2011 Afternoon Swingers Women's Golf League Rules

1  GENERAL GUIDELINES

A. What to do at Course     Upon arrival at the course, pay your green fees, pick up your pre-printed scorecard, locate your opponent and check in with the starter. Place a ball and tee on the teebox. This will indicate your place in line. The ball represents both you and your opponent. The scorecard will show handicaps, the holes where strokes are to be given, as well as how many strokes.

B. Matches   Every player is responsible for contacting her opponent regarding her upcoming match. If a player is unable to play on league night, or desires to play the match in advance, she must make arrangements with her opponent. You can pre-play only with your opponent up to two weeks prior to the scheduled date. Pre-printed scorecards will not be available for these matches. Please place your scorecard in the pocket of the 3-ring league binder located next to the computer. If you are sick or have an unavoidable conflict, please call your opponent.

It is important and a matter of courtesy that you notify your opponent if you cannot make it. Call your opponent and leave a message, ask her for a return call. If you cannot contact her directly, call the pro shop (847-360-4730) and leave a message. Player should note on scorecard if her opponent is absent. If they did not show—write NO SHOW on scorecard.

1. Ghost play   If your opponent is unable to play and cannot make arrangements for pre-play or a substitute, you will play a ghost player on league night. You will receive points based on your score against the ghost and those points will count as points for the team as well. Results will be available the following week. If you are absent, your team will receive the points that are won by the ghost. There will be a list of subs available. If you cannot play, it is your responsibility to contact the sub and notify your opponent of the change. If the sub is not within approximately 5 strokes of your handicap, the opponent will have to play a ghost. Scorecards must indicate the sub's name.

The scorecard above indicates Carol and Mary Ky playing their normal match.

(See League book in club house for examples)

If Mary Kay was unable to play her match with Carol, here is an example of the scorecard. The ghost inherits the golfer’s handicap and the ghost shoots 5 strokes plus handicap over par.

 

2. Incomplete Matches   If any match is incomplete due to darkness or inclement weather, the remaining holes will be split.

 

3. League Withdrawals  After the first week of play, there will be no refunds of league fees.

C. Communication   A Captain/Contact person and back-up of each team will be determined amongst the teammates and will decide how each player will be notified of schedule changes, position nights and playoffs. If the league has to be canceled due to inclement weather, the Captain must communicate to the team. If you have Internet service, please check the webster for changes.

11 SCORING MATCHES

A. Scoring

We compete for a total of 10 points (1 for each hole) per 9-hole match. Score 1 point for each hole won and ½ point each for any hole tied and 1 point for the low net winner of the match. If the low net is tied, the extra point is halved. You must putt out short putts. (There are no gimmies). Count your putts so they can be entered on your scorecard. Handicaps will be adjusted every week beginning the 3rd week of season play. Your handicap will be calculated using 85% of your strokes over par on a 16-week average.

B. Playoffs

The season will be split into two halves with the winning team of the first half playing the winning team of the second half to determine the overall champion. Winning team for each half is the team with the highest point total.

C. Rain Date  

If league is canceled, your match will played the next week on the schedule. League officers will notify team captains and the pro shop by 4:00 if league is canceled.  If the course doesn’t allow carts the league will be canceled for that week.  ( For clarity play the next match on the schedule.)

D. Flights

After the 1st half, flights may change, depending on changes in handicap, but teams will remain the same. The website will be updated.

E. Mandatory 10-Stroke Pickup Rule

In order to expedite play and limit frustration, we are instituting a mandatory rule to limit the maximum number of strokes to 10 per hole. If a player (player 1) has achieved 10 strokes and has not yet holed out, she must pick up her ball and record 10 strokes as her score. If her opponent (player 2) holes out in 10 or less, she wins the hole. However, if player 2 also reaches 10 strokes and has not holed out, she also must pick up her ball and record 10 strokes as her score, and in this event the players will halve the hole (earning ½ point each). When this happens, you will record an automatic 3 putts on your scorecard.

F. Recording Your Scores

After the match, both players must sign the scorecard and place it in the blue plastic container marked Afternoon Swingers on the table in the bar area.

