2017 Product Information Data Center Golf League
Officers for 2017
President / Treasurer: Gerry Watrobski
Vice President / Secretary: Gary Nelson
Rules Keeper / Advisor: Tom Smolinski
I.Officers Responsibilities
Negotiate and sign contractsCollect Dues
Pay BillsRecord Scores
Produce score cardsMaintain Website
Schedule OutingSet up Banquet
Conduct Business MeetingOrder Trophies
Distribute Prize moneyMake decisions regarding league
Interface with course management
II.League Assignment
The league will consist of no more than 40 members and can be less as long as the total number is divisible by 4, the number of flights. The membership will be divided equally into four flights for match play purposes.
In the event membership cannot be equally allocated between flights the officers will make the decision on how to structure the flights.
Flight assignment will be determined by stroke average from the last season or previous league records. The players with the lowest stroke average from the previous season will be seeded into the first flight based on the number of players in each flight. The next lowest stroke average group will be assigned the second flight and so forth until all players are assigned a flight. In the event of ties where a flight break occurs, tie breaker rules will apply.
If one or more of last year's players decline to play in this year's league, new players will be invited to join.
New players’ flight assignment will be determined in the following manner;
A. If the new player has been a previous member and the league has a record of their previous scores, or if the new member has been a substitute and the league has a record of the previous scores, these scores will be used to determine the new players’ handicap and he will be placed into a flight position accordingly.
B.If a new player seems equal in ability and handicap with a present member
of the league and there is a conflict placing both members in the same flight, the present member will be placed in the higher flight.
III.League Schedule
There will be a sixteen (16) week schedule which will be published after flight assignments are determined. The schedule will contain two (2) position rounds to be played as the last two (2) rounds of the regular season. With the possible exception of the position rounds, a league player will never play another league player on the same nine (9) hole course more than one time during the season. An eighteen (18) hole round will be played as the championship round.
NOTE: The schedule depends on the number of players in each flight.
The league will start on the first Thursday of May.
IV.Course Location - Playing Dates - Tee Times - Course Contract
The league will play at Bello Woods Golf Course located at 23650, 23 mile road Macomb Michigan 48042, east of North Avenue. Tee times begin at 5:15 P. M. The league will rotate on all three courses. League play is on Thursday.
Flights 1 and 2 will start the season on the course designated by the course.
Flights 3 and 4 will start the season on the course designated by the course.
V.Cost of League Membership - Payment Schedule
Beginning in 2017 Bello Woods is requiring a payment for four weeks of golf at a time. The payments will be made when due.
The cost to each league member will be determined by the officers each year and included in the official sign-up notification. The notification should be issued mid February. Fees for 2017 are $370. The fees include the following;
Green fees for the season.
Annual outing green fees, dinner. Carts not included.
Final flight placement prizes. Allocated, divided and distributed after all other necessary expenses are accounted for.
Outing prizes, long drives, closest to pin. Flights 1 & 2, and 3 & 4.
Miscellaneous expenses, etc.
The President/Secretary and Vice President/Treasurer do not pay for green fees, or outing meal.
Regular league members will be required to pay half of the total fees at sign up and the remainder prior to playing the first round of competitive league play. Players will not be allowed to play until they are paid in full. The officers retain the right to make any decisions necessary in regards to those not paid in full.
VI.Type of Competition
There will be individual match play between players in the same flight.
VII.Handicaps
The league handicap system will be based on ninety percent (90%) of the difference between the golfers’ gross score and par for each round used in the computation. Handicaps cannot increase or decrease by more than one stroke per round played. For the returning members and the new members who subbed last year, the beginning handicap will be calculated based upon the sixteen rounds played last season. One half of the highest rounds will be discarded and the remaining rounds will be used as the basis for the initial calculation. New league members beginning handicaps will be calculated based upon the flight average for
1st round, last year's handicap or flight average the flight they are being inserted into.
