GOLF LEAGUE
2018
Welcome Back!! We begin another year of league play at Cranston Country Club. First and foremost, we are here to enjoy the game of golf and have fun. It is important that all players understand and follow all USGA and CCC rules pertaining to the game of golf and course etiquette!!!
Our tee time this year is from 2:30 PM to 4:52 PM. The tee box has to be cleared by 5:00 PM. If possible, please make a concerted effort to arrive as early as you can. We have more players this year than we have had in the past and it is very important that you get to the tee box as quickly as you can. We do not have the luxury of having the tee box empty for an extended length of time.
We will be usingthe same scoring format as in the past, the Sableford style scoring system. This format will still allowed us to maintain the ability to tee off quickly, keep everyone involved in weekly competition, and satisfy those who miss the cumulative point format. I am open to any and all suggestions but please keep in mind that I do not want a full time job calculating the scoring each week.
League Format:
Individual Format. We will continue to play an individual format this year. The type of play for both weekly and cumulative competition will be points awarded for your play. Each golfer will play each hole against themselves based on their ability to improve with each individual’s handicap factored in(Net score). The individual, who wins the most points for the week, will win that week’s prize money.
Stableford Scoring will be as follows:
- Quadruple bogey or greater – minus -4 points (this means you can score a 8 on the par3’s)
- Triple bogey – minus -3 points
- Double bogey - minus-2 points
• Bogey - minus-1 point
• Par - 0 points
• Birdie - 2 points
• Eagle - 3 points
• Double eagle - 5 points
Example: (3 golfers for simplicity purposes)
(x/x - First score is actual/second is adjusted with handicap)
Golfer A – 8 handicap
Golfer B – 11 handicap
Golfer C - 16 handicap
Hole123456789
Par544344434
HCP1111797513153
A5/45/44/44/35/46/54/34/35/442 –
A Bird Par Par Par Par Bogey Bird Par Par 3 points
B6/45/45/45/46/58/74/34/36/449 –
B Bird Par Par Bogey Bogey Triple Bird Par Par -1 points
C7/57/56/46/55/36/45/33/26/451 –
C Par Bogey Par Double Bird Par Bird Bird Par 3 Points
Points are awarded based on each players own handicap or their NET score on each hole.Player A will win this week’s competition based on the fact that theypared the no. 1 handicap hole.Using the tie breaking method.
This new style means that you have to hole out your ball. No more, just give me a double. You can actually score an 8 on a par 3.
Weekly Competition. All golfers present each week will be playing against all other golfers who are present for the “weekly” prize money based on that week’s results only. The weekly winner will receive $25.00. In the event of a tie, the tie breaker will be determined based on a comparison of the score cards from the hardest handicap hole to the easiest. There will be no set tee times. Golfers should group into foursomes and will tee off on a first come, first ready to go basis.
New this year will be two flights, A & B which will be determined after the round based on handicap. The league will be divided in half based on handicap. Prize money is as follows, $25 for the A flight and $25 for the B flight winners.
Cumulative Competition. In addition to the weekly competitions, the league will be broken out into two - 10 week halves with prizes presented at the end of each half to the top three finishing places based on total number of holes won during the half. You can only miss two weeks to be eligible to win the half. The prizes will be awarded as follows: 1st $100.00, 2nd $75.00, and 3rd $50.00. Again this year will be a season cumulative competition for all 20 weeks. The prizes will be awarded as follows: 1st $100.00, 2nd $75.00, and 3rd $50.00.
New this year will be winners from A flights and B flights. This new process means that the A players will be competing against the A flight, while the B flight competing against the B players. Basically now we will have more people winning money.
The computer will determine who is an A and who is a B based on handicap and dividing the league in half. For example, the league has 70 players, the 35 lowest handicap players for the week will compete for the A flight, and the 35 highest handicap players for the B flight. A player can be in the A flight one week and the B flight the next. After week 10 is played, you will be competing for the Cumulative competition based on your handicap. Same goes for week 20.
Closest to the Pin. Each week we will have a closest to the pin tournament on BOTH par 3’s, the first and the second, on each side. The closest individual ON THE GREEN to each pin will win $20.00. If nobody lands on the green on their FIRST attempt, the prize money will carry over to the next week for the same hole (first or second) until won.
