Serpentine & Districts Golf Club

Summer Ambrose Saturday November 30th - Register Now

Local Rules

To be read in conjunction with the Rules of Golf

  1. Out of Bounds
    1. Beyond any fence bounding the golf course.
    2. The dam on the right-hand side of the 9th fairway as defined by white posts with black tops. Note these posts are immovable objects.
  2. No Play Zones
    1. Free relief must be taken from interference by the no play zone under Rule 16.1f.
    2. Vehicle tyre marks (except those in a hazard) are to be treated as GUR.
    3. Bull Ant Nests are deemed to be GUR.
    4. Staked trees and staked shrubs are no play zones the zone includes the stake and any wrapping.
    5. Immovable Obstructions – Clubhouse / Carpark
      When ball comes to rest in the carpark or clubhouse beyond
      1. The white line and copper logs on the right-hand side of the 9th
      2. The copper logs and inner edge of the paved area in front of the clubhouse
  3. Penalty Areas (Rule 17)
    1. Yellow Penalty areas are defined by yellow stakes. Relief procedure Rule 17-1d or 17-2.
    2. Red Penalty areas are defined by red stakes. Relief procedure Rule 17-1d or 17-2. The  Red Penalty area on the right-hand side of the 1st fairway is defined by both red stakes and red fence posts.
      As an additional option on the 1st, 5th, 15th, 16th and 18th holes a player may drop a ball in the dropping zone nearest to where the original ball  crossed the penalty zone boundary.
      Notes:
      The dropping zone may be nearer to the hole than where the original ball lay.
      When the player is using a dropping zone, the ball must be dropped in the dropping zone and it must come to rest in the dropping zone.
  4. Preferred Lies
    1. When a player’s ball lies in a part of the fairway being played, as defined by playing surface cut to fairway height or less, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball within one scorecard length of the spot of the original ball (but with these limits: must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and must be in the general area).  For a ball that does not come to rest on the spot it is originally placed, see Rule 14.2e.

      Note:
      The grass mounds in the 2nd and 8th Fairways are NOT part of the fairway and the ball must be played as it lies.

  5. Immovable obstructions (e.g. sprinkler heads) close to putting greens – line of play interference
    1. Rule 16.1b applies to immovable obstructions close to putting greens.  In addition to the types of interference described in Rule 16.1a, interference also exists if an immovable obstruction is: on the player’s line of play and is within two club-lengths of the putting green, and is within two club-lengths of the ball. (Exception – There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.) 
  6. Kangaroo Paws
    1. If a kangaroo paw interferes with a player’s stance or area of his intended swing, the ball must be lifted without penalty and dropped in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Rule 24-2b (Immovable Obstruction). The ball may be cleaned when so lifted.
  7. Temporary Local Rules
    1. In addition to the above permanent local rules, temporary local rules may be in effect at any time. They will be displayed on a notice board as and when they are deemed appropriate by the Match Committee. Examples of temporary rules may be such things as fire-breaks, fairway renovations, and embedded balls in other than closely-mown areas during winter. Please check the notice board for temporary local rules.

      Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for a breach of a Local Rule is the general penalty (stroke play – two strokes, match play – loss of hole).

      The Yellow, Blue and Red posts on the edge of the fairways indicate that the distance from that post to the centre of the green is 200 metres (Yellow), 150 metres (Blue) and 100 metres (Red)

  8.  E-5 Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds
    1. When a players ball has not been found or is know or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed under the Stroke and Distance Local Rule for a penalty for two strokes, rather than proceeding under the stroke and distance. This Local Riles is not available if the provisional ball has been played. For full details to Local Rule E-5 on the Club Notice Board. 
Ready to Become a Member?