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Tournament Rules

Tournament Rules

RULES OF PLAY:

  1. A member of the Executive Board is present at each tournament, serves as the Head Tournament Official, and chairs the Tournament Committee. 
  2. Knowledge of and adherence to the rules are essential to good sportsmanship and good competition. All events will be played in accordance with the most recent Rules of Golf and Decisions adopted by the USGA. The WGAWP Tournament Committee has established local rules and conditions of competition for all WGAWP sanctioned competitions. These local rules and conditions can be found on the WGAWP website under the tournament tab, listed as WGAWP Hard Card, and are posted at the registration table for all WGAWP events. Any supplemental local rules and special instructions are also posted at the registration table. All disputes will be settled by the Tournament Committee whose decision shall be final.
  3. SLOW PLAY POLICY:

    Players should play at a prompt pace throughout the round.  Players are both allowed and encouraged to play ‘ready golf’ in a safe and responsible way (Rule 6.4b) and should make a stroke in no more than 40 seconds (Rule 5.6b)

    Maximum allowable time is the maximum time considered by the Committee for a group to complete its round.  This will be expressed by a per-hole and aggregate time format on the player’s scorecard. 

    For all individual stroke play events with tee times, the WGAWP will designate (3) holes on the course as pace of play checkpoint holes; primarily holes 6 – 12 – 18. A checkpoint hole is complete when the ball of the last player in the group to hole out has been removed from the hole. When a group is “out of position” they will be notifiedand served a Red Card by a Tournament Official. 

    “Out of position” is defined when it:

    • Takes more than the maximum allowable time to finish a checkpoint hole and

    • Completes play of the checkpoint hole more than 14 minutes after the group in front of them. 

    Any group that is “out of position” will be “on the clock” by a Tournament Official who will individually time strokes made by a player(s). When “on the clock” a player who exceeds 40 seconds on shots and/or lingers between holes is considered to be delaying play. Except on the putting green, the timing of a player’s stroke begins when it is the player’s turn to play without interference or distraction. Time spent determining yardage and other conditions count in the 40 seconds. On the putting green, the timing of a player’s stroke begins when it’s the players turn to play without interference and distraction and after a player has completed the actions allowed under Rule 13-1 (mark, lift, clean and replace ball / repair damage and remove debris). Time spent surveying the line of play counts in the allotted 40 seconds.  Any player(s) concerned about another player(s) in the group should request a Tournament Official to monitor the group. 

    It is the group’s responsibility to ‘close the gap’ before the next checkpoint.  The Red Card will be retrieved when the group is within the Pace of Play

    Penalties

    1st missed Checkpoint – Warning / Red Card 

    2nd missed Checkpoint – 1 stroke penalty 

    3rd missed Checkpoint – 2 stroke penalty 

    If a group misses multiple checkpoints but finishes the round under the maximum allowable time, the player(s) is still liable to penalty.  Any penalty strokes that are applied to a player(s) scorecard are applied on the checkpoint hole(s) where they became liable to penalty.

  4. All members are to report to the Tournament Administrator at least 15 minutes before the assigned starting time.  Time of Starting Note under Rule 5.3a is in effect at all WGAWP events.
  5. If a member is UNAVOIDABLY DETAINED for her assigned starting time, she must make good faith efforts to notify the Host Pro Shop or the Tournament Administrator.

Entries

  1. Entries into Tournaments are by online registration only. Tournament information including closing date is found on the WGAWP website (Tournament Registration Button or Page).  Only entries received by the established closing date and time are eligible for the field.  No late entries, even when the field is not full, are accepted.
  2. Current Board members and Past Presidents who submit timely entries are included into the field.  For tournaments that are oversubscribed (the number of entries exceed the number of available places in the field), unless otherwise specified, the field is determined by random draw of the remainder of the registrants.  Order of registration has no impact on selection into the field.
  3. Players are only eligible to apply for tournaments in which their handicap index falls within the designated range.   If a member is eligible when registering and then becomes ineligible when the tournament is being played because her index has gone above the restriction, that member may play in the field at the established maximum handicap index if the field is not full and is moved to the wait list if the field is oversubscribed.
  4. There shall be a sufficient number of entries to constitute a tournament.  Tournaments without sufficient entries may be cancelled at the discretion of the President, Tournament Chairman and Hosting Club.  The number of prizes awarded may be adjusted based on the field size.
  5. Players are notified by email of their selection into the field and assigned tee time.  If the tournament is oversubscribed, registrants not included in the field are notified of their “Wait List” status.  Order on the wait list is available on the Website (Tournament Registration).
  6. Two-day spring and fall events are independent of all other tournaments relative to field selection.  If a member is not selected into the spring event, that member is assured of entry into the fall event if registered with the same partner.  For all other events, if members are on the wait list with the same partner(s) for two oversubscribed events during the current tournament season, those members are assured of entry into the next over-subscribed event that season.

CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS: Call 412-551-8549

  1. A member MUST notify WGAWP PRIOR to an event of any change of partner.  If a substitution occurs on the DAY OF THE EVENT, the Tournament Administrator MUST be notified at least 30 minutes PRIOR TO STARTING TIME. Non-compliance will result in ineligibility for prizes.
  2. Cancellations are done online via the WGAWP website during the entry period.  Members who register for tournaments are committing to play all days of the tournament unless they are eliminated or cut.  Any member who must cancel due to sudden illness, injury or emergency after the pairings are posted and email notification sent to the field must contact the WGAWP (email Tournament Information on the Website under About Us/Contact Us) as soon as possible regarding the circumstances and the reason for withdrawal.   If the cancellation occurs on the day of the tournament, notify the host club Pro Shop with the information.  Members who cancel are financially responsible for cart/caddie and meal charges.  Members deemed to have violated the commitment to play may be ruled ineligible for subsequent events at the discretion of the Executive Board.
  3. The cancellation policy for Two-Day Spring and Fall events will be disclosed in the acceptance letter.
  4. Any event will be cancelled or delayed only at the request of the Course Superintendent or an official at the host club or the Tournament Committee. If play must be canceled, results will stand and prizes will be awarded if three-fourths of the entrants have completed their rounds, or if the entire field has completed nine holes.
  5. The Tournament Committee may agree to cancel a tournament due to inclement weather or course conditions after a cumulative 2 hour waiting period has expired and the host club has not decided to cancel. 
  6. With the exception of the First President's or VIP tournaments, a player can find a replacement for themselves if they need to cancel.  Participants who cancel out of a tournament less than 7 days in advance, regardless of the reason, must provide their name and club number to the host club.  The host club will have the option of charging the member who cancelled. 

SCORING AND WINNERS:

  1. Members are eligible to compete in all tournaments except those tournaments with a defined handicap restriction (see Tournament Descriptions). However, no player will receive more than the equivalent strokes of a 28.4 index.  Further, in events where handicaps are allocated by hole, in no case will a player receive more than one stroke on a Par 3.  
  2. Score cards MUST NOT BE ALTERED, i.e., handicap index or partners, without prior approval of the Tournament Administrator.
  3. All scorecards are the property of the Association.  Players must return a signed and attested scorecard immediately upon completion of their round.
  4. In individual stroke play events, all putts must be holed out.  For partner/team events, putts must be holed for players whose score is being used for the event.
  5. Members are strongly encouraged to complete all scheduled rounds of a tournament.  A player may elect to withdraw from the competition if she becomes ill or injured during play or in the interest of pace of play and courtesy to her fellow competitor(s) after recording excessive scores on one or more holes determines she is out of the competition.  A member who decides to withdraw must announce it to her fellow competitor(s) and immediately stop play.  If needed, she acts as a non-playing marker.  Withdrawals from tournaments are recorded and monitored.  Members who elect withdrawal on multiple occasions may be ruled ineligible for subsequent events at the discretion of the Executive Board.
  6. A player may win only one prize in each event.
  7. When two or more players are tied for an Award and a sudden death playoff is necessary, any player unavailable for the playoff forfeits her claim to the Award.
  8. Unless a playoff is specified in the rules competition, in the event of a tie, places in the field are determined by a match of cards following the WGAWP Tie Break Procedure.  Non winners in a match of cards for a last place prize are awarded a consolation prize.
  9. The competition shall be deemed to have closed when the trophy has been presented to the winner or in the absence of a prize ceremony, when all scores have been approved by the Committee.

 

GENERAL

  1. Players are to adhere to all club rules and regulations of the hosting club.  This includes cell phone usage, cart rules, valet usage, and any club restricted areas.  See the registration desk for specific information regarding the hosting club.
  2. Motorized carts or caddies are to be used for all tournament play.  A player cannot carry her own bag unless a special exemption has been cleared by the Board or Tournament Committee.  Availability of carts and caddies is determined by the host club.  See instructions under tournament registration for election of preference.   Carts are not guaranteed and players may be required to walk based on club policy or course conditions.  Caddie assignments are made by the caddiemaster of the host Club.  A player cannot bring a caddie, forecaddie, or spotter.  Players cannot request a specific caddie.
  3. A player may use a digital device to obtain distance information only.   If the device provides additional information such as slope, the player is prohibited from accessing this information. (Rule 4.3a(1) ).
  4. As long as they are permitted by the host club, cell phones may be used on the course for distance measuring, for USGA rules, for appropriate internet related information (i.e. weather), and for texting.  Emergency information can be communicated via texts.  The Tournament Committee may elect to communicate instructions to the field via texts (particularly related to weather delays).  Cell phones are to be silenced and cannot be used for incoming or outgoing calls. 
  5. A male partner must belong to a WGAWP member club.  The male partner must play from the designated tee in all mixed events.
  6. Players have the right to stop play if they think lightning threatens them (Rule 5.7a).
  7. Two dollars per person are collected at the Registration desk for gratuity purposes of the host club staff.  This is supplemental to appropriate tipping of club personnel.
  8. Do not contact the host club or resort directly with any special requests.