(As updated
A. For the 2012 season, the League shall consist of 17 teams divided into two Conferences. The North Conference will have 9 teams and the South Conference will have 8 teams.
B. Each team will have 16 matches and one Bye round as prescribed in the online schedule. The team listed on the left is designated as the visiting team and the team on the right is the home team with respect to these rules, regardless of the location where the match is being played.
C. The method of play shall be eight man teams playing in four ball match play. Each competing player must be a current Member of the Club, not a Junior Member or son of a Member playing under a Family Membership, or Summer member; and must have a current USGA Handicap. Additions of such qualified club members to the online team roster may be made at any time from among this pool, and they thereby become candidates for subsequent placement onto a match roster in accordance with the rules below.
Teams shall be permitted to bring four alternates, if space is available, to play (not compete in the matches), however, each host venue is encouraged to allow more alternates at the request of the visiting teams. USGA rules and all local course rules shall apply to all competitive matches (with the exception that range finders with elevation measurement capabilities shall be acceptable). Summer rules shall apply to all matches unless designated otherwise by the host venue.
1. The method of play for the matches shall be two partners better ball (Four Ball match play). The lowest handicap player, based on 90% of his full handicap shall play from scratch and the others shall receive the differential in strokes based on 90% of their full handicap. 90% handicap is determined by multiplying the course 100% handicap by .9 then rounding to the nearest whole number. Example: 9.3 is rounded to a 9 handicap. A 9.5 is rounded to a 10 handicap.
2. The difference in handicap index for partners shall not exceed 5.0. A difference of more than 5.0 will be permitted only if their handicap indexes are the closest on the match roster, which consists of eight players designated to compete in that particular match.
a. Team Captains shall submit the match roster (list of players and their Handicap Index and the team captain for the day) via the North Shore League website (http://northshoregolf.org under Match/Roster Admin and View/Create Match Roster), no later than midnight on the Sunday preceding the match.
b. Alterations to
the match roster may be made until
c. In the event of a ‘late change’ where a substitution must be made after midnight Monday through tee time, a contestant as near as possible to the handicap of the absent contestant shall be substituted from the alternates list. He shall play in the absent contestant’s spot at his own established handicap, even if the Handicap Index difference exceeds 5.0. However, this change must be made by the host venue pro, and it is the responsibility of the governor or captain making the change to notify the pro ASAP by voice or email, as soon as they know of this ‘late change’ to their match roster.
d. Further, if there are no alternates remaining available for selection on the match roster, any other player from the team roster may be selected for play. Or, any qualified club member may be added as an alternate and then substituted into a match instead of those already listed as alternates.
e. In the event that a rematch is being played due to a rainout, the same timing should apply (e.g. if the match is on Friday instead of Wednesday, then the team roster is due Tuesday instead of Sunday and late changes occur after Wednesday instead of Monday).
3. The lower handicap player of each partnership shall be designated as Chief for his pairing. The order of competing teams shall be based on the handicap of each Chief. The partnership of each of the two teams which have the lowest handicap Chiefs will play against each other, the next higher against the next higher and so forth. The home team captains shall prepare scorecards listings names and handicaps adjusted to 90% before play commences.
4. Individual matches shall be scored 1 point for each nine holes, 1 point for the eighteen holes, 1/2 point for each team in the event of ties. The total number of points per individual match shall be 3 points. The total points for a team match is 12 points. The winner of the team match shall be the team with the most points.
D. All matches will be played
from 2 different sets of tees. The host venue will select the 2 sets of
tees to be played for the match. Teams 1 and 2 will play from tees between
approximately 6300 and 6500 yards. Teams 3 and 4 will play from tees between
approximately 6000 and 6250 yards. The exception is that 3 teams, i.e.
E. If any Member Club does not play the full schedule because they are not members in good standing for the entire season, all matches played with such clubs shall be deleted in the won/lost/tied computations.
F. Each competing member shall use his current USGA Slope Index which shall be set at each club at the update which was in effect on the First and Fifteenth of each month. Additional updates occurring after that date shall not be used. The index date to be used for each match will be placed on the website at the beginning of the season. Prior to the start of league play, each member team will enter a roster of team members into the League computer system.
G. If a Member Club does not field a full team, the opposing team shall be awarded 3 points for those individual matches in which they are not opposed.
