NOTE: If any content below requires updating, please email golf@oakemanor.com

General Terms and Conditions of Competitions 2025-2026

Applicable to all Oake Manor Golf Club Men’s Competitions

Play shall be governed by the Rules of Golf as approved by the United States Golf Association and the R&A and Local Rules printed on the Oake Manor scorecard or published on the Club notice boards from time to time.  The complete text of the rules may be found in the Rules of Golf, effective from January 1, 2023.  Penalty for breach of any of the Local Rules is the General Penalty (Match play: loss of hole; Stroke play: 2 strokes) unless otherwise stated. 

Committee - All references to “The Committee” mean the Oake Manor Committee.  In all normal circumstances the Committee will be represented in all these matters by the Golf Manager or Club Competition Secretary depending on who has organised the competition.

Eligibility to Play - Unless otherwise stipulated in the entry conditions for a competition all male members of the Club are eligible to play in the mid-week and weekend club competitions.  Entry conditions for mixed competitions, Ladies Section Competitions and Senior’s Section competitions are dealt with in separate instructions.

Eligibility to win a Trophy - an additional requirement must be met to win a named Trophy.  On the day before the beginning of the Trophy competition, you must have submitted an acceptable score (e.g., non-DQ) from five individual stroke play rounds played in Oake Manor qualifying competitions played within the previous 12 months.  Failure to meet this requirement does not stop you from entering the competition, but does stop you from winning the trophy.

ENTRY TO A COMPETITION

Stableford, Medal & Par/Bogey Competitions - Men's monthly competitions are held on weekends and weekdays throughout the year and are played from White Competition tees unless otherwise stipulated.

All membership categories are eligible to play provided individuals have a Handicap Index.
Entries for these competitions are taken in the golf shop and you may play at any time of day.  The entry fee is £5 and is payable on the day in the Golf Shop.
Enter scores on the computer in the foyer (including No return scores) and post scorecards in the Competition Box by the male toilets.
Play in 2,3 or 4 ball matches
Single players can be made up without booking on the day or contact the Golf Shop who will facilitate partner finding /introduction.
Some competitions are either Partner Drawn or have allocated tee times, if this is the case put your details on the competition sheet on the notice board and, if they require pre-payment, place the correct money in an envelope clearly stating name, competition and amount and put it in the Competition Box by the male toilets.    
Use of GPS are permitted at Oake Manor in line with EGU and SGU rules.

Entry to the Stableford, Medal & Par/Bogey Competitions - This is only made, for ALL competitions by signing the entry sheet in the Pro shop on the day of the Competition.   R&A Rules Limited has ruled that a Committee must lay down a procedure for entry (see Committee Procedures 5.A.2) and if a competitor fails to enter a competition in the correct manner, they do not have an acceptable score.  Accordingly, such a player does not have a score either for the competition or for handicap purposes.   Consequently, any computer entry to the intelligent golf system by the individual concerned will be deleted and any submitted score card will be ignored in finalising the competition.

Oake Manor Knockout Competition Rules/Entry 

• Enter your name on the Entry Sheet on the Notice Board, and put your name, competition, and amount of entry fee on an envelope with your entry lee enclosed.
• Envelope to be put in the Competition Box before the closing date lor entries.  No Fee ~ No Entry; you will not be entered into the draw.
• Singles matches will be played from a Playing Handicap of 100% of Course Handicap.  Pairs matches will be played from a Playing Handicap of 90% of Course Handicap.  The player with the lowest Playing Handicap plays off zero strokes relative to the other player(s).  The other player(s) receive(s) the difference between their own Playing Handicap and that of the player with the lowest Playing Handicap.
• On entering any competition, you are agreeing to the following rules.
• If you write your e-mail on the entry sheet you will receive a pdf of the whole draw on the day it is made.     
• The draw will take place on the date specified on the entry sheet and will be pasted in the clubhouse as soon as possible thereafter.
• Competitors must have a Handicap Index (HI). Lack of a HI will mean automatic disqualification.
• There will be no challengers, it is up to all players to agree a mutual date and time before the closing date for any round
• If a date cannot be agreed, then the match will be played on the closing date for that round at 2.00pm (l2.30 pm in the winter)
• Should only one player or pair be on the tee at that time that player or pair can claim the game by reporting this to the duty professional. It neither side appears both sides will be disqualified.  Note that a single member of the pair can "represent" the pair in accordance with Rule 23.4 of the Rules of Golf.
• If the course is closed (or the number of holes available on full greens is heavily restricted) for an extended period, then the closing dates tor each round may be adjusted at the discretion of the Competition Secretary.
• White tees will be used unless otherwise stated on the draw sheets.  It will be usual for the tee to be used on the l0th hole to be specified for each competition.
• It is expected that any players entering the knockout competitions be prepared to be reasonably flexible with the times and days they offer to play.  Whilst in the winter it is acceptable to specify weekends only, it is not acceptable to be more highly restrictive, for example offering only Sunday mornings.  For summer competitions when evening play is possible, more flexibility is expected.

Other Matters

Practice - On any day of a stroke play competition practice on the course before a round is prohibited, except that the player may practise putting or chipping on or near his first teeing area or any practice area (Rule 5.2 (1st breach:  General Penalty on first hole; 2nd breach: Disqualification)).

