BERKSHIRE
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE & OXFORDSHIRE UNION OF GOLF CLUBS
CONSTITUTION
The Union shall be called
the Berkshire Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Union of Golf Clubs (hereinafter
called the “County Union”).
a)
To promote, administer and encourage the
development of, and participation in, the amateur game of golf within the
geographic area of the County Union.
b)
To arrange Championships, Trophy Events,
Matches and Competitions as the Executive Committee may think fit, and played
according to the Rules of Golf and the County Regulations as set out in
Appendix 2.
c) To co-operate with the English Golf Union
(hereinafter called the “EGU”) and other County Golf Unions in all matters
relating to the administration and playing of the game of golf.
d) To assist in maintaining a uniform system of
handicapping as the Area Authority for the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU)
within the County Union and to duly operate the Standard Scratch Score and
Handicapping Scheme 1983 as amended and revised from time to time.
The County Union is a
member of the EGU and, as such, is a member of the South Eastern Group as
defined by the EGU rules. The County Union recognises the EGU as the governing
body of amateur golf in England and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St.
Andrews (hereinafter called the “R&A”) as the governing body for the Rules
of Golf and of Amateur Status.
5 The
Council
The governing body of
the County Union shall be called the Council and the entire management of the
affairs of the County Union shall be vested in it. Twenty members present and
entitled to vote shall form a quorum. The Council shall appoint an Executive
Committee to carry out all duties of the Council between its meetings, subject
to any specific restrictions which may be placed upon it. The President will
chair Council meetings or, in his absence, a Chairman shall be appointed by the
meeting.
The Council
shall consist of:-
a) The President, The President-elect (when
appointed), Past-Presidents, Vice-Presidents and other members of the Executive
Committee (hereinafter called “Officials”).
b) The Secretary or other Club Official and one
representative from each affiliated Club, one of whom shall be known as the
Club Representative. Each Club shall, in writing, notify The County Union
Secretary of the name and address of the Club Representative by the first day
of January each year, to take effect from the date of the Annual Council
meeting. In the event of the resignation of a Club Representative an
alternative may be appointed and shall remain in office for the balance of the
year.
At any Council meeting
Officials and each Club may cast one vote. The Chairman of the meeting shall
have a casting vote in the event of a tie.
6 Officers of the County Union
The Officers shall be:-
·
The
President and The President-Elect (when nominated)
·
The County
Captain
·
The County
Union Secretary and /or Treasurer
No Officer, Shadow
Officer, Member of Council, nor anyone connected with them shall be paid a
salary calculated by reference to any profit or surplus of the County Union or
its gross income.
The County Union shall
not purchase goods or services from anyone who is or was an Officer or Shadow
Officer of the County Union, acting as an intermediary between the County Union
and Officer or Shadow Officer, or connected with such person or persons.
7 Annual Council Meeting
The Annual Meeting of
the Council shall be held not later than 31st March in each year at
such time and place as may be decided by the Executive Committee. At least 21
days notice of the meeting shall be given by The County Union Secretary to each
County Union Official and to each affiliated Club, specifying the business to
be transacted including copies of resolutions to be considered under this Rule
or Rule 14.
The Council shall at
each Annual Meeting elect The President, except that The President shall serve
a minimum of two years and a maximum of three years. The President-elect shall
be recommended by The President, in consultation with the Past-Presidents, to
the Executive Committee for nomination to the Annual Meeting.
The business of the meeting shall also
include:-
·
The
consideration and, if approved, the acceptance of the Annual Accounts.
·
The
election of Nominated Members of the Executive Committee as provided under Rule
9c) and 9d).
·
A report
of the working of the County Union for the year.
·
The
appointment of an Auditor.
·
The
consideration of any resolutions submitted in accordance with the Rules.
