FALMOUTH GOLF CLUB CONSTITUTION
April 2025

1. THE NAME OF THE CLUB:  shall be Falmouth Golf Club (The Club).  The club is a proprietary club and the proprietor is Above the Bay Ltd (The Proprietor).

2. OBJECTIVES:  The Club provides members and guests with a Golf Club for the enjoyment of golf and associated social activities.

3. CONDUCT OF THE GAME:  Falmouth Golf Club and its members shall abide by:

I. The Rules of Golf as approved by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A).

II. The Rules and Regulations of England Golf (EG).  The EG Guidance on the Equality Act 2010

III. The Rules and Regulations of the Cornwall Golf Union (CGU) and the Cornwall Ladies County Golf Association (CLCGA).

IV. The Rules of the World Handicap System (WHS).

V. The Rules of Amateur Status as approved by the R&A

VI. The latest published version of Falmouth Golf Club Equality and Diversity Policy.

VII. All relevant Acts of Parliament such as the Data Protection Regulations 2018 and the Equalities Act 2010.

4. MEMBERSHIP: All rates and categories of membership are set at the sole discretion of the Proprietor and fees are payable on an annual basis by such methods offered by the Proprietor. Members shall have the rights and privileges of their individual membership category.  All members shall be eligible to play in club competitions and at such times as their membership category allows. Members are responsible for the conduct of their guests and must ensure they conform to current club rules. Honorary memberships are solely at the discretion of the Proprietor and shall have all the rights and privileges of the category of membership allocated.

5. CONDUCT:

I. All members shall show courtesy and consideration to all other members and visitors whilst using club facilities.

II. No member shall be allowed to rebuke, direct or abuse any staff member.  Any suggestions or complaints about the services provided must be directed to the President/Section Captains or the Proprietor.

III. All members and their guests are required to abide by the dress code as published on the Club website.

IV. All members and their guests are to abide by any local rules both on and off the course as determined by the Captains Committee and approved by the Proprietor.

6. ORGANISATION OF THE CAPTAINS COMMITTEE:

I. Falmouth Golf Club is an equal opportunities and non-discriminatory club; as such, any references to positions which could be regarded as gender specific are illustrative and does not imply any discrimination.

II. Each member of the Captains Committee shall be full playing members of the club of at least two years standing and each shall have full voting rights.

III. The Captains Committee shall be responsible for the overall conduct of the members of Falmouth Golf Club, Course Management and social events for members of Falmouth Golf Club and shall regulate its own procedures.

IV: The Captains Committee may delegate to the sub-committees (Men’s Section, Women’s Section, Men’s Seniors Sections and Junior’s Section) any of their powers and duties except matters relating to the suspension and expulsion of members.

V. The Chair of the Captains Committee shall be the President.  The committee shall consist of:

a. Men’s Captain b. Men’s Vice-Captain c. Women’s Captain d. Women’s Vice-Captain e. Junior Organiser f. Mixed Organiser g. Club Professional Proprietor or Management Representative

VI. All committee officers shall serve for the tenure of their respective terms of office

VII. There will be a Mixed Competitions Organiser who will sit on the Captains Committee, but will have no voting rights.  The appointment and tenure will be at the discretion of the Captains Committee and they will report back to the Captains Committee.

VIII. The Presidential role shall be ambassadorial and act as counsel to the Captains Committee and members, with a primary responsibility to oversee the standard of governance of the club.  A key objective of the President is to unite the club, and to work to curate and maintain a positive atmosphere between all members and sections.

IX. The position of President shall be open to both men and women and shall alternate every two years.

X. Candidates for the role of President shall be drawn from those full members who have been past captains of either the Men’s or Women’s sections.

XI. Each section (Men and Women) may propose no more than 2 candidates.  All nominees must have a proposer and seconder.

XII. The Captains Committee shall consider all nominees and select the candidate that they consider best represents the values and objectives of the whole club.

