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Events are governed by the R&A rules, applied in conjunction with TLC GOLF SOCIETY and local course/society rules.

In the event of any playing disputes we would prefer that these are sorted on the course, but should the correct conclusion not be reached, please consult one of the committee members to help resolve and make a decision before you submit your card.

All players should be aware of the current rules of the game. Please consult the R&A. You can also download their phone app to help.

We do not charge a membership fee, but do ask for a one-off registration fee of £20 payable at your first event.

To become a full member, a player should attend 5 events within 15 Order of Merit events. They will then be eligible to win the TLC Golf Society Trophy or the wooden spoon.

Should a member not attend for 5 consecutive Order of Merit events they will revert to being a guest and will need to complete 3 cards within 15 Order of Merit events to regain full member status.

The price for each event includes the cost of a breakfast, usually bacon rolls or full breakfast, and a 2 or 3 course meal after. We also include a figure towards the cost of prizes for each event and end of season prizes.

Events will be announced on Twitter( @TLCgolfsociety ) and via the website TLCGolf.UK.

Please tell the committee by text message, WhatsApp or via X (twitter) if you would like to attend. Entry for each event will close at 5pm on the Friday before the event.  

Any withdrawal from the event after the 5pm deadline will be subject to a cancellation fee - See Below: No Shows & Payments

Players will be grouped in 3- or 4-balls with 3-balls playing at the front of the field.

Guests will be partnered with their inviting member at their first event only. 

Groups will be organised where possible to prevent players being grouped with others more than once each season.  We will also attempt to ensure players are not always in early or late groups, unless specifically requested before an event.

Groups will be announced on Twitter( @TLCgolfsociety ) and via the website TLCGolf.UK., usually one or two nights before the event.

The scores of 3 completed competition cards allows the Society to assess a players handicap. If you have a club or other Society handicap you will play off of that for your first event.  

Handicaps for any player can go to a maximum of 54 in line with CONGU handicapping.

New guests will play their first 3 games with a maximum HC of 28 and adjusted accordingly after 3 cards have been submitted

Guest handicaps can be cut, but will not increase until they become a full member. Any guest equalling or beating the winning member’s score will also receive a winner’s cut within category.

A player starting a 2-day/36 hole event as a guest will be considered as a guest for the whole of the event.

The following formula is used to maintain the handicap, with playing handicap rounded down for 0.1-0.4 and rounded up for 0.5-0.9.

Categories

• Category 1 = H/cp 0-5.4
• Category 2 = H/cp 5.5-12.4 
• Category 3 = H/cp 12.5-20.4 
• Category 4 = H/cp 20.5-28.4
• Category 5 = H/cp 28.5-36.4
• Category 6 = H/cp 36.5-54

Handicap adjustment

The handicapping system has changed from January 2025.

Blobs - non-scoring holes - count as 1 point towards the handicap calculation, so 33 Stableford points with 3 blobs would count as a score of 36 points.)

Players scoring 30-34 points (“the buffer”) , no adjustment 

All full members returning a score of 30 or below receive an increase as below (this is a change from all categories going up 0.2 strokes.)  Guests and lapsed players do not receive upwards adjustments.

• Cat 1 = 0.1 strokes
• Cat 2 = 0.1 strokes
• Cat 3 = 0.1 strokes
• Cat 4 = 0.2 strokes
• Cat 5 = 0.3 strokes
• Cat 6 = 0.3 strokes

Players scoring over 34 points are cut as below for each point and no score hole over 34

• Cat 1 = 0.1 strokes
• Cat 2 = 0.2 strokes
• Cat 3 = 0.3 strokes
• Cat 4 = 0.4 strokes
• Cat 5 = 0.5 strokes
• Cat 6 = 0.6 strokes

Winners Cut: The winning member will receive an additional cut over and above their scoring cut

• Cat 1 = 0.5 stroke
• Cat 2 = 1.0 stroke
• Cat 3 = 1.5 strokes
• Cat 4 = 2.0 strokes
• Cat 5 = 2.5 strokes
• Cat 6 = 3.0 strokes

Cards submitted as a guest do not count towards the Order of Merit or Ryder Cup qualification since a Society handicap will not have been issued for those rounds.

