1. The name shall be the Welsh Golfing Union, hereinafter referred to as "The Union".

2. The first objects of The Union shall be:

a) To take any steps which may be deemed necessary to promote and further the interests of the amateur game in Wales.

b) To hold a Championship Meeting and other Individual or Team Meetings every year.

c) To encourage, financially and/or otherwise, Inter-Club, Inter-County and International Matches and such other events as may be authorised by the Council.

d) To assist in setting up and maintaining a uniform system of Course Rating and Handicapping.

e) To assist in the establishment and maintenance of high standards of greenkeeping.

NOTE: The Union recognises the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews as the ruling Authority.

3. The Union shall be an Association of Member Golf Clubs in Wales.

4. To be eligible for membership of The Union prospective Member Clubs must have and comply with a Constitution and Rules appropriate to a Golf Club. Such Constitution and Rules shall be in a form acceptable to The Union and of a standard not less than the model Constitution as shown in Appendix A.

5. Clubs in Membership of The Union shall fall into two categories namely - Course Owning and Non-Course Owning.

6. Course Owning Clubs shall mean:

i. Golf Clubs who own, rent or lease their Golf Courses or

ii. Golf Clubs who are identified with a particular Course where permission has been received to play all Club Medal competitions from Medal Tees.

7. Clubs within Clubs shall not be admitted to Course Owning Membership.

8. Non-Course Owning Clubs shall mean Golf Clubs which are formed by way of Societies and Golfing Organisations, and which are not in any way identified with a particular Golf Course or Courses.

9. Only Members of Course Owning Clubs which are members of the Union shall have official handicaps and only players who have official handicaps shall be permitted to enter competitions or take part in matches organised by The Union or any Member Club.

10. The eligibility of Non-Course Owning Clubs for admission to member ship shall be decided by the Council of The Union each application being decided on its merits. Such Non-Course Owning Clubs shall not be eligible to compete in any Championship or Team or individual Competition organised by The Union except by express permission of the Council.

11. All Clubs Clubs desirous of joining The Union shall be elected by the Council. Such Clubs shall send a copy of their Constitution and Rules and List of Officers to the Secretary of The Union when applying for election and shall supply such other information as required.

12. Upon election to The Union any Club so elected shall be subject to an initial three year probationary period during which the Club shall conform in all respects to the requirements as laid down in the Model Constitution as shown in Appendix A. In addition, the Club during this probationary period will be expected to conform to satisfactory standards in the management of both the club-house and of the course, in its general administration, and in the conduct of its members.

13. Upon the expiration of the initial three year probationary period and having satisfied the requirements of Paragraph 12 of this Constitution and Rules the applicant Club may be accepted to full membership of The Union.

Every Club in Membership with The Union shall be provided with a copy of the Constitution and Rules of The Union and shall be bound by them and any Club not meeting the requirements of The Union shall be liable to have its membership rescinded.

15. The Government of The Union shall be vested in an Executive Council (hereinafter referred to as "The Council".

16. The Officers of The Union shall consist of all members of The Council and elected Vice Presidents.

NOTE: No further Vice Presidents will be elected after 1990.

17. The Council shall consist of:

a) The President, President Elect, Immediate Past President, the Treasurer, Secretary and a Golf Coordinator.

b) Twenty-three members elected by ten districts. They shall serve for three years irrespective of the number of clubs they represent. No member may serve for longer than three years, whether part co-opted or not, without seeing re-election.

c) Not more than six members, who shall be members of member clubs, appointed by the Council. They shall serve for a period not exceeding three years and shall be eligible for re-appointment.

18.The ten Districts and the number of Council members to whom each District shall be entitled to shall be:

19. On application of a club the Council shall have power, on due cause being shown, to transfer that club from one district to another.

20. The election shall be by postal ballot, conducted by The Council or those to whom they delegate authority. Course owning Clubs shall vote only for candidates nominated for the district in which they are situated.

A vote from a Club with fewer than 200 members will count as 1 vote. A vote from a Club with 200 members or more will count at 2 votes.

21. Every candidate must be a member of a member club situated in the district for which he is nominated. In the event of a tie a second ballot shall be taken.

