Astbury Local Rules from March 29th 2026

Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for breach of a Local Rule is the general penalty (loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play).

1. Out Of Bounds (Rule 18.2)

A player’s ball is out of bounds if it lies:

Beyond any hedge or fence, on or over any line, or over any white strip defining the boundaries of the course.

On the car park, or on the roadway behind the 18th green.

In or over the canal (Holes 4, 5, 12 and 13).

• Hole 4 – beyond the white stakes inside the fenced area to the RHS of the hole.
• Hole 6 – beyond the white stakes to the RHS of the fairway.
• Hole 10 – beyond the white stakes to the LHS of the fairway.

• Hole 12 –
  * on or beyond the white stakes to the left of the path leading to the blue/red tee sets.
  * on or over the path on the RHS of the fairway and between the white stakes.
  * beyond the white stakes on the edge of the paths to the left and back of the green.

• Hole 18 – beyond the white stakes to the LHS of the green.

2. Penalty Areas (Rule 17)

All penalty areas are defined by RED stakes.

2a) No Play Zone (Model Local Rule E-8.2)

Hole 12 :-

The entire red penalty area defined by RED stakes with GREEN tops on the bank at Hole 12 is a no play zone that is treated as a penalty area.

If the player’s ball is in the no play zone, the player must take relief under one of these options, each for one penalty stroke:

• The player may take stroke-and-distance relief under Rule 17.1d(1), or
• The player may drop a ball in the dropping zone marked “DZ” between the path and pond. The dropping zone is a relief area (for the No Play Zone only) under Rule 14.3.

The player must not take relief under Rule 17.1d(2) (Back-on-the-line relief) nor 17.1d(3) (Lateral relief).
If the player’s ball is outside the no play zone, but the no play zone interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing, the dropping zone is not an option; instead, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1f(2).

For safety reasons the player should not enter the penalty area to search for or retrieve a ball.

3. Abnormal Course Conditions (Rule 16; free relief)

3a) Ground under Repair (GUR)

• Any area identified as ground under repair (GUR) by being contained within a freshly painted white line.
• Damage from tracks and tyre marks made by maintenance vehicles and ride-on buggies.
• All drainage lines/seams in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less.
  Play is prohibited from areas marked GUR.

3b) Immovable Obstructions

• All paths, bridges (including the bridge structure on hole 12), pylons (including supporting poles and cables), distance markers, bird scarers, course furniture, sprinkler heads and work not fully reinstated to ground level, are immovable obstructions and relief may be taken under Rule 16.1
• If a ball comes to rest in an aeration hole, relief may be taken under Rule 16.1b (general area) or Rule 16.1d (putting green).
• The OOB stakes on hole 12 are immovable obstructions when playing hole 3, relief may be taken under Rule 16.1

3c) Staked Trees

If a staked tree interferes with a player’s stance or intended swing, relief must be taken under Rule 16.1f

3d) Fixed Sprinkler Heads – Ball in general area

A player may take relief under Rule 16.1b if a fixed sprinkler head (immovable obstruction) is on the line of play, and
i. Is on or within two-club lengths of the putting green, and
ii. Is within two club-lengths of the ball.

4. Overhead Power Lines and Poles (Rule 14.6)

If a player’s ball hits an overhead cable or support pole, the stroke does not count. The player must replay a ball, without penalty, from where the previous stroke was made in accordance with Rule 14.6

5. Suspension of Play (Rule 5.7b)[EW5.1]

A suspension of play for a dangerous situation will be signalled by ONE prolonged note of the siren.  All other suspensions will be signalled by THREE consecutive notes of the siren. In either case, resumption of play will be signalled by TWO short notes of siren.
Following a suspension of play, players must return to the Clubhouse and a decision will be made regarding resuming play. Note: When play is stopped for imminent danger, all practice areas will also be immediately closed.
General information on the ‘Suspension of Play’ due to bad weather. There are two types of suspensions of play, each with different requirements for when players must stop play.

5a) Immediate suspension (eg Lightning & fog) – signalled by one prolonged note of the siren.

Players should suspend play immediately if they see lightning in the area irrespective of whether the siren is sounded.  All players must stop play at once and must not make another stroke until play resumes.  Players should either mark their ball or, if their ball is not close by, leave it in situ.

5b) Normal suspension (such as for darkness or unplayable course eg waterlogged greens) – signalled by three consecutive notes of the siren.

If play is suspended in circumstances where there is no immediate danger, players have the choice to either complete the hole they are playing or mark their ball where it lies.

For Local Temporary Rules  http://www.astburygolfclub.com/Page/CustomPage?pageId=28448