Nestled in the tranquil Cheshire countryside is our hidden gem, the Arderne Course. Designed to test and improve the game of experienced players whilst also providing the ideal practice facillity for those of all ages. It's picturesque water features, contoured greens and mix of holes ranging between 94 and 371 yards makes this a delightful course to spend time with friends or family.

Portal Arderne GC which is based at the course is CONGU affiliated and offers a full range of social and competitive golf. A warm and friendly welcome and a homely clubhouse await anybody wishing to become a member.

For membership details of the Arderne, please contact:
Membership Department
Email: golfmgr.portal@macdonald-hotels.co.uk

Portal Arderne Course is owned and managed by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts.

.1. Preferred Lies

(Operative from 1st October to 30th April inclusive. This period may be extended if course conditions justify it.)
“A ball lying on a closely mown area may be lifted, without penalty, cleaned and placed within six inches (150mm) of where it originally lay, but not nearer the hole and not in a hazard or on a putting green. A player may move or place the ball once and after the ball has been so moved or placed it is in play.”

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match Play - Loss of Hole
Stroke Play - Two Strokes

Notes: “closely mown area” means any part of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less. The original position of the ball should be marked before the ball is moved or lifted. If a player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting, or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling with a club, he/she incurs a penalty of one stroke.


2. Ground Under Repair (GUR) (Rule 16.1)

For the protection of the course, play is prohibited from any area designated ‘Ground Under Repair’. This now includes the area to the right hand side of the 3rd fairway (Rubbish Tip), marked by a rope or line surrounding the area.
If a player’s ball lies in the area, or it interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his/her intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16–1. It is the player’s responsibility to use the correct procedure to obtain relief from GUR as detailed in Rule 16–1a.

Exception: If a dropping zone is indicated for relief for the GUR, the player shall lift the ball and drop it within the dropping zone

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match Play - Loss of Hole
Stroke Play - Two Strokes

3. Immovable Obstructions (Rule 16–1)
(Pop up sprinklers, all seats, notice posts, ball washers, etc., green–keeping equipment)

The player also has these extra options to take relief when such immovable obstructions are close to the putting green and on the line of play:
Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b if an immovable obstruction is:

On the line of play, and is:
Within two club-lengths of the putting green, and
Within two club-lengths of the ball.

Exception - No Relief If Line of Play Clearly Unreasonable. There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.

PENALTY FOR PLAYING BALL FROM WRONG PLACE IN BREACH OF LOCAL RULE Penalty 2 strokes Under Rule 14.7a.

4. Lift and drop without penalty (Rule 16.1)

All artificially surfaced paths and roads in THE GENERAL AREA and vehicle wheel marks

When a ball lies in or on these areas, or so close to the area that it interferes with his/her stance or the area of his/her intended swing, the player may lift the ball and drop it within one club–length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The ball may be cleaned when so lifted.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match Play - Loss of Hole
Stroke Play - Two Strokes

5. Out of Bounds (Rule 27)

Out of Bounds is taken from the inside edge of any boundary fence on holes 2/11, 3/12, 4/13 and 5/14 and the inside edge of the wall to the left of hole 6/15.
All other boundaries defined by white marker posts

6. New Local Rule for Ball Lost or Out of Bounds under 2 shot penalty
OPTION IS NOT AVAILABLE IN HANDICAP COMPETITIONS UNDER CONGU RULES

When a player’s ball cannot be found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance.
For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or a substituted ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):
Two Estimated Reference Points:
Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball:
Is estimated to have come to rest on the course, or

* Last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.

Fairway Reference Point: The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point, but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point.
For purposes of this Local Rule, “fairway” means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less.
Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points: Anywhere between:

* A line from the hole through the ball reference point (or within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and

* A line from the hole through the fairway reference point (or within two club-lengths to the outside of that line).

But with these limits:
Limits on Location of Relief Area:

* Must be in the general area, and

* Must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.

But, the player may not use this option when:

* The ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or

* The player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance(see Rule 18.3).”

7. Shotgun starts

Score cards for 18hole shotgun competitions should be marked from your starting hole down to No 18 and then back to hole No 1 through to your finishing hole. e.g. if you start on hole 5, mark your card from 5 to 18 and then 1 to 4 (playing off yellow/red tees 5 to 9 then white/yellow 10 to 18 and finish on yellow/red 1 to 4)

8. Rakes and Bunkers

After use, the heads of the rake should be left in the bunker with the shaft resting on the edge. Hence, rakes can be reached without having to step into the bunker.

9. Distance Measuring Devices

A player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only.

10. Practice on Course

In accordance with the provisions of “The Note to Rule 5.2”; The Committee make the following Regulation governing Practice. Players entering Alternative Day Competitions may play the Course on any day prior to their selected Competition Day, but must NOT PRACTISE. Players may not however play or practice on the Course prior to commencing play in the Competition on their “selected day”, (except as permitted under Rule 5.21).

11. Procedure for Bad Weather and Suspension of Play Rule 5.7b

Suspension/restart of play for whatever reason will be indicated by the following

1. Immediate suspension of play requiring players to cease play during a hole two prolonged notes of the siren
2. Normal suspension of play which allows players to complete the hole being played three notes on the siren
3. Restart of play after any suspension, one long note on the siren as is used for the Thursday competitions