Constitution & Rules

Last Updated 5th April 2011

And which embody alterations minuted since originally adopted on 5th February 1921 and revised November 1984.

1. The Association shall be called The Linlithgowshire Golf Association and shall be composed of Clubs in the county of West Lothian, and any others, although outside the county of West Lothian, which have their courses within a ten mile radius of Bathgate.
   
2. The Association shall consist of not less than four Clubs.
   
3. The Association shall be formed for the sole purpose of arranging golf competition and associated events for eligible players, for the Clubs composing it.
   
4. The Clubs composing the Association shall have no power to enter into any obligations or to incur any liabilities affecting any Club in its membership, without the special written consent of such Club.
   
5. The committee of management of the Association shall consist of two representatives from each Club, also a President, Vice President, Immediate Past President and a Secretary / Treasurer, who shall ex – officio, be members of the committee.
   
6. The election of office bearers and the nomination of representatives shall be open to male and female playing members of Clubs.
   
7. Seven members of the committee shall form a quorum.
   
8. Upon division at any meeting each representative or official shall have one vote only, except the Chairperson, who shall have a deliberative and if necessary a casting vote.
   
9. Meetings of the committee may be called at any time by the President or Secretary on a minimum of ten days notice. The Secretary shall call a meeting on the special written request of any four members of the committee.
   
10. The committee of management shall be vested with the entire management of the Association and shall have powers necessary for the full and efficient conduct of its affairs. The committee of management shall have power to frame or alter from time to time, bye – laws for the conduct of competitions.
    
11. The names of two representatives from each Club shall be forwarded to the Secretary prior to the annual meeting. In the event of the names not being forwarded to the Secretary, the names shall be entered in the Attendance Register prior to the commencement of the meeting.
    
12. Clubs composing the Association shall pay an annual subscription not later than 31st March each year. The per capita amount of subscription to be fixed at each annual meeting.
    
13. The admission of Clubs to the Association shall be in the hands of the committee of management.
    
14. The Association shall hold such competitions as they consider will foster the game of golf within the Clubs forming the Association, for this purpose such competitions shall be decided by the committee of management.
    
15. The conditions and terms of entry to competitions shall be decided and amended from time to time by the committee of management. These terms and conditions shall be detailed separately in the bye-laws pertaining to each competition.
    
16. Any Club wishing to withdraw from the Association shall intimate to the Secretary in writing not later than the 1st March otherwise it will be liable for the subscription of the ensuing year.
    
17. Meetings of the committee shall be held in April, June and September. The annual meeting shall be held not later than 14th December when the report of the Secretary / Treasurer for the year will be submitted. At this meeting the election of a President, Vice President and Secretary / Treasurer and Independent Examiner for the ensuing year will be made.
    
18. The President may remain in office for a maximum period of two years and thereafter as Immediate Past President for a further year. On completion of the term in office, he or she will be invited to become an honorary President of the Association.
    
19. A bank account shall be operated by the Secretary/Treasurer, President and Vice-President.
    
20. The Association may be wound up and assets if any, distributed in accordance with a resolution passed by a two – thirds majority at a meeting of the committee specially called for that purpose.
    
21. The committee of management may suspend or expel from an Association competition or event, any individual member of a Club, whose conduct is or has been in the opinion of the committee, contrary to, or injurious to, the character, interest or good order of the Association.
    
    Before doing so, the Secretary shall give notice, in writing, to the Secretary of the Club of which he or she is a member of the grounds of the complaint and shall give the Club the opportunity to offer an explanation of his or her conduct either orally or in writing, to the committee and to call any witness or representative that the Club may desire.
    
    Any individual member so suspended shall of have the right of appeal through his or her Club Secretary. Such an appeal shall only be valid if made in writing within a maximum of 14 days from the date of the suspension. Within a maximum of 14 days from the receipt of an appeal notice, a meeting of the committee of management must be held to discuss the basis of the appeal. The decision of the committee considering the appeal shall be FINAL.
    
22. A copy of the constitution and rules of the Association together with a copy of the bye – laws relating to competitions and associated events and any subsequent alterations and amendments shall be issued to each Club by the Secretary.
    
23. The foregoing shall form the constitution and rules of the Association and shall not be altered or added to without the approval of two – thirds majority of those present and voting at the annual meeting. Notice of proposed alterations and amendments to the constitution and rules must be given a least thirty days prior to the annual meeting, to the Secretary in writing who shall transmit a copy of the same to the Secretaries of the Clubs forming the Association.