Local Rules & Guidelines

As we have the smallest acreage for an 18-hole golf course in Kent, please be aware of fairway crossovers on the 1st and 16th fairways, and again with regards to the 8th, 11th & 14th fairways.  Please pay attention to people that may be teeing off, or putting in, around you, such as 1st and 6th greens and 2nd green and 3rd and 6th tees.

Your ball should be identifiable as yours and you should announce its identification to your partner before play.

Men may play from either the yellow or white tees, ladies play from red tees and juniors and academy members can play from the blue tees.  Tee off from behind the markers.

Bunkers are a hazard so your club should not be grounded before play.  Stones may be removed from our bunkers without penalty, so long as you do not disturb your ball.

White stakes indicate out of bounds, generally in or over hedges, fences, ditches and walls bounding the course unless otherwise defined by white stakes.  Play an additional ball from the position of your previous shot.  Out-of-bounds are in the following places:

• In/over ditch left of 3rd hole
• In/over ditch right of 9th hole and left of 11th hole
• Beyond white stakes right of 16th and left of 2nd and 17th holes
• Beyond white stakes left of 18th hole and on/over flowerbeds behind 18th green, over the path surrounding the club house inclusive of the path to the left of the 18th fairway
• Anywhere in the car park

Red stakes indicate lateral water hazards.  Play an additional/recovered ball 2 club lengths from the line of entry or as far back as you wish in line with the flag.

Yellow stakes indicate water hazards.  Play an additional ball from line of entry as far back in line with the flag as you wish.

Staked trees which interfere with your stroke are deemed an immovable obstruction and so your ball MUST be moved in accordance with rule 24-2b(i).

On the greens, please:

• Repair all pitch marks
• Do not walk your trolley or bag across
• Do not walk on a golfer’s line of putt
• Tend or remove the flag carefully when putting
• Mark your ball with an appropriate marker

The Temple is an integral part of the course and no relief can be taken without penalty.

Fixed sprinkler heads are deemed immovable obstructions and relief must be taken in accordance with rule 24-2.

Artificial paths are deemed immovable obstructions and relief must be taken in accordance with rule 24-2.

Relief can be taken from the sleepers forming the 7th tee when approaching the 1st green.

In foggy conditions, the course will be closed if the pin on the 10th green is not visible from outside the Pro Shop.  The course will only be open once the 10th pin is visible again.

Stones in bunkers may be removed.

Suspension of play is indicated by an air horn sounded if it is dangerous to continue play, for example, in case of a thunderstorm.  You must discontinue play IMMEDIATELY.  Another horn will be sounded when it is safe to resume your game.

The reverse of your scorecard also indicates these local rules and boundaries.

R&A Rules of Golf