RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR 2023

 

1.     GENERAL

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a.   Play for the season shall begin on the date determined by the Board of Governors upon its review and approval of a schedule. The regular season will end in September and the Governors may decide to have a hiatus in August (The Board may decide to hold matches on one or more dates in August).

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b.   The host club must permit at least 22 players each week.  If the host club does not have 22 active participants, the visiting club shall be able to bring the difference as alternates. Clubs must match the number of available players of the opposing club before entering alternates. In the case where there are 22 or more active players for each team, if the home club chooses not to allow the visiting club at least two alternates, and a player drops out on either club after the 3:00 pm deadline on Tuesday, that player cannot be replaced. If the visiting club chooses not to bring the allowed alternates, this rule does not apply.

 

The minimum number of teams for each match shall be 8 for the first half of the season, and a minimum of 6 matches in the second half of the season.  If a team has fewer than the required minimum matches, those individual matches would be forfeited. If the deficiency is known before Tuesday at 3:00 pm the forfeit will be the last match in the deficient category. If it occurs after that, it would be the match that is eliminated from the previously submitted roster. If a club does not have enough players to have two players for the minimum number of matches, one-man team play is permissible. A club may field a full roster of one-man teams so as not to forfeit any matches if arranged prior to Tuesday at 3:00 pm.  

 

If a player drops out after Tuesday at 3:00 pm and there is no replacement, you can play the remaining player as a one man team, but you cannot rearrange other players. If a club does not have enough forward tee players to accommodate the forward tee requirement, they must match up all existing forward tee players before creating split tee teams. If a club does not have enough back tee players to accommodate the back tee requirement, they must play forward tee players from the back tees.

 

c.   USGA and local course rules shall govern all play except as modified herein. The use of illegal clubs and balls is not permitted.

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d.   The yardage played in each match must be between 5,800 yards  and 6,100 yards for matches played from the back tees and between 5,300 yards and 5,500 yards for matches played from the forward tees.

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e.   League standings of clubs shall be determined by total points and listed accordingly. Each individual match is worth 19 points. There is 1 point for each hole won plus 1 point for winning the overall match. The overall team score is also worth 19 points.

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All of the points for the individual matches are added and then divided by the number of matches to achieve the team score for the day, i.e each team's share of the 19 points available. The result will be rounded to two decimal points with .005 or higher being rounded up. That is the result of the day’s event which must be reported by the host governor before 3:00 pm on the day of the match. In any match that is not completed, the incomplete holes are halved. A canceled match due to heat, rain out, etc. will result in no points for each club. Weekly league standings shall show total points and percentage of points received. League standings will be determined by the aforementioned percentage. If 2 or more clubs are tied in percentage at the completion of the regular season, the club that has the best record in their head to head match is seeded before the other club. If the results of their head to head match does not break the tie. If the clubs are still tied, the seeding will be by coin toss. If 2 or more clubs tie for the last playoff spot, the above formula will be used except instead of a coin toss, the clubs may have a playoff at a neutral site. The League President will oversee the above procedure.

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f.   For 2024, there will be one 14 team division. Every club will play everyone else home or away.

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g.   For a grievance to be considered by the grievance committee, any member of the committee must be notified in writing of the intent to file by 5 PM on the day following the matter, and a formal grievance received by the chairman within seven days of the date of filing  A club can not refuse to play a scheduled match except when there is a public health issue and both governors agree . If no committee member is contacted prior to the match, it should be played "under protest". If a club refuses to show up for a scheduled match, the club may be financially responsible for any food costs and the match ruled a forfeit.

 

2.     METHOD OF PLAY

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.   By 5 P.M. of the Friday preceding play the visiting club contacts, the host club to determine how many players the visiting club may bring to the match. The visiting club then sends its roster to the host club no later than 5 P.M. on Saturday. Host clubs are required to send a fully completed score sheet to the visiting club no later than 5 P.M. on Sunday. The score sheet must contain the rosters of both clubs together with the indexes from the Friday before the match, consequent handicaps of all players and the rating and slope of the course scheduled to be played. Changes to this roster including switching around of players and the reduction of the number of matches previously agreed to may be made up to Tuesday at 3 PM. If the host club reduces the number of matches agreed to on Saturday, it must send its roster to the visiting club so the visitors have a chance to adjust its roster by the 3 PM Tuesday deadline when no further changes can be made. There shall be no moving around of players after the Tuesday 3PM deadline, and tee selections are locked in at that time. If a team submits a lineup change between 2:00 and 3:00 PM on Tuesday, the opposing team has until 5:00 PM to respond, but no other changes are allowed after 3:00 pm other than allowable substitutions of permitted alternates. If a player subsequently drops out, he may be substituted for. If the substitute replaces the B player of a team, he plays at the lower of his own index or 5 points above the A player’s index. If the A player drops out, the substitute plays at the lower of his own index or the B player’s index. (Note: if the substitute causes the index differential to exceed the 5 index parameter, the B player’s index will need to be reduced to the maximum differential.) The substituting player can play the tee of his choice.