22. On November 1st each year, or as soon as possible thereafter, the Secretary shall send to every course owning club a statement showing the existing membership of The Council and indicating those members who retire from Office and any casual vacancies which require to be filled. All nominations must reach the Secretary before the following December 15th and the ballot shall close on February 1st.

23. At the first meeting after the annual election those members of Council present shall if necessary elect from The Council a President and President Elect. No proxy vote shall be admissible. They shall also appoint such committees as may be necessary to conduct the business of The Union between the meetings of The Council. These Committees shall be delegated such powers as shall be decided from time to time by The Council.

24. The President shall serve for a maximum period of two years.

25. The President Elect shall take office as President when the tenure of appointment of the President expires.

26. The Immediate Past President shall be ex officio an officer of The Council.

27. The Treasurer shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall serve for the calendar year immediately following his election. He shall take charge of all monies belonging to The Union and shall pay all authorised accounts.

28. Each year the Treasurer shall prepare a financial statement for the approval of the Annual General Meeting which has been previously produced to and accepted by The Council.

29. The Accounts of The Union, made up to the 31st day of December in each year, shall be audited by an Auditor or Auditors who shall not be a Member or Members of The Council during his or their term of office who shall be elected from year to year at the Annual General Meeting at a fee to be fixed by The Council. Casual vacancies may be filled by The Council.

30. The Secretary shall be appointed by The Council, who shall decide his duties and the amount of remuneration. If he be an Honorary Secretary, he shall be a full member of The Council.

31. The Council shall have power to confer Honorary Life Membership in recognition of outstanding service to the game in Wales.

32. The property including the Trophies of The Union shall be vested in two or more Trustees appointed by The Council. The Trustees need not be members of The Council. The Trustees so appointed shall invest or otherwise deal with the property of The Union as directed by resolution of The Council - of which an entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence - and shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of The Union property.

33. The Council shall have power to make, rescind, or amend any rule, and such new rule, rescission, or amendment, shall hold good until confirmed, amended or rescinded at the next Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called for the purpose.

34, The Council shall have power to fill any casual vacancies that shall arise among the officers or Council, such appointments to hold good until the next Annual Meeting or the next Council election as the case may be.

35. The Council shall have power to arrange the programmes and regulations of the Championships and other meetings and to make such changes in these arrangements from time to time as may be deemed advisable. They shall also be responsible for all matters connected with international matches.

36. To control and apply the finances of the Union including:

a) Power to acquire by lease or purchase Freehold or Leasehold property and to sell or let the same

b) Power to raise money by borrowing on such terms and such security as may be thought fit up to three times the current annual income from subscriptions.

37. The Council shall have power to require a Member Club to suspend the handicap of any of its members.

38. The Council shall meet at least three times a year on dates to be determined.

39. The Quorum of The Council shall be Fifteen who are present and entitled to vote.

40. Decision of Council shall be by simple majority the Chairman of the meeting having a vote and a casting vote.

41. At all meetings of The Council the President, whom failing the President Elect, whom failing a member of The Council to be appointed by the meeting, shall take the Chair.

42. A Meeting of the Representatives of all Clubs in The Union shall be held once in a year at such time and place as may be determined by the Council.

43. The business of the meeting shall be to receive the result of the ballot for the Election of Members of The Council: to consider and, if thought fit, to adopt the Report of The Council and the Statement of Accounts: to elect a Treasurer: to elect Auditors: and to transact any other business of which due notice has been given in the circular convening the Meeting or accepted by the Chairman of the Meeting.

44. At all Annual General Meetings the President whom failing the President Elect, whom failing a member of The Council to be appointed by the Meeting, shall take the Chair. The Chairman of the Meeting shall have both a vote and a casting vote.

45. Six weeks notice of all general meetings with a statement of the business to be transacted shall be sent to the Secretary of each member club.

46. Special General Meetings may be called by The Council, or on the requisition of any five Clubs, who shall state the business for which they desire the Meeting to be called. At such Special General Meetings only the business specified in the circular convening the Meeting may be transacted.

47. These Rules may be rescinded or amended and new Rules may be enacted at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting by a majority of the votes cast by the Delegates present at such meeting, provided the proposed new Rule, rescission, or amendment is specified in the notice convening the meeting.

