1. NAME AND STATUS
The Club shall be known as the Chatsworth Golf Club (affiliated to Derbyshire County Golf ) and is a section of the Cavendish Club, the Rules of which govern all matters relating to Members hip and to which it is answerable for its Management and Finances as a non-profit making organisation. All profits of the Club shall be used to maintain or improve its facilities. The Club shall not make a distribution of any surplus save to another non-profit making body and on dissolution of the Club any outstanding monies would revert to the Cavendish Club.
2. MEMBERSHIP
Membership categories shall be as follows:
2.1. Ordinary Members
Employees, pensioners, volunteers who have an estate/Chatsworth pass and tenants who rent farms, houses or other substantial properties of the Duke of Devonshire, or the Chatsworth Settlement Trustees and spouses of the above
2.2. Nominees of the Duke of Devonshire.
2.3. Associate Members
These shall be elected at the absolute discretion of the Committee and will be restricted in numbers to maintain a balance between Ordinary and Associate members. The ratio is set at 1 Ordinary to 3 Associate members and this applies to both ladies and gentlemen members. The committee have the discretion to change this ratio if the need arises.
Note: Queries arising from applications for the above categories shall be referred to the Cavendish Club/HR for clarification.
2.4. Junior Members
Junior membership shall be open to children and grandchildren of Ordinary members providing they are 8-18 years old and in full time education and may be offered to children of Associate members. Special rules for Junior members will be laid down from time to time by the Management Committee.
3. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
With the exception of nominees of His Grace the Duke of Devonshire, all membership applications shall be submitted on the prescribed application forms which are obtainable from the Secretary. The Proposer and Seconder of each Application for membership of Chatsworth Golf Club must be an ORDINARY member of the Chatsworth Golf Club.
4. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The date, time and place of this will be fixed by the Management Committee. All members are eligible to attend but VOTING powers will be restricted to Ordinary members. Category Rule 2.1 only at this or any other General Meeting.
5. SUBSCRIPTIONS
These will be determine d from time to time by the Management Committee and are due on 1st October each year. Reminders will NOT be sent to members and those whose subscriptions are unpaid by the end October must re-apply for membership. Subscriptions include membership to the Cavendish Club and the administration will be dealt with between the Chatsworth Golf Club and the Cavendish Club. Pro-Rata subscriptions will be available to Ordinary members who join after 1 st July at a rate of 1/12th of the annual fee per full month remaining.
Subscription categories are as follows:
Ordinary ( Rule 2.1 above )
Intermediate/ Student Ordinary (Aged between 18–22years)
Ordinary Junior members (in accordance with 2.4 above)
Associate members (Rule 2.3 above)
Associate Junior members (in accordance with 2.4 Above)
Associate Student Members (Children and grandchildren of Associate members if they are 18-22 years old and in full time education to the age of 22)
6. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The control, administration, and regulation of the Club shall be by a management committee elected by the ordinary members at the Annual General Meeting.
6.1. The manage m e n t committee shall consist of a total of 13 officers and 6 ordinary members, all with voting rights, at Committee.
6.1.1. The officers shall be the President, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman (who shall be first nominated by His Grace The Duke of Devonshire and be invested with the powers of the Club in matters requiring urgent discussions between meetings), Treasurer, Secretary, Handicap Secretary, Fixture Secretary, Competitions/Events Secretary and Greens Secretary who shall be elected by open voting at the Annual General Meeting and retire annually but be eligible for re-election.
6.1.2. The Captain, Vice-Captain, Lady Captain and Lady Vice-Captain who shall serve on the Committee during their period of office.
6.2 The 6 ordinary members (of which 2 must be ladies) who shall be elected by ballot and one third of whom shall retire annually but be ineligible for re-election for one year.
6.3. The committee shall have the power to fill vacancies by co-option.
6.4. A quorum shall consist of at least 8 members, who must include either the Chairman or Vice-Chairman.
7. SUB-COMMITTEES
The Management Committee shall at its first meeting after the AGM elect from amongst its members, a Handicap Sub Committee, a Greens Sub-Committee and an Events/Competitions Sub-Committee, together with such other Sub-Committees as may from time to time be considered necessary or desirable. Each Sub-Committee shall comprise the Hon Secretary and two management committee members, The Chairman or Vice Chairman shall be ex-officio to all Sub-Committees and must be present at any meeting. The Management committee shall have the power to co-opt as required members onto the Competitions Sub-Committee to assist in organising the competitions and events
7.1. The function of the Events/Competitions Sub-Committee is to organise and co-ordinate Competitions, Social Events and Fund Raising and to report to the Management Committee monthly to give progress reports and obtain authority for any expenditure associated with these activities.
