|
Matches are held every Friday afternoon during the season with the exception of holidays and those days the course is closed for special functions. The league has tee times reserved at 4:17, 4:25, 4:33, and 4:42 on both the North and South courses. Please check the schedule beforehand for the time and course you play that week. If you cannot make the match, you are strongly encouraged to find a sub. If you do not show or find a sub, you will forfeit the points. 2. Participants A match can only be played by a paid member of the IBM Golf League. New players, who have paid their dues but have not yet established a league handicap, may still play in an official capacity. However, the match will be scored differently. The following rules and methodology apply:
3. Pace of Play We would like everyone to relax and have a good time playing. But please be aware that courses have a speed rating to determine how much time you should take on any given hole. With that in mind, we have a maximum limit of strokes a player can take on a hole. The maximum score on any hole is 5-over par. Thus, once you hit your 4th shot over par, please pick up your ball and continue to the next hole. Also, please limit the amount of time you spend helping less experience players if there are players behind you. 4. BYE Rounds In those years when the league has an odd number of teams, one team will have a bye each week. That team will turn in a scorecard for the week, points awarded will be determined how they fare vs the team of “ghost” players. Ghost player 1 will have a handicap typical of the league’s “A” players, and ghost player 2 will have a handicap typical of the league’s “B” players. In the event that a week is cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, no teams will receive points including the team on their bye week. 5. No Shows To ensure fun, courtesy is required. If you know that you cannot be ready to tee off at your designated time, please contact your opponent well in advance to inform them. You may try to change tee times with another match, but please make sure all players agree on the change well in advance. A team must wait until their tee time for their opponents to show. If no prior communication has taken place, at their designated tee time, the team may tee off and the match is considered forfeited. This applies to both a TEAM and an INDIVIDUAL. If your opponent calls and notifies you that they will be late, you can try to arrange a later tee time with the course. However, to take the points for that night, you must complete the round and submit your score card. 6. Weather This a "rain or shine" golf league. The only time a that the night is canceled, is when the course closes officially. Note that courses usually do not close because of rain. When the league does not play due to inclement weather, the matches will have to be made up before the next scheduled matches are played. 7. Incomplete Matches Incomplete matches will be deemed to not to have been played. If a player does not complete his/her match, those points are forfeited. If a player must leave early for what ever reason, they should decide if the match can be made up at a later date. In the event that a person or a team decides that the weather is too bad to either start or complete a match in progress, the other team must complete the entire round for the scores to count. 8. Makeup Matches If a team notifies their opponents that they are not able to play on a given night, they may try to arrange to make up the match sometime during the week and before the next scheduled match or forfeit their points for the night. In the event of forfeiture, the other team must complete the match and submit their scorecards. Furthermore, this does not mean that your opponents must make up a match when you didn't show up on time or cannot play on the original date. Teams are not allowed to play on their own and match cards with their opponents at a later time. However, individual matches can be played at different times. 9. 80% Rule Each team is scheduled to play 15 matches. When a team enters a NO SHOW card three times (30% of the season), that team is closed. Any points won by this team during previous matches, will be revoked and the points will be issued to the team that they played against. For the remainder of the season, their scheduled slot will be considered a NO SHOW entry. They are welcome to continue to come and join the fun and play, but they will not be considered a team. They may also play as a SUB in other matches. A new amendment has been added beginning with the 2001 season. In order to gain points from a closed team, a team must have played and turned in a scorecard on the day they were scheduled to play against the closed team. Only USGA sanctioned equipment is allowed for match play. Each player is allowed to carry a maximum of 14 clubs including the putter. The league does not monitor the equipment of players, but your opponents may report violations. Such violations are subject to forfeiture of match points. If you are unsure about your equipment, please consult the rules committee. III. Playoffs Substitutes are allowed to play during the playoff and championship rounds. IV. The Name of the Game The name of the game is fun! The league is meant to be competitive as well as social. The game has rules and some of us take those rules seriously, but don't go overboard. What does it hurt to offer your opponent a second try if he/she duffs one now and then? At the same time, do not take liberties with the rules when it's not agreed upon by your opponent. V. League Rules vs. The USGA All rules, as defined by the USGA, apply with the exceptions that are outlined here. When the IBM Golf league deviates from the USGA, it is strictly in the interest of speeding play and having fun. Please note: Any deviation from the USGA rules for the benefit of our golf league does not alleviate your responsibilities when maintaining an official USGA handicap.
