SOGC LOCAL RULES

Changes effective from 2 May, 2026

1.   Old greenside bunkers on 3rd & 13th, Waterloo, are now turfed and longer GUR (Local Rule C1)

2.   Ground above drain line from fairway bunker on 2nd, Wellington is GUR (Local Rule C1)

3.   Cracks in dry ground – relief is restored  (Local Rule C3)

PART A: PERMANENT LOCAL RULES

A1.      OUT OF BOUNDS

Out of Bounds is defined by the line between the course-side points, at ground level, of white stakes and course boundary fence posts. A ball coming to rest anywhere inside the main clubhouse building is Out of Bounds.

Exception: Broken-down barbed wire and post fences to the left of 15th hole, Wellington and to the right of 14th hole, Waterloo do not define the course boundary and are not “Boundary Objects”. Those parts of the old fences which remain, including some barbed wire embedded in the ground, are Immovable Obstructions. If the player’s ball lies in bounds, relief from interference is available under Rule 16, but only if the interfering part lies within bounds. No relief is available from those parts of these fences which lie out of bounds.

examples of broken down fencing

A2.      PROTECTION OF YOUNG TREES IDENTIFIED BY STAKES OR RIBBONS

The young trees identified by attached stakes or coloured ribbons are No Play Zones.

If a player’s ball lies anywhere on the course, other than in a Penalty Area and it lies on or touches such a tree, or such a tree interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player MUST take full relief, under Rule 16.1f.

A3.      BUILDINGS AND SHELTERS

All buildings and shelters within the bounds of the Course are integral parts of the Course. The Clubhouse is out of bounds (see Local Rule A1).

A4.      GROUND UNDER REPAIR

Areas marked as GUR, either with a stake or sign, enclosed by a white line, or as otherwise defined within these Local Rules, or within the Definitions section of the Rules of Golf. Relief may be taken under Rule 16

RELIEF FROM AREA OF CLUBHOUSE PATIO

The narrow strip of ground, planted with shrubs and laid with pebbles, between the clubhouse-side edge of the tarmac buggy path and the sleeper wall of the patio is GUR.

The sleeper wall, steps, patio paving area and any structure or furniture within the patio area are all Immovable Obstructions.

All of the elements described above are treated as a single abnormal course condition, which is also a No Play Zone. If a ball comes to rest within any of these elements, or if any such element interferes with the player’s stance or area of swing, then relief MUST be taken by the player. In either case, relief must be taken according to:

Rule 16.1b, (Relief from Interference from Abnormal Course Condition),
Rule 16.1f, (No Play Zone) and
Rule 14.3 (Dropping Ball in Relief Area). 

Note that the Nearest Point of Complete Relief (NPR) may be some distance from where the ball has come to rest in the patio area, because the NPR may NOT be nearer to the hole than where the ball had come to rest.

Failure to take relief under this Local Rule, or playing from a Wrong Place, incurs the General Penalty.

A5.      POWERLINES AND POLES

If it is known or virtually certain that a player’s ball hit a power line, or any part of the pole or other structures, supporting the power lines, during the play of the 3rd or 4th hole of the Waterloo course, the stroke does not count. The player MUST play a ball, without penalty, from where the previous stroke was made: Rule 14.6.

Note 1: Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place, in Breach of a Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

A6.      ELECTRICITY POLE ON THE WATERLOO THIRD (3RD) FAIRWAY

If a ball comes to rest at the base of the pole within the loose material or such that the pole or the loose material interferes with the swing or stance, the player may take relief, without penalty, subject to Rule 16.1 (Immovable Obstruction).

A7.      INTERFERENCE BY DRAINAGE LINE GROOVES

Drainage lines, running across the approaches to the greens on the 6th, 10th, 11th and 14th holes, Waterloo and 2nd hole, Wellington, may have grooves above them and some deeper holes along the grooves.

If a ball comes to rest, in the General Area, in one of these grooves or holes, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. But relief is not available if the groove only interferes with the player’s stance.

A8.      AERATION HOLES ON THE PUTTING GREEN

If a player’s ball on the Putting Green lies in or touches an aeration hole, the player may take relief under Rule 16.1d. But interference does not exist and relief is not available if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or with their line of play.

A9.      OPPOSITE SIDE PENALTY RELIEF FROM DITCH TO RIGHT OF 10^TH HOLE, WATERLOO

When a player’s ball is in the ditch to the right of the 10^th hole, Waterloo, the player may take penalty relief, using one of the options under Rule 17.1d.

In addition, as an extra penalty relief option, the player may drop the original ball, or another ball, on the opposite side of the penalty area to that on which the player believes the ball to have last crossed the boundary of the ditch.

