Terms of Competitions

  1. Introduction

(a)  The Rules of Golf effective January 2022 applies.  These Terms of Competition apply to the running of all Club competitions. They are supplemented during the winter season by Terms of Competition for the Winter League.

(b)  All members please note that these updated Terms of Competition come into effect on 2nd April  2022.  The Committee is responsible for their application and enforcement.  Note that where the ‘Committee’ is referred to this is, normally, the Competition Secretary’s Committee in charge of running the competitions and not the Club Committee.

  1. Competitions

These Terms apply generally to club competitions including Saturday/Sunday Competitions.  The structure of club competitions other than Saturday/Sunday competitions is set out in supplementary Terms of Competitions dealing with eligibility, entry requirements and dates, and format, including handicap allowance.  The structure of Saturday/Sunday and other major club competitions, such as the monthly medal, is set out in an annual schedule and online when booking in and may be amended from time to time.

  1. Time Sheet

(a) The time sheet for the Saturday Competition becomes available online on Thursday at 7-30 pm for the following week.

(b)  Members cannot normally book tee times by telephone.  This is, however, acceptable on the day before and on the day of the competition concerned.

(c)  Members may only add, remove or change the name of another member on the timesheet with the express permission of that member – failure to observe this rule may, at the discretion of the Committee, result in suspension from future club competitions.

(d)  Cancellation of a booking should take place before 7-00 pm on the day before the competition concerned, that is, on the Friday evening for Saturday competitions. Bookings are accepted on-line until 10-00pm. Late cancellation is unfair to others who wish to make a late booking.  Cancellations will also be taken by telephone or in person until close of business, on the day before the competition that is on the Friday evening for Saturday competitions.

(e)  Members who contact the office on the day of the competition itself because they are unable to play will be asked to say why they are unable to play. Any explanation given will be noted and the facts will be considered by the Committee before a decision is taken as to whether or not the player will face suspension from future club competitions.

(f)  Any competitor who fails to turn up on the day of competition without contacting the office in advance may at the discretion of the Committee, face suspension from future club competitions.

(g)  All competitors should report to the shop, have paid the appropriate entry fee, be on the first tee and ready to commence play five minutes before the allotted starting time.

  1. Tee Off Time

(a) All competitors should report to the shop, have paid the appropriate entry fee, be on the first tee and ready to commence play five minutes before the allotted starting time.

(b) Play is not to commence until the allotted tee time. Rule 5.3a Rules of Golf applies. “The player must start at (and not before) his allocated starting time. This means that the player must be ready to play at the starting time and starting point set by the Committee.”

(c)The penalty for breach of this Rule is disqualification except that if a player arrives at the first tee ready to play within 5 minutes after his starting time or plays no more than five minutes early, the penalty for failure to start on time is loss of two strokes at the first hole (stroke play) or loss of first hole (match play). If the Committee decides that exceptional circumstances prevented player from starting there is no penalty.

  1. Scorecards

(a)  All scorecards: should be fully completed including competition name, player’s name, handicap and date. The player must ensure that his handicap is recorded on his score card before it is returned and is accurate.  Failure to do so may result in disqualification – see Rules of Golf, Rule 3.3b (4). All cards must be marked by a player with an official Golf Ireland handicap. In the case of a Junior marker, they must be eligible to compete in the competition for which the card is being marked.

(b)  Marker responsibility: After each hole, the marker should

  • check the gross score with the player and record it on the scorecard.
  • On completion of the round, he must sign the score card and return it to the player.
  • If the player had more than one marker each marker must certify the scores for the holes he marked – Rule 3.3b (1).
  • Group marking of cards is prohibited.

(c) Players responsibility: On completion of the round the player should

  • check his score for each hole and raise any issues with the Committee.
  • He must ensure that the marker has signed the score card,
  • must not change a hole score entered by a marker except with the marker’s agreement or the Committees approval,
  • sign the score card himself and, promptly
  • enter the score on the computer or online app, and
  • return it to the Committee, see Rules of Golf 3.3b (2).
  • The player must not change the scorecard after he has returned it to the committee – Rule 3.3b (2).
  • The penalty for breach of Rule 3.3b is disqualification.

