Men’s & Women’s Golf Code of Conduct
As Of: 10/25/2017
I. OVERVIEW
A. Administrative Authority
Administrative authority shall be the Sports Committee and overseen by the athletic administrator appointed as liaison to the Sports Committee and the Association Executive. Any resolution passed by the sport committee must be approved by the Athletic Administrators Committee before it is enacted and included in the Code of Conduct.
B. Committee Membership
All Landmark members that sponsor either men’s or women’s golf at the varsity level shall be represented on the committee. Unless otherwise specified by an institution’s athletics director, an institution’s head coach shall serve as the representative.
Marywood, a Landmark Conference affiliate member in the sport of women’s golf, shall have all of the rights and privileges of membership for women’s golf.
C. Duties of Committee
The committee will meet at least once annually, either in-person or via conference call, to discuss sport-specific manners, review the code of conduct, and recommend changes to the athletic administrators as necessary.
D. Sport Chair
The chair and vice chair shall be appointed by the committee and serve a two-year term.
· Chair: Kevin Edwards, Moravian (July 2017 – June 2019)
· Vice Chair: Maura Ballard, Drew
· Administrative Liaison: Dave Martin, Scranton
E. Duties of Chair
The duties of the chair are as follows:
1. Organize meetings of the committee, at least once annually and additionally as necessary; compile and distribute the agenda for all meetings; supervise the meeting; record attendance and minutes
2. Provide the Commissioner and the Athletics Administrator Liaison with a written report outlining all discussion, action, and voting which occurred during the meeting
3. Within one week after the meeting, distribute a copy of the minutes to the members of the committee, the designated liaison, and the conference office. The Commissioner will distribute the minutes to delegates of the Athletics Administrators Committee for consideration and vote, as necessary
4. Communicate and explain voting items to the designated sport liaison
II. SPORTSMANSHIP/ETHICAL CONDUCT
Sportsmanship and the proper treatment of all individuals are core beliefs of the Landmark Conference and its members. Students, staff, and all other members of an institution shall adhere to the fundamental values of respect, fairness, civility, honesty, and responsibility. Coaches shall conduct themselves in ways that promote the character development of participants to enhance the integrity of higher education, and to promote civility in society, student-athletes, coaches, and other participants associated with athletics programs and events.
III. ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS
Unless otherwise specified in the Code of Conduct, or the Landmark Bylaws, all institutions shall conduct their programs according to the guidelines outlined in the most recent edition of the NCAA Division III manual.
IV. SPORT-SPECIFIC REGULATIONS
A. Rules
Unless otherwise specified in the Code of Conduct, competition shall be conducted per the specifications outlined by the USGA Rules of Golf.
B. Scheduling
The institution designated to host the conference championship shall also host an invitational event at the championship course during the fall semester preceding the spring championship. The invitational shall be a minimum of 18 holes (and preferably 36 holes). All conference members shall be invited to participate in the invitational.
The host institutions for the men’s and women’s championships shall coordinate as best as possible in order to ensure the fall invitational events are not conducted on the same weekend/date.
1. Environmental Conditions at Scheduled Race Time
The following guidelines shall be used regarding environmental conditions:
a. Cold Weather
In the event the wind chill or actual temperature is below 32° F for the duration of the round, then the round shall be rescheduled to a time when conditions are expected to have improved, or to another day.
b. Heat Index
In the event that the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is greater than 88° F, then the competition shall be suspended or postponed until a point when conditions have improved.
The host institution athletic training staff shall be responsible for monitoring weather conditions and determining whether a race shall take place, in consultation with staff members from competing teams and race officials. Every effort to reschedule or postpone a race shall be made prior to departure for the site of competition.
Additional information regarding policies and procedures for extreme heat and cold weather conditions is available in the Landmark Athletic Trainers Code of Conduct.
C. Officials
The course professional shall serve in an official capacity for events outside of the championship. The host institution may secure other qualified officials, as deemed necessary, for events featuring multiple conference teams, including the fall invitational event.