Ref. B-2 Relief on Opposite Side of Red Penalty Area

[Note that such “opposite side relief” is not available for any other Penalty Areas on the SOGC courses.]

Reference Point: The estimated point on the opposite edge of the penalty area that is the same distance from the hole as the estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty area.
Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: Two club-lengths, but no nearer the hole than the Reference Point.

A10      RELIEF FROM BALL ON PATH TO RIGHT OF FAIRWAY ON 10TH, WATERLOO

This path is an Immovable Obstruction and free relief is available if there is interference, as defined in Rule 16.1a, with the following modification: “Relief is NOT ALLOWED if the path only interferes with the area of intended stance.”

The player may drop the original ball or another ball, without penalty, no nearer the hole and within one Club-Length of the Nearest Point of Relief, (see Rule 16.1b).

Relief examples for path on 10th Waterloo

A11      PENALTY AREA AND NO PLAY ZONE TO LEFT OF 10TH, WATERLOO

The deep ditch which runs along the left side of this hole is part of a Red Penalty Area, the right hand boundary of which is marked with red posts. This Penalty Area includes the ditch itself and all ground to the left of the ditch, extending to infinity (and beyond ?).

All ground to the left of the ditch is a “No Play Zone”. If a ball comes to rest in this No Play Zone, the player MAY NOT play it as it lies and MUST take one of the Penalty Area relief options in Rule 17.1d.

A12.      PRACTICE ON THE COMPETITION COURSE

Rule 5.2b in the Rules of Golf 2019, is modified in this way:

A player may practice on the competition course before a competition round or between rounds in a multi-round competition.

A13.      NO RELIEF FOR BALL EMBEDDED IN STACKED TURF OR SOIL FACE OF BUNKERS

Rule 16.3 is modified in this way: Free relief is not allowed when a ball is embedded in stacked turf or soil faces of bunkers.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a

PART B: ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY “WINTER” LOCAL RULES

B1.      PREFERRED LIES: WITHDRAWN, WITH EFFECT FROM 18th APRIL, 2026, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

B2.      MUD BALL RELIEF:  WITHDRAWN, WITH EFFECT FROM 18th APRIL, 2026, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

PART C: TEMPORARY LOCAL RULES

C1.       BUNKER CONSTRUCTION / RE-CONSTRUCTION

Wellington Course

All new and re-modelled bunkers on holes 1-18, are now in play. GUR relief is no longer available for these bunkers, unless individually marked as GUR.

One specific exception is the fairway bunker on the 2nd hole, together with its re-turfed surrounding area, which remain as GUR, pending reconstruction of the bunker’s drainage. The ground above the new drain from this bunker is included in this GUR area. The player may, at their option, either play the ball as it lies or take GUR relief, under Rule 16.1b.

Waterloo Course

Old Bunkers

The old, filled in bunker on 1st hole, (short/right of the green), is GUR. Relief can be taken under Rule 16.1b.

A few areas where old bunkers have been filled in or re-sized and re-turfed remain as GUR:

a) area to left of fairway on 3rd hole, where old bunkers were re-located and re-turfed
b) area to left of the greenside/centre bunker on 4th hole
c) old filled in bunkers on 8th hole
d) area to left of the greenside/left bunker on 18th hole.

Relief for a ball coming to rest in these areas can be taken, under Rule 16.1b.

All other returfed areas are no longer GUR, unless marked as such on the course.

Finished new bunkers on Waterloo Course

All new bunkers are now in play and are no longer GUR.

Immediate surrounds (ONLY UP TO ONE CLUBLENGTH FROM EDGE) to new bunkers on Waterloo are GUR

Many of these areas are still in very poor condition. Accordingly, until further notice, the strip of ground, in the General Area, immediately surrounding any new bunker on the Waterloo course, is GUR. This strip is defined as the ground up to one Clublength from the edge of the Bunker.

C2    GUR RELIEF FROM HEAVY VEHICLE TRACKS

It is not feasible to mark or define all the individual areas where there is vehicle track damage in a Local Rule. For more severe cases of track damage on fairways and even in some areas of semi-rough, it is appropriate for the Committee to provide free relief, on a discretionary case-by-case basis.

Accordingly, this Local Rule, C2, provides CONDITIONAL GUR relief, as follows:

Within the General Area, Ground under Repair includes heavy vehicle tracks, if they materially affect the fair playing of the ball. If the ball lies in such a track, the player may take free relief, subject to agreement by The Referee or by  a member of The Committee, before the player returns their score, in Strokeplay or, (in the case of disagreement between sides), in Matchplay.

If the player is able to take a photo of the lie, this will assist the Committee in making a fair ruling.

The link below gives examples as to how the Committee is likely to judge whether GUR relief was permitted.

examples of vehicle tracks

C3   Cracks in Ground due to Dry Conditions