7.2. The Handicap Sub Committee shall have overall control of all official competitions and shall ensure that all qualifying competitions are held within the CONGU rules system and all qualifying competitions and non qualifying competitions are played within the Rules of Golf as laid down by the R & A. In the event of any ruling required and/or breach of the rules in qualifying or non qualifying competitions, then these should be referred to the Handicap Sub Committee who may then refer to the Management Committee.
7.3. The Greens Sub Committee shall work with and instruct the green keepers for mowing and course maintenance and report to the Management Committee.
8. LADIES SECTION
The Ladies Section shall appoint a Committee for the purpose of matches and competitions. Ladies Section competition and handicap requirements shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations, of CONGU the R & A, Derbyshire County Golf and Chatsworth Golf Club.
8.1. The Committee shall consist of the following Officers:
Captain (acting as Chairman), Vice Captain, Hon. Secretary, Handicap Secretary, Fixture Secretary and at least one ordinary member. The officers shall be elected at the club’s AGM and shall not serve more than a maximum of 4 years unless an ordinary member (under rule 2.2) or if a member serves as Lady Captain and subsequently takes another office the maximum time on the Committee to be 5 years. They shall not be eligible for re- election for one year.
8.2. A notice advising members of the AGM shall be posted on the Notice Board at least 4 weeks prior to the AGM to enable nomination proposals and suggestions (with the name of proposer and seconder).
8.3. A pre-AGM meeting shall take place before the main Golf Club AGM.
8.4. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt a member on a temporary basis to fulfill a specific task and terminate the arrangement when the purpose has been fulfilled.
8.5. A Quorum shall consist of at least 4 members.
9. RULES FOR COMPETITIONS
9.1. Eligibility: Entry to Club Trophy competitions (excluding knockouts ) and participation in matches is open to all members whose subscriptions are paid and who have handicaps. Members must complete three cards in qualifying competitions at Chatsworth in the current year, or the previous year in order that they may play in these competitions. Existing members who wish to play in the club's knockout competitions must have completed three cards in qualifying competitions at Chatsworth in the previous year, new members joining after 31st October the previous year and who wish to play in knockouts must complete three cards in qualifying competitions by 30th April in the current year. THESE REQUIREMENTS MAY BE WITHDRAWN FOR CERTAIN COMPETITIONS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMITTEE.
9.2. Entry Fees: Competition entry fees, as prescribed by the Management Committee, must be paid before starting.
9.3. Competition cards: Cards are available from the changing room. Cards must be checked and signed by the marker and countersigned by the competitor and returned to the changing room immediately after the conclusion of a round. A competitor must have their card marked by a member of the Chatsworth Golf who has a handicap.
9.4. Competition Precedence: Players taking part in a competition are entitled, on request, to pass through the games. Players completing the ninth hole have precedence over players about to commence the first hole.
9.5. Members are NOT allowed to play knock-out competitions whilst playing in a qualifying competition.
10. HANDICAPS
Allocation of handicaps will be in accordance with Rule 16 of the CONGU manual. Members requiring a handicap must submit the required number of 9 and/or 18 hole cards at Chatsworth. Any permutation of 9 and 18 hole cards may be submitted but must total a minimum of 54 holes marked by a Chatsworth member in possession of a handicap.
11. NOTICES TO MEMBERS
Notices will be posted on the noticeboard near to the first tee or in the changing room.
12. GREEN FEES
A member may play with three guests on payment of the current green fee. The fee must be paid before teeing off and is to be placed in the letter box located in the changing room door in the envelope provided and clearly marked. The member must accompany the guests whilst playing the round. Ex defaulting members will NOT be allowed on the course as Green Fee Paying, Invitation Day or Charity Day guests. The Committee may, at its discretion, grant permission to outside groups, clubs or associations to use the course at agreed dates or times at a time to be determined by the Committee.
13. RULES OF PLAY ON THE COURSE
13.1. No more than four players can play together at any one time (no five or more balls allowed)
13.2. Playing the course for practice with more than one ball on any hole is prohibited, members wishing to practice with more than one ball MUST use the designate d practice area
14. DOGS
Under no circumstances will dogs be allowed on the course.
15. GOLF CARTS
By permission of Committee only on production of a medical certificate.
16. UNAUTHORISED PERSONS
Any officer and/or the Green Keeper have the authority of the Management Committee to request any unauthorised person to leave the course.
17. SECURITY
Green fees only are to be placed in the box in the changing Room door. All subscriptions and other monies to be handed in to the Treasurer.
18. BREACH OF RULES
Any breach of the foregoing Rules may render the member concerned liable to suspension or forfeiture of membership.
These Rules have been updated on the following occassions:
Amended December 2005
Amended December 2010
Amended December 2015
Amended December 2018
Amended September 2019