CDI Memorial Golf League

League Rules

2010

 

Purpose

The purpose of the league is to encourage fun and competitive spirit – and to give us an excuse to go golfing every week.

 

This document outlines the rules of the league in detail. The rules are mostly identical to last year’s.

 

League Format

The league format is each player playing for themselves, in two or three simultaneous matches each week for sixteen weeks, for a total of 39 matches.  Each player will play each other player three times during the season. Semi-final matches for those that qualify follow the regular season.  Those that did not qualify for the playoffs are invited to open golf. The two semi-final winners will play an 18-hole championship on a date to be determined – but probably the weekend of August 28th and 29th. The championship round has been pre-paid for the two participants, but all other members are invited and encouraged to attend. Also, any friends, spouses, or other family members are welcome to attend (at their own expense). A three-club scramble will also be played at the end of the season. The format and teams for this event will be determined at a later date.

 

Cost

The cost is $250 for the season, of which approximately $220 is for weekly greens fees, and $30 is for the prize fund and league maintenance.

Players must pay for the entire season in advance.  

 

Match Play

Each week each player will play two or three matches simultaneously – usually one against each of the other players in their group. The player’s score for each hole and the round will be compared against each of their opponents’ scores.

 

Before a match begins, each player’s course handicap is computed. This is a USGA handicapping algorithm that converts a generic handicap index to a handicap that can be used on a specific course.

 

The formula is: (HI * S) / (113.0 / 2.0) (rounded to the nearest integer) where:

 

The number of handicap strokes awarded for each match will be calculated by subtracting the smaller course handicap from the larger. The higher handicap player will receive that many handicap strokes for the match, and the lower handicap player will use their scratch score. Note that each player may end up using a different match handicap for each match.

 

Before determining the winner of a hole or round, the high handicap player’s match handicap will be subtracted for the hole or round.  See below for the method of calculating a handicap index.

 

At the beginning of a new season a player’s handicap index continues to be calculated from their previous league scores, or a best guess to be determined by the player and the league commissioner if there are no previous scores.

 

Each match consists of nine holes in which 20 possible points can be earned as follows:

-          Two points awarded to the winner of each hole, or one point to each player in the case of a tie.

-          Two points awarded to the winner of the round, or one point to each player in the case of a tie.

 

As an example, assume the following two rounds between two opponents.

 

Name

Hdcp

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Total

Par

 

4

4

5

3

5

4

4

3

4

36

Hole Hdcp

 

8

2

9

7

6

1

3

5

4

 

John

6

4

4

6

5

5

4

5

5

5

43

John w/hdcp

 

4

4

6

5

5

4

5

5

5

43

Tom

11

5

5

5

3

6

6

6

6

6

48

Tom w/hdcp

 

5

4

5

3

6

5

5

5

5

43

 

Before the match began, Tom and John compared their course handicaps. The difference is 5, so Tom (the higher handicap) will receive 5 strokes during the match. Handicap strokes are allotted evenly to each hole, with any remaining strokes assigned to the holes with the lowest handicap rating. In this example Tom gets one stroke on the five hardest holes: #’s 6, 2, 7, 9, and 8.

 

Therefore, the match score would be 11-9 in favor of John.  Tom won two holes and tied four for 8 points. John won three holes, and tied four others for 10 points. John and Tom had the same net total for the round, so they each get an additional point. Notice that for match scoring purposes, we only pay attention to the handicap line of scores.

 

You should also note that while playing you only have to write down your actual score for each hole. The league secretary will calculate the net score for each hole and the final match score.

 

Hole Handicap Rating

For each hole you will find a handicap rating. This rating ranks the holes from 1 (the hardest) to 9 (the easiest) (18 hole course holes are ranked 1-18). These ratings are determined by the relative difficulty our league has had on each hole and are used to allocate handicap shots during a match

 

The average score to par will be used to rank the holes from one to nine and these rankings will be used as the holes’ handicaps. These handicaps will be printed on your weekly scorecard.

 

Absences and substitutes

Players are responsible for their appearance each week. Refunds are not available. If a player is absent in a week their score for the round will be set to net par plus four strokes, broken evenly by hole, with remainder strokes being applied to the lowest handicap holes. For example, if a player’s handicap is 12, on the blue (a par 36 course) he will shoot a gross score of 52 (for a net 40). The player will score one over par on each hole and two over par on the seven hardest holes. The absent round will not count toward the player’s future handicap or averages.

 

To avoid this, players may supply a substitute golfer. The substitute’s scores will be used to compute the match outcome for that week. If the substitute has a league-approved handicap, it will be used. Substitutes without league approved handicaps will have their handicap calculated retroactively after the completion of their first league round. Since the round is paid for in advance, it is the responsibility of the absent golfer to collect any fees from the substitute.

 

Prizes

The league playoff champion will receive a trophy and other prizes. The new league champion will have his name added to the CDI Memorial trophy and may take possession of the trophy until his reign ends, or the league folds. The runner up will receive a lesser prize. In addition to these prizes, three sleeves of balls will be awarded each week to winners of various contests. The contests are divided to award the good and not-so-good golfers alike.

 

Each week during the regular season one contest will be selected at random from the following list and the winner will receive a sleeve. Once a contest has been selected, it cannot be selected again for three weeks.