H. If a Member Club does not have a full team (8 competitors) when play is ready to start the following rules shall apply:
a. If a single player from one of the matches is missing, his partner shall play 1 against 2. If both players of a partnership are missing, the captain may choose to forfeit the match or he may split one of the adjacent teams and play both matches 1 against 2. If he chooses to split one of the adjacent teams, the player with the lower index will play the lower match and the player with the higher index will play the higher match.
b. If two partnerships are each missing a single player, both matches may be played 1 against 2 or the single with the higher index may take the place of the other missing player. If the two singles are combined into one partnership, they will play a regular match and the missing partnership match will be forfeited.
c. If a missing player arrives late or calls to say he is enroute but delayed in traffic, etc., the match will begin without him. He can join the match on the next tee box after joining his group and he will be given no score for the holes that he misses.
I. If the host venue discovers in advance that it is unable to host matches on the scheduled day, the rules for rainout shall apply.
If a match is cancelled due to rain or any other act of nature it shall be the responsibility of the home team to propose, within 1 week of the cancellation date, 3 alternate dates within a 3 week period of the day the match is cancelled. If the visiting team does not accept 1 of the proposed dates, then the match will be awarded to the home team. If the home team does not propose the alternate dates within 1 week of the cancellation date, then the match will be awarded to the visiting team. In no event shall these dates exceed the last rain out date provided in the league schedule.
J. A Governor or Captain may forfeit an entire club team match (subject to Board of Governors’ review) or an individual match at any time. If a club team match is forfeited, the other team shall be awarded a win in the team standings and the forfeiting is awarded a loss. The winning team shall be credited with 9 match points (of the twelve 12 match points available) and the forfeiting team shall be awarded 0 match points.
K. If rain or lightning causes play to be delayed, all players should remain in the nearest shelter for 15 minutes. If conditions do not improve so that play can be resumed, all players should proceed to an area designated by the host venue professional and await a final decision. In the event a match cannot be completed due to inclement weather conditions, the following rules shall apply: If play must be suspended at any time before 15 holes have been completed and cannot be resumed within a reasonable waiting period, the entire match shall be replayed at a time and place mutually agreed by the two teams involved. The host venue professional shall make the final decision whether play can be resumed. However, if a majority of the individual matches are completed through 15 holes or more when play is terminated, the team match shall be considered complete and each match score will be as of the last completed hole.
L. In the event of
total rainout, the competing teams will follow the procedures for reschedule outlined
in Rule I.
It is suggested that all clubs consider issuing a refund.
If the host venue requires compensation for lunch they have prepared, they are requested to rebate cart fees in accordance with their existing policy for members.
The host venue will identify whether or not breakfast and lunch charges will be made for team players that do not show up and have not cancelled prior to the day of play. Should the host venue require food payment for no-shows, the amount should be reasonable (the committee recommends a maximum of $20.00).
M. One partner from each team shall keep the opposing partnership score and each scorecard shall be signed by the scorer and attested.
N. The maximum Handicap Index (USGA) for an individual for all competition shall be 27.0.
O. One of the goals of the Northshore Men’s Golf League is to foster friendship among
club members. Although the host venue
professional will make cart seating arrangements such that match partners ride
together, players are welcome to rearrange the seating as they wish.
P.
Q. Each Member Club Governor shall ensure that all League match scores are recorded for handicap purposes. This will be done by the host venue club pro, his staff, the Governor or his designee. There will be no protests of score recording or accuracy. The USGA provides guidance for recording match play scores.
R. The method of determining standings for League Playoffs will be as follows: A total of 2 Standings Points will be awarded for each weeks play. The winning team will be awarded 2 Standing Points, the losing team will be awarded 0 Standing Points. If the team match ends in a 6 – 6 tie, each team will be awarded 1 Standing Point.
S. The winner of each Conference is the Team with the most Standing Points. The winner will be Team 1, Runner-up Team #2, third place Team #3, etc.
In the event of a tie in the final Conference standings the following method of determining the standings shall be used:
FIRST TEST: Head to head competition between the tied teams in the Conference.
SECOND TEST: Total Match Points accumulated for the season.
If a tie still exists after the Second Test, the winner will be decided by a coin toss.
T. The League Champion will be determined by the playoff schedule as follows. All playoff matches will be 4 Ball Match play. The higher ranked team in the final Conference standings shall be the host team during the playoffs.
All participants in Playoff matches must have played 3 times during the season to qualify, either in a match or as an alternate. His name must appear on the roster sheet and his final score must be posted on the final score sheet that is handed in at the end of the match.
