June 18, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AYAVA GOLF LEAGUE

BY-LAWS

2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ORGANIZATION

 

The Avaya Golf League is an organization that promotes building relationships, goodwill, networking and sportsmanship through the enjoyment of golf.

 

In addition to regular league play, the club shall sponsor such events as tournaments and/or other special events as determined by its membership.

 

LEAGUE OFFICERS AND DUTIES

 

League officers will be elected by members of the league.  Election of officers will be held at the end of each season of play.

 

Regulation President

 

·        Preside at all business meetings.

·        Organize the league, arrange for course schedules and tee times.

·        Prepare a budget for the disbursement of club funds.

·        Prepare notices for membership and distribute.

·        Notify members of all necessary information.

·        Organize special functions.

·        Provide standing information for special tournaments.

 

Regulation Vice-President

 

·        Assist the president in all functions.

·        Perform all functions of the president in her absence.

·        Succeed as president during subsequent year

·        Arrange, organize and plan the annual Scotch Doubles Tournament.

 

Scorekeeper

 

·        Collect scorecards and record using league software.

·        Figure handicaps.

·        Provide weekly schedule information on league play.

 

Secretary/Treasurer (if no secretary/treasurer responsibilities go to President)

 

 ·        Collect payment from members and distribute prize money.

 

 

COMMITTEES

 

·        Banquet – Plan a year end banquet/celebration

·        Fun Night

·        Rules Committee

 

FUNDING

 

Members will pay dues in the amount of $2 per week for prizes and fun nights, which is due to the treasurer prior to the first night of play. Subs will pay for their own greens fees to play unless arranged by the league member they are playing for. Everyone including subs will pay $.10/putt over 18.

 

All collected dues will be deposited into the Treasurer’s account.

 

Officers will be given one dozen golf balls or equivalent in merchandise in compensation for duties performed. 

 

PRIZES AND AWARDS

 

Based on increasing the number of teams in the league to 12, prizes will be awarded to the 1^st 5 teams.  1^st place receives $50 for each player, 2^nd place receives $40 for each player, 3^rd place receives $30 for each player, 4^th place receives $20 for each player, and 5^th place receives $10 for each player (based on two player teams). Winners will be determined by scorekeeper.

 

To be eligible for prizes, a player must have played 50% of league play and have dues paid.

 

PLAYERS

 

·        Regulation 9-hole will be played with two-person teams.  A two-person team will consist of two women, two men, or one woman and one man.  Any of these combinations can make-up a team and compete in the league

 

·        Substitute players may be used, even on position nights. The exception applies only for those playing for 1^st thru 4^th places.  If you are unable to golf and are in 1^st thru 4^th place, the sub you get to play for you has to have a handicap no lower or higher than 3 from your handicap.  In otherwards, if you have a 16 handicap the player you get can only have a 19 or a 13 handicap.  Since it may become more difficult to find subs since they have to pay for their own golf, I am proposing we remove this rule and require subs for the top 6 places on position night to have at least three scores in our system to establish a handicap.

 

·        Each player or substitute must submit a handicap of three (3) scorecards on a regulation 9-hole course to the scorekeeper.

  

·        The will be no make-ups or pre-golfed rounds allowed for league competition.
If all four members of the match are in agreement, the round can be made-up or played in advance as long as the match is played either the week prior to the scheduled day or within the week after the scheduled day (from the previous Wednesday to the following Monday).  This should be the exception, not the rule since it takes away from the social aspect of the league.  If a round is played on a day other than the scheduled day, provide the information to the scorekeeper as quickly as possible so that any changes to a players handicap can be calculated and the standings can be updated.

 

WEATHER OR LEAGUE PLAY CANCELLATION

 

·        Players should call the course to see if the course is open for play.  If the course is open for play, players shall proceed to the course and expect to play.  If necessary, play may be cancelled by league vote taken at the course.

·        The four players of an individual match can decide to postpone the match due to weather (with the same constraints of making-up the match within the week.  If the match is not made-up within the week, any un-played holes will be scored using the blind score calculation with the 4-stroke correction applied.

 

 

RULES

 

·        Players will be present and prepared to play at least ten minutes before their designated tee time.

 

·        Game will be considered forfeited if a team is not present. Making up the match at a later date is allowed if all four members agree to make-up the match (see the restrictions listed above).