League Fees & Dues: The fees are as follows:
Due By Due ByDue By April 19 May 30 June 28
Annual Dues$175.00
Closest to the Pin 40.00
Green Fees ($22/wk) 175.00$175.00$110.00
Total$390.00$175.00$110.00
Season Total$675.00
Optional:
GHINOnly$ 35.00
Full GHIN/RIGA, CCCGA $ 115.00
Partial CCCGA/RIGA/GHIN $ 65.00 (Weekday Members)
All fees are due by their respective due dates. Any individual behind in dues or fees, at the sole option of the league president, may be banned from all further league rounds, league events, and or league participation until amount owed is paid in full. All fees & dues are NON-REFUNDABLE. Furthermore, the league is committed and responsible to paying CCC a guaranteed amount of $23.00 per week, per player for green fees whether or not the golfer shows up to play golf. As a courtesy, the league has decided to allow its members to break up the green fees over 3 consecutive months to lighten the financial burden. Therefore, any league member who for any reason stops participating in the league at any time after May 1st is still responsible for full payment of the green fees to the league. Failure to pay will result in a permanent ban from any future participation in the league.
As long as a player owes league fees, there winnings will be used to reduce their balance.
League Rules of Play:
1)Play your ball up in your own fairway and down everywhere else. This means that you may play preferred lies only in your own fairway!! Remember, move it a few inches not a few feet. No fluffing the ball up when you are off the fairway.
2)During wet season in the spring we will play lift clean and place. This is no matter where your ball lies. Domenic, or acting league president in Domenic’s absence, will announce prior to each weeks round if lift clean and place is in effect.
3)To keep play moving for your group and those behind you, always play READY golf. Once you are on the green and unless you are in another golfer’s line of play, when it is your turn to putt, continue putting until you have holed out or until your putt has been conceded by your opponent. This Rule has been adopted to speed play.
4)You must drive and putt with the same ball.
5)To speed up play. All putts that are a grip away from hole are considered a gimmie, providing it does not determine winner of hole.
6)On any hole in which you do not finish for ANY reason, you must score a 10 on your score card. The USGA handicap guidelines will adjust your score accordingly.
OUT OF BOUNDS (DEFINED BY WHITE STAKES) OR LOST BALL
1)In order to speed up play and get all our golfers off the tee in our allotted time slot, if your ball is hit from the tee box Out of Bounds (OB) (which is marked with white stakes to the left on hole 1) or in the woods/street to the right on hole 10 and can’t be found (which is not OB) you must proceed to the point of entry and drop a ball within one (1) club length of the woods/OB and you are then hitting four. If on holes 1 or 10 you hit your ball off the tee into the woods and can find it, you must follow Rule 28 (2) Measure two club-lengths from the unplayable lie, drop a ball and play from thereor (3) Keep the unplayable lie between where you drop the ball and the hole, go back as far as you wish on a straight line and drop and play the ball. Those are youronly options. You cannot use Rule 28 (1Go back to where you played the last shot and play a ball from there). Remember this only pertains to the first and tenth hole when hitting off the tee.
2)On all other holes other than one and ten from the TEE BOX, if your ball goes OB (marked with white stakes) you MUSTcall a provisional from the tee box and are now hitting three from the tee box and you must play the provisional ball. If you later find that your ball did not go OB, you must play your ball from the point it lies hitting two or if unplayable (behind a tree or rock for example) you can choose one option in accordance to Rule 28 below. If your provisional goes OB, the same rules apply and your next provisional is five off the tee, so on and so on.
3)On ALL holes including one and ten, if your tee shot or any shot thereafter on a particular hole goes OB (marked with white stakes) or goes into the woods where you think you will be unable to find it, you MUST drop and announce a provisional and you add two strokes to your score (one for the shot that went OB or in the woods and one as the penalty). Example, your second shot went into the woods where you think it can’t be found – you drop a ball at the same spot you hit your second shot and you are now hitting four. If you later find that ball did not go OB or if you look for and locate the ball in the woods, you must play your first ball from the point it lies hitting two or if unplayable (behind a tree or rock for example) you can choose one option in accordance to Rule 28 below.
4)In order to speed up play, on ALL holes including one and ten, if your second shot or any shot thereafter on a particular hole goes OB or in the woods and can’t be found, and you did not hit a provisional as required in 3 above because you did not realize your ball was in trouble, you can proceed to the point of entry (not where the ball then lies) and take a two stroke penalty, placing the ball within one club length to the woods, no closer to the green. In order to prevent disputes, confirm the spot with someone in your foursome BEFORE hitting your next shot. Example, your second shot went into the woods and can’t be found – you drop a ball at point of entry and are now hitting five. This rule is outside the PGA rules and intended to keep play moving. In order to minimize the usage of this rule, if you are not sure if your ball is in trouble, hit a provisional.
