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Metrolina Amateur Golf Tour Policies
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Metrolina Amateur Golf Tour Player Manual
Executive Committee: Deryl Simpson - Alfred Galang - Al Bonsall Mission Statement The Metrolina Amateur Golf tour is a member oriented golf tour that promotes a competitive golf experience along with positive fellowship of good friends who enjoy the game of golf and the interaction of its members. We are here to have a memorable and enjoyable experience during tournament play at various courses through out the metrolina area. Responsibilities: 1. Executive Committee; The committee is responsible for providing leadership and management of the tour. They will make decisions that will reflect in the best interest of the tour to continue the tradition of fair, enjoyable and competitive golf. The committee will also set and designate the requirements for tournament play and provide fair resolutions for conflicts that may occur. The committee will strive to ensure the rules of golf are followed, but reserve the right to modify local rules that will ensure smooth and speedy play during tournaments that will not adversely affect the outcome of the event or give any individual an unfair advantage. The committee also realizes that not all instances can be covered in the player manual, but will strive to make the necessary changes as needed to continue to provide effective management. 2. Tournament Format: Will be Stroke Play, flighted with the use of Handicaps. There will be 5 flights. Flight Handicap allowance. Championship 0-12 A- Hogan 13-17 B- Palmer 18-21 C- Nicklaus 22-25 D- Watson 26-30 Player handicaps and flight assignment will be made prior to the first tournament of the year. Handicaps will be determined either by use of an established club handicap card issued by the club and verified to meet USGA requirements, or the committee will use stroke average of previous tournaments/or individual play using provided score cards, and the USGA formula will be used to calculate and assign player handicaps without a club issued handicap. Handicaps will be reevaluated after every tournament to maintain handicap accuracy. A point system will be used to provide for individual standings in each flight. 3. Point System: The point system will be used to provide flight standings and the point allocation is as follows and is to be used in each flight. Points allocations will be updated to the web site following each tournament. 1st Place 20 2nd Place 18 3rd Place 16 4th Place 14 5th Place 12 All others 10 In the event of a tie for first place, a sudden death playoff will be used to determine the winner and second place points will be awarded to the runner up. In the event of a tie for second place, a playoff using the scorecard will be used and the playoff hole will be selected by the committee prior to the start of the tournament. The winner will be awarded the second place points and the runner up will be awarded third place points. All other ties will be awarded points for that for the place standing in which the tie falls under (i.e. all 3rd place ties will receive 16 points, 4th place will receive 14 etc.) This will follow the point value chart until all players have received their points. The member with the highest point total for their flight at the end of the season will be awarded a trophy for being the points flight leader. At the end of the year the top 8 players in their flight will be eligible for the end of year tour championship tournament. Those who don’t qualify for the tour championship tournament will be eligible for a consolation tournament. 4. Local Rules: The committee has determined that the following local rules will be helpful in providing for fair and speedy play and does reserve the right to amend or add to these based upon course conditions on the day of the tournament. A. Mulligan, one mulligan will be allowed on the first tee, and you must use that as your ball in play. B. Lost Ball, go to the point of nearest entry and take two clubs lengths and drop a ball at that point of nearest relief and take one penalty stroke. C. Putts, The ball in play must be putted out. No GIMMES. D. Winter Rule, This is where you may roll the ball to verify and provide a clean lie, lift clean and place will only be used when deemed necessary by the committee due to inclement weather or course conditions. Using this rule will only allow enough roll to identify and provide a clean lie, no more than six inches. E. Obstructions, i.e. roots, trees, rocks and bare lies which may endanger yourself or damage a club. You may move the ball no more than 1 club length no nearer to the hole. You must notify your playing partner of your intention prior to movement and agree upon a suitable drop location and drop the ball, if it rolls back to original location you may then place the ball with the concurrence of your playing partner. F. Sand traps, If prior to the tournament the committee determines that the sand traps may have water in them or are unplayable due to course conditions, you will be allowed to drop the ball outside the trap in the original line of flight no more than one club length outside the trap. G. Speed of play, The committee may penalize an individual or group for slow play 2 strokes each if it is determined that said individual or group has been monitored be either a tour official, course marshal or if there is one hole open in front of the slow group. H. Scoring, the maximum number of strokes for a hole is triple bogey for par for that hole. I. Tee Boxes: For the 2009 season all players will play from the white (standard) tee boxes. The committee reserves the right to make yardage adjustments to ensure that all players are given an equal and fair playing condition. 5. Day of the tournament: It is recommended to provide yourself enough time to prepare for the tournament, so that you may hit range balls, putt or fellowship with your fellow competitors. However, each player should be checked in at least 30 minutes prior to their assigned tee time or before a scheduled shotgun start. At the end of your round you are welcome to stay for scoring and awards presentation, but in the event you must leave and you win a prize (closest to the pin or long drive) or flight, your prize will be held by one of the executive committee and presented to you at the next tournament. You must be present to win the special give away drawings at the end of each tournament and hear your name called when drawn. 6. Scoring: When groups and pairings are set for tournament play, a member of each group will designated as the official scorer. That member will ensure that the tournament score card will be completed, verified and presented to the tournament score table at the end of the event. The score card shall have all members of the group listed with their first and last name of each player, their gross score, handicap and adjusted net score. Prior to submittal of the score card to the scorer’s table, another member of the group will verify that all scores have been listed correctly, added correctly to list an accurate gross score and subtracted by handicap to provide an accurate net score. When this is completed the member checking the card shall return the card back to the group official scorer who shall then submit the card to the tournament scorer’s table. This will ensure fast and accurate reporting of scores and assist the scorers to get the scores up on the tournament score board in a timely manner. Those members who fail to verify their cards and have all the required information maybe penalized two strokes per member per group or disqualified for failure to provide and accurate score card. 7. Speed