April 2023 – Priors Hall Golf Club

Priors Hall Golf Club is committed to providing an environment that is free of discrimination, harassment and intimidation for members and guests.

Members and guests are all reminded that an acceptable standard of behaviour is expected in all areas of the Clubhouse and course, at all times and that upon payment of membership or green fees, all members and guests have given their consent to be bound by both the restrictions and penalties which may be imposed for any breach of the club’s standards or serious misconduct in failing to meet the standards set in this Code of Conduct.

Members will be liable for any breach committed whether by themselves or their guests.

R&A Rule 1.2 – Standards of Player Conduct:

All players are expected to play in The Spirit of the Game

R&A Rule 1.2b – Code of Conduct

The [Golf Club} has adopted the following Code of Conduct as a Local Rule

On the course:

All golfers must:
1. Avoid slow play, apply Ready Golf principles, and allow other golfers to play through as appropriate, waving the following group through when searching for lost balls and maintaining the speed of play by keeping up with the group in front.
1. Adhere to the dress code and R&A and local rules of the course.
1. Demonstrate fair play both on and off the course.
1. Always follow established golf etiquette respecting the course, such as:

Repairing pitch marks, replacing divots, raking bunkers etc.
- Showing the necessary respect to fellow golfers at all times, which incorporates; no shouting on the course, no misuse of equipment (i.e., throwing clubs in frustration etc.), no aggressive behaviour, or the taking of performance enhancing drugs.
  - Conduct yourself in a sportsmanlike manner and do not knowingly cheat, disrespect employees. Officials or fellow players.
  - Mobile phones must be switched to silent on the golf course.

In the clubhouse:

Member and guests and are reminded that:
Any form of discrimination, harassment or intimidation is regarded as unacceptable behaviour.
Consumption of excessive quantities of alcohol is not permitted by law. Please do not be offended if service is refused.
The use of foul or abusive language such as swearing has no place in the clubhouse and any member heard using unacceptable or offensive language will be asked to either stop or leave the premises. Where someone is noticed to be consistently using bad language after being warned then their continued membership will be reviewed accordingly
Smoking or the use of e-cigarettes is not permitted within any of the club buildings.
The taking of illegal substances will incur immediate suspension and loss of membership.
The smoking of cigarettes or e-cigarettes is not permitted in the clubhouse.
Be considerate towards others when using your Mobile phone in the clubhouse.

Whilst fully acknowledging that adult “banter” contributes to creating a healthy atmosphere amongst members, these rules are designed to safeguard others who find such banter offensive or intimidating. This Code of Conduct is not intended to create a bureaucratic, regulatory environment, but rather to promote and enhance our Club’s values.

A person engaging in any behaviour that may be detrimental to the game of golf or Shandon Golf Club is in breach of the code of conduct and should be reported to the Club Captain.

It is in the best interests of the game that such behaviour is reported, and all players, members and members of the public are encouraged and have a duty to report such behaviour.

Disciplinary Committee

The [Golf Club] will appoint a Disciplinary Committee to oversee the complaints procedure set out in Section 4 and to conduct investigation, hearings and impose penalties within the guidelines in Section 7 as may be deemed necessary.

The Committee will be made up of:

Men’s, Women’s, and Seniors’ Club Captains
A Director/Member of the [Golf Club] Board

The Disciplinary Committee will be responsible for implementing this policy in a fair and impartial manner. The Men’s Club Captain will act as Convenor.

Complaints and Protests:

Complaints may be made by any person including a competitor, member, visiting guests, other associated golf club members, and members of the public.

Complaints must be made in the first instance to either the [Golf Club] Management or the Club Captain of the [Golf Club], within 3 working days of the matter occurring. These must be then followed up in writing in an acceptable timeframe.

Once received the Club Captain will determine the offence, and grade it in accordance with Section Grading of Complaints below. The Club Captain will then take the following actions.

If the matter is Grade 1, of a minor nature, the Club Captain will discuss the complaint with the person(s) involved and deal with the complaint by either dismissing the complaint or deal with it by way of the first step in Appendix 2 whereupon the matter will be closed.
If the matter is Grade 1, but the person involved has already had step one of Appendix 2, then the Club Captain will discuss the complaint with the person(s) involved and either dismiss the complaint or deal with it by way of the second step in Appendix 2.
If the matter is a Grade 2 or 3 offences, or involves a Grade 1 suspension or expulsion, the Club Captain will carry out a preliminary investigation and gather all the facts of the complaint as is reasonably available within seven days from the receipt of the Complaint notice. This may include speaking to the accused person and getting a written report from that person. The matter will then be referred to The Disciplinary Committee in accordance with paragraph 6.

The Club Captain will be responsible for keeping all parties involved informed about the complaints process.

