STANDING RULES

MEMBERSHIP

Applications for Membership

Applications for renewal and new membership are accepted from September 1 to 30. If all eligibility requirements are met, the applicant shall be accepted for membership as of January 1 of the next year but may play in tournaments immediately upon approval. Three Open Enrollment periods are available for new membership only. These are: January 1-8, April 1-8, and July 1-8. If all eligibility requirements are met, these memberships will be accepted and are effective immediately. To be accepted into membership, women who apply must meet the eligibility requirements set forth in the bylaws of the LWGA and must maintain a USGA index of 21.5 or less for four consecutive months prior to application for membership.

An initiation fee set forth by the Board of Governors and the annual dues shall be paid at the time of application. Should the application be rejected due to ineligibility, the checks for the initiation fee and annual dues will be destroyed.

Charter Membership

Former members of HHIWGA and or WGABC who paid their dues by October 1, 2002 shall be deemed Charter Members.

Charter Members are exempt from the initiation fee for new applicants.

A Charter Member who resigns and re-applies at a later date must pay the initiation fee.

Regular Membership

All members other than Charter Members shall be deemed Regular Members.

Course Availability

Clubs to which LWGA applicants/members belong must provide their course for competition annually. Exception: If a club has less than five LWGA members, the course must be available every three years.

Credit Requirements

Members must earn four (4) credits in tournaments scheduled between October 1 and September 30.

Members who join during Open Enrollment periods in January, April and July are exempt from Credit Requirements during year of joining.  Members who fail to comply with the credit requirements will automatically be denied membership the following year. The member may re-apply as a new member after one year, paying the initiation fee as well as the regular dues.

Members earn two (2) credits for the Annual Stroke Play Tournament. In all other tournaments, players earn one (1) credit, including the Annual Getaway Event and the Dr. Alligator Charity Event. Players who are placed on an alternate list by the Tournament Committee shall receive credit for that tournament provided they are available to play up to 24 hours preceding the tournament.

Renewals for hardship cases will be reviewed on an individual basis provided a letter is sent to the Membership Chairman no later than September 1.

DUES and RENEWALS OF MEMBERSHIP

All memberships including those who joined in January, April and July, must be renewed with payment of dues, as set forth by the Board of Governors, between September 1 and September 30 of the subsequent year.

CHANGES IN ADDRESS, TELEPHONE, E-MAIL

It is the responsibility of the member to notify the Membership Chairman of any change in address, telephone number, e-mail address, or club affiliation as soon as they occur.

HANDICAPS

A player who belongs to more than one club must post all scores, away or at home, at one course, or all scores, away or at home, at all courses to which she belongs. Reference Golfnet multi-member capability, as described in the Score Posting Section, to facilitate all scores being sent to all applicable clubs. Should the adjustment dates be different among them, the lowest index at the time of entry must be used.

No player shall play with an index greater than 21.5, regardless of the actual index.

Scores as a result of LWGA tournaments will be monitored by peer review for adherence to the USGA rules for posting.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Each member is expected to conduct herself in a manner that engenders good sportsmanship, good fellowship, and respect for individual dignity.  Each member is also responsible for the promotion and integrity of the traditions and best interests of the game of golf and the welfare of this organization.

COMPETITIONS

Rules/Procedures

USGA rules shall govern all play, except where special local rules for abnormal conditions are posted by the Tournament Committee. These rules apply to suspension of play, late arrivals, pace of play, etc.

Pace of Play Policy is in effect at all tournaments.  A player may be penalized for slow play under the following circumstances; the group in which she is playing is ‘Out of Position’ and the player takes more than 30 seconds to play any given stroke.

Definition:  “Out of Position” means that there is an open par 3 or par 4 ahead, or the preceding group is on the green of a par 5. 

The pace of play is 4 hours and 20 minutes.  A Marshall may periodically be observing the groups.  It is expected that each group stay within sight of the group ahead of them unless the starting times dictate otherwise.  Groups failing to maintain pace of play may receive a warning from a Tournament Marshall and be monitored.  After a warning is given, two-stroke penalties may be assessed against any player deemed as playing consistently slow (*violating the 30-second rule) in stroke play events.  Loss of hole may be assessed against any player deemed playing consistently slow in match-play events. 

The LWGA will make every effort to promote good pace of play by limiting field sizes, setting up tournaments with full foursomes and assisting groups with problems such as lost balls.  Groups having legitimate problems maintaining pace of play are encouraged to allow faster groups to play through. 

*The timing of a player’s stroke begins after a player:

1.  has had a reasonable time to reach the ball

            2.  has had no distractions

            3.  has had a reasonable time to select a club and it is her turn to play.

Reference:  USGA Rule 6-7, Rule 33-1.

Cell phones may be used only for emergency situations during tournaments and must be turned off during play.

In case of doubt, play two balls (Rule 3.3).If you are not sure how to proceed and cannot decide between two courses of action you can play two balls. Inform your fellow-competitors which of the two balls is to count in the event that both options conform to the rules and then play both balls until you have holed-out. Note down both scores—you must then clarify the matter with the Committee before signing and handing in your score card. If you fail to do so, you are disqualified.

Posting scores: All scores played in a LWGA tournament must be posted as a Tournament score unless otherwise indicated by the Tournament Committee. See Attachment I: Player Responsibilities for Posting Golf Scores at the end of this document.

