Playing Rules

 

WCGC Rules include the Rules of Golf (RoG) as published from time to time by the R&A and the USGA jointly.  RoG references in the WCGC rules are references to player’s edition of the rules effective January 2019. Copies of this publication have been provided to members – additional copies are available from the secretary. 

In addition to the RoG, WCGC Rules include:

 Commonly queried Rules of Golf are:  

Wembley Golf Complex Rules

WCGC club rules:

Rules for particular competitions – refer linked pages:

Ambrose Rules
Annual Club Championship
Cecil McPhee Trophy
Fred Sorensen Shield
Gerry Gillett 4-Club Perpetual Trophy
Jock Oehlers Match Play Competition
The Ray Dale Perpetual Trophy (Pairs)
Annual Charity Event with Westside Golf Club

RoG clarification:

 Identification of Ball (RoG 7.3)

If a player thinks a ball is his but is not certain he may, after marking it, lift it without penalty to identify it. The ball must be returned to the original position            
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Playing the ball as it lies (RoG 8.1)

A player cannot improve his lie before making the shot by pressing the ground with his club, moving bending or breaking a fixed or growing object or altering the surface by pressing down soil

Actions prohibited include:

  • Removing soil behind the ball
  • Accidently breaking a tree limb on a practice swing
  • Bending a low lying branch and standing on it while swinging

Actions allowed include

  • Moving loose objects
  • Breaking a tree limb that would not interfere with the actual swing
  • Backing into a bush if there is no other way to stand and play the shot

Before hitting a ball in a bunker, a player may move a loose impediment in the bunker under the revised 2019 rules, but he may not touch the sand in the bunker with his club directly in front of or behind the ball.

The penalty for violating this rule is a general (two strokes or loss of hole in match play) penalty.
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Repair of damage on the green (RoG 13.1)

Under the 2019 rules, a player may repair any damage on the green to restore it to its original condition.
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Ball at rest moved (RoG 9)

If a player or his partner moves, picks up or purposely touches a ball or their equipment causes the ball to move there is a one stroke penalty. Note the rules do outline a number of circumstances where a ball moved accidentally does not incur a penalty. For example:

Accidental movement of a ball on a putting green – when a player’s ball lies on a putting green, there is no penalty if the ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved by the player, his partner, his opponent, or any of their caddies or equipment (except in match play). The moved ball or ball marker must be replaced as provided in Rule 13.1d.
If it is determined that a player’s ball on the putting green was moved as a result of wind, water or some other natural cause such as the effects of gravity, the ball must be played as it lies from its new location. A ball marker moved in such circumstances is replaced.

Accidental movement of ball whilst searching – Under Rule 7.4, if a player accidentally moves his or her ball while searching for it.  The player will get no penalty for causing it to move, and the ball will always be replaced; if the exact spot is not known, the player will replace the ball on the estimated original spot (including on, under or against any attached natural or man-made objects which the ball had been at rest under or against).
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Cleaning a ball (RoG 14.1)

The rules permit the ball to be cleaned when lifted, for example:

  1. the ball is on the putting surface, marked and lifted
  2. the ball is lifted on the fairway to obtain a preferred lie
  1. the ball is to be dropped under the unplayable ball rule

However, a ball CANNOT be cleaned when it is lifted

  1. to determine if the ball is unfit for play, for example, to check whether the ball has been damaged
  2. for identification purpose
  3. because it is assisting or interfering with play

A one stroke penalty will apply for the breach of this rule.
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Provisional Ball (RoG 18.3)

If a player thinks his ball might be lost or out of bounds he can play a provisional ball from the same spot as his previous shot. If the shot was played from the tee the player may re-tee.  The provisional ball may be played up to the point where the original ball is assumed lost or out of bounds.

A one stroke penalty applies if the original ball is lost or out of bounds and the provisional becomes the ball in play. This is a stroke and distance penalty.
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Unplayable ball (RoG 19)

A player may declare a ball unplayable anywhere on the course and;

  1. Drop at a spot any distance behind the unplayable lie keeping that point in line with the hole
  2. Drop no nearer the hole and within two club lengths of the unplayable lie

Penalty – 1 stroke
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Ball in water hazard (RoG 17) (see below for club rule on Tuart 14th hole)

Note that under the 2019 rules, a water hazard is a penalty area. If it is virtually certain a ball is in a water hazard the player may under penalty of one stroke:

  1. Proceed under RoG 17.1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the ball was hit, OR
  2. Drop a ball behind the water hazard keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the penalty area between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, OR
  3. In the case of a lateral penalty area, drop within 2 club lengths of the point of entry no closer to the hole.
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Wembley Golf Complex Local rules

Local rules are described on the scorecard. They provide for relief of 1 club length from staked trees and lifting out of GUR without penalty.

They also have a preferred lie that is referenced to the length of a pre-printyed course scorecard and thus inapplicable to the smaller, personalised cards we use printed from the pro-shop computer, and is therefore overridden by the WCGC rule below.

GUR areas are marked with a sign. In addition garden areas with a concrete border on holes 7, 16, and 18 on the Tuart Course are taken to be GUR
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West Coast Golf Club Rules

We have a POLICY on Slow Play – see attached

Because we are playing on a public course and to avoid slow play the club has a rule for a lost ball:

Lost ball OR ball out of bounds

When searching for a lost ball, and if the following group is ready to play, they should be called to play through.

A player may search for a lost ball for not more than 3 minutes (RoG 18.2) (the time allowed has been shortened under the 2019 changes to the rules of golf).  When a ball is declared lost or out of bounds and a provisional ball has not been played, a replacement ball may be placed on the fairway within two club lengths of the edge adjacent to where the player and his marker believe the lost ball came to rest.
Penalty – two strokes

Note; This club rule should not discourage players from playing a provisional ball under RoG 18.1.
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Ball in footprint in bunker

If the ball is found to be lying within a footprint or animal-created depression in a bunker, a player may, after confirming with his partner that relief is warranted, mark the location, lift the ball, rake the area affected, and replace the ball as close as possible to its original location without penalty.
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Gimmees

Except in matchplay competitions, gimmees are not permitted. Members must putt out each green.
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Preferred lies

Preferred lies are restricted to 20cm on the fairway being played on both courses.  The length of a personalised scorecard printed from the pro-shop computer is 21cm.
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Water Hazard on Tuart 14th hole

As regards the water hazard on the Tuart 14th hole, if the player’s ball crosses the green into the water, a ball is to be dropped from the drop-zone between the bunker and the hazard.  Penalty 1 stroke. 

In all other circumstances, eg when an approach shot is played into the hazard without crossing the green, the normal rules of golf apply (RoG 17 – see above).
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