The World Handicap System includes the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System. Its purpose is to enable as many golfers as possible the opportunity to:
• Obtain and maintain a Handicap Index.
• Use their Handicap Index on any golf course around the world, and
• Compete, or play recreationally, with anyone else on a fair basis.
South Moor Golf Club WHS Presentation
Rules for Winter Golf
England Golf are encouraging players to return scores for handicapping throughout the year. To assist with this please find below a guide showing the rules that must be followed if a player wishes to submit a General Play Score over the winter months:
1) Preferred Lies – Allowed from 1st October through to 30th April. General play scores can still be submitted so long as preferred lies are only taken on closely mown areas (i.e., fairway and fringes surrounding the green). When a player’s ball lies in an area which is cut to fairway height or less the ball may be lifted and cleaned and placed within 6” of the original lie of the ball no nearer to the hole.
2) Fairway Mats – General Play scores can still be submitted when using a fairway mat. When a player’s ball lies in an area which is cut to fairway height or less and a putter is not being used, the ball must be lifted, placed on, and played from an Astroturf or similar type of mat. The mat must be placed as near as possible to where the ball originally lay, and the ball must be placed directly onto the mat (not on a tee). The ball may be cleaned when lifted.
3) Bunkers – General Play scores can still be submitted when some or all bunkers are marked as GUR.
4) Temporary Greens – General Play scores can still be submitted so long as there are no more than 2 temporary greens in play and the overall course length has not been increased or decreased by more than 100 yards.
5) Closed Holes – During the winter months General Play scores can still be submitted where holes may be closed and declared out of play. When a hole is not played the software will award a score of a nett double bogey for that hole.
6) Winter Tees – General Play scores can still be submitted when winter tees are in use so long as the overall length of the course has not been increased or decreased by more than 100 yards.
The course is currently set up with less than 100 yards increase/decrease from its measured length meaning that General Play Scores can still be submitted.
If this changes in the future then a message will be sent out to all members notifying them that due to the change in the course length General Play Scores will not be accepted until further notice.
If any member has any questions regarding this notice, please contact me on 07980 992769 or e-mail kathrynt1975@gmail.com
Kathryn Taylor
Handicap Secretary