of 4 – 3 hours
9 Holes 3 Ball - 1 hour 50 minutes
ON THE TEE
• Punctuality on the First Tee. Members should be ready to play and be on the tee box 10 minutes before their scheduled tee time.
• Ensure you tee off at your official start time, not before and not after, this is to ensure that at the start of your round there is a 8 minute gap between each group.
• Try playing ready golf, where order of play is based on who is ready, not on who is first away. If you have the honour, drive before marking card.
• On the tee, pay attention to your partners' drives. If they lose sight of their ball, you can help direct them to it and avoid any searching. If you are unsure whether your ball has come to rest out of bounds, or may be lost, immediately hit a provisional ball so that you won't have to return to the spot to replay the shot.Carry extra tees and an extra golf ball in your pockets so you never have to return to your golf bag to find one when needed.
TO THE GREEN
• Members of a group should not travel as a pack, with all members walking together to the first ball, then the second, and so on. Each member of the group should walk directly to his own ball.
• Use the time you spend getting to your ball to think about the next shot - the yardage, the club selection. When you reach your ball you'll need less time to figure out the shot. The bottom line is, as soon as it's your turn to play, you should be ready to step right up and make the stroke.
• Make sure you can locate your ball before you go searching for others.
• If a ball is not found within 5 minutes, IT IS LOST AND IS OUT OF PLAY! (Rules of Golf - Rule 27)
ON THE GREEN
• Upon reaching the green, leave bag or trolley in position for early exit on completion of putts.
• Begin reading the green and lining up putts as soon as you reach the green.
• Don't bother marking short putts - go ahead and putt out if it's short enough.
• When chipping around the green, carry both the club you'll be chipping with plus your putter so you don't have to return to the bag.
• First player to putt out should be ready to replace the flag immediately the last putt is made.
• Don't mark cards on or near the green. Leave the green without delay and mark the cards at the next tee.
GENERAL
• In Stableford and team events, if you can't score or improve your team's score on a hole, pick up your ball and move on.
• Don't let the slowest player dictate the pace of play in your group. If someone in your group is slowing things down, TELL THEM. Or at least use a “we’re falling behind and we need to pick up the pace a bit” style comment.
• Ensure your guests also maintain good Pace of Play
RANGER
Please also remember that the course ranger (or any volunteer acting as Ranger) is there to
facilitate the smooth running of the competition/timesheet and is acting on behalf of the
Golf Committee. All members must respect and heed any advice or instructions they are
given. If you or your group has lost its place on the course, the Ranger will alert you, ask
you to speed up or call the following group through. Members must ensure they work with
the course ranger in these matters.
Remember, your place on the course is immediately behind the group in front, not
immediately in front of the group behind! If you fall more than a hole behind the
group in front, you should allow the group behind to play through.