Rules | NWMGL

2011 Northwest Men's Golf League by-laws

SEASON

Wednesdays; April 13th through August 24^th. Total of 20 weeks plus two tournaments (18 holes); the Mid-year Tournament on Sunday, June 12 (Lake Bluff); and the Year-end Tournament on Sunday, August 21 (Steeplechase).

STARTING TIME

3:21 to 4:33 pm (Front nine at Countryside Traditional and front nine on the Prairie course on alternate weeks). A player must tee off with his opponent according to the schedule.

TEAMS

There will be 10 teams with four players each: number one players, lowest handicap, number two players, 2nd lowest handicap, etc. Team captain will be the number one player from each team. Players will change positions within their team based on current handicaps.

FLIGHTS

Flight changes will not be made during the first three weeks of the season OR during the last three weeks of the season (the playoffs).

ATTENDANCE

All players must check-in with the secretary upon arrival at the course. Refer to the season schedule to determine whom you will play. If unable to attend, notify the secretary in advance or call him (Ted Heiser) on cell phone (847-602-2040) during the week. If you are unable to notify the secretary in advance, call the golf course (847-968-3466) on the day of the scheduled match, and they will relay the message. If the secretary has not heard from you by 3:00 pm, it will be assumed that you plan to play and will schedule accordingly.

*** FAILURE TO REPORT AN ABSENCE ***

Failure to report an absence will result in +5 on your Over/Under point total for the first offense. A second failure to report an absence will result in a +5 over/under penalty and placement at the bottom of the year-end prize list. Further failures to call would result in a +5 over/under penalty and possible removal from the league.

TERMINATION AND REPLACEMENT

The league officers have the authority to suspend or replace any player for reason of excess absenteeism or failure to report absences.

PLAY

The league secretary will schedule and post the matches each week, based upon handicap. Scorecards must be turned in to the secretary as soon after completion of the round as possible. The season will be divided into two halves and the league will be divided into two divisions. Division winners from each half will qualify for the year-end playoffs.

CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM PLAYOFFS

Team playoffs will be on August 10, and 17. The top four teams will qualify for the playoffs. The teams will be seeded according to total points. In the first round the number one seed will play the number four seed, etc. The other six teams will play off for places 5-10 .

INDIVIDUAL FLIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFFS

The four members of each flight with the most individual match points FOR THE ENTIRE REGULAR SEASON (team playoffs will not count) will qualify for the flight playoff, which will be played on August 24. In the flight playoffs, the top four players in each flight will play together and all play each other in nine-hole matches, using league-scoring rules. The player with the most points from the three matches will be the flight champion. If a playoff qualifier is absent on the day of the playoff, he will be deemed to have forfeited the matches. Matches will not be played on alternate dates. Handicaps for the flight playoffs will be either the final regular season handicap or the season ending handicap, whichever is lower.

HANDICAP

Handicaps will be computed using the USGA handicapping system. The best five of the most recent 10 scores will be used. Handicap differentials will be based on the course ratings for the courses played. Returning players will play the first three weeks with the handicap index they had at the end of the previous season (plus one). New players will start with a handicap assigned by the league secretary. New players can have their handicap adjusted, up or down, during the first three weeks if it is deemed necessary.

TEAM SCORING (based on 4-person teams)

Team play will be match play, head-to head, two (2) points per hole, total of eighteen (18) points per match. Two extra points will be awarded for the player with the lowest net score with handicap per singles match. In the case of a tie, points will be divided. Four bonus points will be awarded for team with lowest combined net score for the match (best 3 of 4 net scores). SUBSTITUTES’ SCORES CAN BE COUNTED TOWARD TEAM BONUS POINTS, but a team must have at least two of it own players present in order to win the team low net bonus points.

PLAYER ABSENCES

Following are the league procedures that will apply regarding subs and absentee golfers:

The league will furnish all golfers a list of players with their phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
Subs will pay a weekly fee of $1 to the league for each week they play. This gets them into the par 3 competitions. There will be no fee for the weekly skins competition.
Subs will be flighted for the weekly skins competition based on their handicap.
Substitutes’ scores can be used toward the bonus points for team low net in the team match. Team bonus points (4) will be based on best 3 out of 4 net scores.

If one player in a match is absent, the following will apply:

The player who shows up matches cards with another golfer in his flight whose handicap is closest to the handicap of his absent opponent. The points earned in this card match do count in the team match, but the player used for the card match will not have his score count in the same team match.

PLAYER UNABLE TO FINISH

1. If a player starts a round but is unable to finish due to injury, the following applies:

a. If the player finishes at least 5 holes, those count as played. The remaining holes are scored the same way they would be for an absent golfer.

b. If the player plays fewer than 5 holes and quits, he is deemed to have lost the remaining holes. His score on each hole for over/under purposes will be one higher than his opponent's adjusted score. This score will not count for handicap purposes.

c. In the case of obvious injury, the absent golfer rule applies for points, but for over/under purposes his score will be one higher than his opponent

2. If a player starts a round but is unable to finish it for any other reason, rule 1b applies.

INDIVIDUAL INTRA-FLIGHT SCORING

Each week a player has the opportunity to win a maximum of 24 points: Two (2) points per each hole won; one (1) point for each hole tied; two (2) points for low net score in the match; four (4) points if his Net Score is under par or two (2) points if his Net Score equals par. (All of the above apply whether or not he wins his match.)

