RULES AND REGULATIONS

1. Name

The name of the Association shall be: “DURHAM COUNTY LADIES’ GOLF ASSOCIATION” (In the former geographical County of Durham)

2. Objects

To further the interests of Amateur Ladies’ Golf within the County.
To employ the funds of the Association in such manner as shall be deemed in the best interest of the Association.
To maintain, administer and regulate the championship and all other competitions held under the auspices of the Association.
To make, maintain and publish such regulations as may be necessary for the above purposes.

3. Membership

Conditions governing the Membership of the Association shall be in accordance with Regulation 6 governing the Membership of County Associations, as laid down in the England Golf Official Year Book, and detailed in Regulation 1 of the Association’s Rules, Regulations and Bye-Laws.

4. Presidents and Vice-Presidents

Retiring Presidents shall be known as Past Presidents and thereafter be Life Members.
Vice-Presidents: Members who have given outstanding service to the Association shall be recommended to the President or by the President and her name brought firstly to the President, Past and Vice Presidents, Captain, Vice-Captain and Secretary and if agreed then presented to the committee for approval. She will be presented to the membership at the next AGM where she will receive her badge. She shall thereafter be a Life Member of the Association. The position of Vice-President does not preclude the individual from becoming a future President..

5. Executive Committee

The management of the Association shall be vested in an Executive Committee consisting of eight Officers and eight elected members:

President to serve for up to two years
Captain to serve for one year
Vice-Captain to serve for one year
Honorary Secretary to serve for up to six years
Honorary Treasurer to serve for up to six years
Honorary Competition Secretary to serve for up to six years
Honorary Match Secretary to serve for up to six years
Honorary Junior Organiser to serve for up to six years
Eight elected members of the Association

6. Election of Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting and shall take office immediately.

The President shall be selected by the Retiring President, Past Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Captain, Vice-Captain, and Secretary, who shall present their nominee to the Executive Committee for approval.
The Captain shall be nominated by the Executive Committee. The Vice-Captain shall meet with the President, County Captain and a quorum of three most recent Past County Captains, as available, to discuss and select suitable candidates for nomination as Vice-Captain. The Vice-Captain shall present her selected candidate to the Executive Committee for approval.
The Handicap Adviser and Standard Scratch Score Assessor shall be nominated by the Executive Committee from suitably qualified members for appointment by the National Organisation, and may attend the Executive meetings as ex-officio members. As recommended by England Golf, both may serve for a maximum period of 10-12 years.
All other Officers listed in Rule 5 shall be nominated by Affiliated Clubs for election at an Annual General Meeting.
Eight members of the Association shall be nominated by their home affiliated Clubs in the County and four elected annually by the Association. These members shall serve on the Committee for two years and four shall retire in rotation every year one time.
Any vacancies occurring during the year may be filled by the Executive Committee and such member shall serve for the remaining term of office and thereafter their club shall be eligible to nominate that member for election for a period of two years at the following Annual General Meeting.
In the event of insufficient nominations for Executive Committee being received at the Annual General Meeting the Executive Committee shall appoint members to serve for two years.
The County Delegate for the Northern Region of England Golf shall be nominated by one club and seconded by another club. Affiliated Clubs should vote at a Delegates’ Meeting, and if more than one candidate is proposed then a majority will elect. The term of office shall be a maximum of three years, in accordance with the England Golf requirements. The County Delegate shall be an ex-officio member of the DCLGA Executive Committee.
A member of the Association who is also a member of the England Golf Executive Committee, shall during her term of office be an ex-officio member of the DCLGA. Executive Committee.
A County Training Officer shall be selected by and be responsible to the Executive Committee, and may attend Executive Meetings as an ex-officio member.
Ex Officio members shall not be entitled to vote.

7. County Team Selection Committee

The Captain shall appoint annually a County Team Selection Sub-Committee which shall consist of the Captain, Vice-Captain, the Past Captain and two other Association Members.

8. Annual General Meeting

A meeting of the Association shall be held in November of each year on a date to be fixed by the Executive Committee, which shall normally be a Saturday in November. Such a meeting shall be called for the following purposes:

To receive the Reports.
To receive the Statement of Accounts (duly audited).
To elect the Executive Committee.
To consider and decide on any resolutions of which written notice has been submitted.
To elect an Auditor for the ensuing year.

