Covid19

Booking

Members will need to book Tee times, either 1/2/3/4 balls, either through the Club Vi app or by telephoning the Club Pro shop – 01562 700454. If when booking a tee time you have difficulty booking your playing partners you should telephone the Pro Shop to confirm the names of who you are playing with. If you leave gaps then be prepared for other members to join you.

Full members will be able to book their tee times six days in advance by using the booking facility on HowdidIdo. 18 holes or 9 holes may be booked and played.

Flexup members must telephone the pro shop and will only be able to book 48 hours in advance.

Bookings times will be from 7am-6pm, at 10/20 minute intervals, during which time the course will be monitored from the Pro shop.

Members who book a tee time and cannot play need to inform the Pro shop immediately it becomes apparent they are not able to fulfil their booking. If you have a tee time booked but feel unwell, DO NOT attend the course.

Unfortunately, currently we cannot allow any guests or visitors to play.

Arriving at the Club

DO NOTarrive more than 15 minutes before your Tee Time if coming just to play, please remember we cannot have groups forming.

The Practice area and chipping green are now available for individual use, but players must report to the Pro shop so as they can be recorded on site and be informed of the stay safe guidelines applying. Only one player per bay and yellow balls must be used from the bays.

Members MUST adhere to the Social distancing rules (i.e 2 metres) at all times.

Shoes should be changed in the car park, the locker rooms should not be used. Parking should be spread where practicably possible.

On arrival at the course you will enter the facilities as normal to tee off, however on finishing your last hole you will leave the course via the entrance situated at the front of the 5th tee.

The locker rooms will be open, but only for toilet use and to retrieve/store clubs in allocated personal lockers, (one member per time in the locker room), sanitise your hands on entry to and exit from the locker room. Whilst the storage of clubs in personal lockers is now possible, golfers should still change shoes on the car park and refrain from showering or changing in the locker room.

If the toilets are used then you should sanitize your hands before you enter the locker room, wash your hands once you have used the facilities then re-sanitize when you have left the locker room. Please do not go any further than the toilets as access to the Clubhouse is via the patio.

The Clubhouse, bar and catering are now open but operating under Tier 2 rules. See email dated 30 November for the full implications that this imposes. Please access via the patio and adhere to the signage. No golf shares of any kind are allowed in the clubhouse.

Playing

It is essential that you report to the Pro shop before teeing off and advise whether you intend to play 9 or 18 holes. Tee off at your tee time, the Pro shop will inform you if you can tee of early or if you can tee off from a tee other than the 1st.

During play the flag MUST not be touched and it is expected that for social golf “gimmes” will be the order of the day where at all possible. When playing competitions the ball must be hold out. There are no gimmes. If the ball bounces off the flag it is not in the hole. The ball must be in the hole or a part of it must be below the surface of the green in the hole.

Whilst rakes have been removed from bunkers a temporary local rule applies. When a player's ball lies in a bunker the player may take relief without penalty by placing the ball in the bunker within six inches of the original ball no nearer the hole. The ball may be cleaned. The sand must not be smoothed before the placing. After playing the shot bunkers should be smoothed with club or foot where possible.

We have timed the flow of the course carefully over the past month and with 4 balls the pace should be 2 hours per 9 holes. 2 balls generally take 1 hour 40 mins, so if being pressured, and when the opportunity arrives, please let 2 balls through.

When coming round to play the 10th, you no longer have automatic priority, rather the priority is to allow the players on the 1st tee to tee off on time.

Please remember that the simple etiquette procedures to keep the course flowing smoothly are still in place.

A reminder

The Club prides itself on its friendly family atmosphere so it is vital that we all play in a manner which is taking other players and their playing ability into consideration. In general, particularly at this time, if you cannot score on a hole then please pick the ball up and walk on.

Take your trolley/buggy around the back or to the side of the greens, do not park them across the front of greens, especially the 2nd where you should go to the left of the green and walk behind it down to the 3rd tee.

Ring bells when exiting the 7/16th green, clearing the corner on the 8/17th fairway and down the hill on the 9/18th.

Be aware of players both behind you and in front of you.

All prohibited areas will be taped off, this will include the patio, balcony, practice bays, practice net and chipping area. When using the practice putting green please stay within the quartered taped areas.

Private buggies can only be used with one member in the buggy.

Once you have completed your round of golf you should leave the course via the gate in front of the 5th tee and then leave the Club immediately.

The Pro shop acts with the Club Captain’s Authority and we would expect members to treat them with courtesy and respect at all times.

These guidelines have been put in place to protect everyone’s wellbeing and we expect all members to adhere to them totally to avoid any necessity of sanctions.