Play ‘Ready Golf’

Do not wait for the “honour” on the tee box or the fairway. If you are ready to hit safely, and the person furthest away is delayed, you should play your shot. Keep up with the group in front, not just ahead of the group behind.

When to Pick Up (The Golden Rule)

We play Stableford. WHS dictates that the absolute maximum score you can record on a hole is a Net Double Bogey. If you have run out of shots and can no longer score a Stableford point, you MUST pick up your ball. Do not putt out for a 9. Pick up, mark a blank (or dash) on the scorecard, and move to the next tee.

The 3-Minute Search Limit

You have exactly 3 minutes to search for a lost ball. The clock starts the moment you reach the area where the ball is likely to be. If it is not found within 3 minutes, the ball is officially lost. You must proceed under the lost ball rules immediately.

Tee Box Boundaries

You must tee your ball exactly between the front of the tee markers, and up to a maximum of two club-lengths directly behind them. You may stand outside this area to hit the ball, provided the ball itself is legally teed inside the zone.

Declare Your Provisional Balls!

If you hit a shot into the trees, deep rough, or suspect it has gone out of bounds, you MUST hit a provisional ball to save time. You must clearly declare “I am playing a provisional” to your group before hitting. If you do not declare it, that second ball instantly becomes the ball in play, and the first ball is dead, even if you find it in the middle of the fairway.

The Society 2-Shot Drop Rule (Alternative to Stroke & Distance)

If you lose a ball or hit it out of bounds and failed to hit a provisional off the tee, we do not want you walking 250 yards back to the tee box to replay the shot. We play the R&A Local Rule E-5 to keep the game moving:

‘Gimme’ Putts & Etiquette

Gimmes are a privilege, not a right. A ‘gimme’ must be explicitly offered by your playing partners; you cannot claim it yourself. Strictly NO gimmes are allowed if the putt is for a Par or a Net Birdie/Eagle. You must hole out if points are on the line.

The WHS Automated Software

Kingswinford Golf Society uses the official World Handicap System (WHS) software. Your handicap is calculated automatically based on the Best 8 of your last 20 rounds. General scoring fluctuations will naturally adjust your handicap up or down over time without the need for manual cuts.

Exceptional Score Reductions (ESR)

To ensure fair play, the WHS features an automated mechanism to catch exceptionally low scores (the “bandit” rule). The software applies this automatically:

• If you shoot 7.0 to 9.9 strokes better than your Handicap Index (roughly 43+ points), an automatic -1.0 reduction is applied to your entire handicap record.
• If you shoot 10.0 or more strokes better (roughly 46+ points), an automatic -2.0 reduction is applied.

The Society Podium Penalty

Whilst the WHS handles your baseline handicap, the society applies a temporary penalty to players who place in the top three to keep the competition open and fair. This penalty applies to your playing handicap and lasts for exactly 2 Match Plays/Events:

After your 2-match penalty period has concluded, your strokes will be returned, and you will revert to your standard WHS Handicap Index.