FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
1.
1. Where is Bray Golf Club?
Bray Golf Club is located to the south of the town of
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Bray and the surrounding area has many fine hotels including the following five hotels :
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Esplanade Hotel |
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Summerhill House Hotel |
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Glenview Hotel |
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Royal Hotel |
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Bray Golf Club provides Members and Visitors with excellent practice facilities including a practice range, putting green and chipping green. There is a golf ball dispensing machine on site. Lessons are also available from our resident PGA Professional, Ciaran Carroll.
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We have buggies for hire at €30 per buggy while caddy cars can be hired for €4.
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We strive to maintain a high standard of dress both on the course and in the clubhouse. Jeans and t-shirts are not permitted on the golf course. Also soft spikes must be worn on the course at all times.
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Mobile phones are not permitted on the golf course or in the bar & restaurant. Phones may be used in the changing rooms and foyer as well as in the car park.
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Within the Clubhouse visitors are welcome to use the changing rooms and showers while also availing of the towels provided. Our bar and restaurant open at 10am daily and a full menu is available.We also have committee rooms which can be hired for meetings, training courses, etc.
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General Questions:
Golf etiquette is a set of rules - both written and unwritten - that governs behavior on a golf course. Simply put, golf etiquette is good manners.
The rules of golf etiquette are designed to keep golf enjoyable for everyone on the course by making sure that :
• golfers keep moving (preventing the rounds from becoming interminably long)
• that everyone remains safe.
• that players are, simply, nice to each other - no gamesmanship, no deliberate or inadvertent interference with another player's game.
Some examples of golf etiquette are as follows :
In order to help the player’s concentration, do not speak or move.
Only play when the preceding group are out of range, if you are not sure about the layout of the course, check before proceeding.
If you miss-hit the ball in the direction of other players, shout loudly to warn them.
The same applies to situations where you may find maintenance workers on the course: before playing, inform them of your presence and wait until they have moved to the side or signal you to proceed. Golf balls can hurt enough to require medical assistance.
After taking your shot, check to see if you have created any divots and if you have please replace them.
Always enter and exit the bunkers from the lower side. Don’t ruin the weak banks. Before leaving, rake smooth any areas you have disturbed and where you have made footprints. When you’ve finished place the rake back in the bunker.
If you lose your ball, let the following group pass before 5 minutes are up. If your group is late or slow, always allow others to overtake.
On the green repair your pitch mark or any others that you see. This protects the putting surface and speeds up the healing process. Unrepaired pitch marks take up to a month to disappear, whilst if they are repaired, it only takes 24 hours.
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Air shot - Striking at the ball intentionally and missing it. It is counted as one shot
Birdie - Scoring one under par
Bogey - Scoring one over par
Bunker - Sand trap on the course, could be green side or in the fairway
Casual Water - A temporary accumulation of water on the course where you may take a free drop
Chip - A short and low trajectory shot struck from near the green with a medium lofted club. Doesn’t travel very high or very far in the air and rolls a long way after landing on the green
Divot - Turf that is removed from the ground when a player’s swing hits the grass
Dog-leg - A hole that does not follow a straight line from the tee to the green
Double Bogey - Scoring two over par
Draw - A shot that curves in slightly from right to left
Eagle - Scoring two under par
Fade - A ball that curves in slightly from left to right
Fairway - The grass between tee to green that is kept well mown.
Fore - A warning shouted to alert other players that a ball in flight is heading in their direction
Green - Closely mown grass we putt on
Gross - The actual number of strokes a player has taken before his handicap is deducted.
Ground Under Repair (GUR) - A damaged area of the course in which you may take a free drop
Halved - A hole that each player or side in match competition has played in the same number of strokes. It means a tie, or one half a hole for either side.