III MISCELLANEOUS

A. Water Hazards

1. Third and Seventeenth Holes

If tee shot goes in the water on the 3rd or 17th hole, instead of dropping the ball, you may place (but not tee) the ball in the drop area and shoot from there. If your handicap is 20 or above, you may carry across after the 2nd attempt. If your handicap is less that 20, you must hit until you are over or you have reached 10 strokes.

Other Water Hazards

On other water hazards, if your handicap is 20 or above, at least one attempt shall be made to cross the hazard. If the ball goes in the water, you may carry the ball over the hazard. If you do this, scoring is as follows: the shot that goes in the water is 1 stroke, then you count 1 penalty stroke, add an additional 2 stroke penalty for carrying the ball across (one in, 2 out, 3 and 4 to carry, you are now hitting 5). You may choose to make a second attempt to cross the water; thereby avoiding the 2-stroke penalty for carrying the ball across. However, keep in mind that if your second attempt doesn't cross, you must then carry it across (in the interest of keeping play moving) with an additional 2-stroke penalty.

 

B. Lost Ball

1. If a ball hit from the tee is possibly lost, the player may opt to play a provisional ball until she reaches the place where the original ball is likely to be. If the original ball is found and is playable, the provisional ball is abandoned and any strokes using the provisional ball are not counted (no penalty). If the original ball is lost, she will continue to play with the provisional ball and take a 1-stroke penalty for a lost ball.

2. A ball is lost if it is not found within 3 minutes after the player has begun searching for it. If a ball is lost, the player shall drop another ball as near as possible to where the original ball was lost, taking a 1-stroke penalty for the lost ball. Once another ball is dropped and play resumed; if the original ball is found, the original ball is no longer in play. The penalty, once assessed for the lost ball, still counts whether the ball is found or not.

C. Out of Bounds

If you know your tee shot has gone out of bounds, you can go to the approximate location where the ball went out of bounds and hit a second shot, taking a 1-stroke penalty but gaining the distance. You are now shooting 3.

D. Winter Rules

With the concurrence of your opponent, on YOUR OWN FAIRWAY ONLY, a ball which has come to rest in an unfavorable position, (i.e. divot or scraped ground) may be moved with the club head no more than 6" in any direction, except nearer the green, in order to provide a more favorable position. Any fairway other than the one on which you are playing is to be considered "rough" and the ball is to be played as it lies.

Inclement weather only when posted in Pro Shop

A ball may be lifted and cleaned or replaced on either the fairway or the green without penalty, but must be marked when doing so. Also, to avoid any misunderstanding, be sure your opponent is aware of your intention when lifting, cleaning, or replacing the ball.

E. Hitting opponent's ball

If you hit the wrong ball, you automatically lose the hole, but you also incur a 2-stroke penalty.

F. Slow Play

Since we have a large number of players and we begin in the evening, it is very important that you make every attempt to move play along.

G. Putting

Any stroke on the putting surface is a put. If your ball rolls off the putting surface the next stroke is not a putt.

H. Range Finders

Range finders will be permitted during league play.

GOLF ETIQUETTE - DO'S AND DON'TS

DO KEEP MOVING! Slow play affects everyone! Play ready golf. If you have honors BE READY, step up to the tee promptly

DO Minimize practice swings. Please, one practice swing only.

DO be ready to hit in the fairway, think about what club to use as you approach your ball.

DO when you are on the green, line up your putt as others are putting out.

DO For short pitches, sand shots, and chips, take a few clubs as well as a putter to finish out the hole.

DO when sharing a cart, drop your partner off at her ball, and then proceed to yours.

DO watch the flight and destination of your ball and other players’ ball and mark with a visual reference.

DO Count ALL strokes (including whiffs) up to the mandatory 10 stroke

DO Allow the person who is farthest from the hole to play first (whether on the fairway or on the green), unless otherwise agreed upon to speed up play.

DO leave the green immediately after all players in your group have holed out. Figure your score elsewhere!

DO allow the group behind you to play through if you are searching for a lost ball. (No more than 3 minutes to look.)

DO Leave the course in good condition for others - replace divots, rake traps, repair ball marks on the green, etc.

DON'T talk or make noise while others are shooting.

DON'T pull your cart onto the green or leave it in front of the green. Leave your cart between the green and the next tee, so the next group can play up immediately following your foursome leaving the green.

DON'T obstruct another player or another player's line of vision (including casting your shadow across the line of putt) when they are shooting.

TURN off cellphones.