Conditions applicable to a specific competition are available on the appropriate competition web page.

The General Conditions applicable to all Somerset Golf Union Competitions are as follows:

SOMERSET GOLF UNION - GENERAL CONDITIONS

1. All Championships and Tournaments shall be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and such Local Rules as shall be approved by the Competitions Committee.

2. All competitors must be of Amateur Status as defined by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and be in possession of a current ACTIVE CONGU handicap on the day of the competition. (Players with inactive handicaps are prohibited from playing in Somerset Golf Union competitions) 

3. All entries must be made on the appropriate official entry form and must be received by the Competitions Committee of the Somerset Golf Union on or before the stipulated closing date for entries. All such entry forms must be accompanied by the stipulated entry fee. (Cheques are to be made payable to "The Somerset Golf Union").

4. No entry fee will be refunded unless notification of withdrawal is received before the closing date for entries except for any entrant who may be balloted out and who does not subsequently compete.

5. All entries shall be subject to the approval of the Competitions Committee which reserves the right to accept or refuse an entry without giving reason for its decision, which shall be final.

6. The Player must start at the time established by the Committee. If the Player arrives at his starting point, ready to play, within five minutes after his starting time, in the absence of circumstances that warrant waiving the penalty of disqualification as provided in Rule 33-7, the penalty for failure to start on time is loss of the first hole in Match Play or two strokes at the first hole in Stroke Play. Penalty for lateness beyond five minutes is disqualification.

7. If in any Championship or Tournament it becomes impossible to complete the Championship or Tournament in accordance with the Conditions because of adverse weather conditions or other circumstances which in the opinion of the Competitions Committee make it impossible or impractical to do so the Competitions Committee shall be empowered to vary such Conditions to the extent necessary to achieve a result within the time available.

8. All competitors will be required to play with golf balls that are on the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews List of Conforming Golf Balls current at the date of the Championship or Tournament.
PENALTY for breach of condition: Disqualification.

9. A player shall walk at all times during a stipulated round. Buggies are not permitted unless a player is disabled as defined by the Disability Discrimination Law and the Competitions Committee has granted prior permission for its use.

10. Competitors must comply with the Dress Rules at the club hosting the Championship or Tournament.

11. A Committee shall settle all disputes. The Committee, whose decision will be final, shall be formed by the Competitions Secretary (3 to form a quorum).

12. A competitor shall not knowingly make use of any drugs to enhance his performance. Attention is drawn to the list of prescribed drugs issued by the Sports Council (a copy of which can be obtained from the County Secretary). Any competitor infringing this condition or, if asked to do so, refusing to take a test may be disqualified.

13. Any competitor who during the course of an event, including practice days, misbehaves by, for example, swearing, throwing clubs, or vandalising the golf course or Clubhouse, or acts in any manner which might bring the game or Somerset Golf Union into disrepute may be debarred from entering or taking part in any SGU event for such period as the Competitions Committee may decide.

14. Any competitor who:

• withdraws from an event after the draw has been published, or
• for whatever reason fails to appear on the tee at his appointed starting time, or
• having qualified to continue in an event fails to do so must, without delay, furnish to the Competitions Committee, an explanation in writing, to the satisfaction of the Competitions Committee. If he does not do so, he will be de-barred from entering or taking part in any SGU event for such period as the Competitions Committee may decide.

15. In this competition, a player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g. gradient, windspeed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 14-3, for which the penalty is disqualification, regardless of whether any such additional function is actually used.