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Examples:  In all examples the A player has a 7 index, the B player has an 11 index.

1.  B drops out and is replaced by C who has a 13 index.  C must play at a 12 index, the lower of his own index or 5 above A.

2.  B drops out and is replaced by C who has an 8 index.  C must play at an 8 index.

3.  A drops out and is replaced by C who has a 5 index.  C must play at a 5 index.  B’s index is lowered to 10.

4.  A drops out and is replaced by C who has a 14 index.  C must play at an 11 index, the lower of his own index or B’s. 

If a front tee alternate replaces a back tee drop out, the replacement will play from the back tee and all the above rules apply. If a back tee alternate replaces a front tee drop out, the replacement will play from the back tees. Under the current handicap system, no adjustment is made for different tees as it is built into the system. All of the above rules will apply.

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b.   For 2024, all players will play from their choice of front or back tees made on a per match basis. 

 

c.   Clubs must list the low index man as player #1 in each pairing. The low index player in each pairing must be listed in ascending order on the play sheet. The index differential between partners must be no more than a 5-index point differential. If the players on any club, which does not have enough players to conform to the handicap differential rule, are listed in ascending order and the handicaps for consecutive players are greater than the 5 index point rule, the higher handicap players shall not be penalized. 

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d.   All matches will be played using 90% of all players handicaps. 

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e.   In the event of a player's disability, once a match has begun, no replacement player or forfeit shall be allowed. The match must proceed to its conclusion with the players remaining.  Regular scoring will be in effect.

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f.   Team competition shall be net, one best ball of two.

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3.     PLAYOFFS 

The top 8 teams will make the playoffs. In the first round, 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7, 3 plays 6, & 4 plays 5.

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In the second round, the highest seeded surviving team would play the lowest seeded surviving team, and the other two teams would play each other.

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The higher seeded team will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

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If there is a tie for a playoff spot after the regular season, the tie breaking sequence, as stated in section 1e. above, is as follows:

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        1. Head to head results during the regular season 

        2. If still a tie, a coin flip

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In the event of a rain out, playoff matches will be rescheduled by mutual agreement of club governors, or, in the absence of agreement, by the league president.  

 

All playoff matches must have a minimum of eight pairings with at least four from each tee, and at least one individual match must complete a minimum of thirteen holes or completed a match prior to thirteen holes except for a forfeit for the match to be official.

 

In the event of a tie in any playoff match, the governor or captain of each club shall select two players from their active field to compete in a three-hole playoff from the back tee followed, if necessary, by a sudden-death match played to determine the winner. Each team will write down the names of the two chosen players independent of each other. They will then exchange the written information. The match will begin at the first hole and all regular match rules apply including the use of handicaps.

 

To qualify for play in any post-season match, a player must have been scheduled to play in competition, including being scheduled and then rained out, or as an alternate in an away match, but not including playing as an alternate at home, at least three times on a fully completed score sheet submitted to the Scoring and Handicap Chairman. 

 

4.    HANDICAPS

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The USGA indexes of all players from the Friday before the match will be used for league competition. All players must score all league play according to USGA equitable stroke control rules. After a match has been decided, players may continue playing the remaining holes. Scores for such holes will be entered by the host pro in accordance with section 4-2 of the USGA Handicap System Manual which states “the score recorded for that hole for handicap purposes must be par plus any handicap strokes the player is entitled to receive on that hole.” Maximum index permitted in league play is 28.7. Any index above this level will be adjusted downward to 28.7. 

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5.     SCORING

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We will be using a 19 point scoring system as described in section 1e. above.        

 

6.     RESCHEDULE OF MATCHES

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Regular season matches may be rescheduled only due to maintenance or scheduling conflicts with consent of both governors, and it must be done at least one month prior to the original date except if the rescheduling is from one team’s venue to the other team’s on the same date, it can be done at any time with the agreement of both governors and availability. Also, if a club is experiencing a public health issue which both governors agree could put the safety of the participants of a match in jeopardy, it can be rescheduled without regard to the 30 day rule mentioned above. If the match is not rescheduled, it would be considered a tie. 

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As stated above in section 1e., if a match is not played due to inclement weather, no points will be given to either team, because the standings are determined by winning percentage not total points, but matches not played for any other reason except as described above, will be considered a forfeit on the part of the offending club.

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7.     INCLEMENT WEATHER & INCOMPLETE MATCHES

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In the event a match is delayed or halted due to weather conditions and play cannot be started or resumed after a 30 minute delay, the host and visiting governor, along with the club pro and groundskeeper, must decide to start play, continue play, or suspend play for an additional 20 minutes or close the course entirely. 