If you suspect that your ball may be lost or out of bounds play a provisional ball AT ALL TIMES. 

We have NOT adopted the optional “local” rule that allows you to drop a second ball in the vicinity of where you suspect your ball is lost for 2 penalty shots. Your only option is to play another ball from where you played your previous shot. 

Please be aware of the group ahead at all times and try to keep up with them rather than just ahead of the group behind. If you cannot score on a hole please pick your ball up to move the game along. 

No putts may be conceded, all must hole out if you can still score points on that hole. If any ball is “picked up” that hole must be recorded as no Stableford score. If a Matchplay competition is being played at the same time a player’s opponent may concede the putt and the Matchplay score recorded as such, but the player must continue to putt out for his Stableford score. Only in the event of a Matchplay competition being played on a day outside of the Monthly Stableford Competition may any putts be conceded.

All of our events are based on Stableford scores.  Full allowance against handicaps.  

The full member scoring the most Stableford points will be the winner.

A Competitor must NOT record their own scorecard. 

Each competitor is responsible to agree the gross score with the scorecard marker. THIS SHOULD BE DONE AFTER EACH HOLE, the marker should then record it in the column marked player A and circle any ‘Birdies’, the Stableford points score (if known) should be recorded in the points column, the scorecard marker should also record his/her own gross score in the column for markers score.

Please see this page to show how the committee would like cards clearly marked. This will assist us to quickly put together the order of merit and to check cards. Your assistance with this would be greatly appreciated.

Please also fill in the label attached to the back of the scorecard, clearly marking the number or points, blobs, 1’s, 2’s, birdies, eagles, 4 and 5 point holes and the team score.

In the event of a tie, the countback method will be used to sort out places. Countback will be done in the following order,

1. Best score over last 9 holes
2. Best score over last 6 holes
3. Best score over last 3 holes
4. Best score on last hole

If there is still a tie after the above then scores will be based on a countback over a hole by hole basis back from 18. Regardless of starting tee, the countback will be made based on the final 9 holes ON THE CARD, and not the final 9 holes played.

All of our events are based on Stableford scores.  Full allowance against handicaps.  

The full member scoring the most Stableford points will be the winner.

A Competitor must NOT record their own scorecard. 

Each competitor is responsible to agree the gross score with the scorecard marker. THIS SHOULD BE DONE AFTER EACH HOLE, the marker should then record it in the column marked player A and circle any ‘Birdies’, the Stableford points score (if known) should be recorded in the points column, the scorecard marker should also record his/her own gross score in the column for markers score.

Please see this page to show how the committee would like cards clearly marked. This will assist us to quickly put together the order of merit and to check cards. Your assistance with this would be greatly appreciated.

Please also fill in the label attached to the back of the scorecard, clearly marking the number or points, blobs, 1’s, 2’s, birdies, eagles, 4 and 5 point holes and the team score.

In the event of a tie, the countback method will be used to sort out places. Countback will be done in the following order,

1. Best score over last 9 holes
2. Best score over last 6 holes
3. Best score over last 3 holes
4. Best score on last hole

If there is still a tie after the above then scores will be based on a countback over a hole by hole basis back from 18. Regardless of starting tee, the countback will be made based on the final 9 holes ON THE CARD, and not the final 9 holes played.

Players must be present at the event prize giving to receive a wining prize. Failure to be present will result in either:

The runner up to receiving the prize

The prize to be Null in Voi

Prize to be given to the another player at disgression of The Committees 

For Example - 

If the overall event winner is not present at the prize giving, then they will forfeit the trophy, TLC shirt and prizes, which will be presented to the runner up. However, they will still receive the winners Handicap Cut.

Players who came in 3rd & 4th place will be upgraded to 2nd & 3rd. Those upgraded will only receive their normal handicap cuts. 

There are no exceptions to this rule.

Any redress or complaints must be forwarded to the committee.

The decision of the Committee is final

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Prizes

Payment for each event includes an amount towards prizes both for end of season and individual events.