5)Hole number 5, in accordance with CCC rules as stated on the scorecards, any ball hit over the wall on the left is out-of-bounds and another ball MUST be hit from the spot of the previous shot whether on the tee or any other spot of play. It does not matter if you are able to find the ball, you cannot play it. You must add two strokes to your score. For example, hit over the wall off the tee, you hit another and are hitting 3. If your tee shot went in the fairway, but your second shot went over the wall, you drop at the spot from where you hit the ball and you are hitting four from that spot.
6)BALL IN A LATERAL WATER HAZARD (DEFINED BY RED STAKES You may play your ball from the lateral hazard. But if you choose not to play your ball from the lateral hazard or it is lost in the hazard, proceed as follows: One (1) stroke penalty -- you may drop a ball on either side of the lateral hazard within two (2) club lengths of the point of entry into hazard but not nearer to the hole (See USGA Rule 26 for all options).
7)You cannot take practice swings in sand traps nor touch the club to the sand prior to swinging. All violations are a one-stroke penalty. The bunker between holes 16 and 17 with a round circle of land in the middle is now a sand trap and is played just like any other sand trap. It is no longer a waste bunker and all the sand trap rules apply.
8)On hole # 3, if your ball enters the water trenches on either side of the fairway you may remove your ball, with no penalty, and place it no closer to the green. When removing your ball, you should come behind the trench on the same angle as your ball entered – do not remove your ball and return it to the fairway for a clear shot to the green. This only applies while playing hole #3, not if your ball enters the trenches while playing any other hole.
9)On hole number 8, the island green, if you balls lands in the water from the tee, you have to play a second shot from the drop area, hitting three. This also means if your tee shot hits the green and rolls off the back and into the water, you have to hit from the drop area and hitting three. If your shot from the drop area also lands in the water, you are now hitting five.
10)On any hole, if there is a temporary green, once your ball lands within the lower cut circle of grass around the temporary flag stick, you can score no worse than two additional strokes on top of the stoke count you are on when your ball enters the circle. However, you can still putt or chip to try and make it in the cup in one shot instead of two.
11)On ALL disputes, finish play and bring your dispute to Domenic, or acting league president in Domenic’s absence, and that decision is final.
12)BALL COMES TO REST ON A ROCK, STONE OR TREE ROOT If your ball is not in a hazard but has come to rest on or against a rock , stone or tree root, you may move your ball to the nearest point of relief no nearer the hole without penalty. To take advantage of this rule modification, your ball must be on, against or precipitously close to a rock, stone or tree root where when attempting to strike your ball, your club would likely strike the rock, stone or tree root. You must notify your playing opponent that your ball has come to rest on, against or precipitously close to a rock, stone or tree root and then you may take your relief. Please note that in any case, the relief taken shall not be greater than three (3) feet from where the ball first came to rest on, against or precipitously close to the rock, stone or tree root and no nearer to the hole. This Rule modifies the USGA unplayable lie rule and has been adopted to protect the soft hands and bodies of our very delicate golfers as well as their very expensive golf clubs. It does not apply to a situation where a ball has come to rest in or against a tree but is not on a tree root.
13) A. If your ball lies so that an immovable man-made obstruction interferes with your swing or stance (this does not mean path of flight), you may drop the ball within one club-length of that point, no closer to the green, with no penalty. Note: You should not pick up the ball from an obstruction until you have established the nearest point of relief. Sprinkler heads, shelter houses, cart paths, telephone poles, etc., are immovable obstructions.
B. If your ball lies so that an immovable (nature made) obstruction interferes with your swing or stance (this does not mean path of flight), you may drop the ball within one club-length of that point, no closer to the green, with a one stroke penalty.
C. If your ball hits a man-made, immovable obstruction in flight (ie, telephone poles, wires, water coolers, etc (not carts, people, or golf bags)) you MUST hit another ball no matter where your first shot goes. If your ball lies within the path of a man-made object in that the object does not interfere with your swing or stance, you must hit the ball where it lies. If it hits the object, you replace the ball in the same location and continue to hit until successful.