Not later than 1st
December in the preceding year The County Union Secretary shall give notice to
all affiliated Clubs that any resolutions or nominations to the Executive
Committee intended to be placed before the Annual Council Meeting (except a
resolution relating to the Accounts or a resolution proposed by the Executive
Committee) must be in writing and received by The County Union Secretary not
later than 1st January preceding the Annual Council Meeting. Any
amendment to a proposed resolution must be submitted to The County Union
Secretary at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.
8 Additional/Extraordinary Meetings
Additional meetings of
the Council may be convened by The County Union Secretary at the instance of
the Executive Committee or by written request to him from the Club
Representatives of twenty affiliated Clubs stating the purpose for which such a
meeting is required. Twenty-one days notice of the business to be transacted at
such meetings shall be given to all Officials and to affiliated Clubs and only
business of which notice has been given shall be considered. Any amendment to a
proposed resolution must be in writing and in the hands of The County Union
Secretary at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting. When a meeting
is called on the requisition of twenty Clubs, The County Union Secretary shall
call the meeting within twenty-eight days of the requisition.
9 The Executive Committee
a) Responsibility
of the Executive Committee:-
Subject to any
restrictions imposed by Council, the Executive Committee shall conduct the
affairs of the County Union and deal with all matters arising in the intervals
between meetings of the Council and be responsible for the organisation and
operation of all County Meetings, Matches, Competitions and Events and for the
establishment of handicap limits. The President shall be the Chairman of
meetings of the Executive Committee and shall have a casting vote in the event
of a tie. In the absence of The President the meeting shall appoint a Chairman.
b) The Executive Committee shall appoint
annually:-
·
The County
Captain (and a Vice-Captain if so desired)
·
Colts
Manager (if so desired)
·
Junior
Manager
·
“A” Team
Manager (if so desired)
·
Seniors
Manager
All the appointments
shall take effect from 1st January annually but are subject to
confirmation by Council. The appointees shall be called Co-opted Members of the
Executive Committee and shall have full voting rights on that committee during
their term of office.
c) Composition
of the Executive Committee
The Executive
Committee shall be composed of:-
·
The
President
·
The
Immediate Past-President for a period not exceeding twelve months
·
The
President-elect on nomination prior to his election at the Annual Council
Meeting
·
The County
Union Secretary and / or Treasurer
·
The
Co-opted Members (see 9 b) above)
·
Ten
Nominated Members of affiliated Clubs elected by the Council at the Annual Council
Meeting.
d) Terms
of Office of Nominated Members of the Executive Committee
1. At least two of the Nominated Members shall
retire annually (subject to paragraph 2. below) and can be eligible for
re-election provided no member shall serve more than four years consecutively.
At least one year must elapse after retirement before any former Nominated
Member can stand for election again.
2. Any Nominated Member during his four years may
be appointed a Co-opted Member, thus creating a vacancy for a Nominated Member.
3. The Executive Committee may appoint any member
of an affiliated Club to fill a casual vacancy until such time as the person
whose retirement as a Nominated Member created the vacancy would have retired.
e) The Appointment of The County Union
Secretary and / or Treasurer
The Executive Committee
shall be empowered by the Council of the County Union to appoint a County Union
Secretary and / or Treasurer (referred to throughout this Constitution as The
County Union Secretary) and arrange conditions of employment.
f) Executive Committee Quorum
For Executive Committee
meetings to be valid a quorum of at least four members must be in attendance
excluding The President and The County Union Secretary.
g) Sub-Committees
The Executive Committee
shall appoint sub-committees to deal with specific areas of its
responsibilities such as Discipline, Junior Golf and Championships.
10 Minutes
The County Union
Secretary shall keep minutes of the proceedings of all Council and Executive
Committee meetings and shall produce them at the succeeding meetings of each
body.
11 Finances
The County Union
Secretary shall record all financial transactions and shall prepare annually a
Revenue Account and Balance Sheet for each year ending 31st
December. These Annual Accounts shall be audited and a copy shall be sent to
all Officials and affiliated Clubs.
12 Resignation
Any Club wishing to
resign from the County Union must give notice thereof in writing to The County
Union Secretary on or before 1st November in the previous year.