 

·        All women players will tee off from the red tees. Men with a handicap of 9 or lower will tee off from the blue tees. All other men will tee off from the white tees.

 

·        Scoring – Regulation 9-Hole

 

The regulation 9-hole is based on two-person team play.  Scoring is based on handicap and a point system.  The team with the most points at the season’s end is the division winner.

 

Points are distributed in the following manner.

·        2 points per hole for winner of hole.

·        1 point for each player for a tie on the hole.

·        6 points awarded to lowest team net score.

·        6 points will be forfeited if a team is playing with one or both players no-show with no substitute player.

 

To keep your team score, follow these steps:

·        Before beginning play, compare handicaps of your team and the opposing team.  The players with the lower handicaps from each team will play against each other, and the players with the higher handicaps will play against each other.  A handicap marked with a “+” is the higher of two like handicaps on a team.

·        Mark scorecard with player’s LAST names & first initial.  The top two lines should contain the names of a pair of players (one member from each team) who are playing against each other.  Use the bottom two lines to list the names of the other pair.

·       For each pair of players, determine the difference between the handicaps. There is no maximum handicap.  The player with the lower handicap must award one stroke per hole for up to # of holes where the # is the difference between handicaps.  For example, if the handicap of player 1 is 20 and the handicap of player 2 is 18, then player 2 must award one stroke for two holes to player 1.  The maximum strokes one player must award to another player is two strokes per hole, even if the difference in handicaps is more than 18 strokes.

·        Once the number of strokes to be awarded is figured, determine the hole to award the strokes.  Strokes are awarded beginning with the most difficult hole down to the least difficult hole as appropriate.  This is done by using the ladies or men’s handicap row on the scorecard to rank the holes from most difficult to easiest.  The lower the number associated with the hole, the harder the hole.

 

HOLE              1          2          3          4          5          6          7          8          9

RATING          5          3          13        9          17        7          1          15        11

 

In this case, hole 7 is the most difficult, followed by hole 2 and so on.  So if the difference between handicaps is 2, then one stroke is awarded at hole 7 and one at hole 2.

 

·        Mark each hole for which a stroke is to be awarded by placing a “black dot” on the lower right hand side of the box associated with the hole.

·        Mark each player’s actual number of strokes for each hole in the center of the box and that hole as each hold is completed.  To keep the game moving, mark scorecards at the tee of the next hole.

·        Determine the winner of the hole played for each pair.  The winner is the player with fewer strokes.  Circle the winning score or mark a tie by placing a “/” through both scores.

·        Keep track of how many times each player putted once on the green.  Put that number in the left-hand-corner on each hole.

·        At the end of the round, compute each player’s gross score and net score. Net score – gross score minus handicap.

·        Determine the net score per team. (net score of player 1 team 1 added to net score of player 2 team 1). The team with the lowest total net score is awarded an additional 6 points. Anyone with a handicap of over 30 (woman) or 20 (men) will use their actual handicap when figuring team net.  Reflect these additional points on the scorecard.

·        Scorecards should be signed using first name, initials, last name, date and attested to by opposing team member.  All scorecards must be turned into the scorekeeper.

·        Team ties for the week before position night and position night.  The tiebreaker for these ties will be determined by going back to the hardest handicap hole of that match and whomever won that hole takes the higher position.  If it is still a tie after that hole you continue to the next hardest handicap hole until the tie is broken.

 ·        At the 2010 kickoff meeting one change to the scorecard for the Knolls course was approved to correct a problem with the women’s handicap for that course.  The 2^nd hole which is listed as a par 5 will play as a par 4 and the 4^th hole which is listed as a par 4 will play as a par 5.  This will only come into play when a woman is competing against a man who will play both holes as a par 4 (as indicated on the score card).

 

 

Blind Score

 

A new rule for the 2010 season is to add a correction factor of 4 strokes to a player’s handicap when calculating a blind score.  Using this method, a player’s blind score is figured as follows.  Add the person’s handicap plus four to the total par score for the course.  If the par score for the course is 36 and the person’s handicap is 15 plus the 4 stroke correction factor, the person’s blind score is none of the holes were played would be 55 (36+15+4).  The score must then be allocated evenly (same amount over par on each hole) among the nine holes so that when all the scores were added, the total would be 55.  If the scores can’t be allocated evenly among the nine holes, the harder holes would be allocated a score of one more over par than the easier holes.  In this example, this person would score a triple bogey (three over par) on the hardest holes and a double bogey on the other 8 holes (based on the hole’s rating).  Using this method, after all holes have a blind score allocated to them, the individual hole scores can be used to fill in a scorecard with missing holes.