Grading of Complaints

All complaints and charges are to be graded 1 to 3 with 1 being the lightest grading and 3 the most serious. This is done by reference to Appendix 1 and the following notes.

The Club Captain is required to determine the grading of the offence. The grading allocated will determine the action to be taken and the potential penalty a player may receive. Therefore, consistency of grading across offences is important and it is a requirement that records are kept supporting the grading process.

On some occasions, the Club Captain may not recommend a grading because of the seriousness of an incident and may automatically refer the charge to the Disciplinary Committee.

Penalties:

There is no penalty under the Rules of Golf for failing to act in this way, except that the Committee may disqualify a player for acting contrary to the spirit of the game if it finds that the player has committed a serious misconduct.

However, in adopting this Code of Conduct as a Local Rule the [Golf Club] may impose the following penalties for player misconduct.

If a complaint is upheld by the Disciplinary Committee, it shall give its decision in writing, within 5 days, with reasons for the decision and any penalty imposed.

It would be expected that the Disciplinary Committee will deal severely with proven cases of serious misconduct and in some cases the conduct may constitute a criminal offence in which case the matter should be referred to the Police.

Appendix 1

General examples of grading of complaints of conduct likely to bring the game into disrepute (not an exhaustive list)

Grade 1 Offences

Bad language
Improper treatment of equipment, including throwing of clubs
Use of club other than within the intentions of the game e.g., damaging trees with clubs etc
Ill-mannered behaviour
Failure to complete a round when representing the club in any sanctioned tournament/interclub match.

Grade 2 Offences

Behaviour bringing the club into disrepute.
Theft of minor items
Excessive or offensive bad language
Verbal abuse or threatening behaviour to another player
Breaking clubs

Grade 3 Offences

Any serious misuse of alcohol or drugs on the course or club premises
Serious theft
Assault of a player, official, member, guest, or member of the public
Sexual or verbal harassment

Appendix 2

Grade 1 Offence

If no previous offences any one of the following processes will be adopted:

1. Verbal warning with notice on file.

2. Written warning issued to member.

3. Penalty of suspension imposed by Disciplinary Committee.

If the next incident is a Grade 2 offence, then that process will override the above.

Grade 2 Offence

If no previous offences any one of the following processes will be adopted depending on the seriousness of the offence:

1. Written warning issued to member.

2. Penalty of suspension imposed by Disciplinary Committee.

3. Penalty of expulsion as determined by the Disciplinary Committee

If the offence is considered serious, or there are other recent offences, then a step can be passed at the discretion of the Disciplinary Committee.

Grade 3 Offence

Depending on the seriousness of the offence any one of the following actions may be adopted.

1. Written warning issued to member.

2. Penalty of suspension imposed by Disciplinary Committee.

3. Penalty of expulsion as determined by the Disciplinary Committee

Step 1 will only be taken if the offence is of a lesser scale otherwise a penalty of suspension will usually be imposed.

A clean slate policy will apply to any offence after a twelve-month period from date of last penalty.

Disciplinary Committee Functions

The disciplinary committee will meet on an as required basis to perform the following functions:

– Review complaints information notices in relation to grade 1 offence and ensure consistency in application

– Consider all grade 2 and 3 complaints and appeals to a grade 1 penalty

– Where necessary hold investigations, including a hearing into the complaint or appeal

Notice of any hearing of the Disciplinary Committee shall be given, in the case of a complaint, to the person or persons the subject of the complaint and the complainant; and in the case of an appeal, to the persons affected by the appeal and the appellant.

The notice will specify the date time and place of any hearing and will be accompanied by copies of all material relevant to the complaint. The notice will also specify if the hearing is to be attended by written submissions or whether the parties are required to attend in person, with the opportunity to have representation attend also. Hearings will be in private with only the accused and his/her representative and the Disciplinary Committee.

No formal legal representative or counsel shall be entitled to attend, provided that the Disciplinary Committee may receive such legal advice as it deems necessary.

Any participant to the hearing will advise if a conflict of interest could be lodged by any party.

Document Review Every 24 months from the date submitted.

Equality Diversity & Inclusion Policy 2023

Jason Ford Uncategorised 17/04/202323/04/2023

1. STATEMENT OF INTENT

1.1 Priors Hall Golf Club shares the belief of England Golf and Northamptonshire County Golf Union & Association, that golf belongs to everyone. All who play and all who aspire to play must have an equal opportunity to do so.

1.2 The Club is committed to the principles of equality and diversity throughout its membership, its elected committee, and any others with whom the Club engages.

1.3 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, have a genuine opportunity to engage with golf. We will not disadvantage any individual by imposing conditions or requirements which cannot be justified.

