Extreme Weather

The Buninyong Golf Club (BGC) extreme weather policy has been developed to reduce the risk of harm to members and guests as a result of extreme weather.

Responsibility

This policy provides a framework and guidelines to minimise the risk of harm occurring due to extreme weather at Buninyong Golf Club.

Extreme weather conditions are not always forecast and can materialise with little warning.

Where possible BGC will initiate the action in this policy to make players aware of the dangers of extreme weather.

Action will typically be an initial warning to all players of the threat of an extreme weather event and if the situation deteriorates competitions maybe cancelled and the course closed.

Typically, the club captain will liaise with BGC administrators to initiate display and publication of extreme weather warnings and if necessary, the closure of the course.

However, Players must take responsibility for their own safety when threatened by extreme weather.

Any player in a group can chose to stop play and seek shelter if they believe an extreme situation exists or is imminent in accordance with rule 5.7a – When Players May or Must Stop Play.

Extreme Heat

Golf Australia consider the risk of heat related injury to be extreme at an ambient temperature of 36 degrees or higher.

Should the Bureau of Metrology (BoM) weather forecast for Buninyong be for temperatures of 36 degrees or higher Buninyong golf club will publish the following guidelines to minimise the risk of heat related injury:

• Consider playing in the morning or evening to avoid extreme heat,
• Ensure you remain adequately hydrated before and during your round,
• Consider using a cart,
• Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing,
• Cease playing if you feel unwell.

The course will remain open however any decision to play will be the sole responsibility of each player.

Lightning

Lightning presents an extreme risk to personnel safety.

The risk of lightning will be determined using the methods listed below:

• visually or on hearing thunder,
• using a flash to thunder reckoning. If thunder is heard, the distance to lightning activity can be estimated at 10 kms if the time between a lightning flash and thunder is approximately 30 seconds or less,
• the MetraWeather lightning detector which alerts nominated BGC recipients when lightning is within 50 k’s of the course.

If lightning is detected in the vicinity of the golf course, an initial warning will be displayed at the course.  If lightening is detected in the immediate course area competition play will be suspended, and players MUST stop play and seek shelter.

Strong Wind

Strong wind presents a risk to the safety of players due to the possibility of trees and / or branches falling.

The Captain and match committee will review the conditions in accordance with the Beaufort Wind Scale to guide action under this policy as follows:

High Fire Danger

On days forecast by the CFA to be Code Red Fire Danger, all play will be cancelled, and the course closed.

On days forecast to be Extreme Fire Danger, conditions will be monitored by Captains and match committee members and competitions may be cancelled or amended if the fire danger risk is deemed too high.

Suspension of Play Procedure

Players will be notified of suspension of play by the use of a siren as follows:

• ONE prolonged continuous burst of the siren – discontinue play immediately,
• TWO short bursts of the siren repeated – recommence play.

The siren will be sounded by club officials who will make every effort to ensure the siren is heard at all areas of the course.

What players on the course must do when the warning siren is sounded.

When the warning siren is sounded, all players MUST immediately stop play, mark their ball where it lies and immediately proceed to the clubhouse. Players CANNOT continue to play out a hole after hearing the siren. Players who continue to play after the siren has been sounded will be disqualified from the competition of the day unless Rule 5.7b is applicable. A player may take affirmative action and leave the course if in the players opinion the conditions are extreme. The committee may then waive disqualification under Rule 5.7.

Procedure for getting players back onto the course after the extreme weather has passed.

When an extreme weather condition no longer exists, play may resume. Players will resume their place on the course, replace their ball in the marked position and resume play.

Players who do not wish to resume play after a suspension will be given an No Card Returned – approved for the competition of the day.

Procedure for handling competitions affected by a suspension or cancellation in play.

In the event of a suspension and cancellation of a competition the Match Committee will decide the status of the competition in accordance with the following guidelines.

1. In the event of a competition, including a board event, being abandoned after 75% or more of the field has completed their round, the competition results at the point in time when play was abandoned, will stand. In this event, those players who do not complete their rounds (and are therefore ineligible for the competition of the day) shall have their competition fee refunded: OR
2. In the event of a competition, including a board event, where less than 75% of the field have completed their round, cancel the competition of the day. In the event of this cancellation, competition entry fees will be refunded to all the competitors: OR
3. In the event of a competition cancellation the event may be rescheduled.

June 2020