Special attention should be given to Etiquette. GOLF COURSE RULES AND REGULATIONS 1. No player should play until the players in front are out of range. 2. In the best interest of all, players should play without delay. Slow play will not be tolerated. 3. Players searching for a ball should allow other players coming up to pass them; they should signal to the players following them to pass and should not continue their play until these players have passed and are out of range. 4. Before leaving a bunker, a player should smooth and rake all holes made by the player. 5. Through the green, a player should ensure that any turf displaced by the play should be filled with a small amount of sand. Any damage to the putting green made by the ball or the player should be carefully repaired. 6. Players shall have no more than one ball in play at any time. 7. No practice of any kind, putting or second shots, is permitted on any of the regular fairways or greens. All practice shall be confined to the practice green or range provided for this purpose. 8. No more than one player can play out of a single bag. 9. Cutting In or playing holes not in sequence is not permitted. 10. If a group falls one clear hole behind the match in front of it, the slow match must invite the group behind to play through. 11. All players are urged to exercise care to prevent damage to the course. 12. Under no circumstances should a ball be played from any putting green surface with a club that will damage the green. If a ball lies on a green or on the fringe of a green other that the hole being played, the ball should be lifted and dropped to one side no nearer the hole being played without penalty. 13. No ball hawking or sale of balls will be allowed on the golf course at any time. 14. Players must have their own set of clubs. Golf spikes must be non penetrating. Players are cautioned to be careful when surfaces or slopes become wet. 15. Members are reminded not to leave bags or personal belongings unattended on Club property. The Club is not responsible for lost or stolen property.
DRESS OR ATTIRE Appropriate attire must be worn on the golf course at all times. Men shall wear slacks or shorts and shirts with collars and sleeves, or otherwise approved golf attire. Ladies may wear shorts, skirts or slacks with blouses. Shorts or skirts must reach at least mid thigh (no short shorts). No denim or jeans are to be worn on the golf course by men or women. Shirt tails which are designed to be worn inside the pants shall be worn in that manner. Hats with bills shall be worn with bill facing forward. This dress code applies to the practice areas as well as to play on the course. The golf professional shall make the final determination regarding the appropriateness of any golf attire, and may remove any golfer from the golf course or practice area if they do not meet these dress standards. PRACTICING 1. Members, when practicing, are to use the driving range and practice green areas only. Under no circumstances are the regular tees, greens or fairways to be used for practice. 2. The Golf Professional shall provide practice balls for use on the driving range at a nominal cost. Members may not use their own balls on the driving range. 3. Putting and chipping practice is permitted on the practice putting green but no pitching is allowed. Members may use their own balls for this purpose. 4. No one shall retrieve range balls from the driving range area other than the Golf Professional or his designated representative. STARTING TIMES 1. Starting times are suggested every day; otherwise, you will have to accept the first available time open on your arrival at the golf course. 2. No Member may obtain two starting times on Saturday, Sunday or Holidays. Two separate foursomes are required in order to obtain two starting times for the same day. 3. Members not able to keep their tee time shall call the Golf Shop not less than two hours in advance to cancel the tee time. Failure to cancel such tee time may cause a fine of $25.00. Repeated offenses may also cause a suspension of reservation privileges to the offending Member.
STARTING 1. All golf course play shall commence at a tee as assigned by the Pro Shop. 2. No match may tee off without permission of the Golf Professional or Starter. 3. Any group which stops after nine holes for lunch or delays play at the turn loses all priority of the course and may only resume play after checking with Golf Shop or the Golf Professional. REGISTRATION (GUESTS AND FEES) 1. All players and guests must be registered in the Golf Shop before beginning each round of play. (This applies to all players regardless of whether they are walking or renting a cart.) 2. Guests must be accompanied by a Member of the Club, or in case the guest is a non resident (outside 50 mile radius of the Club) and is not accompanied by a Member of the Club, such guest must hold a guest card which has been issued by the Club. 3. Social Club Members may play golf only as the accompanied guest of a Full or Regular Member and upon payment of applicable guest fees. This will be permissible only one time per month or by permission of the Golf Professional. Note This once/month rule is temporarily waived while the golf course is available for public play. 4. Guest Greens Fees: The applicable guest fee will be charged to the Member s account for each guest. A House Guest Pass is available from the Golf Shop that will allow out of town guests staying at your home to be charged at weekday rates on the weekends. 5. Members are responsible for guest conduct and adherence to all golf rules and regulations. GOLF CARTS All regulations concerning the assignment of, the use of, and the fees charged for the carts are determined by Decatur Country Club. 1. Daily golf cart assignment will be on a first come, first serve basis. 2. Use of Carts: Decatur Country Club recognizes the fact that the use of golf carts makes the game available to some who could not otherwise play and more enjoyable to many others. However, Decatur Country Club will not permit the use of golf carts to the detriment of the course. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that everyone heed the following rules:
