Practice Ground Update
With the new Academy being in full use and the signage for this facility on order, it is felt worthwhile to remind members of the rules. The signs are expected to be in situ within 2-3 weeks
When we first opened after lockdown, the new Academy Course was open for members to play daily until 5:00pm, due to the unprecedented demand for golf from the membership. More recently, the opening times were reduced to 9:00am - 5:00pm, which increased the times for members to use the long game practice facility. Now, the time is right to adjust the Academy Course opening times to those originally intended pre COVID-19 lockdown as below.
Academy Course Opening Times: (play available) - Monday: 1:00pm - 3:00pm - Tuesday: 10:00am - 12:00pm - Thursday: 10:00am - 12:00pm - Saturday: 3:00pm - 5:00pm - Sunday: 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Prior to the above opening times, members who have been using the long game practice facility must ensure that they have picked up their balls from on the Academy Course. We are also increasing the number of players able to use the long game facility simultaneously from 2 per mat to 3 per mat, whilst keeping 2m apart.
At this point, it is worthwhile reiterating the rules for use of the long game facility.
- Strictly Irons only - No Drivers, Woods or Hybrids - Hit no longer than the furthest target green - 200 / 205 yards - No play past 56 / 58-yard pitching targets during Academy Course opening times - Collect all balls on Academy Course before start of Academy opening times - Play from the designated teeing area only Hopefully increasing the number of players who can use the long game facility simultaneously from 4 to 6 will reduce the number of times players have to wait for a tee space. When anyone is waiting to play, please restrict your practice time to 20 minutes in order that others can have a chance. Please ensure the 20 minutes is from when you started to practice, not from when someone starts to wait. Finally, we have had instances where members have used the Academy Course as practice tees, hitting tubes of balls, both while the Academy Course is open and when it is closed. While open, the following are the Academy Course rules: Rules & Safety:
- Check-in at the Professional Shop prior to play. - Children under 12 years old should not use this facility unsupervised. - Play only from the designated teeing areas to the appropriate green. - No play from the Academy Course tees outwith opening times. - Maximum of 4 balls per group at all times. - (1 player= 4 balls max, 2 players=2 balls max each, 4 players=1 ball max) - Academy Course opening times will be suspended on Club Open competition days.
While the Academy Course is closed, people using the Academy Course tees for practice become a hazard and risk being hit by balls from the long game practice tee, hence use of these teeing areas is prohibited. Kind Regards, David Morrison Committee |