Turkey Creek Mens Club By Laws
Turkey Creek Men’s Golf Club By-Laws
Article I –Name of Organization
Turkey Creek Mens Golf Club (TCMGC)
Article II - Purpose
The purpose of this club is to stimulate interest in golf and to encourage conformance to the USGA Rules of Golf and USGA Handicapping System.
Article III - Membership
1.Membership shall consist of men golfers who have paid their Premier Club dues and must have a maximum handicap index of 40.4 or less and 44 course handicap.
2.A prospective member shall file an application, pay their Premier Club dues (non-refundable) promptly and have a permanent handicap or submit ten (10) scorecards on an 18-hole, rated course, to receive a temporary handicap. Twenty (20) scores are necessary for a permanent handicap.
3. Classification of Membership
a.A REGULAR MEMBER is eligible to golf in weekly tournaments and may vote at all meetings. He must be an active Premier Club member.
4. Membership in the club is for the calendar year only with all memberships expiring on December 31. Applicants applying after October 1 for the following year may play with the club after the field and will not participate in tournaments. The regular weekly play day is Wednesday.
5. All members must abide by these By-laws, any amendments thereto, and all rules and regulations of the club.
6. The Executive Board shall have the power, by a 2/3 vote of its members to suspend, expel, forfeit, or take lesser action concerning the membership of any member for conduct, which, in its opinion, is likely to be prejudicial to the welfare, interest, repute, or character of the club.
a) No vote shall be taken by the Executive Board on a proposed action until fourteen (14) days’ notice, in writing, setting forth the charge or charges against such member shall have been served upon the member concerned. This notice shall be sent to the member, by e-mail or registered mail, and such member shall have the right to be heard before a final vote. In the case of lesser charges, the member will also be notified of the right to appear before the Board before a final vote on action is taken.
b)At any time within thirty (30) days after action has been taken against a member, a special meeting may be requested if a petition for such a meeting is received by the President and signed by fifteen (15) or more members. The member may be restored by a vote of the majority of the regular members present at the special meeting.
Article IV - Officers and Committees
- The elected officers are President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
- The President appoints the following officers: Handicapper, Membership, Tournament and Publicity/Newsletter.
- Other positions of responsibility may be appointed, as the President deems necessary.
a)These officers constitute the Executive Board. All members of the Board have voting privileges. The past President is an ex-officio member of the Executive Board however, since this is a newly formed club there is no past President at this time.
b)The Board shall meet as necessary to manage and control the affairs and business of the club; to recommend rules, regulations or changes to the membership; and to develop and present the annual budget.
c)A quorum of five (5) board members must be present to conduct business.
- The members shall elect the officers annually in September. The term of office will be January 1 to December 31.
- The President shall appoint chairpersons and members of all committees, and the President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
PRESIDENT
•Preside at all meetings.
•Cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie on any question.
•Appoint Rules Chairperson and any other Chairperson deemed necessary.
•Prepare and submit a budget to the membership for approval.
•Enforce all rules.
•Be authorized with the Treasurer and Secretary to be one of the signatures needed to spend club funds.
•Assume other leadership responsibilities as needed.
•Appoint 2 auditors to audit previous year’s financial records.
VICE-PRESIDENT/PARLIAMENTARIAN
•Assumesall duties and responsibilities in the absence of the President.
•Act as Parliamentarian at all meetings
TOURNAMENT CHAIRPERSON
•Prepare a Schedule of Tournaments for the year.
•Organize and direct all weekly and major Tournament play.
•Provides sign-up sheets in advance for tournaments.
•E-Mail or Post pairings for all tournaments prior to the day of play.
•Maintain tournament records.
•Be responsible for all awards.
•Assign Assistant Tournament Chairpersons, if needed.
SECRETARY
•Record minutes of all meetings and post on the club bulletin board.
•Maintain all correspondence.
•Report club news to the media
•Be authorized with the Captain and Treasurer to be one of signatures needed to spend club funds.
•Keeps and preserves the club’s minutes, by-laws and standing rules with up-dates.
TREASURER
•Assist the President with the preparation of the budget for the upcoming year.
•Receive and deposit all monies of the club in authorized bank account.
