Planning ahead when proposing and agreeing match dates can save a lot of difficulty later. Before confirming a date, it is worth thinking through a few “what ifs”, small things to check now that can avoid problems on the day.

Before you agree a date, consider:

• Weather risk — If the weather is bad around this date, is there enough time before the last day of play to rearrange and still play the match?
• Daylight — If we need to go to sudden death (or the Women’s Inter-Club Round 1 playoff), will there be enough daylight to finish the match if we tee off at the planned time?
• Player availability — If some of my core players can’t make the date, do I have a list of reserves or alternative players who meet the competition eligibility criteria? Or would I have to concede a game through a shortage of players?

These decisions rest with the team captain under Rule 3 — the committee doesn’t prescribe how you plan, but thinking through these points before committing to a date is strongly encouraged.

See also: Playing with a reduced number of players