JUNIOR REGULATIONS & CODE OF CONDUCT
The Code of Conduct forms can be found at the bottom of this page.
A printable version of the Junior Regulations and Guide below can be downloaded here.
Junior Golf Regulations and Guide
Welcome to the Junior Section
Our Junior Section is here to help you enjoy your golf and provide support and opportunities to develop your game in a friendly and safe environment. This guide has been put together to help you enjoy your golf, understand how the club works and develop your game.
Irrespective of your level or understanding of the game, junior golf at Lutterworth GC is all about fun. There will be lots of opportunity to play and develop your game as you would like to.
Joining as a Junior Member
The junior section is for all children and young adults aged under 18 on the 1st January of the calendar year. You can apply online here.
What happens next?
The Junior Organiser will get in touch with your parent(s) or guardian to explain the opportunities available to you, the interview and welcome process, arrange an introduction to the club and facilities.
Your Safety Comes First
Your wellbeing is very important to us:
- The club has a dedicated Welfare Officer that you and your parents/guardian can talk to if something is worrying you
- Contact details and safeguarding forms are available here
Juniors under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult on the course and must not be left unaccompanied.
For more information about risks on and around the course please make sure you have read the following Health & Safety on the Course – Lutterworth Golf Club
Getting Started & Improving Your Game
Our team of PGA professionals are here to help you build confidence and develop your skills, who provide sessions to develop your golf together:
- Individual lessons give you focused, one-to-one coaching
- Group sessions are a fun way to learn alongside other juniors
? Find out more about coaching opportunities here.
Learning to play the course
You don’t need a handicap straight away — there are plenty of fun and social games you can play to help you learn and build confidence. Juniors are encouraged to enjoy social golf as part of their development, but this must always be done safely and responsibly.
Parents and guardians have the main responsibility for making sure their junior is ready to go out on the course. Before allowing a junior to play, parents should be confident that their child:
- Understands how to stay safe on the course and be aware of other players
- Has the basic skills to play without holding up play
- Knows and follows the basic rules and golf etiquette
- Respects the course, other members, and club property
If you feel ready for the course, we encourage you to have a conversation with the Junior Organiser or the Professional Team to go through the important parts of playing on the course including being at the right level to enjoy the experience.
Juniors are expected to follow the Code of Conduct.
What to Wear
Juniors should follow the club dress code. Beginners don’t need to buy full golf gear straight away; trainers, plain T-shirts, and shorts/trousers are fine ( however, football kits are not allowed).
Rules of Golf – The Basics
Knowing the rules helps you avoid penalties in a competition and enjoy the game. A copy of the R&A Rulebook ( or the online version) is handy to have.
Please remember:
- Play the ball as it lies: don’t move or improve your ball’s position or lie
- Count every stroke: all intentional swings and misses count (except your practice swing)
- Mark your ball: use a marker pen so you can identify your ball from others
- Lost or out of bounds: go back to where you played the last shot from and take a penalty stroke before playing again
- Provisional ball: if you think your ball is lost or out of bounds, hit another one straight away, this saves time if you do lose your ball
- Taking relief: drop from knee height within one club length of the nearest relief point.
Local Rules
Alongside the main Rules of Golf, every club has local rules that apply only to that course. These are important because they:
- Define boundaries: such as out of bounds areas marked by white stakes, fences, or course edges
- Explain where free relief can be taken: for example, from paths, young trees, or ground under repair
You’ll find the local rules on your scorecard and on the club website here. Be sure to check them before you tee off so you know exactly what applies on the day.
Etiquette – Respecting the Course & Others
Golf isn’t just about hitting good shots; it’s also about looking after the course and showing respect to the people you’re playing with.
Looking After the Course
- Fix divots: if your shot takes a chunk of turf, replace it. If you see other divots, fix those too
- Repair pitch marks: always carry a pitch mark repairer and use it on any marks your ball (or others) makes on the green
- Rake bunkers: after you’ve been in a bunker, rake it so it’s smooth for the next player.
