WINTER GOLF GUIDELINES INCLUDING GENERAL PLAY ROUNDS 2025/26
The Committee recognises and agrees with the general principle of the use of mats on the golf course in winter months in order to protect the course from damage that cannot repair during the winter. Following guidelines set by Scottish Golf, the committee would ask all members to adhere to the following rules throughout the winter. With immediate effect, until further notice, the Blue and Green winter courses will be in operation for all play.
Rules for Casual Rounds, Winter League matches (SandyHarold and Britannia) and non-handicap counting Saturday competitions.
Due to the winter condition of bunkers and regular flooding, all bunkers are designated GUR. If a player’s ball comes to rest in a bunker, the ball must be lifted and dropped within 1 club length of the nearest point of full relief of the bunker, not nearer the hole and is then subject to normal golf rules.
Buggies are not allowed during the winter subject to exceptions being allowed to members with a medical certificate. This exception will be subject to withdrawal if the greenkeeper decides that course conditions are unsuitable on any specific day
Mats must be used on all fairways and for teeing off on Par 3s. Mats may be used on all other teeing areas.Where a ball has finished in the semi-rough and is within 5 paces of the edge of the fairway, a mat must be used and placed as near as possible to where the ball lies but not nearer the hole.
Where the ball lies on the fairway and the player does not want to use a mat, the ball may be lifted and dropped, not nearer the hole, in the semi-rough at least 5 paces from the edge of the fairway. Where the semi-rough is less than 5 paces wide, relief can be taken within one-club length from the fairway (a mat must be used).
Where a ball lies or has been dropped in semi-rough beyond 5 paces from the edge of the fairway, the player has the choice of:
Playing the ball as it lies, or
Taking a preferred lie or
Playing from a mat
Rules for Handicap Counting Purposes.
To complete a round for handicapping purposes e.g. a General Play Score or designated Winter Stableford club competition, to comply with Scottish Golf and R&A regulations, the following rules MUST be adhered to:
a. Scores will be acceptable for handicapping purposes provided there are no more than 2 winter/temporary greens in use for 18 holes.
b. Any player entering a General Play Score round must register for their round before teeing off and be accompanied by another player to mark their score.
c. When a player’s ball lies on the fairway and a putter is not being used for the stroke, the use of a mat is compulsory. The ball must be lifted and placed on a mat. The mat must be placed as near as possible to where the ball originally lay.
d. The ball MUST be played as it lies in all other areas of the General area, subject to normal R&A rules.
e. Mats may be used on all tees for the purposes of teeing off.