1) All Championships and Tournaments will be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf as approved by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, and such other Local Rules as may be approved by the Executive Committee.

2) All competitors must be of Amateur Status as defined by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.

3) (a) Competitors must be male playing members of Clubs (including Artisan Clubs) affiliated to the Devon County Golf Union, or male playing members of an affiliated Club in another County who were born in Devon. Such competitors must not have taken part in a Golf Championship of another County, or have represented another County Union in the County Championships, or any Inter-County Match, including League or Friendly, during the previous twelve months.

(b) In respect of the Union’s Seniors Championships, competitions or Inter-County Matches (min. age limit 55 years on the date of the event), no player may have played for another County during the same calendar year.

4) The make of ball and clubs used must conform to the brands published on the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrew's current approved list. Non-compliance will result in disqualification. Non-Conforming Drivers, as defined previously by the R & A Rules Ltd, are banned with effect from 1st January 2008.

5) Any competitor who is found guilty of possessing, administering or using any substance or method on the WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) Prohibited List, will be subjected to Disciplinary Procedures in line with the EGU Ltd Anti Doping Policy. The full list of prohibited drugs is available from UK Sport (http://www.uksport.gov.uk/)

6) (a) The Handicap Limit and Entry Limitations will be published on the notice for each meeting. Entries must be submitted on the official form and be signed by the Handicap Secretary of the entrant’s Home Club (Members of Artisan Clubs through their Parent Clubs) certifying the eligibility and handicap of each entrant. All entries must be accompanied by the appropriate entry fee (cheques payable to the “Devon County Golf Union”). Entries must be received by the DCGU Secretary on or before the published closing date - late entries will NOT be accepted. No entry fee will be refunded except:

i) when intimation of scratching is received before the entry closing date or

ii) in the case of an entrant who may be balloted out and does not subsequently compete or

iii) when an entry fee is paid in advance by a player who later scratches in respect of a competition for which there is no closing date for entries.

(b) If an entrant is under 18 years of age on the first day of a tournament and no completed Parental Consent Form (PCF) has been provided to the DCGU Secretary beforehand, he will not be eligible to compete. The PCF must accompany the entry form.

7) The Executive Committee reserves the right to fix and/or alter starting times. Competitors are requested to report to the Starter at their starting point at least 5 minutes before their appointed starting time. Competitors shall start at the time laid down by the Executive Committee (Rule 6-3(a)). However, if a competitor arrives at his starting point, ready to play, within 5 minutes after his starting time, and in the absence of circumstances that warrant the waiving of the penalty of disqualification as provided in Rule 33-7, the penalty for failure to start on time is two strokes in stroke play or loss of the first hole in match play. Thereafter, the competitor shall be disqualified.

8) For the time being, the Union has adopted the CONGU handicap allowances which Affiliated Clubs are obliged also to adopt for its competitions. (1st January 2008)

For its Matchplay Competitions:

Full difference for Singles Matches

½ of Combined Handicap Difference for Foursomes Matches

For its Stroke play Competitions:

Full allowance for Singles Medal and Stableford

¾ for Three Ball and Four Ball Medal and Stableford

½ of Combined Handicap for Foursomes Medal & Stableford

9) Slow Play will not be accepted. The current Pace of Play guidelines as approved by the Executive Committee shall apply in all DCGU competitions unless specially varied or waived for a particular competition or round. PENALTY for Breach of this Condition as follows: Match Play – Loss of Hole; Stroke Play: 1st Offence – One Stroke; 2nd Offence – Two Strokes; Subsequent Offence – Disqualification.

10) Except in cases when Competitors claim exemption under the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 & 2005 upon the production of a Medical Certificate signed by a Registered Medical Practitioner, all other Competitors shall be prohibited from riding on motorised buggy carts. PENALTY for Breach of Condition is Disqualification. Medical Certificates must be provided to the Secretary not less than 5 clear days prior to the start of any County competition. Competitors shall always be responsible for providing their motorised buggy / trolley. Refer to Clause 18 for further information.

11) The use of a Professional Golfer or an Assistant Professional Golfer of whatsoever status as a caddie is not permitted at any time.

12) Failure to play in the Match Play stages of the Amateur Championship or the 2nd Stroke Play round of the Devon Handicap Championship, having qualified, will result in the competitor's entry for all subsequent County events (excluding of the Palairet Memorial Trophy & Palairet Plate) being refused for a period of one year to include the Event next following at which the competitor originally defaulted.

13) Ties shall be decided either on the last 18, 9, 6, 3 or 1 holes, or by sudden-death play-off, or as the Executive Committee may otherwise decide.

14) All County Trophies and the Scratch Gold Medal shall normally be competed for annually and are the property of the Union. The winners of these trophies (in the case of team trophies, the Committee of the winning Clubs) shall be responsible for their safe custody and shall hold them until the next Annual Competition, returning them engraved & clean either on or before that date as required by the Union. It is strongly recommended that they are kept safe in an Alarmed Area or Trophy Cabinet at their Home Club.

15) Dress, both on and off the course, shall be appropriate and satisfy both the Host

Club and the Devon County Golf Union. If the wearing of shorts is permitted, they shall be tailored and worn with white socks covering the ankles.

16) Matters of discipline and all other disputes at any event or competition organised or administered by the Union shall be decided upon by the Executive Committee (three to form a quorum one of whom shall be the President, Captain or Chairman of the Competitions Sub-Committee) and their decision shall be final. The Executive Committee reserves the right to refuse any entry without giving a reason and/or to alter, amend or vary at any time the condition or conditions of any event or competition as aforesaid.

17) Save as may be otherwise provided in these Conditions or by a prior resolution of the Competitions and/or Executive Committee(s), no published or scheduled venue for a Championship, Fixture, Competition or Event organised or administered by the Union shall be changed except:

(1) By a resolution of the whole Competitions Sub-Committee or as many members thereof as may be available at the time.

(2) By a decision of the Fixtures Sub-Committee of the Competitions Sub Committee:

(a) Upon a formal request being received by the Secretary of the Union from the Host Club, or

(b) in the event of a significant or sudden change in the condition of

(i) the course or any playing part of it, and/or

(ii) the normal facilities provided in the clubhouse or its immediate precincts, which could adversely affect the proper and safe conduct of the event.

All such changes as above must be reported in writing to all members of the Executive Committee, with the reasons therefor, within 7 days of any resolution or decision being taken as the case may be.

18) Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 & 2005

For the purpose of accommodating any competitor who has a physical impairment, as defined by the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 & 2005, and certified in writing by a Registered Medical Practitioner, the Union may permit any such competitor to be exempt from any prohibition upon the use of a buggy or an electric and/or manual trolley during a competition or event administered by the Union providing the competitor accepts responsibility for his actions and uses his best endeavours to ensure that his buggy or trolley is kept under his close control at all times. The Competitor shall be responsible at all times for providing his buggy or any form of trolley.

It is recommended that competitors using a buggy shall keep to all designated paths, comply with all relevant ‘traffic’ signs, keep off the ‘closely-mown area’ (fairway) where possible and maintain at all times a distance of at least 20 yards from the nearest point of any putting green. Failure to maintain control of his buggy or trolley in accordance with this Condition may result in the competitor being refused entry to future competitions or events.

Any application for exemption shall be submitted to the DCGU Office not less than 5 clear days in advance of the competition start date and must include a medical certificate signed by a Registered Medical Practitioner.