General
Out of Bounds:
Beyond the perimeter enclosing both courses. The clubhouse building and the adjoining pond.
The fenced area surrounding the buildings containing the greenkeeping equipment between the 9th on the Duke’s Course and the 6th on the Prince’s Course.
Penalty Areas:
All ditches are penalty areas unless in an area designated as out of bounds.
Yellow penalty areas are marked with yellow stakes.
Red penalty areas are marked with red stakes.
Ball played provisionally under modified Rule 18.3:
If there is doubt whether a ball is in or is lost in a penalty area a player may play another ball provisionally [as if the original ball should be in the penalty area] under any of the applicable options in Rule 17.1.
If the original ball is found outside the penalty area, the player must continue to play with it.
If the original ball is found in the penalty area the player may either play the original ball as it lies or continue with the ball played provisionally under Rule 18.3.
Wrong Green:
Temporary greens are wrong greens when not in use and relief must be taken under Rule 13.1f.
Ground Under Repair:
Tractor and machinery marks are ground under repair. A player may take relief in accordance with Rule 16.1.
Immovable Obstructions:
The following are classified as immovable obstructions where Rule 16 applies:
All bridges.
Staked trees including trees with animal guards.
Tree guards.
Shelters.
Winter tees (when not being used as the tee for the hole in play)
Wooden fencing by teeing areas.
Benches and seats.
Ball washers and fixed rubbish bins.
Distance markers embedded in the fairways.
Yardage posts and fixed penalty area stakes.
Fixed sprinkler heads.
Out of bounds marker stakes are an integral part of the course for the hole to which they apply, but they are immovable obstructions for other holes for which relief may be taken under Rule 16.
Fallen trees and dead wood are immovable obstructions for which relief may be taken under Rule 16.
Note: Richmond Park is designated as a site of special scientific interest and a national nature reserve. Dead wood plays an important part in supporting the Park’s wildlife. It is the policy of the Royal Parks Agency not to clear fallen trees, branches or stacked dead wood, and such items should not be moved.
Fixed sprinkler heads in the proximity of greens.
If a ball lies in the general area and a fixed sprinkler head is within two club-lengths of the putting green and within two club-lengths of the ball and the fixed sprinkler head intervenes on the line of play between the ball and the hole, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
Damage by Animals.
In the general area, areas of damage caused by badgers, foxes and rabbits are treated as ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b but interference does not exist if the damage only interferes with the player’s stance.
Animal Dung.
At the player’s option, dung from geese may he 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.
Penalties:
PENALTY FOR OUT OF BOUNDS: Stroke and Distance.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF ANY LOCAL RULE: General penalty.
In this section you can reference local rules operating on Richmond Park’s two golf courses.