Fire Action

On discovering a fire: –

• Activate the fire alarm using the nearest call point, located at every exit.

On hearing the alarm: –

• Leave the building immediately, by the nearest exit.
• Proceed to the assembly point.
• Do not re-enter the building unless you are told to do so.
• The emergency ASSEMBLY POINT is located on the

First Aid

• First aid boxes are available from

• For first aid assistance, contact any member of staff.
• All accidents must be reported to the Club Secretary, and recorded on an accident record form.
• All major injuries must be reported to the office, who will contact the appropriate authorities.
• To contact the emergency services – dial 999.

Fog and Darkness Policy

The club has a duty of care to all users of the course and as such has a clear policy regarding the discontinuation of play due to lack of visibility. This will be typically due to either fog or darkness.

The policy is to be adhered to at all times.  Failure to do so, will result in individuals being sanctioned in accordance with club rules for breach of club policies.

1. Player responsibility

• The decision regarding play when visibility is poor, first and foremost, lies with the individual golfer, as they are putting others at risk.
• Wherever a golfer is on the course, they must assess whether they can see the clear distance of their intended shot; whether it is safe to play.
• If the clear distance of their intended shot cannot be seen, the player must not play.
• Golfers may wait to see if conditions improve. If visibility does not improve, golfers must cancel their round and their participation in competition, citing dangerous playing conditions as the reason.

2. Tee closures

• If visibility from the clubhouse across the course, in any direction, is below 300 yards, then the course is closed and golfers are prohibited from venturing onto the course until the course is reopened. “Course closed” signs will be displayed on tees that are in close proximity to the clubhouse.
• Responsibility for this decision is to be taken by the most senior member of staff or committee present.
• Members must not apply pressure to members of staff, in this matter; this may be considered as intimidation and a breach of the club’s staff anti-bullying policy.

3. Suspension of competition

R&A rules of golf – rule 6E clause 2.

“Visibility

It is recommended that, if landing areas are no longer visible to players (for example, due to fog or darkness), play should be suspended. Similarly, if players are unable to read the line of play on a putting green due to a lack of visibility, play should be suspended.”

• In the event of a club competition, rule 6E(2) will be triggered by the designated Competition Secretary, based on the actions of individual golfers, as per clause 1 or suspension of play as per clause 2 above.
• Once a significant number of participating golfers have decided that it is no longer safe to continue and start to come in off the course, the competition will be suspended or cancelled on the grounds that the course is deemed unplayable.
• This decision is taken by the designated competition secretary, based on the consensus and actions of a number of the participants.

4. Individual golfers in competition

Should, in accordance with clause 1 above, an individual player decide to stop playing on the grounds that they are concerned that they may be endangering other golfers, then the competition committee can allow this without cancelling the competition, provided they are contented that the individual did so out of genuine and appropriate concern for the safety of others.

If, because of bad weather, a player refuses to start at the time arranged by the competition committee or picks up during the round and the competition committee later cancels that round, the player gets no penalty as all penalties in a cancelled round are cancelled.

Green Keepers Priority

Players are expected to wait for staff to acknowledge them and move out of range, BEFORE playing a shot that might endanger them.

Greens staff are vigilant at all times when working on the course and are aware of golfers waiting to play.

A two-step signalling process is followed: –

A hand-signal to acknowledge the golfer and tell them that they must wait. 

This will be a single raised hand.

A waving of the hand/arm in a forwards and backwards motion signals the golfer to play.

Please also note the following points: –

• If the greenkeeper is within 2 minutes of completing the task, they will finish the task and then immediately move away.
• If the greenkeeper is NOT within 2 minutes of completing the task, they will move to a position of safety and wave the golfers on.
• DO NOT assume a greenkeeper will be able to hear or react to a shout of “FORE!”
• A position of safety includes parking at the edge of the fairway and facing away from the golfers.
• All golfers and greens staff have been provided with this information.
• ANY subsequent near misses, resulting from impatient golfers will be reported and pursued by the club.
• This is a Zero Tolerance Policy.