 

If at least one team shall have completed 13 holes of play or completed a match, except for forfeit, at the time play is halted, then all matches shall be declared official as they stand at that point. Any holes not completed in individual matches shall be scored as ties. 

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For handicap purposes, unfinished holes shall be scored under section 4-2 of the USGA Handicap System Manual by the golf professionals.

 

Once a match starts, if course conditions dictate cart path only, for more than 6 holes, the match may be considered a rain out unless both governors agree to the playing conditions. If some matches are scrubbed and others elect to play, the match may still be official without regard to the minimum match rule if both governors agree to waive the requirement.

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The rain refund policy has been standardized as follows: If play never began, but breakfast was served, there would be a 70% refund. If play began, but the match is cancelled before the match is official as defined by the rules, there would be a 50% refund without regard to the number of holes played. Once the match is official, there would be no refund. Anyone who stays for lunch would get no refund.

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In situations where the match has not started and the course conditions mandate cart path only – the match will be played with each club using at least 4 teams (8 players). The players can be any combination of front and back tee players. Front and back tee players must match up before split tee matches are allowed. The players will play from their designated tees, and in split tee matches, the rules pertaining to split tees stated above will apply. If a club is unable to field a team, the match will be forfeited.” The rule stating , “There shall be no moving around of players after the Tuesday 3PM deadline” will not apply.

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8.     FORFEITURE

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A governor or captain may forfeit any team or individual match prior to the start of play. Forfeiting an individual match will result in no points for the forfeiting team and the greater of 9.5 points or the teams weakly average at the time. The grievance committee can change any forfeit to a tie under unusual circumstances and their decision is final.

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9.     LEAGUE ACTION

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If a club is in disregard of league rules a second time in a season, the matter is to be referred to the grievance committee for action including suspension or expulsion from the league. The action may be triggered by situations including but not limited to forfeit of team matches, inability to make the course available for league play as scheduled and rude behavior on the part of team members.

 

10.     HOST CLUBS

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a.   Arrange to serve a continental breakfast and a full lunch following play.

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b.   Provide practice balls at no charge.

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c.   Provide properly handicapped score cards.

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d.   Make an announcement covering the designated area in case of inclement weather.

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e.   Start shot-gun tournament preferably at 8:30 AM but no later than 8:45 AM.

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f.   Individual score cards must be signed and attested after match. Cards are to be given to host club captain.

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g.   Host club representative must convey the match results to the designated person within one hour of completion of play. If the host club does not convey the results by 4:00 pm or notify the designated person of the reason for a delay by 4:00 pm, the host club will receiving a warning for the first offense, lose half their points for that day on the second offense, and, lose all their points for that day on the third offense. Host captain shall provide one copy of score sheet results to visiting captain.

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h.   All gratuities are to be paid by the host club, with an exception for cleaning shoes, if requested.

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i.   Preferred lies will be permitted only if the host pro determines that conditions of the golf course that day requires it.

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j.   Required to keep individual score cards until season is over for reference in the event of a grievance.

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k.   The host captain shall assure that each of his teams shall play all 18 holes, if requested.  If less than 18 holes are played, holes not played shall be scored according to section 4-2 of the USGA Handicap System Manual (see Section 4. HANDICAPS) by the golf professionals.

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l.   The host pro shop will post the scores of both teams in the GHIN system.

 

11.     VISITING CLUB

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a.   The governor or captain shall make payment to the host club before start of play or through the interclub billing system.

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b.   All players should arrive at the host club by 7:45 AM.

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c.   Each governor or captain shall keep a copy of the score sheet for future reference.

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d.   Each governor or captain shall check score sheet and attest to its accuracy.

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e.   Each governor or captain shall assure that each of his teams shall play all 18 holes, if requested.  If less than 18 holes are played, holes not played shall be scored in accordance with section 4-2 of the USGA Handicap System Manual (see Section 4. HANDICAPS)

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12.     SCORE SHEETS

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a.   All score sheets must contain the date of the match.

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b.   Many clubs have more than one course; the home club must indicate which course they played.

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c.   All score sheets must be uniform. Everyone must use the sheet provided. 

 

13. PACE OF PLAY

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      The eighteen holes should be played within 4 hours and 20 minutes. If any group has to be moved up to comply, that hole(s) will be considered a tie.

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14.     MISCELLANEOUS

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a.   Talking or texting on a cell phone may be used in league play only for emergencies.

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b.   Each cart in competition shall contain the playing partners.

 

15.     WAIVER OF THE RULES

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In any given match, any rule relative to playing that match may be waived by mutual agreement of the opposing governors or a captain in the absence of a governor. This does not apply to rules that affect the entire league.

 

16.     APPROVAL

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In accordance with the By-Laws, the Board of Governors must approve these rules and regulations and has the authority to change, amend, delete or correct them at anytime.

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