Sheffield Union of Golf Clubs Constitution and Regulations 

General Regulations

1.  NAME:  The name shall be 'The Sheffield Union of Golf Clubs', here after referred to as the 'Union'.

2.  OBJECTIVE:  The object of the Union shall be to further the interests of Amateur Golf in Sheffield and District.

3.  MEMBERSHIP: Election of clubs to the Union shall be by the Council on receipt of written application for membership. Every applicant shall be a recognised Golf Club, with a committee or board, a club house and a course which shall be acceptable to the Council.

4. RESPONSIBILITY: When attending all Sheffield Union related events, it will be expected that attendees behave in a correct and appropriate manner. The Sheffield Union reserves the right to take appropriate action against person or persons behaving inappropriately.

THE COUNCIL

5. The governing body shall be called the "Council" and the entire management of the Union shall be vested in it.

6. (a) The Council shall consist of the Officers, the elected members of the Executive Committee and two representatives from every club of the Union;
    (b) The Officers shall consist of the President, Immediate Past President, President Elect, President Designate, Secretary, and Treasurer.

7. The Annual Meeting of the Council shall be held in February or March of each year for the purpose of:
    (a) receiving the report of the Executive Committee on the affairs of the Union during the preceding year and the financial statement of the Treasurer duly audited for the year ending on the preceding 31st December;
    (b) electing the Officers of the Union (except the Immediate Past President), members of the Executive Committee in place of the members retiring and an Honorary Auditor;
    (c) transacting the general business of the Union and such other business of which 21 days' notice in writing shall have been given.

8. (a) Seven clubs shall be represented to form a quorum at all meetings of the Council.
    (b) Only the two representatives from every club mentioned in Regulation 5(a) shall be issued with a ballot card and shall have power to vote.
    (c) No club shall have more than two votes at any meeting of the Council.

9. On all matters (except the election of members to the Executive Committee for which regulation 19 shall apply and for changes of regulations, for which regulation 12 shall apply) voting shall be by show of hands and shall be decided by a majority. The Chairman shall have the casting vote.

10. (a) The nomination of the President shall be through the Executive committee, according to the following procedure: 

A minimum of 6 Clubs within the Union are contacted to ask for their nominations for the role of President.

The nominees are interviewed by the immediate four Past Presidents along with Honorary Secretary, and their recommendations made to the Executive committee at the November meeting. Subject to approval at the Annual Council Meeting, the successful candidate will then become President Designate for the next vacant year, President Elect and President for the subsequent years.

    (b) The nomination of a Vice President shall be through the Executive Committee on the recommendation of the President and Vice Presidents of the Union. The recommendation for the nomination of a Vice President shall be made in writing by a member of the Executive Committee to the President who shall consult with the Vice Presidents before formally bringing the recommendation to the Executive Committee for approval. Recommendations can only be made for a person who has given exceptional service to the SUGC.

11. The Immediate Past President shall be a member of the Executive Committee for one year after his term of office as President and shall immediately thereafter be eligible to be nominated for election to the Executive Committee.

12. Upon giving 21 days' notice in writing stating the business to be transacted the Secretary may call a special meeting of the Council when he or the President think fit or when any two clubs in writing (stating the purpose thereof) request him to do so, or when requested to do so by the Executive Committee. Provided that said notice is given to the Secretary in writing a club may send a delegate to present any particular issue to the Executive Committee.

13. No general regulation shall be repealed or altered and no new regulation shall be made except by a majority of two-thirds of the representatives present and voting at the Annual Meeting.

14. Clubs shall be under no liability whatsoever, to or for the Union, except for the payment of their respective entrance fees, annual subscriptions and entry fees to competitions.

15. Any club wishing to retire from the Union shall send notice of its withdrawal to the Secretary before 30th November in any year, otherwise it shall remain liable for the subscription for the ensuing year.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

16. (a) The Council shall appoint an Executive Committee to conduct the affairs of the Union in the period between the meetings of the Council and such powers shall be vested in them as the Council may decide from time to time;
      (b) The Committee is empowered to amend the Rules and Regulations of the Union considered necessary for the wellbeing of the Union. Any such  amendment shall be posted to all clubs in the Union within seven days of introduction and shall be effective until the next Annual Council or Special Meeting when such amendments will be either confirmed or annulled at that meeting.

17. (a) The Executive Committee shall consist of those officers mentioned in regulation 5(b) and twelve other members who must be members (Associate Playing, Honorary, Social/House,) of clubs affiliated to the Union and elected at the Annual Council Meeting. Four members shall form a quorum. A representative on the governing body of the English Golf Union or on the Executive Committee of the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs who is a member of a club belonging to the Union shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee but shall not be regarded as part of the quorum quoted above;

       (b) Past Presidents and Vice Presidents shall be invited to attend meetings of the Executive Committee, as ex-officio members, with no voting rights.

18. Members (other than officers of the Union) elected to the Executive Committee at the Annual Council Meeting shall hold office for a term ranging from 1 to  4 years. Where there is more than one member proposed and 1 or more vacant terms are of less than 4 years, then the decision as to which member serves which term will be initially by consultation prior to the ACM. If agreement cannot be reached then the member receiving the highest number of votes will serve for 4 years, other members serving successively down to 1 year. A term commences following the Executive election at the Annual Council Meeting. At the Annual Council Meeting the members of the Executive Committee (other than officers of the Union) who have completed their term of office, will be eligible for re-election.  If an interim vacancy occurs in its membership the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill such vacancy by appointing thereto, for the unexpired term thereof, such person as they may think fit, provided that if the unexpired term is more than one year, the action of the Executive Committee shall be subject to confirmation by the Council at the next Annual Meeting. If an interim vacancy has not been filled by the Executive Committee at the date of the Annual Council Meeting, it shall be filled at such meeting.

19. The Secretary shall send out, not later than 31st December each year, circulars asking for nomination for membership of the Executive Committee and such nominations signed on behalf of the club by an office holder or a member of the Committee of each club, must reach the Secretary not later than 31st January following.

20. The election of members of the Executive Committee shall be by ballot. Each club representative on the Council shall give one vote only to a candidate but shall vote for as many candidates as there are vacancies.
Voting papers not fulfilling these conditions shall be void. In the event of a tie for vacancy, a second ballot shall be held between candidates tying for such vacancy.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

21. The entrance fee for new clubs joining the Union shall be £100

22. The annual subscription of the clubs forming the Union shall be such sum as the Executive Committee shall from time to time decide.

23. Subscriptions of all Member Clubs shall become due on 31st January each year. No club (or its members) whose subscription is in arrears shall be entitled to enter any Sheffield Union event or attend any Sheffield Union meeting and any entry by such club or any of its members shall be void. The club's affiliation to the Sheffield Union shall be automatically cancelled if payment of their subscription has not been made within 21 days of notice in writing. The notice requiring payment is sent to the club by registered post.