Notice of such a meeting shall be sent to the Secretary of each Affiliated Club not later than 1st September for display on the club noticeboard. Fifty members present at such a meeting shall form a quorum. All voting shall be done at the Annual General Meeting unless under special circumstances when an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting shall be called.

Club or Individual Voting shall be by a simple majority and become effective immediately – exception see Rule 18.

Election of members to the Executive Committee shall be by written ballot at the Annual General Meeting and shall be by a simple majority. Where there is only one nomination that candidate automatically shall be elected. At such election a valid return must record no more than one vote per nominee with the votes cast to equal the number of vacancies. All Association Members and Life Members shall be entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting. The Agenda for the Annual General Meeting shall be circulated to Club Secretaries not less than 21 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting. It shall list all nominations for the Executive Committee.

The President shall take the Chair at the Annual General Meeting, or in the absence of the President, the Captain shall take the Chair, or in the absence of both the President and the Captain, the Vice-Captain shall take the Chair. In the absence of all three, the members present shall elect a Chairman. The Chairman shall have the casting vote at any Annual General Meeting.

9. Special Meetings

Any meetings other than the Annual General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary if required so to do by:

The Executive Committee, or
Upon a requisition signed by 20 members of the Association and lodged with the Secretary stating the business for which the meeting is to be called. This requisition shall constitute the sole business to be discussed. This meeting must be held within twenty-eight days of receipt of the requisition.

Notice of such meetings shall be sent to the Secretary of each Affiliated Club not less than seven days before the meeting.

The quorum shall be the same as for the Annual General Meeting. The Captain shall be Chairman of all other meetings or in the absence of the Captain, the Vice-Captain. In the absence of both the Captain and the Vice-Captain the members present shall elect a Chairman. The Chairman shall have the casting vote at any special meeting and at all Committee Meetings.

10. Meeting of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall meet when it is deemed advisable by the Captain and Secretary or upon the written request of three members of the Executive Committee. Six voting members of the Executive Committee shall form a quorum, except for the settlement of disputes at County Competitions or events, when three voting members of the Executive Committee shall suffice.

11. Meeting of the Club Secretaries, Captains, and Vice-Captains

The Executive Committee may from time to time convene meetings with Secretaries, Captains and Vice-Captains of Affiliated Clubs to discuss problems affecting them. Such meetings are to be advisory and social.

12. Club Meetings of the County Association Members

After a club has received notification of the Annual General Meeting, a meeting of the members shall be called. At such meetings, nominations may be put forward for the Executive Committee as specified in Rule 5, and notice of intention to move any proposal shall be given. All proposals and nominations shall be sent to the County Secretary by 1st October. All proposals must be seconded by another affiliated club.

13. Finances

The Financial Year shall end on 31st August, prior to the Annual General Meeting.
The Balance Sheet shall be forwarded to Clubs.
Travel Expenses: Expenses shall be paid to County Officials who are representing the County Association, i.e. second class rail fare or mileage, as approved by the Executive Committee.

14. Per Capita Levy

In accordance with Regulation 6 detailed in the England Golf Rules and Regulations for County Golf, the payment of a mandatory Per Capita Levy for every playing member of a Golf Club affiliated to England Golf is due annually on or before 1st February. This annual Levy may be varied by resolution at the Annual General Meeting and shall take effect from 1st February following that Annual General Meeting.

Should a playing lady be a member of two clubs in the Association, then her Per Capita Levy should only be paid at her Home Club, with the player herself applying for reimbursement from the County Treasurer for membership of other Clubs.

15. Club Vote

A Club Vote shall be taken on matters which affect clubs participating in Competitions. In the event of a tied vote, the matter shall be referred back to the clubs and resolved at the following Annual General Meeting or any General Meeting.

16. County Matches and Qualification to Play

Inter-County matches shall be played in accordance with the County Rules and Regulations as set out in the England Golf Year Book.

17. Membership of more than one Golf Club in the County

County Members who are current members of more than one golf club in the County may represent only one club in the County events within that County year. The member must nominate a “home club”, in accordance with England Golf Rules, and must immediately notify the County Treasurer of the “home club” chosen and of any change thereof.