Practice on the course on the day of a Match Play Competition before a match play round or between rounds is permitted (Rule 5.2a)

Pace of Play - All players must play without unreasonable delay [Rule 5.6]. The Rules of Golf recommend that a player makes a stroke in no more than 40 seconds after he is or should be ready to play without interference or distraction (Rule 5.6.b.(1)).  In stroke play Rule 6.4.b(2) allows players to play out of turn in a Safe and Reasonable Way (Ready Golf). members are encouraged to follow these guidelines. 

Players are expected to maintain the pace of play and keep up with the game/match in front on the course.  If a game/match cannot keep up with the game ahead they should allow any faster game/match through.  Two ball games/matches have priority on the course when the course ahead is clear.

Doubt as To Procedure in Match Play (Rule 20.1b applies) - In match play competition only, if a doubt or dispute arises between the players, a player may request a ruling under Rule 20.1b(2).  As no immediate ruling will be available on course the players must continue the match without delay.  The Committee may consider a request for ruling only if the player making the request notifies his opponent before any player in the match plays from the next teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the match, before the result of the match is final (as determined by the Committee).
 
Doubt As To Procedure In Stroke Play(Rule 20.1c applies) - In stroke play competition only, if a player is doubtful of his rights or the correct procedure during play of a hole, he may, without penalty, complete the hole with two balls.  Under Rule 20.1c(3), after the doubtful situation has arisen and before making another stroke, the player should announce to his marker or another player that he intends to play two balls and which ball he wishes to count, if the rules allow.  Before returning his score card, the player must report the facts to the Committee, even if he scores the same with both balls.  If he fails to do so, he is Disqualified.

Adverse Weather Conditions - In the event of adverse weather conditions or a dangerous situation arising during a stroke play competition, the Committee/Pro Shop shall be responsible for any suspension and resumption of play. 

Heavy rain alone is not a valid reason to stop play and come off  the course. If you have occasion to think that conditions make it impossible to continue play, and you come off the course, you must report to the Pro Shop and be prepared to justify your decision.
If in the opinion of the Committee, adverse weather or playing conditions make it impossible to complete an event in accordance with the Terms, the Committee shall be empowered to vary such Terms to the extent necessary to achieve a result.
If during a round you believe there is danger from lightning, you may stop play BUT you must report to the Committee for a decision.

Suspension of Play/Resumption of Play (Rule 5.7b) - If it becomes necessary to suspend play, the Committee or Pro Shop will notify the players appropriately.

If the situation is not dangerous players may be permitted to either discontinue play immediately OR complete the play of the hole they are on.  They may not tee off on the next hole until play is resumed by the Committee or Pro Shop
Discontinue play for Dangerous- Situation.   Players MUST discontinue play immediately.
Penalty for breach: Disqualification. 
When play is discontinued, the player may leave his ball in place OR mark its location before lifting it. 
Resume Play.  When allowed to do so the Players must resume play immediately from the spot where it was discontinued.  If the player had lifted his original ball when play was suspended, he must place a ball on the spot from which his original ball was lifted.  If a player’s ball or its marker has been moved during the suspension of play (including by wind or water), a ball or ball marker must be placed on the spot where the original ball lay at the time of suspension.   If that spot is impossible to determine, it must be estimated, and a ball placed on the estimated spot.

Scoring

• In stroke play only, upon completion of the competition round, the player must check the accuracy of the hole-by-hole entries on his scorecard and settle any doubtful points with the Committee.  The player must then ensure that his card is signed by his marker(s), sign it himself, put the scores onto the Club computer system and then place it in the Competition Box by the male toilets.  The card is deemed to be returned when the player has placed the card in the Competition Box before leaving the Club.
• In team competitions (generally some form of Bowmaker) the nominated player in the team is to sign the scorecard and return it to the Competition Box.  No computer entry is required. 
• Failure to return a card or a correctly completed card in any competition will result in disqualification. from the competition.  In accordance with the WHS Rules of Handicapping any submitted score in individual play may still count towards Handicap Index calculations and/or may result in a Penalty score or scores being applied or possible disciplinary action.
• SCORECARDS – Players are required to ensure that all details at the top of their scorecard are completed legibly.  As a minimum this must include Name and Tees Used to avoid disqualification.

CLOSE OF COMPETITION - The competition is deemed to be closed when all results are posted on the scoreboard and the Winner(s) has (have) been announced.

RESOLUTION OF TIES - Unless the Terms of a competition state otherwise ties shall be resolved in the following manner:

In match play if a match is all square after eighteen holes, additional holes shall be played until one side wins a hole. The play of additional holes shall start at the hole where the match started.
In Stroke Play the matching of scorecards (Count Back) is to be used to determine position in the Competition.   The current computer software will undertake this function but if this is not available the outcome will be determined based on the last 9 holes, then the last 6 then the last 3 and finally on the last hole. If this method does not decide a winner or a place then the result will be decided on the last 6, 3 or 1 holes of the first 9 holes of the round.  If this does not decide a winner or a place, then joint winners or places shall be announced, and each competitor rewarded in equal measure.

PRIZES - The Committee will decide the values of prizes in all competitions.  All trophies won by a player (s) will be held at the Club in the Trophy Cabinet and displayed with the winner (s) name