First
Round–Both Conferences
Match A: Team 3 vs. Team 6
Match B: Team 4 vs. Team 5
Second
Round–Both Conferences
Match C: Team 1 vs lower-seeded Winner of first round matches
Match D: Team 2 vs higher-seeded Winner of first round matches
Third
Round–Both Conferences
Winner of Match C vs Winner of match D
League
Championship Match
The two Conference winners will play for the League Championship at a neutral site prior to the League Invitational as provided in the League Schedule. If this date and place cannot be agreed upon by the Governors of the two competing teams then the highest-ranking non-competing league officer (Pres, VP, Sec, Treas) will cast the deciding vote.
In the event of a tie in any playoff round (including the League Championship), the following format will decide the winner:
a. A sudden death playoff between the #1 team on each side, playing from the longer tees.
b. The format will be 90% of full handicap, better ball of two, beginning at hole #1.
In addition to the League Championship trophy presented to the winner at the League Invitational, a permanent trophy plaque will be presented by the League to both the League Champion and the Runner-up.
U. The use of cellular phones on the golf course during league play is strictly limited to emergency situations such as doctors or care givers that need to be contacted. Even in these situations they should be placed on vibrate where they can be checked periodically. Cellular phone usage is not only a distraction to players in your group, it delays play for your group and the pace of play for all other golfers behind you. This policy is not meant to prohibit cell phones on the golf course as they can be useful in golf course emergencies. We only ask that they be turned off.
Host Venue Clubs:
A. Arrange to serve
a continental breakfast to visiting club at
B. Schedule starting
time to begin as close to
C. Arrange a shotgun start in order for all players to finish play approximately the same time.
D. Have score cards
prepared in advance indicating the players’ names, handicaps, and the holes on which
the strokes apply for each individual match. Present completed team list of
players with handicap indexes and home handicap to each participating team’s
governor or captain by
E. Present the completed final Match sheet to each participating team's captain for verification promptly after completion of the last match. The Match sheet must reflect complete round scores for all players, including alternates.
F. Fax the official Match sheet(s) immediately after the completion of the match to Scoring Chairman Fred Fields. Fax: 561-828-7910. It is important that these scores be submitted on the afternoon of play because they will go onto the website as soon as they are received. If a fax is unavailable, the results may be emailed to golfer@frf.com.
G. Be certain that bag boys are properly compensated and host and visiting players do not tip except for special services.
H. Encourage all players to stay for lunch to promote friendship, sociability and league interest.
I. Instruct the Pro or his designee to post all scores in a timely manner.
All Participating Clubs:
A.
(duplicate of 2a.) Team
Captains shall submit the match
roster (list of players) and their Handicap Index and the team
captain for the day via the North Shore League website (http://northshoregolf.org under Match/Roster Admin and View/Create
Match Roster), no later than
B. Captains for
teams not playing at their own club shall collect fees ($50 per player) from
their players and pay the host venue club professional the total sum before
C. All players should arrive at the host venue at least one-half hour before tee time.
D. Each Captain shall check the Match sheet at end of match and attest to its accuracy.
E. Each Captain shall retain a copy of the final attested Match sheet.
F. Encourage all visiting players to stay for lunch.
Penalties:
The penalty for breaking league rules, losing team scores, or not properly reporting score to the scoring committee shall be the loss of the match and all points. The host club shall assume this responsibility.
A. In accordance with ARTICLE VIII of the By-Laws, a Grievance Committee shall be established for the purpose of interpreting rules and hearing protests from member clubs regarding play between clubs. The committee shall be comprised of 3 members: the current league vice-president, scoring chairman, and the rules chairman. If any members of the Grievance Committee represent a club that is involved in a protest, then those members shall recuse themselves from that deliberation. The league President will appoint new temporary members to hear that protest only.
B. A protest/grievance must be filed within 1 week from the date the match in question was played by contacting the Chairman of the Rules committee. A telephone call is sufficient for this contact. After verbally explaining the basis of the protest/grievance, the protesting party must submit a written statement of the circumstances to the chairman within 3 days.
C. The chairman will contact the other party to the protest to ascertain the facts as that club understands them. The chairman will notify the other committee members and send them a copy of the statement. The chairman will have a discussion with the individual members, or as a group, and a decision will be made. Each member will have one vote and a simple majority is necessary for a decision to be reached.
D. After a decision is reached, the chairman will communicate the decision to the parties involved in the dispute. If necessary, the chairman will communicate the decision to the scoring chairman so that appropriate corrections can be made.
E. There will be no protest of incomplete or inaccurate recording of handicaps. Each Pro and Governor will exercise due diligence in the posting of scores in an accurate and timely manner.
Approval:
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 these rules and regulations at any time.