Handicap - A number allotted to a player which reflects their ability or relative ability. It allows them to complete on an equal footing with other players
Hazard - In general use, any natural obstacles on the course, such as trees, ponds, ditches, bunkers etc, but more specifically by rule – bunkers and water hazards
Honour - The right to play from the teeing ground determined by the lowest score on the previous hole or on the first tee by the flip of a coin
Hook - A ball that starts right of your target and curves left
Lateral Hazard - Water hazard that is generally to the side of the hole and your ball cannot be dropped behind it. Marked with red stakes or lines
Loose Impediment - Natural objects that are not fixed or growing, such as twigs, loose rocks, pine cones, leaves
Lost Ball - Any ball that cannot be found within 5 minutes of starting to look for it, and wasn’t seen to go into a water hazard of any type
Match Play - A form of competition in which each hole is a separate competition. The winner is determined by the number of holes won rather that the total score
Nett Score - A player’s score having subtracted the handicap from the gross or actual score
Obstruction - Anything artificial or man-made whether erected or left on the course, as well as artificially constructed roadways or paths
Out of Bounds (OOB) - Any areas outside the boundaries of the course in which play is prohibited, as defined by white stakes
Par - The allocated number of strokes given to each hole and the full round. Based on the length of the hole and allowing for two putts
Penalty Stroke - A stroke added to the score for an infraction of the rules
Pitch - A short lofted shot from around the green that goes high and doesn’t roll all that far after landing
Plug Mark - An identification made by a ball landing on a green
Provisional Ball - Another ball that is played when you think your ball might have gone out of bounds or is lost
Pull - A ball that starts left of the target and stays left
Push - A ball that starts right of the target and stays right
Putt - A stroke played on or near the green to roll the ball along the ground, normally with a putter
Rough - Taller grass that lines the fairway
Rub of the Green - The occurrence of a ball that is in motion being deflected by an outside agency
Slice - A ball that starts left of your target and curves right
Stance - The position of the feet when addressing the ball
Stroke - The name given to each attempt to strike the ball
Stroke Play - Competition where only the gross and nett scores are counted. Winner is determined by the lowest score for each round
Take a Drop - The name given to the act of picking up the ball and dropping it in another spot in accordance with the rules
Tee Box - Starting place for the hole to be played
Through the Green - All of the area of the course with the exception of the teeing ground, the green and any hazard
Topped - A rolling or low bounding shot that is caused by striking the ball above the centre line
Water Hazard - Any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (doesn’t have to contain water) Defined by yellow stakes or lines. (Stakes or lines are part of the hazard)
Wrong Ball - Is any ball other than the ball in play, a provisional ball or in stroke play a second ball
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Where is Bray Golf Club?
Bray Golf Club is located to the south of the town of Bray. Whether you are traveling from the north of Bray or from the south, take the N11. Follow the signposts for Bray and Greystones which will take you on to the Southern Cross Road which by-passes the town of Bray on it’s southern side. At the end of this road turn right and travel towards Greystones. The golf club is 700 yards up on the left.
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2. Do you recommend any hotels in the Bray area?
Bray and the surrounding area has many fine hotels including the following five hotels :
| Esplanade Hotel | www.esplanadehotel.ie |
| Woodland Court Hotel | www.ramadawoodlandcourt.com |
| Summerhill House Hotel | www.summerhillhousehotel.com |
| Glenview Hotel | www.glenviewhotel.com |
| Royal Hotel | www.royalhotel.ie |
3. Does Bray Golf Club have practice facilities?
Bray Golf Club provides Members and Visitors with excellent practice facilities including a practice range, putting green and chipping green. There is a golf ball dispensing machine on site. Lessons are also available from our resident PGA Professional, Ciaran Carroll.
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4. Do you hire buggies and/or caddy cars?
We have buggies for hire at €30 per buggy while caddy cars can be hired for €4.
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5. Is there a dress code in Bray Golf Club?
We strive to maintain a high standard of dress both on the course and in the clubhouse. Jeans and t-shirts are not permitted. Also soft spikes must be worn on the course at all times.
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6. Can I use my mobile phone in the Club?
Mobile phones are not permitted on the golf course or in the bar & restaurant. Phones may be used in the changing rooms and foyer as well as in the car park.
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7. What facilities do you provide in your Clubhouse?
Within the Clubhouse visitors are welcome to use the changing rooms and showers while also availing of the towels provided. Our bar and restaurant open at 10am daily and a full menu is available.We also have committee rooms which can be hired for meetings, training courses, etc.
Back to top
General Questions:
8. What is Golf Etiquette?
Golf etiquette is a set of rules - both written and unwritten - that governs behavior on a golf course. Simply put, golf etiquette is good manners.
The rules of golf etiquette are designed to keep golf enjoyable for everyone on the course by making sure that :
• golfers keep moving (preventing the rounds from becoming interminably long)
• that everyone remains safe.
• that players are, simply, nice to each other - no gamesmanship, no deliberate or inadvertent interference with another player's game.
Some examples of golf etiquette are as follows :
In order to help the player’s concentration, do not speak or move.
Only play when the preceding group are out of range, if you are not sure about the layout of the course, check before proceeding.
If you miss-hit the ball in the direction of other players, shout loudly to warn them.
The same applies to situations where you may find maintenance workers on the course: before playing, inform them of your presence and wait until they have moved to the side or signal you to proceed. Golf balls can hurt enough to require medical assistance.