D. Statistics & Results
Results shall be recorded using GolfStat software. Host institutions are responsible for uploading results into GolfStat no later than 48 hours following the completion of competition.
V. CHAMPIONSHIP REGULATIONS
A. Qualification
All Landmark members that sponsor men’s or women’s golf at the varsity level shall be permitted to participate in the conference championship. Each gender shall have its own specific championship event.
B. Format
A two-day, 36-hole championship shall be conducted on the last available weekend prior to NCAA Tournament selection. Day One shall be conducted on Saturday; Day Two shall be conducted on Sunday.
In the event that the selection date for the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament is the same, then the men’s and women’s conference championships shall be held on separate, consecutive weekends. In odd years, the women’s championship shall be conducted on the first weekend (Saturday-Sunday), while the men’s championship shall be conducted on the second weekend (the weekend of selection); in even years, the men’s championship shall be conducted on the first weekend, while the women’s championship shall be conducted on the second weekend.
C. Championship Site
The championship host rotation is as follows:
1. Men
Year Host Date
2018 Scranton May 5-6
2019 Elizabethtown May 4-5
2020 Juniata April 25-26
2021 Goucher May 1-2
2022 Susquehanna April 23-24
2. Women
Year Host Date
2018 Susquehanna April 28-29
2019 Drew April 27-28
2020 Marywood May 2-3
2021 Catholic April 24-25
2022 Scranton April 30-May 1
D. Course Requirements
1. Men
The championship must be conducted at a course that meets the following minimum yardage relative to par:
Par 70 – 6,100 yards
Par 71 – 6,300 yards
Par 72 – 6,500 yards
2. Women
The championship must be conducted at a course that has a minimum length of 5,800 yards.
E. Championship Management
1. Information
The host institution shall distribute to all institutions a packet of pre-championship information no later than the Friday two weeks prior to the championship. Information shall include:
· Administrative Contact Information (e.g., Championship Director, Medical, etc.)
· Entry Information & Procedure
· Exhibition Entry Guidelines (if permitted by the host)
· Course Information & Fees
· Championship Schedule & Day One Pairings
· Event Awards Procedure
· Directions & Team Vehicle Parking Information
· Information on Local Overnight Lodging & Meals
2. Entries
Each team must enter at least four, and no more than five, individuals for championship competition.
3. Exhibition Entrants
The host institution shall determine if exhibition entries shall be permitted, based on course availability and other factors, and shall communicate the exhibition entry guidelines to all participating institutions with the pre-championship information. Exhibition entry guidelines shall be consistently applied to all participating institutions.
Participation by exhibition players shall be secondary to participation by championship competitors.
4. Fees
Participating teams shall be responsible for their team’s course fees for the championship.
5. Officials
The host institution shall secure a qualified USGA official for the championship. The host institution shall be reimbursed for the cost of the official (not to exceed $150/official). The official cannot be the head coach or a staff member of a participating institution.
6. Event Personnel
The host institution is responsible for providing event management personnel (championship director, event workers, etc.) for the championship. The championship director may not be the host institution head coach. Event management personnel are to be neutral in the performance of their duties.
7. Championship Committee
The Championship Committee shall consist of the head coaches from the host institution (chair), the previous year’s host institution, and the upcoming year’s host institution, along with the USGA official.
The Championship Committee shall handle all rulings and protests. In the event a member of the Championship Committee is involved in a protest, the individual shall be replaced on the committee by the next institution in the rotation until a decision has been reached.
8. Coaches Meeting
A mandatory coaches meeting shall be conducted no later than one hour prior to the first tee time on the first day of the championship.
9. Environmental Conditions at Scheduled Race Time
The regulations as set forth in IV.B.1 shall be in effect for the championship.
10. Lineups
Lineups shall be due to the Championship Director no later than 8:00 a.m. on the first day of the championship. The lineup shall designate each participant’s position.