2. WHO DOES THIS POLICY APPLY TO?

2.1 This Policy shall apply to, and be binding upon Priors Hall Golf Club, its Holding Officers, Elected Committee and Members or persons acting for or on behalf of the Club.

3. OTHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

This policy works with other documents adopted by the Club, in particular:

Code of Conduct which relate to the relationship between the Club and those it employs and the recruitment process.
Disciplinary Regulations which may be used to deal with alleged breaches of this policy.
Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, and Safeguarding Adults Policy, which will be followed in respect of any matters which give rise to a safeguarding concern.
which set out the standards of behaviour and conduct expected from members, those who are attending Club events, or representing, working for of otherwise engaging with the Club in some capacity.
the Club. Complaints Policy which may be used to deal with concerns raised about the actions of
Data Protection Policy which sets out how we will handle personal data, including data collected to monitor diversity in line with this Policy.

4. POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

A. WHAT WE WILL DO

1. Promote fairness, equality, diversity, and respect for everyone working, volunteering, or participating in the sport of golf or otherwise engaging with the Club.

2. Ensure that all competitions, events, and activities are administered by the Club are carried out in a fair and equitable way (except where specific situations and conditions prevent this, or where we consider that Positive Action is a proportionate way to achieve a legitimate aim).

3. Monitor and review Club policies, procedures, and regulations to ensure that they are consistent with the requirements of this policy, including policies relating to admission to membership.

4. Where practical we will take steps to monitor the diversity of the Club’s members, participants, players, volunteers, and others that we may engage with in order to measure and assess the impact of this policy

5. Provide appropriate training and support to staff, volunteers, officials, and others.

6. Make reasonable adjustments for those with a disability.

7. Publish this policy on the Club website.

B. WHAT WE WON’T DO

1. Discriminate against anyone, either directly or indirectly, on the basis of a Protected Characteristic.

2. Subject anyone to less favourable treatment on the basis of them doing a Protected Act (victimisation).

3. Subject anyone to harassment in relation to a Protected Characteristic.

5. REPORTING PROCEDURES

If you are concerned about the behaviour or conduct of someone at a Club event, someone representing the Club, or any other breach of this policy:

5.1 please report the matter to the Club Secretary within 14 days incident in writing, all contact details for the club secretary are found in the club handbook, giving as much detail as possible.

5.2 If the matter is reported verbally, and you are able, please follow the verbal report in writing as soon as possible.

5.3 The Club will consider the appropriate way to deal with the matter, which may include referring the matter to and/or seeking guidance from England Golf.

6. HOW WE WILL DEAL WITH BREACHES OF THIS POLICY

6.1 When we receive a report or a concern that relates to this policy, we will ask the Disciplinary Secretary to consider the matter initially. They will consider the appropriate next steps, which may include the following:

a. seeking further information in relation matters raised

b. seeking guidance from England Golf or any other appropriate body or organisation

c. referring the matter to another body or organisation

d. dealing with the matter informally

e. deciding which procedure is the most appropriate, such as the Safeguarding Policies, or the Disciplinary Regulations, to progress the matter formally.

6.2 The Club will usually inform the person reporting the matter of the next steps and/or the outcome of the matter. However, there may be circumstances in which we are not able to disclose full details to the reporting individual. This may be because the law prevents us from doing so, because some information is confidential or to protect the safety or wellbeing of those involved.

7. KEY CONCEPTS, DEFINITIONS AND EXAMPLES

A. The Equality Act 2010 and Discrimination

Every individual and organisation to whom this Policy applies must not act in a way which is directly or indirectly discriminatory on the basis of a Protected Characteristic.

The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to discriminate directly or indirectly against individuals or groups with certain “Protected Characteristics”. The “Protected Characteristics” are listed in section 4 of the Act:

Age
Disability
Gender Reassignment
Marriage and Civil Partnership
Pregnancy and Maternity
Race
Religion or Belief
Sex
Sexual Orientation

Direct Discrimination

Direct Discrimination is defined at section 13(1) of the Equality Act 2010: “A person (A) discriminates against another (B) if, because of a protected characteristic, A treats B less favourably than A treats or would treat others.”

For example, if an action or decision is taken by a club which treats females less favourably than males, this would be considered direct discrimination on the grounds of sex, which is a protected characteristic.

Indirect Discrimination

Indirect Discrimination is defined at section 19(1) of the Equality Act 2010: “A person (A) discriminates against another (B) if A applies to B a provision, criterion or practice which is discriminatory in relation to a relevant protected characteristic of B’s.”

Indirect discrimination occurs where less favourable treatment is not the main effect or objective of an action or decision.

The nature of indirect discrimination is that the discriminatory effect can be an unexpected or unforeseen effect of a good faith decision. Complaints of indirect discrimination should be considered carefully and objectively, and not dismissed out of hand purely because the effect was not an expected or intentional one.