(d)  Returning of scorecards: A score card is considered to have been returned to the Committee when it has been posted in the letter box in the locker room.

(e) All scores on the scorecard must be entered into the computer or online app as soon as possible on the completion of the round. Failure to do so may result in suspension from future club competitions.

(f) Final result: The result of the competition is final in stroke play when all results have been posted on the noticeboard or online. In match play the result of a match is final when the result is officially recorded on the competition score sheet in the locker room or hallway.

  1. Pace of Play

(a) A player must play without undue delay and in accordance with the following pace of play guidelines. Slow play must be avoided and the guidelines for Ready Golf applied (see the notice board).  The pace of play in a Saturday competition is that of a four-ball. The time allowed for completion of 18 Holes is 4 hours 15 minutes.

(b)  Any four-ball that falls more than one hole behind the four-ball in front is required to call through the match behind – offenders may, at the discretion of the Committee, face suspension from future Club competitions.

  1. General

(a) Qualifying competitions: All singles competitions (subject to course conditions) on the fixture list from April onwards will be qualifying competitions for handicap purposes unless otherwise indicated on the timesheet for the day in question.

(b)  Prizes: Where a prize distribution is arranged for the evening of the competition, any prize winner who is not present will, at the discretion of the Committee, forfeit any prize for which they are eligible.

(c)  Please repair pitch marks, replace divots and rake bunkers, leaving rake in the back of the bunker.

(d)  Match play matches must not be combined with Saturday / Sunday competitions, unless approved in advance by the Committee.

  1. Breaches of Club Conditions: Suspensions

(a)  Members who breach the following club conditions may, at the discretion of the Committee, be suspended from all Club competitions – first offence, one week, second offence, two weeks, third offence, four weeks and so on:-

  • Enter their name on time sheet and fail to appear for the competition,
  • Remove their name from timesheet on the day of the Competition without providing an adequate reason,
  • Fail to call through the match behind after falling more than one hole behind the four-ball in front.
  • Add, remove or change the name of another member on the timesheet without their express permission
  • Fail to enter their score into the computer or online app and return their card to the Committee following completion of round.
  1. Captain’s Day and Club Championship competitions.

For a player to be eligible to win the Captain’s prize on Captain’s Day or to compete in the final of the Club Championship or the Senior’s Club Championship, he must have played in five (5) club qualifying competitions during the current season.

  1. Local Rules

(a)  Local Rules for the course can be found on the scorecard or posted on the notice boards in the locker room. They must be complied with. Additional local rules may be posted by the Committee at any time and it is the player’s responsibility to be aware of them.

  1. Competition Prizes

(a)  The Men’s Committee have decided to award prizes in each Saturday/Sunday competition (except team event weeks) during the summer as follows:

  • Overall winner
  • Low division winner, runner-up & third – handicaps 0 – 15
  • Medium division winner, runner-up & third – handicaps 15.1 – 22
  • High division winner, runner-up & third – handicaps 22.1+
  • Gross prize

Note: No player may win more than one prize. Prizes will be allocated in value order and they will take into account the number of players competing.

This prize listing may be changed for specific competitions.

SINGLES
Overall £60
Gross £30
Section winner £30
Section runner up £20
Section third £10

MEDAL
1st £60
2nd £40
3rd £20

PAIRS COMP (4BBB, Greensomes, Foursomes etc)
1st £50 each
2nd £30 each
3rd £20 each
4th £10 each

SCRAMBLES
1st £40 each
2nd £20 each
3rd £10 each

SWEEP (for singles not entering team competitions)

Winner £20 each

Note: All prizes will be Golf Ireland vouchers which can be redeemed in the club shop or at most golf retails stores.