•Disburse monies in accordance with the club approvedbudget.
•Keep a complete record of all income and expenses.
•Prepare a report for each meeting and an annual report.
•Insure no payment over $50.00 shall be made for unbudgeted items without prior approval of the Board of Directors.
•Authorized, in conjunction with President and Secretary, as one of the signatures, to sign necessary checks for payment of club debts.
•Submit records and all vouchers for the year’s finances to the auditor prior to February 1 of the following year. Audit is due to the Board by March 1.
HANDICAPPER
•Follow the procedure on handicapping as outlined by NCGA and in accordance with the USGA System of handicapping.
•Keep all scorecards and GHIN records for a period of one year.
•Post GHIN Master Report monthly for peer review.
•Calculate and present Most Improved Player award.
•Notify new members when their computer handicap and index number are established.
•Inactivate non-renewing members from the NCGA club roster prior to December 15th.
MEMBERSHIP CHAIRPERSON
•Keep updated lists of all Premier Club members with E-Mail Addresses.
•Annually receive all members' renewal forms. During the year, collect all new members’ applications.
•Report new members to the Board.
•Forward all funds to Treasurer.
•Send welcome letter, club roster, By-Laws, Standing Rules, and club procedures for weekly play by email to all new members.
RULES CHAIRPERSON
•Keep all local and USGA rules up to date and keep members informed.
•In case of major rules questions, the committee comprised of President, vice-President, and Rules Chairperson shall render a decision that shall be final.
PAST PRESIDENT
Serves as an advisor to the current President, is an ex-officio member of the Executive Board, and chairs the nominating Committee. Since this is a newly formed club there is no Past President at this time.
Article V - Election of Officers
1.The Nominating Committee shall be 3 members appointed by the President. Two may currently serve on the Board.
2.The slate of officers nominated by the committee consists of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary.
3.The nominating committee shall present the nominees at the August General meeting. Nominations from members from the floor can be made at the August meeting.
4.A slate of all officers (those on the nominating Committee’s slate and nominations made from the floor at the previous meeting) will be presented at the September meeting.
5.Members will elect the Club officers at the September meeting. Candidates receiving the majority of votes are elected.
6.The term of office shall be for one year. A member may serve in the same capacity for a maximum of two years.
7.In the event of the resignation of an officer or the termination of his membership, the President will assign someone for the un-expired term. When there is a vacancy for President, the Vice-President shall become the President.
Article VI - Meetings
l.Board Meetings
a) The Board will meet as deemed necessary. When it is necessary to vote, a majority vote is required of those members present. Minutes shall be made available to the members prior to the next Board or general meeting.
b) The President or a majority of the members of the Board Directors, shall call a special meeting by posting a notice at least two (2) weeks in advance or contacting by e-mail.
2.General Membership Meetings
The general membership meetings shall be held as deemed necessary. Minutes shall be made available to the members prior to the next meeting. A quorum shall be the majorityof members present at the time of the vote on an item.
Article VII - Dues
1. A Renewal Application Form shall be submitted with the annual Premier Club Dues.
2. Inactivation of non-renewing members from the Premier Club roster will be completed prior to December 15th and is the responsibility of the current year’s handicapper.
Article VIII- Amendments to By-Laws
These By-Laws may be amended by a majority vote of the members present at a general or special meeting, provided that the proposed amendment has been presented to the membership thirty (30) days prior.
Article IX – Standing Rules
Purpose
These rules are to be used for current operation of the Club. Any changes to the Standing Rules may be amended by a simple majority of the Board of Directors.
Member Handicaps
Membership in the TCMGC will consist of players with a maximum handicap index of 40.4 or less. Maximum handicap allowed for ‘special events,’ other than NCGA qualifying and club championship, will be a course handicap of 40. Applicants without a current GHIN handicap index, and seeking membership in the Club, must do so as specified in Article III of the By Laws. The Handicapper will manually calculate a temporary index from the 10 score cards submitted, using the USGA Handicap formula, to determine if the applicant’s index equates to 40.4 or less. Current members with a handicap index over 40.4 are excluded from meeting this requirement when renewing their membership.
