Bastrop Senior Golf Association Local Rules for TournamentAs of this 9th day of August , 2017, the prior rules of play are superseded by the following rules that shall control all Tournament play.1.Team Selection: At each Tournament, every individual is required to check-in and pay a $5 entry fee before the registration deadline. All teams will be selected by a “blind draw” using each players ‘ A,B,C,D ranking as listed in the Weekly Tournament results sheet. Ratings are determined by the Tournament Director in consultation with “A” ranked players and other board members. These rankings can be changed up or down due to player improvement, health concerns or injury. In the event that there are not enough A players in attendance, the Tournament Director may request that an available B player act as an A player for that day. The Tournament Director , at his discretion, may adjust this team’s player rankings to promote fairness for the team. All teams will tee-off from the tee -box assigned to them by the official starter as stated on their scorecard and as stated by announcement; unless they have sought and received prior permission from the starter that tournament day to start on another hole. 2. Improvement of Lie: The lie of the ball may be improved by one club length, no closer to the hole or to the putting surface; and further, a) if it is necessary to drop from a rocky area or grassless hardpan surface, as long as the drop is not from off the fairway onto the fairway, or from off the green onto the green, and not from hazards (i.e., sandtraps) into clear play, and not closer to the pin. b) Balls on the green may be moved if the green is in serious disrepair and the line of putt is through the serious disrepair; and in such case, the ball may be moved to the closest line possible, no closer to the hole. This rule shall not be used for any other advantage such as breaks of the putt. c)All lies may be so improved and the improvement may be made by hand, not club only. 3. Balls hit into water hazard, e.g. #7 ColoVista and #2 Pine Forest or any other like hole, shall be dropped nearest to the spot where they entered the line of hazard and the drop shall be on tee side, and not green side with a one stroke penalty.. If the ball went into the water on the tee shot, then drop from tee side of lake, not green side, and be hitting three; and if hit in on 2nd shot, same location drop, and be hitting four.” 4. A ball hit out of bounds allows a drop on the edge of the fairway where the ball went out of bounds with a one-stroke penalty. 5. Putting – the ball must be holed. There are no scorable “gimmees” or “drive-bys.” 6. For each stroke, the ball “in play” must be selected by the team leader in advance. If there has not been a selection of which lie to use, no non-selected or announced shot shall count. 7. All wet ground lies shall be movable to the nearest point of relief, damp or dry ground inclusive of bunkers, and no closer to the hole. 8. Bunkers are in play unless they are standing in water, and, if so, if the ball can be moved within the bunker to a damp or dry spot, as contrasted with a wet spot, then it will be done; otherwise, the ball may be removed to a spot behind the bunker no closer to the hole. 9. Ties for first three place only, shall be broken by a “blind” countback hole draw using the course scorecard. a) The hole numbers shall be placed in a container, mixed well, and drawn one at a time until the tie is broken for first place based on the tied teams score on that hole drawn. b) The same procedure will be followed for second place if necessary, with the losing team for second place becoming the third place team. 10. At the end of each round, the team captain shall initial the scorecard and submit it to the Tournament Director. The initial certifies compliance with the rules of play and completion of play. Any errors or omissions may result in a 2 stroke penalty for the hole involved. If the team captain is unable to do so because of any reason other than the purpose of the certification, then any member of that team may do so. The Team Captain is charged with ensuring that all rules are followed. 11. The maximum score that a team may score on any hole is a double bogey. 12. Players should look for lost balls no greater than five minutes. 13. Only a player’s first tee shot on par threes will count for closest-to-the-hole award. 14. When a “threesome” is necessary, the “B” and “C” players will play alternating holes, hitting two shots from each lie, from tee to green, When putting , the player with two shots must putt first and last. 15. When a “fivesome” is necessary , the “C” and “D” player on the “foursomes” receive and extra shot due to “fivesome” being involved in the tournament. In this case , the ” B,C,D ” players on the foursome, on alternating holes, shall have that extra shot from tee to green. NOTE: When extra shots are allowed , on par 3’s, only the first shot will count toward “closet to the pin” competition. The rules relating to “threesomes” and “fivesomes” are the most often varied and changed rules, and for sound reasons. They are so because of “strength of field factors” variations that present themselves each tournament. They are not adhered to so inflexibly, so as to erode the sound discretion of the Tournament Director’s duties of fairness in team selections considering that day’s varying strengths field. 16. Order of play – “A,” “B,” “C,” and “D” players may shoot in any order except when it is otherwise required herein that either the “B,” “C” or “D” player who is shooting two shots, on rotating basis, putts first and last. 17. Tee Boxes: Except for the following exceptions, all players will tee off from the white tees. a) All ladies shall tee off from the forward tees except as follows:
b) All male players 80 and over shall tee off from the forward tees. c) On hole numbers 2 and 11 at Pine Forest , all male players shall tee off from the forward tees. d) On hole number 1 at ColoVista, all ladies and male players 80 and over shall tee off from the “mound” ahead of the forward tees. 18. The official tournament ends 30 minutes after the turning in of the scorecard of the next-to-last team; or before, if all teams have turned their scorecard into the Tournament Director. a) In case of special circumstances, and or hardship, the Tournament Director may waive within his/her sound discretion, the application of this rule on an ad hoc basis b) Shortened Tournament Play-When the tournament is stopped due to inclement weather or any other fundamental reason, the tournament will be deemed as “official” if all teams have finished a minimum of 9 holes. c) The rule does not address; 1) if the same number of minimum holes played by all teams must be the same hole numbers, and 2) the maximum length allowed for any delay-of-play suspension. These two issues will remain in the sound discretion of the Tournament Director. 19. The Rules Committee is comprised of the officers and the board members. The rules committee and/or Tournament director , in consult with those committee members who are present, has the authority to make special ad hoc rules each tournament when alterations must be made due to fairness considerations. If so, they will be announced when the teams are announced. An example: when all teams have a “short knocker” but one, special dispensation may be given to a specified member of that team to tee off from the forward tees. That is not a rule , but is within the sound discretion of the rules committee, and/or Tournament Director. 20. Guests – Non-member, non-familial, un-related guests of a member are limited to two times a year in participation. “Un-related” shall be construed liberally so as not to exclude “significant others” or because of the state of the law, “life partners”. We have by custom permitted spouses younger-than-55 to participate, and we will continue to do so. We will do the same for family members of our members, with an on-going watchful eye to avoid unacceptable dilution of our seniority status, and our association, and the fairness doctrines that come with it. 21. Sanctions: Upon a finding by the Tournament Director of a violation of the Rules of Play that may or could have affected the score of a team(s), the Tournament Director, in his/her sole and sound discretion, may penalize by adding strokes or disqualifications. Sanctions shall be the last remedial effort, and applied only if no least alternative fair resolution would suffice. 22. For a tournament to qualify as “official”, there must be 12 players who have registered on that day. The closing times for registration vary during the year and can be found on the BSGA website. If a party is going to be late arriving at the course, then they may call the course by the posted registration time, or they may otherwise make such communication to the Tournament Director by such time. In any case, the player or players must check in with the Tournament Director no later than 20 minutes before posted start of play to ensure the tournament begins on time. 23. Liberal Construction – All rules herein shall be construed liberally consistent with fairness, and with a trust among us that that liberality will render comfort and fairness in competition, and engender respect and camaraderie.
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