- Trolleys and bags: don’t take them between bunkers and greens, keep to the paths or fairways
Respecting Other Players
- Be quiet when someone else is hitting their shot.
- Stand where you can see but won’t distract the player, never stand close to a golfer playing a shot
- Walk at a good pace, be ready to play when it’s your turn
- If you’re holding up the group behind, let them play through if you are not keeping up with the group in front of you or if there is space to do so
Mobile Phones
Out on the course, keep your phone on silent. Only use it only if there’s an emergency (use is permitted for distance measuring apps etc.).
In the clubhouse, keep it on silent too. If you need to call or text, head to the lobby/foyer.
Handicaps
Juniors are not expected to have playing handicaps immediately; there are opportunities to be involved with or without a handicap.
Once you’re ready, you should aim to get a handicap to play in official club competitions.
How to get a handicap:
- Submit scorecards for 54 holes (6×9 or 3×18 holes, or a mix)
- Girls and boys can play from either the red or yellow tees. Ensure this is clearly marked on the score cards submitted
- Another golfer with a valid handicap must accompany you during the rounds, keep score and sign your cards
- Post your completed cards in the clubhouse box altogether
The Junior Organiser can help guide you through this process.
What is an official Handicap?
- All official handicaps held under the World Handicap System™ where you will be allocated a number and the ability to log onto England Golf to monitor your handicap progress throughout the year
- Your handicap will alter depending on the difficulty of the course and tees that you play from anywhere in the world
- All handicaps are reflective of the best 8 rounds of the last 20 rounds submitted (in a qualifying competition or through a general play round) and will adjust as you play more rounds.
- More information is available via England Golf
General Play Cards
“General Play” is a term used when you play a round of golf which is not connected to an official club competition. You must count all shots and hole out on every hole or you may submit a stableford card. The card will need to be marked by another golfer with an official handicap and submitted to your handicap in the England Golf app.
Why submitting General Play cards may help:
- Keeps your handicap up to date even if you don’t play in many competitions
- Let’s you build a handicap if you’re new and still improving
- Shows your real playing ability across different courses, tees and conditions
What you need to know:
- When you can use them: Any time you play a round that meets the rules of golf, either socially or in practice on a qualifying golf course
- Who can mark your card: Another golfer with a valid handicap must play with you, keep score, and sign your card
- Before play you must register that you are going to submit a General Play card – this can be through the England Golf app or with the Pro Shop
Competitions
Fun competitions will be organised by the Professionals’ team and Junior Organiser throughout the year depending on numbers.
In addition to fun competitions, the club will hold a number of official club competitions throughout the year specifically for Juniors which may include:
- Junior Stableford competitions
- Junior Captains Day
- Junior Open event
- League and club matches
Junior boys and girls with a Handicap may play in Club Competitions in accordance with the entry conditions and rules defined in Appendix A.
It is encouraged for juniors to look at 2026 Junior Foxes Pathway Tour, who hold events across the county for juniors on the beginning of their golfing journey to take part in, these include:
Flag 50
- This is aimed at non handicapped new juniors who should have started beginners group coaching sessions. You will have 50 shots to get as far round the shortened 9 hole course as you can.
Super 50
- This category is still for non handicapped players but for those who have naturally progressed from the Flag50 event and you will play a slightly longer course which will take you closer to being awarded your first official WHS Handicap.
9 hole Stepping Stones
- This category was introduced in 2023 and is designed for those players who have developed beyond the Super50 events and are now ready for a true 9 hole challenge but have not yet been awarded their formal WHS Handicap.
9 hole Stableford
- These events will run from the Red tees (or equivalent) for Boys and Girls and are aimed at the new and higher handicapped players. Players with a WHS Handicap Index 36.1 - 54.0 will automatically be entered into this event and those with an index of 24.1 - 36.0 will have the option to enter this or the 18 hole event.