Event prizes

Winner
2nd place
3rd place
Guest winner
Spoon
2x nearest pin (ball must finish on the green)
3x nearest pin in 2 or 3 (ball must finish on the green)

2’s fund
Best team Score 

Two’s

£2 per player is added to the cost of each event attended. This goes into the prize pot which is shared by any players scoring a 2 anywhere on the course.  If no 2 is scored the pot will be carried over to the next event. Players attending the following event will be required to back pay to compete for a pot that has been carried over.

Hole in 1 Fund

£1 on a meet to meet basis will be placed into this fund from all entrants that decide to join. 

Joining the Hole in 1 fund is accessible to the following players and Prize money only paid out under the following criteria being met:

Any member who is fully up to date with their 1's fund payments prior to the start of their round.

Lapsed members who have fully paid any owed/outstanding 1's fund fees/payments prior to starting their round.

New members who pay the complete "Buy In" 1's Fund amount prior to the start of their round - "Buy In" amount can be requested from the Society Treasurer.

The current pot and payable amount can be found on the Hole in 1 Fund page
The finances of this competition will be freely available on request for every member to see.

End of Season Awards & Presentations

At the final event of each season a TLC Golf Society Presentation and Awards ceremony will take place to reflect the achievements of TLC Golf Society members throughout the year.

Awards and Prizes will be given in the following categories (but not limited to or restricted to the following list):

•Most Birdies

•Most Eagles

•Most 4 Pointers

•Most 5 Pointers

•Lowest 6 Card Season Total

•The Rob Moore Matchplay Trophy - Runner Up

•The Rob Moore Matchplay Trophy - Winner

•Performance of the Year (voted by the Committee 

•Players Reward (voted by the Committee for commitment to TLC Golf Society)

•The Dave Platt Players Player of the Year Award

•Order of Merit 10th Place to Runner Up

•Order of Merit Winner

Ties in each category will be separated based on handicap

The Society runs a matchplay event through the season, with the draw being made at the final event of the previous season.

Players wishing too participate must be willing to attend the first event of the year, as they may be drawn in the MatchPlay Prelim which is held in January. 

Any member who's unable to attend the January event should not submit their name into the draw.

Rounds are drawn at the following  events:

End of Season finale in November - Prelim Rnd (Jan) & 1st Rnd (Feb/Mar)

March event - 2nd Rnd (Apr/May)

May event - Qtr Final (Jul/Aug)

August event - Semi Final (Sep/Oct)

Oct event - Final Nov

All matches are to be played at TLC events, and a match MUST be played if both competitors are present.

Matches are played based on full difference between playing TLC handicaps.

Designated MatchPlay Round Periods

January - Preliminary Round

February & March - 1st Round 

April & May - 2nd Round

July & August - Quarter Final

September & October - Semi Final

November - Final

No-Shows

Preliminary Round

Prelim matches must be played at the January event. A member who is unable to or  fails to attend their prelim match in January will forfeit the tie. 

If both members from the same match fail to attend the January Prelim, then the member who they were due to play in the first round proper will get an automatic bye into the 2nd round draw.

Subsequent Rounds (1st, 2nd, Qtr Final & Semi Final)

A member who is unable to or  fails to attend both events during the designated matchplay round period for that match will forfeit the tie.

If both members have failed to attend one event each, within the designated matchplay round period and therefore have been unable to play the match, the match will be decided on a coin toss.

The coin toss will be carried out by a committee member (witnessed by another committee member)  prior to the next round draw to determine which member goes forward into the next round.

If both members have both failed to attend both dates within the designated round period, then the a bye will be placed into the next round draw.

The Final

If a member who has qualified through to the MatchPlay Final but is unable to or fails to attend, then the losing member from their respective Semi Final match will then take their place and battle it out in Final.

If subsequently the former Semi Finalist member is not in attendance, then a draw will be made from the members that are in attendance who played and lost in the Quarter Finals to both the Finalist and Semi Finalist on that SIDE OF THE DRAW to determine who will play in the Final.

There are NO exceptions to the above & the Committee decision is FINAL