Bylaws and Conventions of Playing Golf on Wimbledon Common

• Each player must wear a sleeved pillar-box red outer garment at all times (with no stripes or symbols) and carry their own set of clubs,
• As we play on common land, other members of the public, including horse-riders, have “right of way” at all times. Never play a shot if there is any risk to any other user of the common.
• Any incidents must be reported in the Clubhouse on your return.
• We share the course with London Scottish Golf Club, and we rotate with them on the 1st and 8th holes. If there are LSGC players on our 18th green, allow them to tee off before you on the 1st; a reciprocal principal applies to WCGC players on the 7th green / 8th tee.
• There are 3 long par 3’s of over 200 yards from the men’s tees (1st, 8th and 12th ). You may tee off when all the players in front are on the green, provided you shout an audible warning if it looks like the ball will land on the green.

On Course Safety

• It is a local rule that all golfers on Wimbledon Common must wear plain pillar-box red coloured tops, to make them more visible to other users of this public land. We can provide these for sale, or for hire. Shirts must be collared and have sleeves or half sleeves. Denim wear of any kind is not permitted. Ladies may wear sleeveless collared shirts. Waterproofs can also be hired.
• Members of the public have right of way at all times. Numerous paths and horse rides traverse our fairways, so always be on the look out before playing a shot.
• Never strike a golf ball if there is any risk it will hit or encroach on another user of the Common (walkers, dog walkers, horses and riders etc).
• If an incident does occur, please make sure you report this on your return to the Clubhouse.
• In foggy conditions, play is not allowed when visibility is less than 230 yards (the distance from the first white tee to the green). If you are out on the course and fog descends, please stop play immediately and return to the clubhouse.
• If lightning strikes while you are on the course, DO NOT use an umbrella or shelter under trees. If possible, leave the Course by the nearest available route.
• Take extra care to avoid the risk of slipping or tripping in animal burrows, on wooden steps and wet sloping areas.
  
  
  

1. Abnormal Course Conditions

* A player may take relief from gravel areas (including roads and paths), and tyre ruts in the General Area (Abnormal Course Conditions)
* All fixed sprinkler heads and watering system covers are Immovable Obstructions.
* Permanent Drainage Areas on greens 4, 6, 15 and 16 may be treated as Ground Under Repair
* Rule 16.1 applies; Reference Point is nearest point of complete relief in the relevant area.

2. Out of Bounds

A ball coming to rest on or beyond any motor road (except the one crossing the 18th fairway), onto or beyond the horse ride to the right of the 6th fairway, or onto or beyond the road to the right of the 7th fairway, is Out of Bounds.

3. Penalty Areas

All ditches and gullies must be treated as Red Penalty Areas; Rule 17.1 applies. If the ball cannot be found, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the Penalty Area; otherwise it is a lost ball.

4. Horse Rides

A ball lying on a horse ride must be lifted and dropped in a Relief Area within 1 club length of the Reference Point, not nearer the hole, without penalty. A ball lying within 2 club lengths of the edge of a horse ride may be dropped in the same way.
Reference Points:

Hole 3: (horse ride left of fairway) within 2 club lengths of either edge of the horse ride, not nearer the hole

Hole 16: (horse ride behind green) within 2 club lengths behind or either side of the edge of the horse ride, not nearer the hole

Hole 18: (horse ride traversing fairway) in line with the flag, within 2 club lengths from the edge of the ditch before the road

All other horse rides – within 2 club lengths from the edge of the horse ride, in line with where the ball lay and the flag

5. Animal Dung

At the player’s option, dung from any animal may be treated as a Loose Impediment that may be removed under rule 15.1, or Ground Under Repair from which relief is allowed under rule 16.1

GENERAL PENALTY APPLIES FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:

Matchplay: loss of hole

Stroke Play: 2 stroke penalty