XIII. The favoured candidate shall be subject to approval by the Proprietor.

XIV. The successful candidate shall be announced at the club AGM.

XV. All incoming Vice Captains shall be nominated by the incoming section Captains respectively, but nominations shall be subject to the prior approval of the Proprietor.

7. ROLE OF THE CAPTAINS’ COMMITTEE:

I. Provide a members’ link to communicate with the management and administration of the club and the Proprietor.

II. Will be responsible for carrying out the policies laid down by the Club.

III. In conjunction with the Proprietor, the Captains Committee will be responsible for ensuring all members adhere to the policies laid down in the Club Constitution., Club Rules and Regulations.

IV. Will be responsible for organizing Falmouth Golf Club social activities.

V. Will ensure there is a consistent approach to the management of club competitions, and handicaps and considering and imposing such local rules as they may consider appropriate from time to time, as permitted by the Rules of Golf, and to alter, rescind or add to such local rules which shall have effect until so altered, rescinded or set-aside by the Captains Committee.

VI. Shall, subject to agreement, undertake such other responsibilities as the Proprietor may from time to time, delegate to the committee.

VII. Will handle members’ complaints and suggestions in relation to golf matters.

VIII. Coordinate the Club fixture list/calendar of competitions and matches for members of Falmouth Golf Club for each class of membership and to present such lists to the Proprietor or Management Representative delegated with the clubs overall fixtures and events calendar.

IX. Produce and revise, as and when necessary, the Stroke Index and Card for the course for all sections of the club.

8. ORGANISATION OF CAPTAINS COMMITTEE MEETINGS:

I. At all meetings of the Captains Committee, 5 members shall form a quorum.

II. The President will chair the meetings of the Captains Committee and holds the casting vote where required.

III. The committee shall meet as frequently as it considers necessary, but not less than three times per annum.

IV. In the event of the committee chairperson being absent, the meeting shall be chaired by either the Men’s’ or Women’s’ Captain.

V. Minutes shall be taken of all such meetings by one or other of the committee members so appointed.  

VI. The minutes shall be posted on the club noticeboard for all members and a copy made available for the Proprietor.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS (AGM):

For the purposes of this constitution, a year shall be deemed as the period from one AGM to the next, normally held in March.  Falmouth Golf Club AGM is for all full playing members to receive and impart information relevant to general club matters, both within the previous twelve months and the twelve months to come.

I. The Club AGM shall be chaired by the President.

II. There will be a Presidents report and a Proprietors report.

III. The Women’s Captain and Vice-Captain, the Men’s Captain and Vice-Captain, the Seniors Captain and Vice-Captain and Juniors Captain shall be elected at their separate AGM’s and endorsed at the club AGM for the Captain Committee.  

IV. Notice of the club AGM and minutes of the previous club AGM shall be made available to all full playing members at least twenty one days before the date of the Club AGM.

V. Notices of resolution must be sent in writing to an officer of the Captains Committee at least twenty one days before the Club AGM.

VI. All full playing members of Falmouth Golf Club are eligible to vote on any resolutions that may be put forward by the raising of hands at the AGM.

VII. At all AGM’s, 25 members shall form a quorum.

VIII. Where necessary, Tellers will be appointed to distribute voting slips and count votes at the Club AGM.

IX. The joint Captains may call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) where it is considered necessary, or when required to do so by the written request signed by at least fifty full playing members, of which 15 must come from each of the men’s and women’s sections.  The meeting shall be called within twenty-one days of the date of the request and held within a further twenty-one days.

X. Minutes of the Club AGM shall be agreed for accuracy at the first meeting of the Captains Committee following the Club AGM.  These will be presented at the next Club AGM and agreement sought from the members to adopt the minutes of the last AGM.  The President will sign the minutes as an official document of Falmouth Golf Club.

XI. The committee shall cause proper records to be kept of all its proceedings and proceedings of the Captains Committee.

