Sheffield Union of Golf Clubs Constituents and Regulations 

General Regulations

1. NAME: The name shall be "The Sheffield Union of Golf Clubs", hereinafter referred to as the "Union".

2. OBJECT: The object of the Union shall be to further the interests of Amateur Golf in Sheffield & District.

3. MEMBERSHIP: Election of clubs to the Union shall be by the Council on receipt of written application for membership. Each applicant shall be a recognised Golf Club, with a responsible committee, a club house and a course which shall be acceptable to the Council.

The Council 

4. The governing body shall be called the Council and the entire management shall be vested in it.

5. (a) The council shall consist of the Officers hereinafter mentioned, the elected members of the Executive Committee and two representatives from each club of the Union.
(b) The Officers shall consist of a President, Immediate Past President and President Designate, a Secretary, a Treasurer and an Assistant Secretary.

6. The Annual Meeting of the Council shall be held in February or March of each year for the purpose of:
(a) receiving the report of the Executive Committee on the affairs of the Union during the preceding year and the financial statement of the Treasurer duly audited for the year ending on the preceding 31st December.
(b) Electing the Officers of the Union (except the Immediate Past President) members of the Executive Committee in place of the members retiring and an Honorary Auditor.
(c) Transacting the general business of the Union and such other business of which 21 days' notice in writing shall have been given.

7. (a) Seven clubs shall be represented to form a quorum at all meetings of the Council.
(b) Only the two representatives from each club mentioned in Regulation 5(a) shall be issued with a ballot card and shall have power to vote.
(c) No club shall have more than two votes at any meeting of the Council.

8. On all matters (except the election of members to the Executive Committee for which regulation 20 shall apply and for changes of regulations, for which regulation 13 shall apply) voting shall be by show of hands and shall be decided by a majority. The Chairman shall have the casting vote.

9. (a) The nomination of the President and President Designate shall be through the Executive Committee on the recommendation of the President and Past Presidents of the Union, such recommendation being made to the Executive Committee before 30th November each year.

(b) The nomination of a Vice President shall be through the Executive Committee and the recommendation of the President and Vice Presidents of the Union. The recommendation for the nomination of a Vice President shall be made in writing by a member of the Executive Committee to the President who shall consult with the Vice Presidents before formally bringing the recommendation to the Executive Committee for approval. Recommendations can only be made where individuals have given a minimum 15 years exceptional service to the Union.

10. The Immediate Past President shall be a member of the Executive Committee for one year after his term of office as President and shall immediately thereafter be eligible to be nominated for election to the Executive Committee.

11. Upon giving 21 days' notice in writing stating the business to be transacted the Secretary may call a special meeting of the Council when he or the President think fit or when any two clubs in writing (stating the purpose thereof) request him to do so, or when requested to do so by the Executive Committee. Provided that said notice be given to the Secretary in writing a club may send a delegate to present any particular problem to the Executive Committee.

12. No general regulation shall be repealed or altered and no new regulation shall be made save by a majority of two-thirds of the representatives present and voting at the Annual Meeting.

13. Clubs shall be under no liability whatever to or for the Union except for the Payment of their respective entrance fees, annual subscriptions and entry fees to competitions.

14. Any club wishing to retire from the Union shall send notice of its withdrawal to the Secretary before 30th November in any year otherwise it shall remain liable for the subscription for the ensuing year.

The Executive Committee

15. (a) The council shall appoint an Executive Committee to conduct the affairs of the Union in the period between the meetings of the Council and such powers shall be vested in them as the Council may decide from time to time.
(b) The Committee is empowered to amend the Rules and Regulations of the Union considered necessary for the wellbeing of the Union. Any such amendment shall be posted to all clubs in the Union within seven days of introduction and shall be effective until the next Annual Council or Special Meeting called, when such amendments will be either confirmed or annulled at that meeting.

16. (a) the Executive Committee shall consist of those officers mentioned in regulation 5(b) and twelve other members who must be members of clubs affiliated to the Union and elected at the Annual General Meeting. Four members shall form a quorum. A representative on the governing body of the English Golf Union or on the Executive Committee of the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs who is a member of a club belonging to the Union shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee but shall not be regarded as part of the quorum quoted above.
(b) Past Presidents and Vice Presidents shall be invited to attend meetings of the Executive Committee, as ex-officio members, with no voting rights.

17. Members (other than ex-officio members) elected to the Executive Committee at each Annual Council Meeting shall hold office for two terms before standing down for a sabbatical year. These terms could be between 1 and 4 years dependant upon how the Executive was voted in, with the highest number of votes obtained getting 4 years down to a minimum of one year. A term to commence following the Executive election at the Annual Council Meeting.. At each Annual Council Meeting the members of the Executive Committee (other than ex-officio members) who have completed their two terms of office shall retire and shall not be eligible for re-election until the next Annual Council Meeting. If an interim vacancy occurs in its membership the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill such vacancy by appointing thereto, for the unexpired term thereof, such person as they may think fit, provided that if the unexpired term is more than one year, the action of the Executive Committee shall be subject to confirmation by the Council at the next Annual Meeting. If an interim vacancy has not been filled by the Executive Committee at the date of the Annual meeting. The same shall be filled at such meeting.

18. The Secretary shall send out, not later than 31st December each year, circulars asking for nomination for membership of the Executive Committee and such nominations signed on behalf of the club by an office holder or a member of the Committee of each club, must reach the Secretary not later than 31st January following.