The events affected by this ruling are as follows:

Inter-Club matches.
Thomlinson Cups (for Inter-Club Foursomes).
Team Championship (during County Championship qualifying rounds).
The Vine Trophy.

18. Alteration to Rules

The Constitution shall not be repealed nor altered and no new rules be made except by a majority of two-thirds of the members present and voting at any General Meeting of the Association. Any alteration or addition so made shall take effect as from the date that the Meeting shall by a like-majority decide. Written notice of any proposed changes or alterations must be seconded by another Affiliated Club and sent to the Secretary.

19. Powers of Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall have the power to:

Forward and carry out all objects of the Association as specified in Rule 2, except such of them as can only be dealt with at the Annual General Meeting.
Make, alter and repeal Regulations and Bye-laws regulating the holding and playing of competitions and events.
Delegate such of their duties as they think necessary to sub-committees, but the responsibilities of the Executive Committee shall not be overtaken. Any sub-committee may co-opt such members as it may deem necessary.
The Captain and Hon. Secretary shall be ex-officio members of all sub-committees.
Any breach of the Association’s Rules shall be dealt with by the Executive Committee in accordance with the England Golf Handbook.

A sub-committee will appoint the Chairman when it is constituted.

20. County Colours

Executive Officers, whilst in office, shall be entitled to wear the County Colours, which must be returned when their term of office expires. Past Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Past County Captains shall retain their County Colours.

At the discretion of the Executive Committee, Members giving outstanding service to the Association e.g. Officers who serve six years or more, shall be presented with a Service Award Badge.

21. General

All competitions shall be played according to the Official Rules of Golf and the regulations as laid down by England Golf. The local rules of the Club on whose course the event is held shall apply, subject to any alterations which the Executive Committee of the Association may deem necessary to make to them, prior to the holding of the competition.

England Golf Rules shall take precedence over County Rules.
DCLGA events shall take precedence over Club events.

22. Dissolution

The Association shall not make a distribution of any surplus save to another non-profit making body, or in part, or in whole, to the members on dissolution. All assets shall be distributed in accordance with the wishes of the Association Members at a General Meeting called for that purpose.

REGULATIONS

1. Conditions governing the Membership of the County Association:

The payment of the mandatory County Per Capita Levy entitles playing members of affiliated clubs to County Membership as either:
- Full Members who possess one or more of the Qualifications laid down in Regulation 7 (see below*) of the England Golf Rules & Regulations. Full Members are entitled to play in all County Competitions, including inter-club matches, the County Golf Championship and for the County Team.
- Associate Members who are full Members of another County. Associate Members are entitled to play in all County Competitions including inter-club matches, but are excluded from the County Golf Championship and the County Team.

General

A player is personally responsible for ensuring that she is a Full Member of only one County Association. If a player holds Full Membership of one County and Associate Membership(s) of other Counties, she is responsible for ensuring that the Counties of which she is an Associate Member are aware of this fact. A player holding Associate Membership may only convert to Full Membership as provided in Regulation 5(e) of the England Golf Rules & Regulations for County Golf.
Honorary Membership Players who are Honorary Members of more than one County Association may only represent one County Association in any one year and must declare which County they intend to represent.
Change of County Affiliation If a club changes its County of affiliation, members of that club shall become either Full or Associate Members of the new County.

* Regulation 7.
Qualifications All players must be playing members of a Club affiliated to England Golf and the County and possess at least one of the following qualifications, which constitute Full Membership:

(a) Birth

A player is always entitled to play for the County of her birth.

(b) Residence

A player is always entitled to play for the County in which she is residing with the intention of permanent residence. If a player moves into England or Wales from any other country, she must complete 12 months residence before being eligible for full Membership of that County.

A playing member of a club affiliated to England Golf qualifies for Associate Membership of a County Association following payment of a per capita levy.
An Associate Member may qualify for full Membership from the start of the next County year.
In addition, and only after approval of the England Golf Executive Committee, an Associate may qualify for immediate full membership.

A player who has qualified as a Member of a County Association under (a), (b) or (c) above may continue her Membership of that County Association until she resigns to transfer to another County. In order to rejoin her original County Association she must possess one or more of the required qualifications.