2. Out of Bounds/Lost Ball: Out of bounds is marked by white stakes. Note that the fences/course boundaries along the side of the road are completely out of bounds. Any ball touching the "Out of Bounds" line is considered OB. Consult your opponent before moving or hitting your ball. balls out of play. Specifically, a lost ball, ball in water, ball out of bounds. The IBM Golf League differs with the USGA in
respect to balls that are out of bounds or lost. The USGA issues a penalty of
both stroke and distance, where the league only issues a stroke. Stroke and
distance means that the shot must be replayed from the original spot it was
hit. The league rules allow the ball to be dropped within two club lengths of
where it went out. If there is any doubt as to what to do, ask your opponent
or your partner. If some cases, this may in fact, be closer to the hole. It
cannot always be avoided when the When a ball is considered lost, confer with your
opponent to determine where "it should be", then drop a new ball
and take a one stroke penalty. 3. Casual water: When a ball lands in casual
water, the ball may be moved two club lengths out of the hazard, no closer to
the hole. Casual water is a significant amount of water that is not intended
to be a hazard on the course. Casual water on the putting green is slightly
different. The ball may be moved sideways out of the water but never closer
to the hole or into a position that is an easier putt. 4. Embedded ball: A ball that becomes embedded,
(lies deep in the turf such that it is not playable), may be removed from the
hole and moved in the same manner as a ball in casual water. This applies to
the fairway, fringe and green only. 5. Temporary Greens: In the event that the course has installed a temporary green, the following rule applies. A ball driven or chipped within one club length, is considered holed out with a one putt. If a ball lands within three club lengths, the ball is considered holed after two putts. Please do not chip or putt these shots. Just pick up your ball and add the correct number of strokes and move to the next hole. 6. Bunker Rule: Since everyone would like play on a world class course, we are going to pretend that we are. If your ball should land in the bunker come to rest in a foot print or some other such unnatural obstruction, you may first rake the sand and replace the ball. 7. The Tough Lie Rule: If your ball should land in area that you would rather not hit from, (examples: gravel area, heavy roots, very close to tree and others), the following rule(s) apply. There are listed in the order of preference with the sole motivation to keep play moving, have fun and not risk injury to yourself or your equipment: 1. The "Punch Out" only
option. The ball may be moved slightly such that a clear punch shot can be
made, with the sole purpose of hitting 90 degrees back onto the fairway. This
is intended to keep play moving. The movement of the ball is free but the shot
out counts. 2. The "Drop and Go" option. The player may move the ball as far back, in a straight line, towards the point where the ball was originally hit. The straight line is not from the ball to the hole. The cost for this is one stroke. Then the player make take his next shot. In essence, this is "stroke and distance" as described in by the USGA. 3. The play it where it lies option. Without moving the ball, the player may simply play it as any other stroke and take his/her chances. I. Courtesy and Technicalities Before you move your ball with respect to applying a rule, discuss it with your opponent first. In general, an agreement between opponents will always be honored. If an agreement cannot be reached, keep playing and agree to have the rules committee settle it after the match is finished. The USGA is full of little nit-picky rules; so much so that golf officials must go to school to learn, not only the rules, but how to apply them. We strive to play by the rules, but not get bogged down with the extreme technicalities of the rules. Use your judgment. If there is any doubt, play your match as if there was no infraction, and bring it to the attention of the league's rules committee. However, it is to your benefit to read and understand the current USGA rules. If you understand the rules, there is less of a chance that a controversy will arise during play. |