Otherwise the Club shall be liable to pay its subscription for the ensuing
year.
13 Discipline
A Standing Committee for
Discipline shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and the Chairman of
this committee shall nominate three impartial members of the committee for each
inquiry. Under the Rules of the EGU the County Union shall have power to
suspend the handicap of a Playing Member for breaches of the Rules of the EGU
or Regulations of the EGU or for conduct which prejudices the interests of the EGU
or the County Union in the game. Any Playing Member whose handicap is suspended
by the committee shall have a right to appeal to the Executive Committee.
The procedures and
conduct of any inquiry of the committee shall be in accordance with the current
instructions of the EGU for such matters.
14 Alteration
of Rules
No new rules shall be
made nor shall any rule be altered or repealed except at Council Meetings after
twenty-one days notice of such change shall have been given to all entitled recipients
of notices of Council Meetings. Notice of any amendments to any proposed
resolutions must be submitted in writing to reach The County Union Secretary
not less than fourteen days before the date of the meeting.
No new rule or
alteration, amendment or repeal of any rule may be approved without a majority
of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by those present and entitled to vote
at the meeting.
Any Club whose fees are in
arrears on 31st March in any year may not, and its members may not,
take part in any County Union function, event or match until such time as fees
have been paid.
Any Club failing to
comply with fee regulations will be deemed to be in arrears and will forfeit
affiliation. Playing Members of such Clubs will cease to hold an official
handicap as recognised by the governing bodies.
Any Club becoming
affiliated during the County Union’s financial year may have their first year’s
fees reduced at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
The County Union is
a non-profit making organisation and shall not make a distribution of any
profits or surpluses save to another non-profit making body. In the event of
the dissolution of the County Union the assets and property of the County Union
shall be distributed only to non-profit bodies as shall be directed by the
Council of the County Union.
The Club making
application shall contact The County Union Secretary for application forms.
When completed they should be returned to the County Union accompanied by:-
·
A Copy of
the constitution and/or rules of the Club.
All applications,
which must comply with the Rules of Affiliation of the EGU will be considered
by the Affiliation Sub-Committee of the Executive Committee of the County
Union. If any application is refused the applicant may appeal to the Executive
Committee, the decision of which shall be final.
In the event of any
Club application being refused by the EGU the County Union will not accept such
affiliation.
1.
Competitions shall be held each year to decide
the Amateur Championship, Junior Championship, Under 25s Championship, Over 25s
Championship, Seniors Championship, the Club Foursomes Championship and Club
Scratch & Junior Team Championships. The Executive Committee shall arrange
such other competitions and fixtures as it may think fit.
Entrants to the
Junior, Under 25s, Under 25s and Seniors events shall be within the age groups
set by the R&A, the EGU and County Union Regulations as appropriate.
All entries shall be
subject to the approval of the Executive Committee who reserve the right to
accept or refuse any entry without giving reason for their decision, which
shall be final.
2.
All competitions shall be played in accordance
with the Rules of Golf of the R&A and such Local Rules as shall be approved
by the Championship Sub-Committee. Subject to the conditions of each event,
competitions are open to any male playing member whose Home Club, for
handicapping purposes, is a Club affiliated to the County Union who is of
Amateur Status as defined by the R&A.
3.
In the cases of the Under 25s, Over 25s,
Seniors and Amateur Championships, competitors may not have taken part in the
Championship of another English County or represented another County Union at
golf in any inter-County league or friendly match for one year prior to the
date of the relevant Championship. In the cases of the Club Scratch &
Junior Team and Club Foursomes Championships a player shall not be eligible if
he has played in a similar event in another English County in the current
calendar year.
4.
The words “player” and “member” shall be
interpreted to mean any male member who by virtue of his membership is entitled
to take part in his Club competitions and to play golf for his Club.
5.
All disputes relating to competitions shall be
settled by the Executive Committee or by the Championship Sub-Committee
appointed for that purpose and their decision shall be final.