1. Title

The name of the association shall be “The Yorkshire Rabbit Golf Association”

2. Area of the Yorkshire Rabbit Golf Association

The area of the Yorkshire Rabbit Golf Association shall be the boundaries of the old county of Yorkshire prior to 1974

3. Definition of a Rabbit Golfer

For the purpose of the Yorkshire Rabbit Golf Association, a Rabbit Golfer shall be a male playing member aged 18 or over with a Handicap Index of 15 or greater.

4. Membership

Any Rabbit Section may become a member of the Yorkshire Rabbit Golf Association provided they are approved by the Executive of the Association

5. Objectives

The objectives of the Association shall be:-

a) to promote Rabbit Golf

b) to stimulate and encourage the interests of the higher handicap golfers

c) to work for the benefit of the Association and member Rabbit Sections

6. Functions

a) to encourage the development and formation of Rabbit Sections in Golf Clubs

b) to encourage the formation of Area Associations

c) to arrange competitions for Rabbit members

d) to organise and conduct social meetings and gatherings

7. Affiliation Fee

Each Rabbit Section shall pay the Annual fee before 28th February, the amount which shall have been determined at the Annual General Meeting

8. Officers

The officers shall consist of :-

President

Vice President

Honorary Secretary

Honorary Treasurer

Honorary Fowler Secretary

Honorary Competitions Secretary

They shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting

The President shall be the previous Vice President unless he is unable to take office

The Vice President shall be proposed by each Area Association in turn

In the event of a casual vacancy arising among officers, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term of office.

9. Honorary Secretary

The Honorary Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Association and shall have custody of all documents belonging to the Association

10. Honorary Treasurer

The Honorary Treasurer shall record all financial transactions and shall prepare annually a Financial Statement which he shall pass to the Honorary Secretary after it has been audited and signed by the Auditor. He shall also receive and dispose of according to the instructions of the Executive all monies receivable or payable by the Association and shall act generally in accordance with instructions of the Association or the Executive.

11. Honorary Fowler Competition Secretary

The Honorary Fowler Secretary shall be responsible for all matters appertaining to running the Fowler Trophy

12. Honorary Competitions Secretary

The Honorary Competitions Secretaryshall be responsible for all matters petaining to the Thornton and Plowright Coimpetitions

13. Honorary Life Vice Presidents

The Association at its AGM may elect any person who has made an exceptional contribution to the Association as a Honorary Life Vice President

14. Executive

The Executive shall be responsible for managing the affairs of the Association.

The Executive shall consist of:-

The officers of the Association

Honorary Life Vice President & all Past Presidents

Two members representing each Area

Each Area to elect one member to serve for a 3 year term — vacancies to be filled by the Area concerned. In the event that this elected member is not able to attend, then the Area, should it feel necessary, may field a nominated substitute member from its committee. Voting rights would be maintained.

The Executive may appoint Sub Committees to deal with specific matters as it sees fit.

The Executive shall have the power to co-opt other persons if they consider that it will be to the benefit of the Association. Such persons will not have voting rights

A quorum of the Executive shall consist of nine

A quorum of a Sub committee shall consist of a majority of that Sub Committee.

15. Executive Meetings

Meetings of the Executive shall be chaired by the President and in his absence by the Vice President. In the event that both are absent the meeting shall be chaired by the most recent Past President present

All members of the Executive present shall have the right to vote with the exception of co-opted members.

In the event of a vote being tied, the chairman shall have the casting vote

The members of the Executive shall have at least seven days notice of the meetings.

16. Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting shall take place during February

The business of the meeting shall be:-

a) to elect officers and other members of the Executive

b) to receive the report of the Secretary

c) to receive the report of the Treasurer

d) to appoint the Auditors

e) to consider any matters which have been the subject of proper notice

Meeting shall be chaired by the President and in his absence by the Vice President. In the event that both are absent the meeting shall be chaired by the most recent Past President present

Members shall be given 8 weeks notice of the Annual General Meeting

Any nominations for the Executive and propositions to be put to the membership at the meeting must be received by the Honorary Secretary not less than 6 weeks prior to the meeting. Under no circumstances will nominations, propositions or amendments to propositions be accepted without proper notice having been given.

Agenda papers for the meeting shall be issued by the Honorary Secretary not less than 28 days prior to the meeting.

The following are entitled to attend the meeting
• Members of the Executive
• Representatives of member Rabbit Sections

All present will be entitled to speak on any matter under consideration but only two representatives of each Rabbit Section will be entitled to vote. Members of the Executive will not have the right to vote unless representing a member Rabbit Section. A quorum shall be representatives of 12 Rabbit Section.

In the event of a vote being tied the chairman shall have the casting vote.

17. Other General Meetings

The Executive may call an extraordinary General Meeting of the Association should it consider this necessary to deal with a matter of urgent importance.
The Executive shall call an extraordinary General Meeting of the Association in the event that it receives a request so to do from not less than 12 member Rabbit Sections. It must give not less than 14 days notice of such a meeting.

18. Auditors

The auditor / auditors shall be appointed by the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.
They shall audit the Annual Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet of the Association and shall certify the same before they are printed.

19. Discipline

The YRGA shall operate a “Code of Conduct” and Disciplinary Procedure for:

a) All players in YRGA competitions;

b) YRGA Officials and Executive; and

c) Others taking part in any YRGA functions

Any formal complaint must be submitted to the Secretary in writing. Such complaints shall be determined in a fair manner in accordance with the Rules of Golf and the guide lines and procedures recommended by England Golf.

20. Rule changes

No rule of the Association shall be repealed or altered and no new rule shall be made save by two thirds majority of those present and eligible to vote at the Annual General Meeting of the Association. Any proposed change or addition to the rules shall be subject to the periods set out in Rule16.

21. Competitions

The Executive shall be responsible for organising any competition and drawing up and amending as appropriate competition rules. Its decision shall be final.

22. Winding up

The Association may only be wound up be a two thirds majority vote of a General Meeting. In such case the assets of the Association remaining after payment of all debts shall be distributed equally amongst the Rabbit Sections who are members at the timeo