Local rules
Out of bounds
Out of bounds is defined by white stakes and white markings on fences.
A ball is out of bounds when it is beyond the fence on hole 1 (left side) and hole 16 (behind the green) at ground level (excluding angled supports).
During play of hole 4, the left side along the water on hole 5, defined by white stakes, is out of bounds. These stakes are boundary objects during the play of hole 4. For all other holes, they are movable obstructions.
Abnormal Course Conditions
Ground under repair is defined by blue stakes or a blue line.
At the player's option, goose dung may be treated either as:
- A loose impediment that may be removed under Rule 15.1, or
- Ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1.
Areas in bunkers where sand has been removed by the movement of water resulting in deep furrows through the sand are ground under repair.
Immovable obstructions are:
- Walls made of bundles of branches enclosed by wooden stakes.
- Branches stuck into the ground in an X shape (markers for the greenkeepers).
- Trees attached to stakes.
- Landscaping poles with red and green tops.
- Red and black landscaping poles.
- The timbering in front of the green of hole 9.
- Poles defining dropping zones.
Objects closely attached to trees (like tree trunk protectors) are integral objects.
Relief from interference by an immovable obstruction may be taken under Rule 16.1. The player has an extra option to take relief when such immovable obstructions are on or close to the putting green and on the line of play:
Ball in General Area: The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b if an immovable obstruction is:
- On the line of play, and is:
- On or within two club-lengths of the putting green, and
- Within two club-lengths of the ball.
But complete relief must be taken, which includes both physical and line of play interference.
Exception - No Relief If Line of Play Clearly Unreasonable. There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.
Penalty Areas
The red penalty areas on the outer side of the course are defined on only one side and extend to infinity.
The areas marked with red stakes with green tops (on hole 3, 4, 5, 16 and 17) are no play zones that are treated as a penalty area and relief must be taken from interference by the no play zone under Rule 17.1e.
Hole 4: The path running through the no play zone is part of this no play zone.
Relief from interference by
- Branches stuck into the ground in an X shape (markers for the greenkeepers),
- Trees attached to stakes,
- Landscaping poles with red and green tops.
- Red and black landscaping poles,
- Artificially surfaced paths,
- Fences along paths and teeing areas,
located in a penalty area is allowed under Rule 16.1b, with the following modifications.
- Reference Pont: The nearest point of complete relief must be in the penalty area.
- Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: One club-length, but with these limits:
- Limits on Location of Relief Area:
- Must be in the penalty area in which the ball came to rest,
- Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and
- There must be complete relief from all interference by the immovable obstruction.
The boundary of the red penalty area on hole 9 on the side of the green is marked by the waterside of the timbering.
The boundary of the red penalty area next to the greenside bunker on hole 16 is defined by the upper edge of the bunker.
If a player’s ball is in the red penalty area near the green of hole 14, 15, 16 or 17, including when it is known or virtually certain to be in that penalty area even though not found, and the ball has crossed the edge of the penalty area between the grey marked red stakes, the player has these relief options, each for one penalty stroke:
- The player may take relief under Rule 17.1, or
- As an extra option, the player may drop the original ball or another ball in the nearest dropping zone (defined by a pole with a DZ-sign). The dropping zone is two club-lengths from the DZ-pole and is a relief area under Rule 14.3.
If a player does not know whether their ball is in the penalty area on
- Hole 6 (in front of the green),
- Hole 8 (perpendicular to the line of play),
- Hole 17 (perpendicular to the line of play),
- Hole 18 (in front of the green),
the player may play a provisional ball under Rule 18.3, which is modified in this way:
In playing the provisional ball, the player may use the stroke-and-distance relief option (see Rule 17.1d(1)), the back-on-the-line relief option (see Rule 17.1d(2)) or, if it is a red penalty area, the lateral relief option (see Rule 17.1d(3)).
Once the player has played a provisional ball under this Local Rule, they may not use any further options under Rule 17.1 in relation to the original ball. In deciding when that provisional ball becomes the player's ball in play or if it must or may be abandoned, Rule 18.3c(2) and 18.3c(3) apply except that:
- When Original Ball Is Found in Penalty Area Within Three-Minute Search Time. The player may choose either to:
- Continue to play the original ball as it lies in the penalty area, in which case the provisional ball must not be played. All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count, or
- Continue to play the provisional ball in which case the original ball must not be played.
- When Original Ball Is Not Found Within Three-Minute Search Time or Is Known or Virtually Certain to Be in Penalty Area. The provisional ball becomes the player's ball in play.
Penalty for Breach of Local Rules
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.
Temporary local rules
Preferred Lies (from 01-11-2025)
When any part of a player's ball touches part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:
- Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.
- Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: 15 cm from the reference point, but with these limits:
- Limits on Location of Relief Area:
- Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and
- Must be in the general area.
In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e. But, for the purposes of applying Rule 14.2e, the player has only chosen the spot on which to place the ball once the ball has been set down, and the player has let the ball go with the intent for that ball to be in play.
Damage by Animals
Areas of damage in the general area caused by birds are treated as ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b. But relief is not allowed if the damage only interferes with the player’s stance.
Penalty for Breach of Temporary Local Rules
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Temporary Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.
Rules of conduct
No play zone
It is prohibited to enter the no play zones on holes 3, 4, 5, 16 and 17, except for
- the path through the no play zone at hole 4
- mowed areas near shelter and benches