 

Incomplete Games

 

If unable to complete play due to weather conditions (lightening, darkness, etc.) score for holes not played are provided based on a player’s blind score (including the 4 stroke correction as discussed above).  Putts assigned to these scores will be 2 putts per hole.  Likewise, if a person is late for a match, has to leave early, and misses one or more holes, scores for those holes would also be figured based on the player’s blind score.  Depending on the reason for the absence, the rules committee will decide the number of putts to be allocated per hole.  TURN THE INCOMPLETE SCORECARD INTO THE SCOREKEEPER AND SHE WILL COMPLETE THE CALCULATIONS.

 

One player team

 

One player teams will be eligible for the team points.  The person on the one player team will play against both team members of the opposing team.  The handicaps will be assessed with no penalties.  The points will be awarded in the same manner as with two player teams.

 

This rule only applies to teams established with one player.  Two player teams must still have two players playing in order to compete for the team points.

 

Absent Players

 

One league player + One substitute player = No points forfeited – play as usual

 

One substitute player + One substitute player = No points forfeited –play as usual

 

One league player + No show = The player present uses her handicap and will

play against both players on the opposing team.  The team missing the player will be eligible for team points.

 

One substitute player + No show = the player present uses her handicap and will play against both players on the opposing team.  The team missing the player will be eligible for team points.

 

No show + No show = 6 points forfeited for team score.  Scores are figured using a blind score for both of the no-show players.

 

·        For the 2010 season the group decided at the kick-off meeting to allow make-ups or pre-golfed rounds for league competition within a week (before or after) the scheduled match.

 

Fun Nights

                                                                                                

Two fun-nights will be planned (depending on the schedule and the number of weather cancellations) which will be played at Riverdale.  The score from the fun nights will not be counted in the standings.

                                                                    

 

LEAGUE PLAY

 

It is recommended that all league players obtain the booklet “The Rules of Golf” from the United States Golf Association (USGA). You can get one at any golf shop. The USGA sets the rules of play and states them in a way that provides reliable guidelines for most situations.

 

As we cannot address all rules, we will address a few basic principles that the league follows and any exceptions for this league only.

 

 

 

 

Play the course as you find it.

 

You cannot have someone hold back a tree branch that might otherwise interfere with your swing.

 

Except in hazards, which are permanent accumulation of water or bunkers filled with sand, you may clear away any loose impediments as long as your ball does not move.  These are natural objects not adhering to the ball.  (stones that are not solidly embedded, leaves, twigs, worms, or the like.

 

Anywhere on the course, even in hazards, you may clear away obstructions. An obstruction is anything artificial.  Such as a rake, can or cigarette pack.

 

Do not touch a ball in play.

 

 Once you put your ball in play with your tee shot, you may not pick it up again until you reach the green.  Some exceptions are:

 

If another player’s ball interferes with your play.  You may request and expect the other player to mark the spot of their ball and then lift it out of the way. 

 

In the fairway only, you can play “winter rules”.  That is, you can move your ball 6 inches to the side or back, no closer to the hole, to improve your lie.

 

Once your ball is on the green, you may lift it for cleaning after marking the spot.  Place your mark behind the ball. 

 

You may replace a ball that has been damaged once you reach the green.

 

You may lift a ball and drop it an arms length into a new position if it has come to rest in “ground under repair” or in a temporary accumulation of water, or in an animal hole, or if it is so close to a immovable obstruction such as a building, ball washer, or water cooler that it interferes with your address position or swing.  The spot where you should drop your ball varies with the rule involved, but generally you will be safe to drop the ball within two club-lengths of the problem and not closer to the hole. 

 

Scoring discrepancies.

 

 If there are any disagreements regarding how a hole should be scored, players must address and agree on this issue before teeing off at the next hole.  To resolve the discrepancy, a stroke by stroke review may be required.

 

Penalties. The following are some of the most common penalties.

