Team Matches are played each spring, consisting this year of 33 teams representing 24 clubs and over 200 golfers.  Each team fields six golfers, aligned by handicap, to face off in match play format against six players from the opposing team.  Players complete all eighteen holes, earning one point for a hole won and a half-point for a hole halved.  A team's total is the sum of each team member's points for the day.  At the end of the playing season, the winning team in the division moves up to the next flight while the team with the fewest points moves to the next lower division.

ALL TEAM MATCHES WILL BE GOVERNED BY WGAWP TOURNAMENT RULES

1. UP TO EIGHT DIVISIONS, SIX TEAMS PER DIVISION, SIX PLAYERS PER TEAM:  The First Division will be the Championship Division; all other divisions will number II through a maximum of VIII.  A division with fewer than 6 teams must be approved by the Executive Board.
2. Division winners automatically exchange places with the last position team in the division above.  The sixth position team in the last division will be challenged for that position by the first team on the waiting list in the play-offs.  Teams losing their division CANNOT move back into that division  if a vacancy occurs unless approved by the Executive Board. First position teams in divisions shall not play on their home courses.
3. SEEDS: The team's seeded position shall determine the final standing if a tie results in positions two (2) thru five (5).
4. NUMBER OF TEAMS PER CLUB: A club may have as many teams as it is capable of fielding.  It is possible that a club may have more than one team compete in the same division.
5. APPLICATION: for a team or an additional team must be made in writing to the Team Chairman by August 1 of the prior year. If a division is not full, an application for a team may be accepted after this date at the discretion of the Executive Board. In order to apply for a team, a club must have at least ten (10) members for their first team and ten (10) members for each team thereafter on their current WGAWP roster. A club applying for a first team will be given preference on the waiting list.  Second and third teams will be placed on the waiting list in order of application.  If a division is dissolved, the remaining teams will be placed on the waiting list according to their standing in the division when it was dissolved. Only a first team will be given preference over a second or third team on the waiting list. When a club drops a team and then reapplies the following year, that team will go to the end of the waiting list for that year.
6. SCORING: Eighteen (18) points are scored per match (one point per hole won; one-half point for tie).  No strokes are given.  Opponents must be in agreement on points before they are reported to the committee.  Recorded points may not be altered.  Holes may be conceded, but players MAY NOT AGREE TO SPLIT POINTS.  Players who agree to split points will lose the points for those holes.
7. ALL MATCHES MUST BE PLAYED ON THE WGAWP MASTER COURSE.  A match will be a stipulated round played in groups of two only. USGA MATCH PLAY RULES PREVAIL. Disputes and claims based on facts previously unknown must be reported to the Team Chairman in writing, no more than three (3) days after the match in question.
8. CARTS & CADDIES: Motorized carts or caddies are permitted but not guaranteed.  If carts or caddies are not available, matches will be cancelled and points divided.  Players are not permitted to bring  a caddy to a match.  Junior members are permitted to carry their own bag at a team match only if their opponent is using a caddy; or, if neither player can legally operate a golf cart.
9. UNSAFE WEATHER: Should unsafe weather conditions prevail when team matches are to begin, there will be a minimum one hour delay before cancellation. If a further delay is necessary during play due to weather conditions, the final decision as to length of delay or cancellation will be made AFTER TWO HOURS by the Team Committee unless the course has been deemed unplayable by the Club Pro and/or Course Superintendent. Matches must be played if the course is playable and unsafe conditions have passed. Play MUST BE SUSPENDED IMMEDIATELY DURING LIGHTNING.
10. PREFERRED LIES: will be determined solely by club staff 
11. All divisions must complete fifty percent (50%) or more of their matches to determine a division winner.  If less that fifty percent of the matches are played due to inclement weather, the Executive Board will review the facts and shall reschedule the number of matches necessary to complete the required fifty percent. Matches will be rescheduled in order of cancellations first to last, on a neutral golf course.
12. Any questions should be referred to the Team Captain and Team Chairman. At no point should volunteers offer guidance or rulings. All questions should be addressed to the Team Captain, the Committee or the Division Chair.
13. A plaque will be presented to the winning team in each division.
14. All players are expected to stay for lunch at all Team Matches and will be held financially responsible for the cost of lunch, if they do not stay.  Breakfast is optional.