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

A season-long event accumulates your over/under par (Net) scores for all competitive rounds. A minimum of 75% of Wednesday dates is needed to qualify for the year-end trophy. Players entering the league after week #1 will receive the league average over/under score(s) or +3, whichever is greater, for each week they are absent at the beginning of the season. This will apply to every week the player is absent at the beginning of the season.

AWARDS

Cash will be paid for all prizes. In addition, the season-long over/under winner will be awarded possession of the Don Burch trophy for the next year. Each of your first two absences result in +3 points (or the +/- average of the field, whichever is higher) on your over/under par score. Subsequent absences are +5 each (or the +/- average of the field, whichever is higher). Sunday outing absences are the average +/- for the field or+6, whichever is greater. Outing handicaps will be adjusted according to host course's course rating.

END OF SEASON

Competition for the season-long over/under championship will end when the year-end tournament is played. Flight championship playoffs will not count in the over/under championship. If either of these events is rained out, they will be re-scheduled if course is available.

FEES AND DUES

Greens fees are to be paid to the golf course personnel before teeing off each week. All membership fees must be paid in full by April 27, to the league treasurer. A player will not earn team and/or individual points if he fails to pay by April 27.

WEATHER AND DARKNESS

In the event weather and/or darkness prevent the completion of a match, it shall be considered terminated at the preceding hole. A minimum of five (5) holes must be completed to constitute a match. If all matches don’t finish the fifth hole, then the week is deemed “rained out.” Regular season rainouts will NOT be made up. Championship rounds will definitely be made up. The league officers are the weathermen.

BRAT NIGHT

Date is to be determined. At that time all prize money will be distributed. Your league dues are used to pay for this event.

League Rules of Play

U.S.G.A. Rules of Golf preside. Starting the season, conditions permitting, play LIFT CLEAN AND PLACE in your own fairway and summer rules everywhere else on the course except in bunkers. Ball may be moved up to six inches, but not nearer the hole. You may lift rake and place in all sand bunkers. You may not take relief otherwise unless permitted by the rules. NOTE: We will switch to all summer rules when conditions permit.

Out-of-Bounds: Play as marked by course out of bounds stakes (White Stakes).

Out of Bounds - loss of stroke AND distance; hit another ball from the original location.

Lost Ball: Must hit another ball from the original location from which last shot was played. Penalty: same as for out of bounds.

Water hazard: (holes #6 and #8 on Traditional) - Penalty: one stroke; Drop according to USGA rules. NOTE: If ball does not carry the hazard, ball must be played from behind the hazard. Follow USGA rules for drop options (replay from tee, or drop behind the hazard keeping the point at which the ball crossed the margin of the hazard on a line between you and the hole). This rule applies to any other water hazard marked by yellow stakes. NOTE: The water by #1 and 8 greens is played as a Lateral Hazard when playing that hole.

Water hazard: (hole #9 on Prairie) - Penalty: one stroke; Drop according to USGA rules. NOTE: If ball does not carry the hazard, ball must be played from behind the hazard. Follow USGA rules for drop options (replay from tee, or drop behind the hazard keeping the point at which the ball crossed the margin of the hazard on a line between you and the hole).

Lateral Water Hazards (red stakes) - ball may be played as in a Water Hazard or, drop a ball outside of the hazard within 2 club lengths of (the point of where the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the hazard equidistant from the hole. The ball must be dropped and come to rest not nearer the hole than the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the hazard. Penalty: one stroke.

••Mark your ball for identification purposes. This will hopefully eliminate playing an incorrect ball (ball point or waterproof marker work well). It is your responsibility to notify your opponent on the 1st tee as to what ball you are playing and inform him of any subsequent changes during the course of play.

HOLE ALL PUTTS ! ! !

General Rule Interpretation: If the rules permit you to move the ball, penalty free, you receive one (1) club length relief. Penalty situations permit you two (2) club lengths relief.

Man-made Obstructions - interference with stance or swing only; move the ball one (1) club length from obstruction, no closer to the hole - no penalty.

Rules Dispute - play two (2) balls, one on each rule interpretation; notify League Rules Interpreters upon completion of round.

If you believe your opponent has violated the rules, you have an obligation to yourself, your team, your opponents, and the rest of the league members to call the violation to the attention of your opponent IMMEDIATELY! Try to settle the facts among all members of your group. League secretary will serve as League Rules Interpreter. All rulings will be made in accordance with U.S.G.A. stroke play rules.

Please Note This Rule:

When playing a hole and your ball winds up in the long grass:

• If a player's ball winds up in the long grass, such as in the area left of #3 fairway on the Traditional, or the long grass to the left or right of # 5 fairway (Traditional), the player shall exercise one of the following options:

1. Find the ball and play it as it lies (NO PENALTY). Remember there is a 5-minute time limit on the search for the ball. (GOOD LUCK!!!)

2. Play the area as a lateral hazard with one of the following options.

a. Drop within two club lengths of the point where the ball crossed the margin of the long grass, not nearer the hole. PENALTY: 1 stroke.

b. Keep the point at which the ball crossed the margin of the long grass on a line between the player and the hole and drop back on that line as far as the player desires. PENALTY: 1 stroke

This rule, in part, is designed to save time. DO NOT return to the spot from which the original shot was played. You must exercise one of the above options.

Penalty for violation of this rule:

Two strokes on medal score and automatic loss of hole

This rule applies to all long grass areas on both courses, provided the ball is not determined to be out of bounds.