The handicaps will be computed based upon the following chart:
2ndroundLast year's handicap or flight average
3rdroundBest 1 of the 2 rounds played
4throundBest 2 of the 3 rounds played
5throundBest 2 of the 4 rounds played
6throundBest 3 of the 5 rounds played
7throundBest 3 of the 6 rounds played
8throundBest 4 of the 7 rounds played
9throundBest 4 of the 8 rounds played
10throundBest 5 of the 9 rounds played
11throundBest 5 of the 10 rounds played
12throundBest 6 of the 11 rounds played
13throundBest 6 of the 12 rounds played
14throundBest 7 of the 13 rounds played
15throundBest 7 of the 14 rounds played
16throundBest 8 of the 15 rounds played
17throundBest 8 of the 16 rounds played
18throundBest 9 of the 17 rounds played
Any new players without an established handicap will begin play using an average handicap derived by taking the average handicap of the entire flight.
VIII.Scoring System - Match Play
Scoring will be accomplished by awarding two (2) points to the winner of each hole and two (2) points to the winner of the match, a total of twenty (20) points.
Each golfer would receive 1 point if a hole or match is tied. During match play against an opponent, the low handicap golfer will give the higher handicap golfer a spot equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the difference between their handicap as shown on the latest league results. The spot strokes will be given on particular holes according to the handicap rating system established for each hole on the golf course. The actual score is recorded on the scorecard. The handicap strokes are only used to determine who won each hole and the match. The handicap rating for each holes at Bello Woods Golf Course is as if the three (3) nine hole courses were separate.
IX.Absenteeism
If one of the two (2) players in a match is absent, the player who is present will play the course, using his current handicap plus four (4) additional strokes on the course being played. See Notes. He will match his score against par, and receive points accordingly. The absent player will receive the balance of the points between that score and twenty (20). There are two (2) exceptions; an absent player cannot receive more than ten (10) points, and an absent player cannot receive more points than the player that is present. If a player is present earns less than ten (10) points, then the absent player will be awarded the same number of points. If both players are absent match the score cards from the next time they play regardless of the course and award points accordingly. They do not have to play against one another. If it is the last week or if a player is absent more than one week, use the score card from the last time the absent player played and match cards against the opponent and award points accordingly. There will be no makeup matches.
X.Bad Weather - No Play - Early Play
The league officers are responsible for making the decision if the league plays. Conditions that may result in no play are; Rain, Excessive Heat, Snow or Sleet, or course condition. Bello Woods management may also determine no play. The decision can be made by the two (2) officers and advisor or by member vote under special conditions determined by the officers. The decision to play or not to play can be made either at the course or in advance by the officers. If the decision to not play is made in advance, notification will be made either by email or phone calls to members not on email.
A list of email addresses and or phone numbers is to be maintained by the secretary. It is the responsibility of the member to inform the secretary of any changes.
If the league is forced off the course because of bad weather and is unable to complete the round, the points will be held in abeyance until the next date the league members play on that nine hole course. The uncompleted holes will be scored from that round's score and points will be calculated for the entire uncompleted round by the league secretary. The league officers will decide if any attempt will be made to go back out on the course if the league is forced off by bad weather. Players should not leave the course until the decision is made. If a player does leave the course and the league does resume play, the player will forfeit all points on the holes he does not play.
If two (2) opponents scheduled to compete against each other complete their league match before the scheduled start time and for whatever reason the league does not play, the scores will count. They do not play each other the following week. Both opponents must play the early round. Rain checks from the secretary may be used for the early round play. If you play before next week's round, you must play with your opponent on the same nine hole course as the match is to be played. If these conditions are not met, you must return the rain checks or pay for them. Should you play an early round, you are not entitled to free golf when the league plays their matches.
XI.Eligibility For Flight Championship
The league member must participate in a minimum of ten (10) rounds of league play to be eligible to win the flight championship and to participate for the league championship regardless of the number of points accumulated throughout the season.
A flight champion will be an individual who has the most points and must have played at least two (2) more rounds of golf than half the number of weeks of golf the league plays.
In the event of a tie, the following rules will apply to break the tie;
A.Match play against those that are tied
B.Lowest Handicap
C.Most Birds
D.Most Pars
E.Most Bogeys
XII.League Championship
Four (4) golfers will be eligible for the League Championship. One player from each flight. The player must meet the eligibility established for the flight champion.
Championship play is an eighteen (18) hole round, handicapped, stroke play match. The player with the lowest net score is the League Champion. The Championship foursome is the last group to tee off. In the event of a tie, tie breaker rules B, C , D ,E, will apply.