19. The election of members of the Executive Committee shall be by ballot. Each club representative on the Council shall give one vote only to a candidate but shall vote for as many candidates as there are vacancies.
Voting papers not fulfilling these conditions shall be void. In the event of a tie for vacancy, a second ballot shall be held between candidates tying for such vacancy.

Subscriptions

20. The entrance fee for new clubs joining the Union shall be £100

21. The annual subscription of the clubs forming the Union be such sum as the Executive Committee shall from time to time decide.

22. Subscriptions of all Member Clubs shall become due on 31st January each year. No club (or its members) whose subscription is in arrears shall be entitled to enter any Sheffield Union event or attend any Sheffield Union meeting and any entry by such club or any of its members shall be void. The club's affiliation to the Sheffield Union shall be automatically cancelled if payment of their subscription has not been made within 21 days of notice in writing requiring payment being sent to the club by Registered Post.

Regulations for Competitions

1. Participation in any Championship, Match, Competition or other events arranged by the Union, shall be limited to male members of clubs affiliated to the Union (unless otherwise stated) and be in possession of a CONGU handicap. Such clubs shall be required to supply the Secretary with the correct handicap of any player entered. In handicap events any competitor who is a member of more than one club must play off his official "Home Club" handicap.

2. The Union recognises the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews as the ruling authority. All competitions shall be played according to their rules and to the bye-laws of the club on whose course the meeting shall be held, so far as they are approved by the Executive Committee.

3. The Executive Committee shall arrange and carry through all competitions and have power to make such regulations and temporary regulations as it may deem desirable. In all competitions they may revise conditions, entry fees and handicap limits as they deem advisable. Any breach of the conditions of entry by an entrant without justifiable reason being given in writing will enable the Executive Committee of the Union to take such disciplinary action as it thinks fit.

In 36 hole Competitions, the entrant shall complete both rounds of golf unless a justifiable reason is given in writing for his not doing so, unless he has notified the desk of his withdrawal on the day of the competition. The Executive Committee's decision as to whether such reason is justifiable and whether or not any sanctions shall be applied, shall be final.

4. Objections shall be in writing and received by the Secretary within three days of the competition. the decision of the Executive Committee is final.

5. The Executive Committee will fix the courses, dates and times of play in all competitions, but reserve the right to deal with any exigencies which may arise.

6. A player may represent one club only during any competition in any one season.

7. Competitions shall be played only on courses of clubs of the Union.

8. (a) Entry Fees for team competitions and events shall be paid on, or before 31st March.
Entry Fees for individual competitions shall, unless otherwise stated, be paid at the same time as the submission of the appropriate entry.
Entry Fees cannot be refunded unless notice of withdrawal has been received prior to the draw being made.
(b) No player shall take more than one individual prize, in any one event.

9.(a) During the playing season members of any club whose course is closed for the day, or major part of the day, due to the hosting of a Union competition may be granted "Courtesy of the Course" by other clubs in the Union. Not more than twelve members shall visit any one club and the secretary of the club hosting the competition shall notify other clubs who may be expected to receive their members giving their names and requesting suitable times to those clubs.

(b) The following competitions will normally lead to full or partial closure of the course:

(i) At week-ends - Sheffield Team Championship 1st and 2nd Division, Second teams Competitions, Inter-Club Foursomes Medal, Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Sheffield Amateur Championship (Rounds 1&2) and Semi Final & Final, J.H. Aitchison Trophy, Queen's Jubilee (Charities) Trophy.
(ii) On weekdays - Sheffield Open Amateur Championship (Sheffield Plate), The Sheffield Open Championship, Mid Amateur Championship, Turner Shield, Seniors Championship, Veterans Championship, Junior Championship, Greenkeepers Competition, President's Day for Club Officials and meetings arranged by the Executive for S.U.M.A.

10. Except where otherwise provided in the conditions of a particular Championship or Tournament, all ties shall be decided on the last 18, 9, 6, 3 or 1 holes in that order. If a tie still arises it shall be decided by reference to the last 6, 3 or 1 holes of the first nine holes of the round. If a tie still arises each of the preceding rounds played shall be treated in the same way (taking each round in the reverse order to that in which they were played) until a decision is reached.

11. Players should walk at all time unless permission to use a buggy has been given by the Sheffield Union of Golf Clubs. Permission will only be given in exceptional circumstances; application to use a ride on buggy must be made to The Secretary of the Union in writing, no later than 14 days prior to the competition, who alone may authorise its use.

An application must be made by the player's club and supported by a medical certificate signed by a medical practitioner certifying that the player has a disability, or is entitled within the meaning of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, and by reason thereof the player is unable to play golf without the use of a buggy.

The application to use a ride on buggy must also be accompanied by an appropriate insurance certificate covering the player and appropriate third party liability.

An application to use a ride on buggy will also be subject to the host Golf Clubs rules for ride on buggies and further more the Sheffield Union Competition Committee of the day will still retain the right to prohibit the use of buggies on the day if in their opinion course conditions make the use of buggies unsafe and a danger with regards to Health and Safety. Only the player authorised to use a buggy may do so. Any other player using a buggy, for any reason, will automatically be disqualified from the competition.

12. Club officials and players are reminded that they are at all times expected to comply with and conform to the dress regulations and etiquette of the club on whose course they are playing.

13. Mobile phones or similar electronic devices are not to be used during any SUGC Competition.