Fawn Lake Country Club
Turf Care
Course Etiquette
Cart Traffic
When conditions allow for carts to leave the path they should always follow:
THE 90 DEGREE RULE
This rule was designed years ago in an effort to avoid concentrating traffic over the same area of a golf course. It is a common policy that thousands of golf courses use, however, it is routinely misunderstood and/or ignored. If you follow the 90 Degree Rule as it was intended, then you will always take the cart path as far as possible before turning to head to your ball. You will remain in the fairway until your ball is beyond the area where carts are not permitted at which point you will head straight to the path at roughly a 90 Degree angle. If you take the quickest route from the tee to your ball, then chances are you have broken the 90 Degree Rule. If you "cut the corner" when heading back to the path en route to the green, then you have definitely broken the 90 Degree Rule.
When carts are permitted to leave the path they should still follow several rules designed to keep the course in good condition. The following rules should always be followed:
- Never drive in the rough except when necessary to get to and from the fairway.
- Keep all four tires on the path when parking at a tee or green
- Never drive beyond the signs that say "No Carts Beyond This Point"
- Always return to the path before passing the white topped black post located near the path.
- Never leave the path on the par 3's (4,8,12,15)
DAILY CART TRAFFIC RULES
The cart traffic policy for the day may be obtained from the pro shop as well as the signs at the first and tenth tees. Always check with the pro shop or take note of the sign on the first tee before you begin play.
General Cart Traffic Rules:
CODE GREEN
This is the 90 Degree Rule. When the policy for the day is Code Green you may utilize the 90 Degree Rule. Remember to follow the guidelines listed above when we are CODE GREEN.
CODE RED
When the policy for the day is Code Red you must keep your cart on the path. Depending on conditions there may be exceptions made for those golfers who have handicap flags.
CODE YELLOW
Due to the large number of privately owned carts at Fawn Lake we have adopted a policy that encourages people to share a cart when conditions are not ideal for cart traffic on the turf. We refer to the policy as CODE YELLOW.
When the policy for the day is CODE YELLOW you may utilize the 90 Degree Rule as long as you are sharing a cart or are the only single rider in your group. If you choose to ride alone, then your cart must remain on the path.
Course Etiquette
Bunkers
Always enter and exit from the low side to avoid the large footprints left in slopes that are difficult to rake. Entering and exiting at the low point also helps keep the grass bank from caving in and sliding into the bunker.
Neatly rake the sand you've walked through and played from to leave the surface as smooth as possible for those playing behind you.
Leave the rake outside the bunker when finished raking.
Greens
Always fix at least one ball mark on each green. When you've created a ball mark, fix yours and one other.
Tees
Remove your tee from the ground and take it with you. If you break your tee, then throw it away.
DO NOT fill your divots on tees. If you take a divot and it stays intact, then replace it. If the divot is in pieces, then leave it alone and the course maintenance staff will fill it with a special divot mix.
Fairways and Rough
Fill your divots with the sand provided on the cart. There are boxes at the first and tenth tees with sand for refilling your bottles.
Wetlands
Never enter an area marked as a wetland. Wetlands are marked with red or yellow stakes with green tops.
Course Maintenance
Never hit a shot that might have a chance to strike another golfer or a staff member. Make sure you've been acknowledged before striking your ball. This is especially important in the summer as staff members are frequently tasked with hand watering greens. They are doing their best to keep grass alive so you can enjoy the course. A few moments of patience is all it takes.