of Play: Based upon national averages, a round of golf should take about 4 ½ hours to play. This provides for about 15 minutes per hole. It is requested that all members strive to meet this average without jeopardizing their individual play and ability. The following suggestions are provided to try and help members meet the national average. A. Play ready golf, this means get to your ball and play your next shot in a timely manner. Keep an eye on your pace by knowing your time. B. Be cognizant of your surroundings and try to keep pace with the group in front of you but not so fast that you start pushing that group ahead you. C. Never let there be a hole open in front of your group. D. Use the local rules as provided to assist you to prevent getting behind. E. When on the green, start reading your putts as you arrive on the green and be ready when it is your turn to putt. F. The committee wants you to enjoy your round and wants you to play at your comfort pace but also to keep in mind that speed of play can dictate how others play. 8. Etiquette/Dress Code: Each member should endeavor to ensure to play using the best possible etiquette possible so as not to infringe upon your playing partners ability to concentrate and play without any interference. Such as moving, talking, taking practice swings or moving around on the green when your partner is attempting to putt. Remember that golf is a gentleman’s sport and each member should extent every courtesy possible to your playing partners. All members should keep in mind that we are guests at our tournament venues and that we should promote a positive representation of our tour and it's members so as not to be excluded from any of our tournament venues. The committee recognizes that every now and then you may hit a bad shot or have a bad round and that you may momentarily vent your frustration. However, we recommend that you do your best to regain your composure so as not to have an adverse affect upon yourself, playing partner and your tour. There are some behaviors that will not be acceptable and may require the committee to take appropriative action to prevent future occurrences. Some of those are but not limited to the following. A. Throwing golf clubs. B. Damaging the golf course or course equipment. C. Berating or intimidating your fellow competitors, by either words or actions. D. Loud or obnoxious behavior. E. These are examples and the committee reserves the right to enforce penalties, In the event of a member’s lack of decorum or self control. Each member should recognize the tournament venue’s dress code and adhere to those requirements and dress appropriately. 9. Fees and Green Fees: The current fee schedule for the tour is as follows; New Member: $30.00 Existing Member Annual renewal: $20.00 Tournament Fee: $15.00 Green fees are as required by the host course and usually will include cart and range balls. The committee negotiates with the tournament courses prior to the start of the season to get the best possible price available for the tour and will usually be between $30.00 and $45.00 per event. Green fees are the responsibility of the member and should be paid at the club house when the member arrives to check in for the tournament. 10. Tournament Acceptance/Cancellation: Approximately 20 to 30 days prior to a scheduled tournament, a general email will be sent to all members requesting if they will want to play in the next event. Each member should reply vial email or phone to accept or decline to play in upcoming event. A cutoff date for signing up will be also included in the email, usually about 7 to 10 day prior to the event. This will allow the committee ample time to provide and accurate count of players to the host course we will be playing. This is a requirement from all the host courses so that we will meet the number of players that had been negotiated to get the preferred Green fee and range balls. If we do not meet the agreed upon number the course has a right to increase the fees and or penalize the tour by non-return of the deposit that might be required. It is requested that all members respond to the tournament signup request as soon as they can to help the committee provide accurate number’s to the host course. In the event that a member will need to cancel from a tournament, it is requested that cancellations be no less than 48-72 hours (2-3 days) prior to the tournament. It is understood that on some occasions an emergency may pop up that would prevent a member from attending a tournament the day of the event. Due consideration and understanding will be provided if the member contacts one of the committee members to advise them that they will not be in attendance that day. However constant NO SHOWS have an adverse affect and will cause the tour to lose preferred rates and forfeiture of deposits, in the event the tour does not meet minimum numbers as set forth in the agreement with the host course. A member who becomes a constant NO SHOW, but continues to sign up and does not provide advanced notice of cancellation, may be required to pay the green fees for that tournament and could be excluded from future events until payment has been made to the tour. 11. Tournament Groups/Pairings: Once All members that want to play an event have signed up. The groups and pairings will be made. This information will be emailed to the members, so that they will know who their group is and the tee time. Also the official scorer for the group will be designated at that time. 12. Disputes/Suggestions: If any member has any suggestions or should have a dispute that could not be handled on the course during the round with the concurrence of their playing partners, the player can contact a member of the PLAYER COMMITTEE of his choice and advise him of the suggestion/dispute. That committee member will then present the suggestion/dispute to the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE who will make an appropriate decision based upon the information provided. 13. Tour championship: The Tour Championship is the end of year tournament and will be open to the top 8 points leaders and ties for each flight and is used to determine a year end champion from each flight. Points accumulated during the year will be used to determine eligibility for the championship tournament. A consolation tournament will be played for those members who did not qualify for the championship tournament and will be held in conjunction with the championship tournament. 14. Prizes and Awards: At the end of each event a prize and trophy ceremony will be held. Trophies will be awarded to the 1st and 2nd place winners in each flight. Closest to the pin for all the par 3s and a long drive will receive prizes. The player with the low gross score from each flight will also receive a prize. The Executive Committee will have special drawings for multiple prizes following each tournament. The winner must be present and hear their name called at the time of the drawing. 15. Membership: Is open to all interested golfers and is encouraged. Potential member’s can make membership by contacting a member of the executive committee and paying the required membership fee. 16. The members of the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE and the PLAYER COMMITTEE would like to thank all present and future members of the Metrolina Amateur Golf Tour for their devotion and commitment in making this golf tour an outstanding organization of highly skilled and motivated golfers. Each of you has helped to continue our success in providing a golf forum for instilling a memorable and enjoyable tour experience year after year. Sincerely, Les Tolley - Founder Metrolina Amateur Golf Tour |
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