Donnington Grove Lightning Policy
The following policy has been introduced with the utmost safety of golfers in mind. Please
show respect for those making the decisions.
Until further notice the Lightning policy will be amended to the following for play during both
social and competition situations.
If there is a risk of lightning play MUST be discontinued. Donnington Grove is not
responsible for the safety of any golfer on the course and it is therefore your responsibility to
remove yourself from any situation which you deem dangerous.
If you see or hear lightning or hear one long blast on the klaxon the following will apply;
Mark the position of your golf ball and proceed immediately in the safest way possible to your
car and remain in your car until advised further. If play can be resumed within 30 minutes of
suspension you will be advised to return to the place where you marked your ball and
continue play. All booked tee times will resume with a 30 minute delay.
If play cannot be resumed within 30 minutes then golfers should return to their homes, play
will be cancelled and only resume when safe to do so. When it is deemed safe enough to
return to the golf course, play will be resumed in accordance with the tee booking system.
1.0 Donnington Grove consider the safety of its
Members and Guests the top priority during inclement weather. Weather reports and local
conditions are monitored during storm warnings. If it is decided that it is unsafe to continue to
play golf as a storm approaches, the Professional Shop will sound a klaxon to call all golfers off
the course and into the clubhouse.
1.1 If there is a risk of lightning play MUST be discontinued. Donnington Grove is
not responsible for the safety of any golfer on the course and it is therefore your responsibility
to remove yourself from any situation which you deem dangerous.
1.3 If you see lightning or hear the klaxon (one long blast) the following will apply:
Proceed immediately to the clubhouse or storm shelter (if it is nearer to your location) – these
are the safest places on the course.
• Do not continue to play golf and do not seek shelter under trees. Trees do not protect you
from lightning.
• During competitions, if there is a lightning risk, play will be suspended and players must
leave the course.
• Where play is automatically suspended on the sound of the klaxon, a player may not
override the Policy decision to evacuate the course.
• Players should stop play and seek shelter any time they believe lightning threatens them,
even if the klaxon has not been sounded.
1.4 Although the Club will take every precaution to ensure the safety of players during a thunder
storm, it is a player’s own responsibility to discontinue play when in his/her opinion lightning is
a threat. It is not always possible to monitor conditions on the entire course and players have a
duty of care to themselves. They should therefore familiarise themselves with both the Club
policy and the Rules of Golf.
2.0 Juniors
2.1 All adults who work with children are accountable for the way in which they manage risk and
the welfare of each child. Donnington Grove has a duty of care in this respect and
accepts that the Club should take extra responsibility when juniors are on the course during
inclement weather conditions. Where a risk from lightning is foreseen, or apparent, Club staff
will take positive steps to reduce the risk to juniors including going out on to the course to
escort them to safety.
3.0 Rule 5.7.
3.1 Stopping Play; Resuming Play - Rule 5.7 as stated in the R&A Rules of Golf will apply to all
competitions and matches where there is a risk of lightning. The rules of golf are straightforward
when lightning is a risk. Rule 5.7 makes it quite clear that a player is entitled to discontinue play
if he or she believes there is danger from lightning. Although bad weather in itself is not a good
reason for discontinuing play, bad weather accompanied by lightning, or the very real risk of
lightning, most certainly is. Common sense dictates that play in these circumstances must be
discontinued in the interests of safety. Even if the klaxon is not sounded and the player honestly
believes that there is a real risk of danger from lightning, then he or she is entitled to proceed
under the provisions of Rule 5.7a and discontinue play.
3.2 Resumption of Play – Where play has been suspended due to lightning, play must be
resumed where it was discontinued, even if resumption occurs on a subsequent day. (see Rule
5.7 R&A Rules of Golf.) When the danger has passed, 3 short blasts of the klaxon will indicate
that it is safe to return to the course.
4.0 General
4.1 We insist that all members adhere to the lightning policy. Failure to do so is at your own risk
and Donnington Grove accepts no liability for any Member or Guest who fails to
co-operate with any decision to suspend play and close the course.
4.2 It is not the responsibility of staff to retrieve clubs, equipment, or trolleys from the course
during a lightning storm where play has been suspended, as their safety may be jeopardised.
4.3 Please note that golf buggies do NOT give protection from lightning.
LIGHTNING IS A SEVERE HAZARD THAT MUST BE VIEWED SERIOUSLY
FOG POLICY
WHEN PLAY BEGINS FOLLOWING A FOGGY START TO THE DAY THE MAXIMUM DELAY WILL BE
30 MINUTES. ANY TEE TIME THAT IS MORE THAN 30 MINUTES PAST WILL BE DEEMED TO BE
LOST FOR THE DAY.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF GOLF RESTARTS AT 10AM, THE FIRST GROUP TO TEE OFF WILL BE THE GROUP
ORIGINALLY BOOKED AT 9.30AM. PLAYERS WILL THEN FOLLOW IN THE ORDER OF THE ORIGINAL
TEE SHEET.
AS A GENERAL RULE WHEN CONDITIONS ARE FOGGY PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS
BELOW.
IN FOGGY CONDITIONS, GOLFERS MUST NOT PLAY IF THEY CANNOT SEE WHERE THEIR SHOTS
WILL FINISH, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER OR NOT THE COURSE IS CLOSED
THE COURSE WILL BE CLOSED IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SEE 250 YARDS FROM THE 1ST TEE.
GOLFERS MUST NOT COMMENCE THEIR ROUND IF THIS IS THE CASE.
SHOULD GOLFERS BE ALREADY ON THE COURSE WHEN THE FOG DESCENDS THEY SHOULD
PAUSE PLAY AND WAIT UNTIL IT IS SAFE TO DO SO BEFORE CONTINUING.