POLICY FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER & SUSPENSION OF PLAY

 The aim of this policy is to have procedures in place to cope with inclement weather & other situations where play may need to be halted during a competition. This is required so that players and those involved in running a competition, including members of the golf club’s staff), are able to recognise the signal that means play has been suspended. The situation where players do not know whether play has been suspended or not, or some players know and others don’t, should be avoided.

For the purposes of this policy, it is assumed that the “person responsible for the competition” is a member of the Golf Professional staff. When appropriate, the member of staff can liaise with the Manager, member of Greenkeeping staff or a member’s committee representative should any of these people be available. It is possible that Committee members may be playing in a competition when conditions start to deteriorate so early information communicated by them, from on the golf course, may assist the member of Golf Professional staff in making any decision.

 

BEFORE THE COMPETITION HAS STARTED

Providing the golf course remains fit for play and hasn’t been closed by the Course Manager (or his team) for the rest of the day, then an advertised “Acceptable” competition will remain as “Acceptable”.

Fit for Play means that the golf course is open and is not affected by current weather conditions and forecasts that may affect the course later in the day.

It is not in the spirit of the World Handicap System to declare an “Acceptable” competition as “Not Acceptable”.

If, before a competition has started, the weather conditions are dangerous (such as fog or lightning), then play will be delayed until the competition committee / professional staff say it is safe to begin.

Suspension from the start of a Competition

If conditions are such that any competition cannot be started on time for any reason, then it is assumed that the “suspension of play” starts from the time of the first planned tee-time. As such, the procedure for “re-starting play” will be followed and therefore, if there is no improvement in conditions after a period of one hour, then the competition will be abandoned.

 

  

DURING THE COMPETITION

SUSPENSION OF PLAY

Players have a duty to protect themselves in Health & Safety matters especially should there be a danger from lightning, when play must stop immediately. Rule 6-8 of the Rules of Golf makes it quite clear that a player is entitled to discontinue play if the player believes there is a danger from lightning. All players must adhere to the following Suspension of Play procedures:

Dangerous Circumstances

A suspension of play for a dangerous situation (e.g. lightning) will be signalled by the klaxon being sounded. During a competition, a member of the Golf Professional’s staff will be on duty and it will be their responsibility, having gathered any information deemed necessary, to make the decision to have the klaxon sounded.

However, even if the klaxon is not sounded and the players believe there is a real risk of, or danger from, lightning then the player is entitled to proceed under the provision of Rule 6-8 and discontinue play.

If the klaxon has been sounded, a player is not entitled to override that decision and continue play. When the klaxon has been sounded for play to be suspended, players must discontinue play immediately.

Players MUST mark their ball clearly and return to the Clubhouse as safely and quickly as possible.

Every effort will be made to ensure the warning is sounded with sufficient time to allow for all competitors to evacuate the course prior to an electric storm striking the course.

Upon the signal being given, all players must comply with these conditions. PENALTY for breach of this condition is DISQUALIFICATION. As soon as the players have returned to the clubhouse, it is vital to keep them informed of what is happening.

It will be the responsibility of the person responsible for the competition to inform the players that the situation will be reviewed and as soon as the lightning has dispersed. As a general rule of thumb, this is when there has been no thunder and lightning for a period of 30 minutes, play will be allowed to continue. If the storm is continuous, the situation will be reviewed every 30 minutes up to a maximum period of one hour.

After one hour’s delay, and with no improvement in the situation, the person responsible for the competition should declare the competition abandoned and the players notified accordingly. Those players who have not completed their round will be considered as having not entered the competition and their cards will not be classed as “No returns” (NR’s).

If more than half the scheduled field has completed a full round, then the competition will stand. Failing this, it will be recorded as abandoned in full. 

If the competition is abandoned, players will be entitled to a full refund of the entry money, sweepstake and 2’s entries (usually by way of a credit to their member’s account).

Although we should endeavour not to suspend play unless absolutely necessary, it is the responsibility of the Golf Club’s management to do everything possible to protect players from lightning and, therefore care must be taken in this respect to give early warning

 

Non-Dangerous circumstances

A competition should not generally be suspended simply on account of rain, unless the rain is so heavy that it would be unfair to require players to continue. Generally, play should only be suspended when the course has become unplayable. For example, balls are moving frequently on the putting greens due to wind or holes are full of, or TOTALLY surrounded by, casual water. In any event, if rain is of sufficient intensity to present an unfair condition, normally it would take little time for casual water to accumulate around the hole on at least one putting green. When this occurs, it would be remiss of the person responsible for the competition if he/she did not consider the course unplayable and suspend play. Accordingly, play cannot be resumed until the casual water problem is resolved.

Having taken everything into consideration, the next action is to suspend play and call all players off the course. This will be signalled by the klaxon being sounded. If the klaxon has been sounded, then a player is not entitled to override that decision and continue play. When the klaxon has been sounded for play to be suspended, players must discontinue play immediately. Upon the signal being given, all players, caddies and spectators must comply with these conditions. PENALTY for breach of this condition is DISQUALIFICATION.

Players MUST mark their ball clearly and return to the Clubhouse as safely and quickly as possible.

Again, as with a dangerous situation, as soon as the players have returned to the clubhouse it is vital to keep them informed of what is happening. The person responsible for the competition will be expected to inform the players that the situation will be reviewed as soon as the rain has eased. The whole of the course should be inspected to ensure that the casual water which has accumulated around the holes on the green(s) has dispersed and if so, play will be allowed to continue. If the storm is continuous, the situation will be reviewed every 30 minutes, up to a maximum period of one hour.

After a period of one hour’s delay and with no improvement in the situation, the person responsible for the competition should declare the competition abandoned and the players notified accordingly. Those players who have not completed their round will be recorded as having not entered the competition and their cards will not be classed as “No returns” (NR’s).

If more than half the scheduled field has completed a full round, then the competition will stand. Failing this, it will be declared as abandoned and all scores will be null and void.

 

If the competition is abandoned, players will be entitled to a full refund of the entry money, sweepstake and 2’s entries (usually by way of a credit to their Member’s Account).

 

Fog

It will be the responsibility of the person responsible for the competition to inform the players that the situation will be reviewed and as soon as the fog has dispersed (as a general rule of thumb, it is considered that play is only safe when the 150-yard marker can be clearly seen from the first tee), play will be allowed to continue.

Drawn Competition

When the competition is a drawn competition, play will be suspended and the situation will be reviewed every 30 minutes, up to a maximum period of one hour, before a decision is made to continue/abandon the competition.

After one hour’s delay and with no improvement in the situation, the person responsible for the competition should declare the competition abandoned and the players notified accordingly. Those players who have not completed their round will be considered as having not entered the competition and their cards will not be classed as “No returns” (NR’s).

If more than half the scheduled field has completed a full round, then the competition will stand. Failing this, it will be recorded as abandoned in full.

Book Your Own Tee Time Competition

When the competition is Book Your Own Tee Time, players may continue when the course has re-opened with no time restriction.

 

Note: The decision of the Committee / Professional Team is final.