(A) All carts shall be delivered to the golfer by Decatur Country Club personnel and under no circumstance is a player permitted to take carts from the cart building. (B) We ask that members observe safe driving procedures at all times and observe and obey all signs, stakes and markers used to guide carts. (C) Carts are particularly damaging when the course is wet. Cart paths have been established for this purpose and during wet conditions or when posted by Golf Course Superintendent, you are asked to remain on the paths provided and off of all fairway and rough areas. (D) Please avoid newly planted trees, ground under repair, and approach no closer than 20 yards from any tee, green, bunker or its shoulder. (E) All carts shall follow the ninety degree rule. Carts shall follow the cart path until the reach their ball and then drive to their ball. Return immediately to the cart path and continue. (F) No more than two (2) players/tow (2) bags per cart shall be permitted unless authorized by Golf Professional. 3. Any damage done to carts will be the Member s responsibility. All repair bills will be charged to the Member s account. 4. When the course is marked CART PATH ONLY, the rules are CART PATH ONLY. It does NOT mean each golfer can decide for himself if he needs to stay on the cart path. It does NOT mean that if you have trouble walking you can make an exception for yourself. There are no handicap flags allowed on cart path only days. The signs mean exactly what they say CART PATH ONLY. Golfers who continue to violate this policy after being asked or warned to stay on the cart paths will be banned from riding in the future on days when the course policy is cart path only. RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING MEMBER OWNED GOLF CARTS 1. Private carts must be electric only and must be either green, cream or white in color. Type of carts allowed: E Z Go, Club Car. 2. Carts must be inspected by the Club and will be provided a Club/Cart sticker. 3. Owner must furnish the Club with a Certificate of Insurance (BI and PD Liability) in the amount of $100,000. 4. Owner must execute a Private Golf Cart Agreement and furnish the Club with Indemnification Agreement releasing Club of liabilities.
5. Cart must be driven by owner s immediate family member at all times when on the golf course and all drivers must have a valid driver s license. Anyone not in the immediate family using or sharing the cart will be charged one half of the regular cart rental fee. 6. Owner may not bring cart on Club property by use of trailer or truck. 7. Private cart owners shall abide by same golf cart usage rules as Members who rent golf carts from the Club. 8. Private golf carts shall not be stored or left on Club property overnight, unless stored in appropriate storage facility (at applicable rates). 9. It will be the private cart owner s responsibility to comply with any licensing and/or tax requirements of governmental agencies having jurisdiction over the operation of vehicles on public roads or thoroughfares within Decatur, Alabama. SUMMARY The purpose of these rules and regulations is to permit a Member the privilege and convenience of owning and using his or her own golf cart without interfering with the rights and privileges of fellow Members of the proper operation of the Club. Private cart owners who do not abide by the Rules and Regulations outlined above or the general usage rules in the Club s House and Ground Rules may have their private cart usage suspended for a period of time and upon repeated infractions, such privileges may be canceled by the Club upon written notice to the cart owner. JUNIOR GOLF RULES A junior golfer is defined as a dependent under 18 years of age. 1. Junior golfers or children of Members should at all times receive permission from the Golf Professional as to their times of individual play. Specifically, junior golfers may not begin play before 12 Noon on Saturday or Sunday or any designated holiday. All other times are at the discretion of the Golf Professional and the Golf Staff. 2. Junior golfers are not permitted to have guests unless accompanied by a Member or with permission from the Golf Professional. 3. Children under 8 years of age are not permitted on the course at any time unless accompanied by a parent or responsible adult or have passed the playability test.
4. Junior golfers shall at all times conduct themselves in a gentlemanly and/or ladylike manner. Temper display, damage to Club property, etc., shall be cause for fine and suspension. 5. Parents of juniors are charged with the responsibility of acquainting their children with the Rules and Etiquette of Golf at Decatur Country Club before permitting their children to play the course. CADDIES All caddies used on the Decatur Country Club course must meet approval of the Golf Professional. LOCAL RULES The Local Rules may be changed or amended from time to time at the discretion of Decatur Country Club and the Golf Professional. GOLF COURSE RULES AND REGULATIONS RULES The Rules of Golf (Current Edition) as published by the United States Golf Association, except when amended by local rules, are the accepted rules of play for Decatur Country Club. USE OF THE COURSE 1. The use of the golf course is restricted to the game of golf. The use of the course for any other purpose, i.e., practicing, jogging, walking, dog walking, bicycles, motorbikes and ATV s is not allowed at any time. 2. The Golf Course Superintendent has complete authority to close and open the course to play and to determine when golf carts are restricted to the paved cart paths at his discretion, and his decision in this matter shall be final.