If you want to play in competitions first you need to get an official handicap.Simply hand in three recent score cards to reception.You play each round with someone who marks your card while you score his.Men play off Yellow tees normally or White tees for competition and Ladies off Red, see each competitions rules as to which tees must be used.Record all the strokes you play for each hole.Sign your own cards and witness your partners.Handicaps are usually ready within a week and pinned on the notice board and displayed on this site.Once you have your handicap the simplest competitions to begin with are the monthly Medal and Stableford leagues. Each can only be played on a particular Thurs, Sat or Sun each month so see the mens page or notice board for the actual dates.You must play with another member to mark your card while you marks his, see sample card in reception.In reception, before you play the round, put your name and membership number on the entry list and on one of the small fee envelopes with the date and competition, seal the fee in the envelope and post in the entries box.When you complete your round post your score card in the entries box no later than the end of that months Sunday.Your handicap will be adjusted in future according to each card you submit.If you have a handicap of say 25 and the par for the course is 68 then if you play to your handicap you will go round in 68+25=93, i.e. net par. Therefore if you shoot a round of say 90 you have a gross score of 90 and a net score of 90-25=65.Don't worry if you don't understand the Stableford scoring system just fill out your card with your strokes as normal and the Stableford points will be worked out by computer anyway. It is easy find explanations of the Stableford scoring system on the internet but as an approximate guide if you go around and get a net par on each hole you score 2 points for each so will score 36 points. Net bogies (1 over net par) score 1 and net birdies (1 under net par) score 3. Net double bogies and more score nothing.Pick up a free R & A rule book from reception or download a copy from their web site, don't worry it may look daunting but you will soon get used to it, there is a useful 'at a glance' guide included. Refer also to the local club rules on the score card. A basic rule worth noting, if your ball goes out of bounds you must play another ball from the same spot the lost ball was played from just as you must if you cannot find your ball unless your partners agree the ball was lost in a water hazzard in which case refer to the rule book.