GWENT GOLF UNION CONSTITUTION RULES AND REGULATIONS (2018)
1. NAME
The Union shall be called “The Gwent Golf Union” (hereinafter referred to in these Rules & Regulations as “The Union”).
2. OBJECTS
The objects of The Union shall be:
a) To take such steps as may be necessary, from time to time, to further the best interests of golf in the County.
b) To arrange and encourage, financially or otherwise, inter Club, inter County and other matches
c) To co-operate with The Welsh Golfing Union and if necessary to form one of the constituent bodies of that Union.
3. CONSTITUTION
The Union shall be a federation of Golf Clubs in the County of Gwent and such other Golfing Societies within the County as it may be desirable to affiliate.
4. GOVERNMENT
The government of The Union and the disposal of its property and funds shall be vested in a Council, consisting of the Officers of The Union, i.e. the President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and one member nominated by each of the constituent Clubs within The Union. At all meetings, 12 shall form a quorum.
All Officers of The Union shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting but the President shall not hold Office for more than three consecutive years. Vice Presidents may attend all Council Meetings but they shall not be entitled to vote.
5. Every member Club should be represented at General Meetings and Special meetings by not more than three representatives and it shall be the duty of each member Club to notify the Honorary Secretary of The Union of the names and addresses of the Club representatives. Affiliated Golfing Societies shall be entitled to one representative. The names of representatives shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary in the January of each year and only these representatives, or their deputies, shall be entitled to vote at the General Meetings. Where necessary the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
The Annual General Meeting shall be held before the first of March each year, fourteen days notice of the meeting shall be given. At all General Meetings 12 shall form a quorum. At the Annual General Meeting the following shall be the agenda.
1) Apologies
2) Minutes of the previous A.G.M.
3) Matters arising
4) Reports
a) Honorary Secretary
b) Honorary Treasurer
c) Match Secretary
d) League Secretary
e) Boys Secretary
5) Election of Officers and Auditor
6) Dates and venues of Championship meetings
7. COMMITTEES
The Council shall have the power to appoint such committees, as it may deem necessary for the efficient transaction of the business of The Union. The Executive Committee of The Union shall consist of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and up to eight Club representatives who shall be elected by The Council to serve for a two-year term of Office.
8. ALTERATION OR REPEAL OF RULES OR NEW RULES
In an emergency The Council shall have the power to make, amend, or rescind any Rule or Regulation, which will hold good until the next Annual General Meeting of The Union. Any alteration of rule or regulation must be confirmed or otherwise by the next Annual General Meeting.
Subject to this power of The Council, no Rule or Regulation of The Union shall be repealed or altered and no new Rule or Regulation shall be made save by a majority of the members present at any Special or General Meeting of The Union.
28 days written notice of the intention to propose any new Rule or alteration or repeal of any Rule or Regulation shall be given to the Honorary Secretary who will send notice of same to each Club at least 14 days before any Special or General Meeting.
9. ACCOUNTS
The Honorary Treasurer shall take charge of all monies belonging to The Union and pay all accounts. It shall be the duty of the Honorary Treasurer to prepare a statement of the Accounts and submit same for audit and presentation to the Annual General Meeting each year.
10. COUNCIL MEETINGS
The Council shall meet, as they determine, from time to time, but not less than twice a year. Special Meetings shall be convened at any time on the request of the Chairman and any three members of The Council.
11. SPECIAL MEETINGS
Special meetings of The Union may be called by The Council or on the request of any two affiliated Clubs, who shall state the business to be transacted at the Special General Meeting they desire to be convened. Only the business specified shall be transacted at such Special General Meetings. The requisition shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary.
12. ELECTION OF CLUBS
Clubs desirous of joining The Union shall be elected by The Council. No Clubs shall be elected save by three quarters of the members of The Council present and voting in favour.
13. SUBSCRIPTIONS
Each member Club shall pay an annual subscription of such sum as the Annual General Meeting may decide, for each playing member. Affiliated Golfing Societies shall pay an annual subscription of such sum as The Committee may decide. All subscriptions shall become due and payable within four weeks of the Annual General Meeting.
14. RESIGNATIONS
Any Club wishing to withdraw from The Union must give notice in writing before the 31st October to the Honorary Secretary of The Union of its intention to do so, failing which the Club shall pay its subscription to The Union for the next succeeding year.
15. COMPETITIONS
No Club or member thereof shall be eligible to compete for any prize at a Union Meeting until its annual subscriptions to The Union has been paid.
16. COUNTY GOLF COLOURS
The County may award County Colours to players who have been selected or represented the County on at least three occasions in Channel League matches or to anyone who has given the County meritorious service.
17. AVAILABILITY OF COURSES
All member Clubs shall make their courses available for County events, free of charge, on a rota basis decided by The Council and after consultation with the Clubs.
18. COUNTY CARDS
All affiliated Clubs shall take part in the County Card Scheme administered from time to time by The Council.
19. DISCIPLINE
The Executive Council shall be allowed to take disciplinary action in the form of a bar on entry to the same competition for one year against Clubs in a team event or against individuals in an individual event who fail to appear in a County Championship. Such actions to be taken only after the opportunity is given for explanation of appeal.
REGULATIONS
Golf meetings shall be held in each year at which the following Competitions shall take place: -
a) The Amateur County Individual Championships
b) The Club Team Championships and competitions by handicap.
The Council shall have the power to limit the number of entries and to fix the maximum handicap that shall be allowed to competitors in handicap competitions at such meetings.
ELIGIBILITY
1. To be eligible in Union competitions or matches a player must: -
a) Be of amateur status as defined by The Royal & Ancient Club of St. Andrews,
b) Must be a playing member or the Secretary of a member Club of The Union, or must have been born in the County and be a member of an affiliated Club in another County.
c) Must not have taken part in a golf Championship of another County since the 1st January of the preceding year.
2. The amount of entrance fees of County competitions shall be fixed by The Council and all such fees go to the funds of The Union. All such entries to be made through the Secretary of the Club of which the competitor is a member. The Club Secretary shall certify that the entrant is qualified to compete under the regulations of The Union.
3. The Amateur Individual Championship shall be decided by stroke play over 36 holes. Ties for the event shall be decided over 3 extra holes (the 3 holes to be decided by the Championship Committee) and if still a tie, then by match play until a hole is won or lost. Ties for other events to be decided by taking the lowest score over the last 18, 9, 6 holes etc.
4. The Competitions shall be played to the Rules of Golf subject to any Local Rules of the Club on whose course the meeting is played.
5. The Honorary Secretary of The Union shall be empowered to make all necessary arrangements for the Championship Meetings with the Committee on whose course the meeting is held.
6. The County Championship Committee shall adjudicate upon any point arising at any County Golf meetings. Three shall form a quorum.