Local Rules 2025

Please find below our local rules for the golf course.

Preferred Lies are typically introduced during periods of adverse or extreme weather, such as prolonged rain or frost, when fairways may become softer or more uneven. Allowing players to improve their lie under these conditions helps maintain fair play, protects the course, and ensures that scores remain acceptable for handicapping purposes.

We can confirm that Preferred Lies will be in place at Basset Down Complex. 

What does this mean in practice?
When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:

• Reference Point: The spot of the original ball.
• Size of Relief Area: Within 6 inches of the reference point, but: Not nearer the hole, and still within the general area.
•  In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must mark the ball before lifting it and then place it according to Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e of the Rules of Golf.

The following guidance from Wiltshire Golf contains reminders and explanations about the "Preferred Lies" rules in more detail, with working examples and common mistakes made whilst out on the course.  Click here to view this document, which we would strongly encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with.

Local rule changes (Dec 2025)

• The previous local rule treating significant accumulations of leaves on holes 1–9 as Ground Under Repair (Rule 16) has been removed with immediate effect
• Free relief for balls lost in or affected by leaf accumulation on these holes no longer applies
• Hole 3 - from 8th December the No Play Zone area (2 club-lengths from the road & the road) will be marked with a white line (to be regularly maintained). This area will only be between the outside edges of the first cut of rough on either side of the fairway AS SHOWN IN BLUE BELOW.

• If a Ball is at rest (stationary) either on the road, or within 2 club-lengths of the road on the Teeing Area side (within the marked area), the player MUST take relief under Rule 16.1 – meaning they must drop the ball at the Nearest Point of COMPLETE relief – NOT NEARER THE HOLE
• The Player cannot go back as far as they want when taking this relief, it MUST be in the ONE club-length relief area
• If the ball is past the road (green side) and on the downslope, it must be played as it lies, or the player may take “Unplayable Ball relief” under penalty of ONE stroke
• This NPZ has been created for safety reasons due to the incline to the raised roadway
• Playing a stroke from a No Play Zone will result in a General Penalty
• For those of you who attended the members evening, Paul could only explain the situation as it was at the time (NO white line and 2 club lengths from road). Adding the white line will make the relief procedure easier as relief is now as per any GUR relief.

Extended Red Penalty Area on 4th Hole

After consultation with Wiltshire Golf Referees, we are extending the existing RED Penalty area behind the 4th Green to include the small pond area to the Left-Hand side of the Green.

The penalty area will be approximately as shown in the pictures below and identified with RED stakes.

The margin of the Penalty area will be defined by the clear change in vegetation and go all the way to the course boundary.

To be able to take Penalty relief under Rule 17.1d from this Penalty area, it must be “Known, or Virtually certain” that your ball is in the marked area. “Virtually Certain” means 95% or more.

The Lateral Relief option (2 club lengths from the point that the ball last crossed that margin) CAN ONLY BE USED IF YOU CAN DROP NO NEARER TO THE HOLE

(see Rule 17.1d(3))

If it is not “Known or Virtually Certain” that you are in this Penalty Area, the ball is LOST and you must take a “Stroke & Distance” penalty.

This will be in place as of Monday 6th October

Local Rule – Relief from Cracks in the Ground (27.08.25)

Please be aware of local rules update. Due to current course conditions, cracks in the ground are now to be treated as ground under repair. What does this mean during your round?

• If your ball comes to rest in a crack, you may take free relief under Rule 16.1b
• Relief applies to the lie of the ball and area of intended swing only
• No relief is permitted if the crack only affects your stance
• To take relief, find the nearest point of complete relief and drop within one club-length, no closer to the hole

This Local Rule follows Model Local Rule F-8

OUT OF BOUNDS (Rule 18)

A ball is out of bounds when:

• It is beyond the line between the course-side points at ground level of the white boundary posts or lines
• It is beyond any hedge, ditch or fence forming the boundary of the course
• It is on or beyond the Entrance Road, Clubhouse Car Park, Putting Green Practice Area, or Driving Range

Note: The Driving Range outfield is Out of Bounds and for safety, players are strictly forbidden to enter this area

ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITIONS,

(i) Ground Under Repair

          (a)  Gravel or sunken drainage channels in the General Area

           (b)  Areas encircled by white lines deemed Ground Under Repair

(ii) Immovable obstructions

           (a)  All artificially surfaced pathways on the course

Dropping Zone on Hole 9

For a ball at rest on the artificially surfaced area to the right of the 9th Green, within the area defined by BLUE stakes only. As an additional relief option, the player may drop the ball, or another ball in the Dropping Zone (ONE Club-length from the designated stake). The Dropping Zone is a relief area under Rule 14.3

(iii) Immovable Obstructions Close to Putting Green.

In addition to the types of interference described in Rule 16.1a, when a ball lies in the general area, interference also exists if an immovable obstruction is on the player's line of play, is within two club-lengths of the putting green and is within two club-lengths of the ball. Relief may be taken under Rule 16.1b (Exception - There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.)

(iv) No Play Zones

Staked trees - If interference exists with the lie of the ball, the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under rule 16.1.

The road crossing Hole 3 – If a ball is at rest within 2 club-lengths of the road (on the Teeing Area side ONLY), the player must take relief under Rule 16.1. The reference point for this relief will be the nearest point to the ball, 2 club-lengths from the road.

The fenced off area on the left of the 8th fairway near to the green - if the ball lies within this area, or this area interferes with a player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1 (note: players must not enter this area)

PE NALTY AREAS (Rule 17)

Penalty areas are indicated by yellow or red stakes and defined by respective lines when present.

If no line is present, the edge of a penalty area is defined by its natural boundaries (that is, where the ground slopes down to form the depression), or a clear change in vegetation.