1. All WGAWP members are eligible for team play, provided they have a USGA Handicap Index®️and are members of the WGAWP by March 1st of the current year.
2. A WGAWP member must choose her member club before the first scheduled day of Team season.  No transfers will be accepted for team play competition once the season has begun.
3. Team players must report to their captains at the assigned club of play regardless of weather conditions UNLESS their Team Captain has been notified that the course has been closed.

1. The Team Captains must line up their teams according to Handicap Index®️, from the lowest to highest, from the list provided by the Team Chairman.  Checking WGAWP Handicap Index®️for the line-up is the responsibility of the Team Captain.
2. Team line-up must be given to the Committee FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE TEAM'S FIRST TEE OFF TIME.  Once the lineup is submitted, a substitute must be placed in the lineup according to Handicap Index® order. Captains are NOT permitted to ask anyone to see their opponent's line-up before they submit their line-up on match day.
3. The Team Captain must notify the Committee IN PERSON OR BY TELEPHONE, as soon as possible, if a player or the entire team is delayed.
4. Team Captains are members of the Team Committee when play is scheduled at their club. Host Team Captains will be responsible for delivering the Team Match score sheet in time for play, checking and computing results, and emailing the results to the Team Chairman immediately upon completion of the matches at her club.
5. Team match play scores are to be posted as "away" scores.  Team Captains are responsible for ensuring that the individual scores are posted the same day the match was played.

1. The November 15 final Handicap Index®️revision from the previous active season will determine Handicap Index®️ for team play and no changes will be made before or during the match play season. Players must line up in order of Handicap Index®️.  Only players with the same Handicap Index®️ are interchangeable except when they fall in the 6th/7th and 12th/13th positions on a roster.  In that case, the 6th and 12th player must be identified by name and cannot play for the 2nd or 3rd team respectively. If there is a default in any team line-up, the sixth (6) position becomes vacant.  If a default occurs due to lack of six players, the opponent is NOT required to play the course.
2. A club's first six players must not play on their second team.  A club's seven through twelve Handicap Index®️ players must not play on their third team.  No player on the second team or third team may have a Handicap Index®️ lower than the last position player on the first team or second team during the same round. No player shall play more than one match per round.  A rescheduled match is considered its own round.
3. IN THE EVENT A PLAYER IS LATE, MATCHES MAY NOT BE RE-ORDERED.  Any player arriving at her starting point, ready to play, within five minutes after her starting time, is penalized the loss of the first hole (USGA note to Rule 5-3).   If a player is more than 5 minutes late for a match, their opponent should begin play alone.  The late player will be allowed to join her opponent on the next tee of the hole that is being played, up through the 9th hole. The late player will lose a point for each hole missed. However, if the late player does not arrive, ready to play, by the time her opponent has finished the 9th  hole, all 18 points will go to the player that arrived on time and has completed 9  holes.  
4. An unopposed player is permitted to play the course as a practice round, if she chooses.
5. The purpose of the team program is to provide and encourage the very best competition available in a fair, positive environment.  In the spirit of competition and integrity, clubs are strongly encouraged to fill their best teams possible, lining up indexes from low to high (a requirement) and prioritizing the first team, then the second followed by the third. 

1. Each participating club is required to field a complete team. Should any team not field six players, that team loses all points in the sixth position FOR THE SEASON. To insure equity for the Division, 18 points are awarded in the sixth position to any opponent who has played, or is scheduled to play, the defaulting team. The sixth position player on all other teams MUST play against the defaulting team or the penalty for not fielding a complete team is incurred.

2. Two or more defaulted position by any one team, in any match, results in disqualification for team play FOR THE SEASON. Should a team fail to field six players a second time, it will be subject to disqualification for the season, at the discretion of the Executive Board.

3. In an emergency (illness, accident, or death) the Executive Board may reschedule a match.

4. Teams not lining up properly incur an eighteen (18) point penalty for each player not lined up properly with a maximum 90 point penalty to be deducted from the total accumulated points at the end of the season. Players lining up out of order are to complete the match and the points are to be awarded as earned.

5. A player or players discontinuing play if the match is not cancelled are disqualified and lose ALL points unless the cancellation is the result of injury or illness. The points are awarded as they stand at cancellation and the points for any holes not played are awarded to the opponent. The Executive Board will review the circumstances and render a decision on the future eligibility of those involved.