XIII.Prize Money and /or Other Prizes
Every individual who is a member of the league at the end of the season will be eligible for any prize money and or prizes regardless of the number of rounds played. The prize money will be paid on the final position in the flight by total points. If a member drops out of the league during the season, they could still be eligible for some prize money or prize. This would be determined by the circumstances involved and a decision regarding this matter would be made by the league officers. We will attempt to award placement prize money in much the same manner as the PGA awards prize money, splitting tied positions.
XIV.Substitute Golfers
Substitute golfers scores will not count for scoring purposes, but a record of such scores will be kept for future handicapping purposes. Therefore please place substitutes first and last name on the scorecard.
XV.Golfer Dropping Out of the League
If a league member is forced to drop out of the league for any reason, he should notify a league officer as far in advance as possible so that a replacement can be arranged. Reimbursement of any league fees paid in advance will be made to the extent possible. The replacement member will assume all points accumulated by the departing member. No new members will be accepted into the league during the last six (6) weeks of the season and any member dropping out at this time must pay all league fees for any of the remaining six (6) weeks in which he does not participate.
XVI.Flight Movement during the Season
The league officers can, if absolutely necessary for the welfare of the league move a member or members from one flight to another after league play has started.
This would only be done if:
A.The league had to be reduced in size because of several members dropping out and a sufficient number of replacements could not be obtained.
B.If a member dropped out of the league and a replacement was not compatible with the other members in the flight thereby creating a non- competitive situation.
C.Request from a member to move to a different flight for various reasons. If a member is moved to a different flight, he will carry with him the number of points he has accrued in match play or will assume the number of match points the member he replaces has, whichever is greater.
XVII.Guide Lines For Choice of New Members
Should an opening happen within the league before the season has started, the officers will ask the first person on a list of potential league members if they would like to join this year. The officers will continue down the list of potential members until all openings have been filled.
Should the opening happen during the leagues season, the officers will try to get the best individual to fill the opening with a golfer of comparative handicap. The individuals position on the list of potential members is based upon the date of request to join the league. However, should a former member of the league reapply , they will be placed above non members of the league on the list. The secretary will maintain the list of potential league members.
XVIII.League Playing Rules
A.Winter rules will be used at Bello Woods. The ball may be moved from its landing place (using the club face) to a more playable lie, but not closer to the hole.
B.Golf shots landing in water hazards; ONE (1) STROKE PENALTY. The next shot may be taken from either the approximate place the ball entered the water or from the spot where the original shot into the water was made. If two (2) consecutive shots are made into the same water hazard, the ball may be placed in a position on the other side of the hazard with the same PENALTY.
C.Golf shots going out of bounds: Play the next shot no closer to the hole than where the ball crossed over into the Out of Bounds area, not where it landed or came to rest. Out of Bounds, ONE (1) STROKE PENALTY.
D.Casual Water, Wet Ground, Mud, Ground Under Repair, Ground Not Playable : The ball may be picked up, cleaned, and placed in a playable lie no closer to the hole. NO PENALTY
E.Lost Ball: If the foursome is unable to locate a ball that came to rest in the fairway of the hole being played, then the player losing the ball will get a free drop at the approximate position the foursome determines the ball should be. If a ball is lost anyplace other than the fairway of the hole being played then the player playing the lost ball shall incur a ONE (1) STROKE PENALTY.
F.Un-Natural Hazards: If a ball lands within two (2) club lengths of a building, bridge, hose, road, sprinkler head, or any other un-natural hazard, it may be moved two (2) club lengths from the hazard. NO PENALTY
G.Bad spots on the green: If there are bad spots on the green between the ball and the pin which would adversely affect the travel of the ball across the green, the ball may be moved to a different position, but no closer to the pin to allow the player a fair putt. The new position should be agreed on by the opponent.
H.A Fence is not an un-natural hazard. If the ball is next to a fence and you do not have a shot, you can move the ball two (2) club lengths and is a ONE (1) STROKE PENALTY. The exception is hole #7 on the white course. There is a fence protecting the 8th tee from an errant fairway shot on hole #7. If a ball comes to rest next to or near the fence and there is no room to swing you may get swing relief of one (1) club length, if swing room is still restricted a second club length is allowed. In either case there is no penalty.