Score cards: All score cards submitted to the Tournament Committee must be complete, hole-by-hole, regardless of the format.

Major tournaments, for which the champion(s) receive(s) a roving trophy, are the Member-Member Championship and the Stroke Play Championship.

Ties

Stroke Play: Ties will share the prizes except for last place in a flight when ties shall be decided, as necessary, according to the USGA system of the best score on the last nine holes, then the last six holes, the last three holes, and finally the 18th hole. Thereafter, ties shall be decided by blind draw.

Exception: A tie for the Stroke Play Champion shall be decided by an immediate hole by hole playoff, the nature of which shall be determined by the Tournament Committee.

Match Play:  If a match is halved after 18 holes, the stipulated round shall be extended to as many holes as required for the match to be won, starting at the first hole unless otherwise posted at the tournament site.

Entries

Entries must be completed and postmarked during the dates specified on the entry forms in the back of the directory. A check for the specified amount must accompany the entry.  Please note that the cart fee and prize fee are payable with one check, except for some multiple-day tournaments.

Players with an index exceeding 21.5 automatically will be scheduled to play only if the field is not filled.

Exception: Member-Member tournaments when the combined index of both partners does not exceed 43.0.

Oversubscriptions

If a field is oversubscribed, a random drawing of eligible players will be held to determine the field. An alternate list will be compiled as follows:

1. Eligible entrants not picked to play from the drawing. If a tournament is flighted and there is a cancellation, an alternate will be selected based on a similar index.

2. Players who sent in their tournament entry prior to the entry date.

3. Players who sent in their tournament entry after the entry date.

4. Entries with an incorrect payment or entry information.

5. Players with a handicap index that exceeds 21.5.

If an alternate is called to play, she must play in order to receive a tournament credit. If a player is not called to play, that player will still receive one (1) credit and her check will be destroyed.

Pairings/Tee Times

Pairings and tee times will be available:

1. On the website (www.lwgahhi.com) about a week or more before the tournament.       

2. At each club’s pro shop a week before the tournament.

Competitions will be flighted according to handicap, except when the format precludes flighting.

Players must be at the tee 10 minutes before their tee time and ready to play at their designated time.

Penalty for late arrival

Individual Stroke Play: Two-Stroke penalty. Reference: USGA Rule 6-3a: “The player shall start at the time designated by the Tournament Committee”.

Match Play: Loss of first hole (See note under USGA Rule 6-3).

Cancellations/Failure to Show/Late Cancellations/Cancelled Tournament

Cancellations up through the Thursday prior to the tournament–the entry check will be destroyed.

Failure to show at a tournament without notice to the Tournament Committee–the entry check will be cashed and no refund given.

A late cancellation is defined as a cancellation on Friday or later before the tournament. In this case, the entry check will be cashed and no refund given.

Tournaments cancelled as a result of the course being declared closed will result in the destruction of entry checks. Should a tournament be cancelled by the Tournament Committee (as opposed to the course being closed), and the club requires payment of cart fees, the prize money will be distributed by lottery.

Failure to finish a round/Failure to play the sequential next round of a multi-day tournament:

A player is expected to finish all rounds of a tournament, either a single day or multiple-day event, except when due to illness, injury, or emergency.

The Tournament Committee must be notified if any player leaves the tournament before completion.

Penalties

Second late cancellation, failure to show, or withdrawal from a one-day or multiple-day tournament without cause occurring within six months:  Ineligibility to play in the next three month’s tournaments.

Third late cancellation, failure to show, or withdrawal from a one-day or multiple-day tournament without cause occurring within six months: Ineligibility for the next six month’s tournaments (resulting in a total of nine monthly suspensions).

Continued abuse of the late cancellation/failure to show, or withdrawal rules may be subject to disciplinary action by the Board.

The Board of Governors has the right to make an exception to any violation or penalty based on evidence of member hardship.

Tournament Suspensions/Cancellations  

The Tournament Chairman in consultation with the golf professional and LWGA President makes the determination to cancel a tournament in advance due to weather conditions and will notify all players in as timely a fashion as possible.

In the event a tournament is in progress and weather conditions deteriorate,  players are advised to heed whatever warning system is in effect at that golf course, and in the event of a siren, must discontinue play (after marking their ball) and proceed to shelter, either on the golf course or at the clubhouse.  The decision to complete the tournament thereafter will be made by the Tournament Chairman.

If the course being played does not have a warning system, and weather conditions appear ominous, the Tournament Chairman may stop play at her discretion.  In addition, players may make their own decision to discontinue play based on their comfort level and sense of security.  If any member of a foursome (or team) wishes to stop play due to adverse weather conditions, she may do so without penalty by calling for assistance from the Tournament Chairman or Golf Club staff.

The weather policy for each tournament will be described on that day’s Rule Sheet. 

Awards

Prizes and/or certificates shall be awarded for all competitions according to the number of competitors in the field. 

A minimum of 25% of the field will receive an award.

The type of award will be at the discretion of the Board of Governors.

A member may receive only one award in a tournament, with the exception of proximity or other designated special event for that tournament.

Gratuities

The fee for each tournament includes a tip for the bag boys, as determined by the Board of Governors.  

Additional tipping is at the player’s discretion, and is not discouraged.

Revised:  May 2010