18 hole Stableford
- This is the next step in your development pathway and will be a natural progression from the 9 Hole events. They will be run from the Red Tees for the Girls and the Yellow Tees for the Boys. WHS Handicap index 24.0 and below will automatically be entered into this category and those with an index of 24.1 - 36.0 will have the option to start in either this category or the 9 Hole event.
All club events will be communicated during the year to allow juniors to sign up to play in events. Tee sheets will be made available three weeks prior to the event. All competition rules will detail stipulations for juniors, for example:
- In adult competitions, juniors must be accompanied by an adult member with a handicap
- You may enter at
adult or
junior level:
- Full entry fee = eligible for main prizes (if conditions are met)
- Junior entry fee = eligible for junior prize only
- In pairs competitions, juniors must meet the same conditions as adults
Bringing Visitors
- As a junior member, you can invite guests to play at Lutterworth GC but must play with them.
- The same person (adult or junior) can’t be invited more than six times in a year. (At a reduced green fee)
- Remember — when you bring a Junior guest, both are responsible for making sure they look after the course, follow the rules, and respect other players.
We hope this guide gives you some information on the Junior Section of our club. If you have any queries, please contact the Junior Organiser at juniororganiser@lutterworthgc.co.uk.
Appendix A
Competition Rules
1 Junior boys and girls with Handicaps may play in Club Competitions in accordance with the entry conditions.
2 Junior boys are eligible to play in adult Club competitions once they have been awarded a handicap index of 28 or less. Junior girls may play in all ladies’ competitions and in Club competitions in which ladies are eligible to play when they have a handicap index (54 or better). When playing in any competition a junior must be accompanied by an adult member with a handicap. The exception to this is the Mid-week Stableford where if no adults are available to accompany them they may play together.
3 Junior boys with a playing handicap of 24 or better may win the major prizes in Club competitions, subject to the conditions of those competitions.
4 In a pairs competition junior boys with a playing handicap of 24 or better may play together as a pair and win the major prizes, subject to the conditions of those competitions and paying the adult entry fee. Junior boys with a playing handicap of 25 or more may also enter the competition but only with another junior (irrespective of their handicap) but will only qualify for the junior prize. In all cases the junior pair must be accompanied by an adult pairing who are members.
5 Junior girls playing in ladies competitions including Club competitions in which there is a separate ladies prize, will pay the full entry fee and be eligible to win the ladies prizes, subject to the conditions of those competitions. In a Club competition where ladies are eligible to play but where there is no separate ladies prize, junior girls with a playing handicap of 24 or better may enter the competition by paying the full entry fee and be eligible to win the major prizes, subject to the conditions of those competitions.
6 In Club competitions (where juniors are eligible to play) a junior may elect to pay and play only for the junior prize irrespective of their handicap; this does not apply in pairs competitions where a junior playing with an adult must meet the competition entry conditions and pay the adult entry fee. Juniors only entering for the junior prize will take precedence for this prize over other juniors who are playing for the major prizes. If there are no juniors entering the competition paying the junior entry fee, the junior prize may be awarded for a junior playing for the major prizes.
7 Members (or visitors) who are under 18 years of age may not enter the following competitions:
- Mixed Open
- Men’s Open
- Men’s Invitation Day
- Any other Open Competition organized by the Club that does not specifically permit junior entrants.
8 Juniors under the age of 18 years at the commencement of the winter league competitions are not eligible to enter the Winter Leagues. Juniors reaching the age of 18 during the Winter League may play as stand-ins.
9 Juniors may play on Captain’s Day and President’s Day only by the invitation of the Captain or President respectively. There may be time restrictions placed on when juniors may play in these events.
10 Juniors may not enter the Buck Cup unless they qualify as the full winner or runner up in an official club competition, not the junior winner.
11 Junior boys may enter the Thistle as a pair provided they have a playing handicap of 20 or better.
12 Junior boys may enter the Godde provided they have a playing handicap of 18 or better.
13 Junior boys and girls are eligible to enter junior competitions in accordance with the junior handicap criteria.
(These regulations were last updated in January 2026)
Code of Conduct
Please complete the form below to agree to the Code of Conduct