After taking your shot, check to see if you have created any divots and if you have please replace them.
Always enter and exit the bunkers from the lower side. Don’t ruin the weak banks. Before leaving, rake smooth any areas you have disturbed and where you have made footprints. When you’ve finished place the rake back in the bunker.
If you lose your ball, let the following group pass before 5 minutes are up. If your group is late or slow, always allow others to overtake.
On the green repair your pitch mark or any others that you see. This protects the putting surface and speeds up the healing process. Unrepaired pitch marks take up to a month to disappear, whilst if they are repaired, it only takes 24 hours.
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9. Can you explain some of the golf terms that are so frequently quoted?
Air shot - Striking at the ball intentionally and missing it. It is counted as one shot
Birdie - Scoring one under par
Bogey - Scoring one over par
Bunker - Sand trap on the course, could be green side or in the fairway
Casual Water - A temporary accumulation of water on the course where you may take a free drop
Chip - A short and low trajectory shot struck from near the green with a medium lofted club. Doesn’t travel very high or very far in the air and rolls a long way after landing on the green
Divot - Turf that is removed from the ground when a player’s swing hits the grass
Dog-leg - A hole that does not follow a straight line from the tee to the green
Double Bogey - Scoring two over par
Draw - A shot that curves in slightly from right to left
Eagle - Scoring two under par
Fade - A ball that curves in slightly from left to right
Fairway - The grass between tee to green that is kept well mown.
Fore - A warning shouted to alert other players that a ball in flight is heading in their direction
Green - Closely mown grass we putt on
Gross - The actual number of strokes a player has taken before his handicap is deducted.
Ground Under Repair (GUR) - A damaged area of the course in which you may take a free drop
Halved - A hole that each player or side in match competition has played in the same number of strokes. It means a tie, or one half a hole for either side.
Handicap - A number allotted to a player which reflects their ability or relative ability. It allows them to complete on an equal footing with other players
Hazard - In general use, any natural obstacles on the course, such as trees, ponds, ditches, bunkers etc, but more specifically by rule – bunkers and water hazards
Honour - The right to play from the teeing ground determined by the lowest score on the previous hole or on the first tee by the flip of a coin
Hook - A ball that starts right of your target and curves left
Lateral Hazard - Water hazard that is generally to the side of the hole and your ball cannot be dropped behind it. Marked with red stakes or lines
Loose Impediment - Natural objects that are not fixed or growing, such as twigs, loose rocks, pine cones, leaves
Lost Ball - Any ball that cannot be found within 5 minutes of starting to look for it, and wasn’t seen to go into a water hazard of any type
Match Play - A form of competition in which each hole is a separate competition. The winner is determined by the number of holes won rather that the total score
Nett Score - A player’s score having subtracted the handicap from the gross or actual score
Obstruction - Anything artificial or man-made whether erected or left on the course, as well as artificially constructed roadways or paths
Out of Bounds (OOB) - Any areas outside the boundaries of the course in which play is prohibited, as defined by white stakes
Par - The allocated number of strokes given to each hole and the full round. Based on the length of the hole and allowing for two putts
Penalty Stroke - A stroke added to the score for an infraction of the rules
Pitch - A short lofted shot from around the green that goes high and doesn’t roll all that far after landing
Plug Mark - An identification made by a ball landing on a green
Provisional Ball - Another ball that is played when you think your ball might have gone out of bounds or is lost
Pull - A ball that starts left of the target and stays left
Push - A ball that starts right of the target and stays right
Putt - A stroke played on or near the green to roll the ball along the ground, normally with a putter
Rough - Taller grass that lines the fairway
Rub of the Green - The occurrence of a ball that is in motion being deflected by an outside agency
Slice - A ball that starts left of your target and curves right
Stance - The position of the feet when addressing the ball
Stroke - The name given to each attempt to strike the ball
Stroke Play - Competition where only the gross and nett scores are counted. Winner is determined by the lowest score for each round
Take a Drop - The name given to the act of picking up the ball and dropping it in another spot in accordance with the rules
Tee Box - Starting place for the hole to be played
Through the Green - All of the area of the course with the exception of the teeing ground, the green and any hazard
Topped - A rolling or low bounding shot that is caused by striking the ball above the centre line
Water Hazard - Any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (doesn’t have to contain water) Defined by yellow stakes or lines. (Stakes or lines are part of the hazard)
Wrong Ball - Is any ball other than the ball in play, a provisional ball or in stroke play a second ball
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