KINDNESS
The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
RESPECT
Due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of others.
Respect the Club
The Coventry Golf Club is a welcoming space for everyone, regardless of race, age, gender or any other protected characteristic. No reported instances of aggression, discrimination, harassment, or even rudeness, towards members, guests, visitors or employees will be tolerated. The Board and management are committed to a culture of respect and kindness, this applies whether you have been a member for a day or for 50 years.
Respect the Clubhouse
Smart casual clothing, including denim, is acceptable. No rips or tears though please. Remove caps or any other headwear before entering the lounge or bar. Modern casual footwear is permitted including smart trainers, sandals, loafers and deck shoes. Golf shoes should be changed following play before entering the bar or lounge. The best place to do this is the changing rooms.
Most members drive to the Club, drinking excess alcohol under these circumstances is illegal, dangerous and socially unacceptable. Please think carefully before drinking and driving and do not exceed the legal limits.
Never bring illegal substances to the Club or enter the clubhouse when under the influence of illegal substances.
Banter is OK but consider those around you. Please don’t use foul, offensive or abusive language. Remember, the clubhouse can be in use for multiple purposes so be considerate to other users. Repeated instances of inappropriate language will result in disciplinary action.
Smoking, vaping and e-cigarettes must not be used inside any of the club buildings. Smoking on the course is permitted, all rubbish must be disposed of correctly. Please do not use your phones for voice calls in the clubhouse, use the foyer or the balcony.
Respect the Course
It’s important to have fun so enjoy your game, this is easier when you follow a few simple conventions.
Safety
Shots must only be taken when no person is in range. Players should be aware of the possible line of a shot and the arc of a swing. Play your shot only when it is safe to do so and always shout if you think an errant shot might be travelling towards another player. Shout also if you are not sure. It is the responsibility of the entire playing group, not just the player, to observe and shout warnings.
Green keepers always have priority
It’s in our interests they work efficiently so please show some patience and let them get on wherever possible.
Repair pitch marks
Your performance on the green will make or break your entire game. Making more putts of 8-10 feet or less results in more birdies, more saved pars and fewer double-bogeys. An unfixed pitch mark can wreak havoc on your finely tuned putting stroke. So, we all want the surface to be as good as it can be. If you are inserting your pitch mark repairer under the depression and pushing upwards, you are tearing the roots and killing the grass. The best way to repair a pitch mark is to work around the edge of the damage, pushing the grass towards the centre.
A pitch mark which is repaired properly will allow the green to have healed so much in the first 24 hours, that it will be almost invisible.
Replace divots
Among golf’s most frustrating events is pinging a beautiful, straight drive down the middle, then finding your ball settled in a divot. That’s golf and I suppose life is just unfair sometimes. It needn’t be that way though. While no one can promise a 100% unblemished fairway, we can contribute towards making fairways better by replacing divots where possible and taking a bag of seeds and soil out with us.
By repairing a divot, you are speeding up the healing process as opposed to leaving it untended. If left alone, divots can cause weed growth, blemishes to the surface and can affect playability.
Rake bunkers – ending up in a bunker, fairway or greenside, brings its own type of existential dread. It’s profoundly disheartening to get to the bunker only to see your ball in the heel of someone else’s footprint. It only takes a minute or so to rake out what you have done to a bunker, please do so. After raking, replace with the comb-end in the bunker and the handle outside. Put simply, leave it as you would hope to find it if you hit your next shot in that bunker.
Litter
Must not be left on the course, please take it home with you. Pace of play – Apply ‘ready golf’ principles. This means thinking ahead so that you are ready to play when it is your turn. It applies everywhere – on tees, fairways and on the greens. For example, teeing off – the player with the honour should be ready to hit first. If the player with the honour is not ready, then someone else should hit first.
When you should let through
Keep up with the group in front, not ahead of the group behind. But, if the group behind is clearly playing faster than you, let them through and do it at the first opportunity. All playing groups have “standing” on the course.
Remember, letting the group behind through makes just a few minutes difference to you but makes the game much more enjoyable for both groups.
Respect fellow golfers (and yourself)
Don’t throw your clubs, don’t shout, don’t swear, don’t behave aggressively in any way at all. It’s not helpful to you and can make your playing partners feel awkward and uncomfortable. Also, you look like a fool. Always demonstrate fair play, in golf we often referee ourselves so please do not knowingly cheat. Apply penalties and be honest in all aspects of your play. Maximum group size is four and clubs may not be shared. Turn your phone to silent on the golf course.
Respect the dress Code
It’s important to respect the traditions and history of The Coventry Golf Club. Remember, all sports have a dress-code. Maybe a little less prescriptive than golf. But football, cricket and rugby for example have uniforms and studded boots. When it comes to the course, the Club accepts the world has changed. Therefore, any recognised golfing apparel that can be purchased from a professional golf retail outlet is acceptable. Socks of any variety are fine (ankle or knee high). Golf shorts or skirts should be tailored, gentlemen, shirts must be tucked in. Please note, we are not yet ready for cargo shorts.
Social Media
Please go ahead and show how much you’re enjoying yourself at the club. However, members postings on social media must not be injurious to the Club, its staff or members.
Complaints
All complaints should be made to the Club Manager. Communication can be made via telephone, email or by letter. If you have witnessed breaches of this code the best thing to do is report it to the Club manager. Don’t intervene, it could make matters worse.
Breaches of anything described in this code of conduct that warrant formal action will be handled using rules laid out in the bye-laws.