(as amended by the member golf clubs of the Union at the A.G.M. on 22 March 2004)
1. NAME
The Union shall be called “The North Durham Union of Golf Clubs”
2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Union are: -
To further the interests of amateur golfers and golf clubs in the area of North Durham
To promote golf league; championship and union matches with other leagues and unions and
To generally encourage the playing of golf in the area of the Union
3. MEMBERSHIP
The Union shall consist of recognised golf clubs all of whom shall be members of the Durham County Golf Union and shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. Any appeal against the decision of the Executive Committee may be made to the Council
4. THE COUNCIL
The governing body of the Union shall be styled “The Council” and the entire management of the Union shall be vested in it.
5. The Council shall consist of the officers mentioned in Rule 6 and of representatives of each club in the Union, 2 (two) per club, notification in writing of each club’s representatives shall be given to the Secretary of the Union prior to any meeting of the Council.
6. The officers shall consist of President, Vice Presidents not exceeding 7 in number, a Secretary/Treasurer, League Secretary, Competition Secretary who shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Council
7. ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting of the Union shall be held in March in each year. At such meetings eight officers or club representatives shall form a quorum. Notice of intention to move any resolution by any club must be received by the Secretary on or before 31 January preceding the meeting. 21 days notice in writing, of the meeting shall be given to each club in the Union
8. The annual meeting of the Union shall: -
Receive the report of the Executive Committee on the affairs of the Union during preceding year
Receive the financial statement for the year ending on the preceding 31 October
Elect the officers of the Union and members of the Executive Committee as required and an auditor
Transact any general business of the Union and such other special business of which notice shall have been given
9. SPECIAL MEETINGS
A special meeting of the Council may be convened by the Secretary at any time and must be called at the request, in writing, of three clubs in the Union or of three members of the Executive Committee of the Union. 21 days notice in writing of the business to be transacted at such meetings shall be given by the Secretary to each club in the Union. At any such meeting eight officers or club representatives shall form a quorum.
10. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers mentioned in Rule 6 and of six other members, each representing a different club in the Union. These members shall be elected for a term by the Council at its annual meeting from representatives of the clubs mentioned in Rule 5. In addition a past president of the Union shall remain as a member of the Executive Committee without election.
11. The Executive Committee shall submit nominations for the officers of the Union to the annual general meeting of the Council.
12. Members representing clubs elected by the Council shall retire every two years by rotation, but shall be eligible for re-election.
13. If any member of the Executive Committee who is not due to retire by rotation shall not be re-elected by his club as its representative on the Council he shall nevertheless be eligible to continue as a member of the Executive Committee until he is due to retire by rotation. After which he shall not be eligible for re-election to the Executive Committee unless he shall have been re-elected by his club as its representative on the Council at the time of his nomination for re-election.
14. Nominations to fill vacant positions of the members representing clubs on the Executive Committee shall be sent by a club in writing so as to be in the hands of the secretary ten days before the Annual General Meeting. No club shall nominate more than one such person and the nominee must be a member of the Council. The secretary shall advise all clubs before the day of the Annual General Meeting of all the nominations received.
15. The election of all members of the Executive Committee shall be by ballot at the Annual General Meeting of the Union. At such elections each member of the Council may give one vote only for a candidate for election but must vote for as many candidates as there are vacancies.
16. If any member representing a club dies or wishes to retire from the Executive Committee the vacancy shall be filled at the next following Annual General Meeting. The member who is elected to fill the vacancy shall retire at the Annual General Meeting at which the member whose place he has filled would have retired by rotation as before provided.
17. The Executive Committee may itself fill a vacancy occurring during any year and may co-opt two additional members who shall hold office until the next succeeding Annual General Meeting of the Union and also the Captain of the Union team if he shall not be a member of the Executive Committee.
18. POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall conduct the affairs of the Union and deal with all matters arising.
19. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Chairman to preside over the meetings who shall hold office for one year. In case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
20. Five members of the Committee shall form a quorum.
21. Seven days notice of all members shall be given by the secretary to all members of the Executive Committee and must be called by him at any time at the request in writing of three members.
22. SUBSCRIPTIONS
Each club joining the Union shall pay an annual subscription to be determined by the Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions shall be due on 1st April in each year, no club in arrears shall be entitled to vote or take part in any meetings or golf meetings or competitions of the Union.
23. RESIGNATIONS
Any club wishing to resign its membership shall give notice of such resignation in writing to the secretary on or before 30th September otherwise the club shall be liable to pay its subscription for the ensuing year.
24. SECRETARY / TREASURER
The secretary shall keep a roll of clubs who are members and also in a minute book correct minutes of proceedings of the Council and of the Executive Committee and shall produce such a minute book at all meetings. He shall send a copy of the financial statement made up to 31st October each year duly audited and signed by the auditor to the secretary of each club in the Union with notice convening the Annual General Meeting of the Council. He shall summon all meetings of the Council and of the Executive Committee in accordance with these rules.