6. The Team Committee divides points equally when weather or course conditions make it impossible to complete the matches. Points for the entire division are divided in case of cancellation or byes, unless a default has occurred.

7. Should a team withdraw or be disqualified in any division, the vacancy is filled by the teams moving up in order the following year.

8. Depending upon the number of teams a club fields, the club is required to give one or two days for team play. Failure to do so may result in the team being dropped from competition. The Team Chairman may schedule a match on a neutral course if a club withdraws a team match date or offers only dates that are inconsistent with the schedule.

1. All team match rules and policies apply to playoff and challenge matches.
2. A PLAY-OFF is scheduled in the event of a tie within a division for first or last position. If the teams remain tied after the play-off, the team that had the most number of points before the tie takes the higher position in the final standing. All players must have played in at least one team match on the team in question to be eligible for a play-off match.
3. A CHALLENGE MATCH is scheduled in the last division only if there is a team on the waiting list. The match is scheduled between the last position team in the last division and the first team on the waiting list. If the team involved is a first team, the lowest six Handicap Index®️players available are eligible. If the team involved is a second team, the seventh and higher index players are eligible. If the team involved is a third team, the thirteenth and higher index players are eligible. All players must have played in at least one team match on the team in question to be eligible for a team challenge match. The team challenging the last position must win the match. A tie results in no change in position. The losing team is placed on the bottom of the waiting list. A team which does not accept the challenge match must go to the end of the waiting list if they reapply. Rounds for either will be rescheduled in case of unfavorable course or weather conditions.

Complaints of any kind must be submitted in writing to the WGAWP Recording Secretary.

An official "pace of play" time will be posted on the first tee at each course.  Before teeing off, each player should note that "pace of play" time.

The finish time for a match is recorded when the points won/lost are reported to the official(s) at the scoring table.

THIS POLICY WILL BE IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE 2025 TEAM MATCH SEASON:

1. If a group of two finishes more than 10 minutes behind the group of two in front of them AND is over the "pace of play", the circumstances of the match will be reviewed and, if appropriate, BOTH names will be noted and each will be called to discuss the circumstances.
2. If the same person, in a subsequent team match, finishes more than 10 minutes behind the group of two in front AND is over the "pace of play", their name will be noted and they will receive a letter requesting that they make a more serious effort to stay within established pace of play during future matches.
3. If a group of two is the FIRST group teeing off and finishes more than 10 minutes over the posted "pace of play", the circumstances of the match will be reviewed and, if appropriate, BOTH names will be noted and each will be called to discuss the circumstances.
4. If the same person is in the FIRST group teeing off in a subsequent match, and is again over the pace of play, their name will be noted and they will receive a letter requesting that they make a more serious effort to stay within the established pace of play during future matches.
5. Any group of two that finishes more than 10 minutes behind the group in front, but is within the "pace of play" WILL NOT be considered out of position.

PLEASE  NOTE: Times and situations will be carefully monitored and circumstances checked before any action is taken.
                                            
 

PROCEDURE FOR TEAM CHALLENGE

PRIOR TO THE MATCH:
The WGAWP Team Chairman will contact both teams involved immediately upon the completion of the final (5th) match.

Both teams must agree to the challenge. If the incumbent team does not accept the challenge they will go to the end of the waiting list. The challenging team will be moved into the sixth seed position of the last division.

The Team Chairman will contact and arrange the challenge match with the delegate of the club scheduled for ties and challenge.

THE MATCH:
The match will be played on a neutral course to be arranged by the Team Chairman. The match will be scheduled as soon after the conclusion of the team season as possible. 

The incumbent team players must have played in at least one match in the regular season to be eligible for the challenge match.

If either of the teams involved is a 1st team, the lowest 6 Handicap Index®️players will be eligible.  If either of the teams involved is a 2nd team, only the 7th and higher Handicap Index®️ players are eligible. If either of the teams involved is a 3rd team, only the 13th and higher Handicap Index®️players are eligible.

The WGAWP Team Chairman will attend and officiate the match.

The two captains will comprise the rules committee for the day in addition to the Team Chairman.

The match will be conducted exactly like a team match, with each team presenting their line-up to the Team Chairman 15 minutes prior to the match.  Team points will be scored 18 points per match - 108 point total.

The team challenging the last position team in the last Division must win the challenge to move into the sixth position in the last Division.  A tie will result in no change in position.