XII. The decision of the Captains Committee shall be final.

10. PLAYING SECTIONS

I. The following sections will be recognised and formed within Falmouth Golf Club:

a) Men’s Section

b) Women’s Section

c) Men’s Seniors Section

d) Women’s Seniors Section (Vets)

e) Junior’s Section

f) Mixed Section

II. The Men’s and Women’s sections will appoint their own committees and shall be responsible for their own section competitions. The other sections (Men’s Seniors, Women’s Seniors, Juniors and Mixed) will be represented by the existing committees. The Men’s Seniors and Juniors will be represented by the Men’s Section and the Women’s Seniors and Mixed represented by the Women’s Section to handle their competitions and affairs.

III. Minutes shall be taken of all such committee meetings by the section secretary or other member of the committee so appointed.  A copy of the minutes shall be provided to the Proprietor, if so requested.  A copy of the minutes shall also be made available to the members of their relevant sections.

IV. Each section shall hold an AGM once per year, prior to the Club AGM and at a date agreed with the Proprietor.

V. Each Section shall have their own constitution to be approved by the Proprietor.

11. HANDICAP COMMITTEE:

I. There will be a handicap committee that complies with the England Golf Policy and comprising of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 members. The committee shall be mixed gender and made up of full playing members.

II. As a guideline the handicap committee members should be a mix of male, female, junior, senior, low and high handicap, with at least one member from each of the sections.

III. This committee will allocate handicaps in accordance with the handicapping scheme as laid down by the council of national golf unions and in line with the WHS.

IV. The committee will revise as and when necessary, members’ handicaps within the rules of the WHS and to keep proper records of such revisions.

12. COMPLAINTS AND DISCIPLINARY ISSUES:

I. All complaints must be made in writing to an officer of the Captains Committee and must be submitted by him/her to the Captains committee.  The complainant has the right to appear before the Captains Committee to state their case as made in their letter of complaint.  The committee will then discuss the matter in private.

II. The Captains Committee shall be responsible for considering minor disciplinary procedures that relate to matters in connection with the members of Falmouth Golf Club.  This may relate to minor breaches in respect to the rules of competitions, etc.

III. The Captains Committee shall have the power to admonish or agree suitable conditions or penalty based on the nature of the disciplinary matter.

IV. Disciplinary matters that may warrant a suspension or removal of a person’s membership shall be referred to the Proprietor for final decision.

V. All other complaints which relate to members behaviour, or that of their guests, in the Clubhouse, on the Course, or any other part of Falmouth Golf Club, or when representing Falmouth Golf Club away from its property shall be dealt with under the Rules of Falmouth Golf Club.

13. ASSETS AND DISSOLUTION:

I. The Assets of Falmouth Golf Club, including the Men’s, Women’s, Seniors’ and Juniors’ Sections are separate, and none has the call on any of the others’ assets.

II. Each section shall have in place its procedures for it to be disbanded.

III. If a section agrees to disband, the assets of the section and any funds that remain in its bank account or held in cash after any outstanding debts are paid, will be decided by a vote at an EGM to be called by them.

IV. Each section will take the decision with regards to any funds which are ring-fenced, such as the Section Captains Charity, or money held on account of a designated recipient, and all cups and trophies belonging to the section.

Falmouth Golf Club shares the belief of England Golf that golf belongs to everyone.  All who play and all who aspire to play must have an equal opportunity to do so.  The club is committed to the principles of equality and diversity throughout its membership, its paid and volunteer workforce and any others whom the club engages.  The club considers that everyone should play their part in making golf inclusive and aims to ensure that all people, irrespective of background or protected characteristics (link: //www.gov.uk/discrimination-your-rights) have a genuine opportunity to engage with golf.  We will not disadvantage any individual by person whether a club member, employee or an external third party. Any incidents will be dealt with in conjunction with the owners of Above the Bay.

14. REVIEWS AND AMENDMENTS:

This constitution shall be reviewed annually by the Captains Committee in conjunction with the Proprietor, ahead of the Annual General Meeting and any amendments, proposed in writing for approval at the AGM.  Where no amendment is felt necessary, the constitution shall be deemed to be suitable and sufficient, and shall remain in force for a further 12 months.

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