 

Ball out of bounds.  Many holes have clearly defined boundaries.  If your ball comes to rest beyond one of them, it is considered out-of-bounds and you must add one penalty stroke to your score.  You must return to where you hit the ball and drop a ball an arms length and re-hit.  If you hit from the tee back, you must return to the tee and re-tee the ball and hit again. If there is a chance that your ball is out-of-bounds when you hit, you may declare a provisional ball and hit it.  If when you get to your first ball and it is not out-of-bounds, you may pick up your provisional and no penalty is given.

 

Provisional ball.  If you suspect that a shot may be out-of-bounds or lost, you may hit a second, “provisional” ball before proceeding.  You must declare that you are hitting a provisional ball.  This will save you the time and effort of later returning to the original spot to replay the shot.  If you find the original ball in bounds, you pick up the provisional ball without penalty.  You are not allowed to play a provisional ball in cases where you suspect the original might be found in an unplayable lie.

 

Lost ball.  You are allowed 5 minutes to search for it before you must declare it lost.  A one stroke penalty is applied.  In otherwards, when you have finished with the hole and are counting up your strokes you need to add one stroke for the lost ball.

 

Ball in water hazard.  There are several options.

1.      You may play the ball from the hazard without a penalty.  If you do, bear in mind that you cannot touch a hazard – water or sand – with your club before you start your back swing.

2.      You may add one penalty stroke and replay the shot.  The replayed shot also counts as a stroke.

3.      You may take a one-stroke penalty and drop a ball at arms length behind the water.  You may drop the ball as far back from the water as you choose, but you must drop it at a spot that keeps the point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the hazard directly between you and the hole.

4.      If your ball comes to rest in a water hazard that has been classified as “lateral” such as the stream or running parallel to the fairway, you have an option.  This option calls for a penalty stoke, but allows you to drop to either side of the hazard within two club-lengths of the edge.  You must drop the ball opposite the spot where the original shot last crossed the edge.  You may not drop it closer to the hole.

5.      If your ball comes to rest in a water hazard that you are required to get over to continue play, you are required to hit two balls and if at that time you have not cleared the water, you may drop on the other side of the water hazard, directly in front of the hazard at an angle where the flight of the ball would have gone.  This calls for a two stroke penalty (2 balls in the water + 2 stroke penalty= 4 strokes).

 

Un-playable lie.  If you find your ball in a spot from where you feel it cannot be played, you have three options.  Each would require one penalty stroke.

1.      You may replay the shot.

2.      You may drop back anywhere on a line that will keep the unplayable lie between you and the hole.

3.      You may drop within two club-lengths of the playable lie but not nearer the hole.

 

Maximum strokes per hole.  If you are experiencing difficulty on a hole, you have the option of picking up the ball and giving yourself a score of three times par for that hole.  Because we keep track of putts for each hole, this score would include three putts.  If you are not negatively affecting the speed of play, you may choose to play out the hole, in which case you would accurately report your score and your putts on the scorecard.

 

Putts. 

 

1.      Regulation 9-hole players will keep track of each player’s putts while on the surface of the green.  The number of putts will be written in the upper left-hand-corner of the scorecard for each hole.  For every putt over the number of 18, each player will pay a dime ($.10).  The number of putts is kept and averaged by the number of holes played and the player with the lowest number of strokes gets 40% of the pot of money at the end of the season.  The player with the second lowest number of strokes gets 30% of the pot money. The player with the most improved putting average (based on the number of  putts, not the percentage) gets 30& of the pot money.  This money is given out on the night of the banquet.

2.      Substitute  players  will also participate in keeping track of putts and will pay a dime ($.10) for each putt over 18.  Substitute players are not eligible to win the putt money.

 

Protests. Any protests that occur over a scheduled match must be done within 3 business days after the match was played. All parties involved will then be notified that there has been an official protest and the rules committee will be gathered to rule on the discrepancy. Any player involved in the controversy that is also a member of the rules committee, will be asked to refrain from voting on the outcome.  The protest may be made to any officer (Pres., V-Pres., Scorekeeper, Treasurer). 

 

Ties.  In case of ties in team point count for position rounds and the final season end standings, the tie will be broken based on the played between the teams tied.  The league scorekeeper will break the tie by calculating the points won between the teams during league play that season.  Which ever team won the most points, will be placed in the higher position for the position round and standings.