Throughout winter, our Greens Team has been busy with their Winter Maintenance Plan, specifically the Tree Redevelopment Programme.
Across the golf course, over 100 pine trees have been planted. With this in mind, we will be introducing Model Local Rule E-10. Please see below:
Model Local Rule E-10
The young trees identified by stakes and or canes & wire mesh are no play zones:
If a player's ball lies anywhere on the course other than in a penalty area and it lies on or touches such a tree or such a tree interferes with the player's stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1f.
If the ball lies in a penalty area, and interference to the player's stance or area of intended swing exists from such a tree, the player must take relief either with penalty under Rule 17.1e or with free relief under Rule 17.1e(2).
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.
Whilst over 100 trees have been planted, some existing trees have been removed. We would like to take this opportunity to remind players all tree stumps awaiting removal are deemed an ‘integral object’', therefore, no relief is permitted unless near a fairway. If this is the case, the player should proceed in line with Modern Local Rule F-9. Please see below:
Model Local Rule F-9.1
If a player's ball is at rest in a portion of the general area cut to fairway height or less and there is interference from exposed tree roots that are in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the tree roots are treated as ground under repair. The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b.
[But interference does not exist if the tree roots only interfere with the player's stance.]
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.