48. Any Club desirous of proposing an alteration of Rules must give written notice of the proposed alteration to the Secretary eight weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting.

49. At all General Meetings Clubs shall be entitled to the following representation and votes:- For Clubs with fewer than 200 Members, one delegate, one vote; for Clubs with 200 Members or more two delegates, two votes. Clubs with 200 Members or more shall be entitled to two votes, although represented by one delegate only.

The term "Members" in this rule shall refer to adult male playing subscribing Members to include Country Members but excluding Life, Honorary and Junior Members.

50. Each Club shall, before the Meeting, give notice in writing to the Secretary of the names of its delegate or delegates. Alternative names may be submitted. At all General Meetings the proceedings shall commence by calling the roll of the delegates attending and any delegate in respect of whom notification in writing by his Club shall not have been given at any time of the calling of the roll shall, if the Chairman so rules, be debarred from voting. No delegate shall be entitled to represent more than one Club.

51. Members of Council shall not act as delegates of Clubs at General Meetings. They may take part in discussion and may move resolutions and amendments but they may not vote

52. Subscriptions are payable in advance on 1st January in each year or on election to membership.

53. Each member Club except Non-Course Owning Clubs shall pay subscriptions annually on the following basis:-

a) In respect of every adult playing male subscribing member including Country Members but excluding Life Honorary and Junior Members on the Register of the Club on 31st December preceding, a sum to be determined by Council and if necessary approved by the Annual General Meeting.

b) In respect of every Junior (i.e. members who are not yet aged 18) male subscribing member a sum equal to 50% of that levied under a).

54. The Council are empowered to increase subscriptions without reference to an Annual General Meeting in order to keep them in line with inflation. Such increases are never to exceed 10% of the previous subscriptions.

55. Non-Course Owning Clubs shall pay such annual subscriptions as shall be determined by The Union.

56. Should the subscription of any Club be in arrears on 1st March, the defaulting Club shall cease to participate in any of the privileges of membership. If, thereafter, the subscription shall remain unpaid for one month after intimation by recorded letter from the Secretary of The Union, the club may be removed from membership of The Union, but may be re-instated on such terms as the Council shall decide.

57. Any Club wishing to withdraw from The Union must give written notice of resignation to the Secretary on or before December 1st, failing which it shall be liable for the subscription becoming due on January 1st following.

58. Any Club resigning or otherwise ceasing to be in membership of The Union shall forfeit all such rights to or claim upon The Union or its property or funds as such Club may possess by reason of membership.

59. Every Club in membership with The Union shall agree to offer its Course for the holding of Union Meetings or for the Events managed by The Union when called upon to do so by The Council.

60. The conditions of entry for Welsh National Championships and Competitions shall be laid down by The Council.

61. The Championship Meetings shall be held annually on the dates and on the courses of Clubs in The Union as fixed by the Council.

62. The Trophies, etc. offered for competition shall be the property of The Union and may be held until the next Championship Meeting by the successful competitors who shall be responsible for their return safely and undamaged.

63. No Club, or Member thereof, shall be entitled to compete for any trophy until all fees to The Union have been paid.

64. The Council shall be the Stewards of all Meetings, which shall be entirely under their control and shall fix the value of all prizes.

65. The Council shall have the power to co-opt the Captain and Secretary of the Club on whose Course a Meeting is to be held as Stewards during such Meeting.

66. The Rules of the Game of Golf for the Meeting shall be those adopted from time to time by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, subject to such Local Rules as may be approved by the Council.

67. The Union, in conjunction with the Sports Council for Wales, is committed to eradicating drug abuse in sport. Any golfer or competitor in a Welsh Championship, or other meeting, or a player selected to represent Wales must, if requested by an official designated by The Union for the purpose of doping control, submit to a doping control test. Failure to do so will be taken as if a positive test result had been obtained and dealt with accordingly. Any person knowingly assisting or inciting others in the contravention of doping regulations shall be considered as having committed an offence against this Rule and will be subject to disciplinary action.

68. The Welsh Golfing Union supports the protection of children in sport. Therefore, the Union has a written Child Protection Policy and recommended conduct for Council Members, Employees, Coaches and volunteer helpers. The Union requires its member clubs to support its policy and procedures and to implement them.