25. TREASURER
The treasurer shall receive and deal with all money belonging to the Union in accordance with the direction of the Council or of the Executive Committee. He shall prepare a financial statement made up to 31st October each year and shall have the same audited and signed by the auditor.
26. LEAGUE SECRETARY
The League Secretary shall arrange and organise all league fixtures and results, ensuring that the tables are published in the press weekly.
27. COMPETITION SECRETARY
The Competition Secretary shall arrange the following: -
1. Union matches
2. Union championship
3. Any further competitions decided by the Council or Executive Committee
28. To be eligible to compete in the Union championship or meetings a player must be a member of an affiliated club of the Union.
29. The courses upon which the championship or other meetings shall be held and the dates shall be fixed by the Executive Committee who shall make all the arrangements for them with the clubs on whose courses they are to be held.
30. The entrance fees for all the championships and competitions shall be fixed by the Executive Committee.
31. All entries shall be made through the club of which the entrant is a member or of the club entering the team respectively, who shall forward them with the entrance fee or fees to the competition secretary to reach him not less than 21 days before the date of the championship or competition.
32. All championships and competitions shall be played according to the rules of golf as approved by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and the local rules of the club on whose course the meeting is to be held so far as they are approved by the Executive Committee.
33. All rules concerning championships and competitions and any disputes shall be settled by the Executive Committee or a sub-Committee appointed for that purpose, whose decision shall be final.
34. The Executive Committee or a sub-committee thereof shall have (in addition to the powers conferred on it by the rules of golf) power to modify the rules governing any championship or competition if it considers it necessary for any reason.
35. The Executive Committee shall arrange such union matches as it deems fit and shall be responsible for the selection of the teams to represent the Union.
36. The colours of the Union tie and blazer shall be a design as approved by the Executive Committee. The right to wear such a tie and blazer shall be governed by regulations to be made by the Executive Committee who shall be empowered to vary such regulations from time to time as it may deem fit.
37. ALTERATION TO THE RULES
No rule of the Union shall be repealed or altered and no new rule made except by a majority of two thirds of the representatives present and voting at any meeting of the Council.
Written notice of any proposed rule repeal or alteration can be given by any club or three members of the Executive Committee and must be received by the Secretary on or before 31 January and given to each club with the notice convening the next annual meeting or special meeting of the Council, called for the purpose, of which 21 days notice in writing shall have been given to each club in the Union.
38. Auditors to be appointed by the Council
LEAGUE RULES
1. EACH TEAM SHALL CONSIST OF 7 PLAYERS.
2. THE GAMES TO BE PLAYED WITHOUT HANDICAP AND THE SCORING WILL BE FOR A TOTAL OF 14 POINTS, TWO POINTS FOR EACH WIN AND ONE POINT FOR A HALF
3. THE HOME CLUB IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TELEPHONING THE RESULT TO THE NEWCASTLE JOURNAL (0500590711) BEFORE 9.30PM
4. ALL GAMES SHOULD BE STARTED BEFORE 6.00PM
5. ANY POSTPONED MATCHES MUST BE REPLAYED WITHIN FOURTEEN DAYS AND THE SECRETARY MUST BE INFORMED
6. IN THE EVENT OF FOG ETC. AND THE CAPTAINS DISAGREE, THE MATCH MUST BE REPLAYED IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 5
7. SHOULD THERE BE A TIE THERE WILL BE A COUNT (TWO POINTS PER GAME OVERALL)
8. EACH CAPTAIN WILL GIVE HIS NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS TO THE SECRETARY
9. WITH EFFECT FROM 1998 THERE WILL BE THREE DIVISIONS: 1 WITH 9 CLUBS AND 2 WITH 8 CLUBS. PROMOTION AND RELEGATION WILL BE 2 CLUBS
10. PLAYERS SHALL WALK AT ALL TIMES DURING THE STIPULATED ROUND UNLESS PERMISSION TO RIDE A GOLF BUGGY HAS BEEN GRANTED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE N.D.U.G.C. AND THE GOLF COURSE ALLOWS USE OF GOLF BUGGIES
11. THE COMMITTEE WILL DECIDE ON ANY ISSUES SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THESE LEAGUE RULES
UNION CHAMPIONSHIP
12. EACH CLUB SHALL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER FIVE PLAYERS, ALL OF WHOM SHOULD HAVE PLAYED OR BEEN SUBSTITUTE FOR THE TEAM
13. EACH CLUB MUST SEND COURTESY TICKETS FOR FOUR / SIX MEMBERS TO THE HOST CLUB