11. Pairings
Team pairings for the first day of the championship shall be determined by random draw by the Championship Director and shared with all teams at least one week prior to the start of the championship. Pairings for subsequent days shall be based on team standings and individual scores from the prior day’s round.
Pairings shall consist of either threesomes or foursomes. In the event that waves feature an unequal number of participants (e.g., one wave of threesomes, one wave of foursomes), then the wave consisting of foursomes shall be placed last in the wave order.
12. Tee Times
Tee times are at the discretion of the host institution. The final pairing must tee off no later than 12:00 p.m. each day.
13. Uniforms
Participants must wear uniforms of the same color during competition or practice. Walking or Bermuda shorts are permitted, provided they are team shorts and are of the same color. Slacks or shorts may be worn at the individual’s discretion, provided they are of the same color and are considered the team uniform. If a student-athlete wears headgear during competition, it must display only an institutional logo or no logo. If there is no logo, a coach’s or team members’ headgear must be of an institutional color. In the best interest of the championship, participants must wear appropriate golf attire at the championship site at all times.
14. Equipment
a. Balls
The USGA one-ball rule (brand) will not be in effect.
b. Shoes
i. Men
Players and coaches will be required to use nonmetal spiked shoes during championship competition.
ii. Women
Players and coaches will be required to use soft-spike or tennis shoes during championships competition. This includes all practice rounds.
c. Carts
Motorized carts and caddies may not be used by participants and spectators at the site of the event (including during the practice round). Non-motorized push/pull carts may be used by participants.
An exception to this policy will be made to allow a participant to use a motorized cart if the participant is permanently disabled and/or has written documentation from a physician requiring special consideration. A written request must be submitted to the Conference office and Championship Committee two weeks prior to the event. Medical documentation from a physician must be submitted with details why the player is unable to walk the course.
d. Distance Measuring Device
Electronic measuring devices calculating distance only are permitted for use during both the practice rounds and the competition rounds. Devices that measure other variables (e.g. slope, wind) may be used only if the particular feature(s) may be turned off. In addition, cell phones that feature GPS applications are not permitted. Failure to comply will result in disqualification from the event by the participant.
15. Advice
In addition to the provisions of Rule 8-1, the Note under Rule 8 of the USGA Rules of Golf will be in effect. Thus, each team may appoint its head or assistant coach to give advice to, or ask for advice from, participants on that team provided that:
a. Only one person is appointed to give advice to or ask for advice from participants on that team at any one time;
b. If the person is anyone other than the head coach, the person is identified to the Championship Committee before the start of the competition each day;
c. The person does not give advice to, or ask for advice from, another team’s players or coaches;
d. The person is not given advice by any other representative of that team; and
e. The advice is given in a private manner that does not unduly delay play.
The player may ask for advice from, or give advice to, the appointed person in accordance with a, b and e above. Advice includes pointing out the line for putting.
16. Spectators
Spectators must remain at least 15 yards from participants and stay on cart paths and in roughs. No communication shall be permitted between spectators and participants while a round is underway.
17. Unsportsmanlike Conduct
During a round of the championship, which defined as from the time the player makes his first stroke until the scorecard is submitted in the box, for the first offense of any act of unsportsmanlike conduct (i.e., willful acts of defacing the golf course, club throwing or breaking, abusive language, violation of the alcohol or tobacco policy, or any acts contrary to the spirit of the rules of golf) during the championship, the student-athlete and coach will be notified immediately on the golf course and provided a warning. The second offense of unsportsmanlike conduct will result in disqualification for that round and any further unsportsmanlike conducts will result in disqualification for the championship. However, the Championship Committee shall have the right, without warning, to disqualify an individual for that round (or championship) for any flagrant act of unsportsmanlike conduct.
18. Scoring
A team score is computed by totaling the lowest scores of four of the five team members. The team with the lowest score at the end of the championship shall be declared the winner and receive the conference’s AQ to the NCAA tournament.