Weekly Tournament Play
•Play must be in accordance with USGA rules. Any player in violation of USGA rules will be warned and if he continues to violate the USGA Rules will be disqualified for that round.
•All Premier Club members in good standing are eligible to play in weekly play days.
•No member will play to a Turkey Creek (TCGC) Golf Course handicap index over 40.4. This equates to a USGA Handicap of 44 at TCGC.
•All players must putt out on every hole. If a player picks up and marks an “X” on a hole, he is disqualified from that play day or tournament.
•Members must post all rounds that they play on any nine or eighteen hole golf course. Members must post an eighteen hole score if they have played at least thirteen holes. (They must project their score by adding handicap strokes plus par on the remaining holes.)
•Weekly play days shall be on Wednesday, unless otherwise scheduled.
•All required fees must be paid before teeing off.
•All players must play from the same tees on all 18 holes unless designated by the Course or the Tournament Chair.
•Eight or more players shall constitute a tournament.
•The Tournament Chair and Rules Chair may declare Winter Rules (or Preferred lies—6 inches). In Winter Rules, the ball must first be marked, then lifted, cleaned and placed no more than six inches, and no closer to the hole, from fairway, same cut, through the green. The ball may be moved in the rough, but not in a hazard.
•Signed and attested scorecards are required for weekly play to be turned in at end of play unless otherwise indicated by the Tournament Chair.
Most Improved Player Award
The computation for Most Improved Player will take place from January 1st through November 15th, using the USGA “most improved” formula. In order to be eligible for this award, a player must be a member in good standing and must have played twelve rounds (eighteen holes each) of tournament play on regularly scheduled Club play days between January 1st and November 15th. The award will be presented at the year-end luncheon.
Handicap and Club Championship Tournament
•The combined Handicap and Club Championship Tournament is the Club’s Major Tournament. Competition for both tournaments will be played over 36 holes with the sum of the 2 rounds to determine the winners, unless a format change is warranted by the Board of Directors.
•Rules, entry requirements and entry forms will be posted at least three weeks prior to the start of the tournament.
•Members must have a USGA established handicap (20 games) and have played a minimum of eight (5) posted rounds at Turkey Creek GC since January 1.
•Members will play to a maximum USGA handicap index of 40.4. This equates to a USGA course handicap of 44 at Turkey Creek.
•All scores will be posted as a “T”.
•If sufficient players warrant it, entrants will be seeded in flights by handicap. Handicap Tournament: The player with the lowest Net Score over the field will be declared the Handicap Tournament Champion.
•Club Championship Tournament: The player with the lowest GrossScore over the field will be declared the Club Champion.
•Awards will be given in the following categories and based on the budgeted amount allocated for this event.
•Handicap ChampionLow Net score over the field
•Club ChampionLow Gross score over the field
•Runner Up2nd Low Gross over the field
•Flight WinnersLow Gross in each flight
1st Low Net in each flight
2nd Low Net in each flight
•Trophies or awards will be given at the year-end luncheon.
Pace of Play Policy
The Turkey Creek Mens’ Golf Club is a “ready-play” golf club and is committed to maintaining a good pace of play.
•Play Ready Golf. Do your pre-shot routine while others are hitting.
•Have someone watch each of your shots to note where they land.
•After hitting your shot, walk or ride to your partner’s next shot. Return your golf clubs to your bag when you have reached your partner’s next shot.
•Drop your partner off at his shot and ride or walk to your ball. He can walk over or you can pick him up.
•When on the green…
-As much as possible, continue putting until your ball is in the hole.
-Move off the green as quickly as possible.
-Put your clubs away when you reach the next hole.
-Drive to the next hole before you exchange scores.
•A group is out of position if, (a) when approaching a tee, there is an open par three or par four hole or the preceding group is on the green of a par five hole and (b) it is taking more time than allowed to play.
-If you are out of position, two players should move to the next hole
- after they have putted out, and tee off.
-If you are out of position and looking for a ball, allow the group
behind you to play through.
-If you pick up your ball, you are disqualified from the day’s
tournament.
Amendments to By-Laws
Initial Issue January 1, 2013
11/5/18