If, for example, a club has a rule or practice that certain competitions are only played on Saturdays, this would prevent members with certain religious beliefs from taking part in the competition. Although it may not have been the intention of the golf club, the effect is the less favourable treatment of members on the grounds of religion or belief, which is a protected characteristic. This is indirect discrimination.

Actions and Intentions

An action or decision can still be considered discriminatory even if the less favourable treatment is unintentional. It may not always be obvious to the perpetrator that their actions are discriminatory. Indirect discrimination is often unintentional, but it is not a defence to an allegation of discrimination to say that the perpetrator did not mean to discriminate against a person or group.

Discrimination can arise out of actions and decisions but can also arise out of omissions and failure to take actions or decisions.

Reasonable Adjustments

Everybody to whom this Policy applies is under a duty to make reasonable adjustments to avoid discriminating against any individual or group with the Protected Characteristic of Disability.

The duty is to make reasonable adjustments. It is not unreasonable for adjustments to cost time, money, or other resources. However, an adjustment may not be reasonable if the cost is disproportionately high or making the adjustment would be unfeasible. The resources required to make an adjustment are an important factor to be considered in deciding whether an adjustment is reasonable.

Positive Action

It can be lawful to make decisions that discriminate on the basis of a Protected Characteristic in very limited and exceptional circumstances, if the discrimination is a ‘Positive Action’ taken in order to address an underrepresented group or Protected Characteristic. Positive Actions must be reasonable, justifiable, and clearly linked to a legitimate aim. Where a club decides to take Positive Action in respect of an underrepresented group, it should carefully record its decision making and the evidence it has considered and review the practice regularly to ensure that the Positive Action does not continue for longer than reasonably necessary.

Examples

In a golfing context, some examples of discrimination might include:

Not allowing the use of golf buggies, as this increases the cost of maintaining the course. Permitting the use of golf buggies may be a reasonable adjustment, and the increased course maintenance costs are a factor to be assessed in deciding whether or not the adjustment is reasonable.
Restricting the number of tee times available to women during peak hours at a golf course. Whilst it may be permissible to limit access to the course at certain times, for example to allow a competition to be played, a club will need to be certain that it is providing equal opportunity to access the course for various groups.
Not allowing competitions to be played on alternate days to accommodate for certain religious beliefs.

B. Harassment

Harassment is defined in section 26(1) of the Equality Act 2010. Harassment occurs where a person engages in unwanted conduct related to a Protected Characteristic (outlined in the Equality Act 2010), which has the purpose of either:

Violating the other person’s dignity; or
Creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the other person.

In determining whether conduct amounts to harassment, regard is had to:

The perception of the victim
Whether it is reasonable for the conduct to have the perceived effect
The wider circumstances of the matter.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment occurs where a person engages in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, and the conduct has the purpose or effects outlined above.

One Off Incidents

A single, isolated, or one-off incident can still amount to harassment. The key consideration is the purpose or effect of the conduct.

Protection from Harassment Act 1997

Harassment can still occur even if it not based on a Protected Characteristic. The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 made it a civil, and sometimes a criminal, offence to carry out a course of conduct that amounts to harassment.

Examples

In a golfing context, some examples of unlawful harassment might include:

Employees making unwanted or inappropriate contact with colleagues at a golf club or facility.
Targeting disabled golfers using buggies and demanding to see proof of a disability where this is not required by the terms of a competition, for example.
Disproportionate and public criticism or sanctioning of an individual’s behaviour by an organisation for irrelevant or personal reasons. A clear disciplinary procedure will help to ensure that those facing disciplinary action at a club are treated fairly.

C. Victimisation

Victimisation is defined in section 27(1) of the Equality Act 2010.

Victimisation occurs where a person suffers a detriment because they do a protected act or are believed to have done a protected act.

Protected Act

A protected act includes making a complaint (whether in writing or not, formally, or informally) or bringing legal proceedings under the Equality Act 2010 in relation to discrimination, harassment, bullying, or any other issue related to equality, diversity, or Protected Characteristics.

Detriment

A detriment can be any less favourable treatment, including direct acts such as suspensions, fines, sanctions, and verbal and physical aggression.

It is not necessary to show that somebody is being treated less favourably than somebody else who did not do a protected act, only that they have been subject to a detriment because of a protected act.

Examples

In a golfing context, some examples of unlawful victimisation include:

Initiating disciplinary proceedings against a person as a result of making a complaint about discrimination or harassment.
Ignoring a person’s valid input into the management of a club or county after that person has made a complaint.

De-selecting a player from a squad or team because that person has made a complaint.

8. Further guidance and support

You can find further information from the following sources:

England Golf ED&I pages on the website.
Link to England Golf Equality Guidance.
https://equalityhumanrights.com/en