 

The Best-Worst contest winner is determined by comparing each golfer’s worst hole for the round (no handicaps). The winner is the one with the best of these. In the case of ties, the winner is the player with the fewest of these worst scores, followed by the fewest of the next worse scores and so on.

 

Smallest Difference contest winner is determined by comparing the difference between a golfer’s highest and lowest scores for their round. The smallest such difference is the winner. In the case of ties, the player with the lowest score prevails. Further ties split the prize.

 

Each week three contests will be selected from the following list. At the end of the round one of these three will be drawn randomly and the winner will receive a sleeve. Once a sleeve has been awarded for a contest, it cannot be selected again for three weeks.

 

The Worst-Best contest is similar to the best-worse. The winner is determined by comparing each golfer’s best hole for the round (no handicaps). The winner is the one with the highest of these. In the case of ties, the winner is the player with the fewest of these best scores, followed by the fewest of the next best and so on.

 

The Largest Difference contest winner is determined in a manner similar to the smallest difference contest, except that the larger difference and (in the case of ties) higher scores determine the winner.

 

An additional sleeve will be awarded to the player whose gross score matches the mystery number drawn after the rounds are completed. Scores of thirty through sixty-five are represented and drawn randomly until there is a winner.  Ties split the sleeve for this and the other contests (unless specific tiebreakers are described).

 

Finally, playing cards can be won throughout each round by winning long drive and closest to the hole contests, and making bonus scores on holes. Each week one hole will be designated as the long drive hole and both par threes will be closest to the pin holes. The winner of each of the contest in each group will randomly receive one playing card from a standard deck of cards. Every four weeks (after which at least 48 of the 52 cards will have been distributed) the player with the best five card hand will win a sleeve. Players with less than five cards at the end of a four week period are still eligible to win, but can only play pairs, three of kind and four of a kind (along with high card). Only five card flushes, straights and full houses may be played. The contests will begin again the next week with a new deck.

 

The longest drive contest will be won by the player in each group that has driven the ball furthest from the tee in his own fairway. If no members of the group hit the fairway, then the player closest to the pin and in play is the winner. If no one has hit the play to a playable position then you all suck and no card is awarded for that group on that hole.

 

The closest to the pin contest is won by the player whose first shot is closest to the pin, except that:

 

Bonus scores are any birdie (or better) and any 10 or higher. The first four bonus scores in each four-week hand-session will be awarded a bonus card.

 

Note that a sub is eligible to win cards for the league player they are subbing for. Other than this, substitutes cannot win any weekly prizes.

 

Playoffs

At the conclusion of 16 weeks of match play the top four teams, ranked by match points, will be seeded for single elimination match play playoffs. Tiebreakers for each position (including any ties for the final playoff spot(s)) will be broken in the following manner:

1.       Points in head to head matches

2.       Overall holes won-lost-tied percentage

3.       Overall rounds won-lost tied percentage

4.       Overall holes won

5.       Overall rounds won

6.       Coin toss

 

For multi-way ties if at any step one player is better than all the rest, they win the tiebreak. Begin again at step #1 with the remaining teams to determine the next placement, if necessary. Otherwise, if one player is worse than all the others, eliminate that team and start again at step #1 with the remaining players.

 

Match play is the same as the match point system used in the weekly play, except that no bonus is given for the round score. Ties in the playoffs will be broken by extra holes, starting at the first and continuing until one player wins a hole.

 

The semi finals will take place on week 17. The groupings for that week will be as follows:

1st vs. 4th

2nd vs. 3rd

The remaining players will fill in the groups and play open golf.

 

The two winners in the semi finals will play in the 18 hole championship match on a date to be determined. The rest of the league is also invited and encouraged to. Feel free to invite friends, spouses, or other family members to join our year-end outing / Championship match.

 

Timeliness and speed of play

Our starting time this year is 5:30. It is important that each player be prepared to tee off at the league starting time. Complete groups will start first. Remaining groups will start short handed. Late players may join their group out on the course, but missed holes will be counted using the net+4 method, similar to the one described for absent golfers.

 

All attempts will be made to keep all leagues on pace by the course management. The league in front of us will probably fix our pace, but it is very important we do not fall behind them. If we keep up with them, and still finish in the dark we can take our complaints to the management, but if it gets dark because we are slow we have no legitimate recourse.

 

Timely play does not have to mean rushing your shots. It is usually sufficient that each player be ready to hit when it is his or her turn. Don’t be too concerned about hitting in the proper order. Give preference to those that are away, but if you are ready and they are still walking up to their ball – go ahead and hit. The same applies on the green. Line up your putt while others are hitting. If you are ready and others are not, go ahead and putt, even if you are not away.

 

The other potential time waster is hunting for a lost ball. None of us likes to lose a ball, especially if it costs a stroke. But if everyone else has hit and they’re waiting for you, give it up and take the drop.

 

Handicap calculation

This year we will continue calculating league handicaps using the standard USGA algorithms. The only modifications will be that only league scores will be counted toward the handicap index (a normal USGA handicap would include all scores – whether they occurred during league play or not), and all of our round scores will be nine-hole rounds (The USGA requires 18 holes rounds).

 

You can find a detailed description of the USGA handicapping system on the USGA site, but here is a brief overview:

 

Each player’s handicap is calculated using their last twenty indexed scores. The best ten of these scores are averaged together to create the average handicap differential.

 

The rounds scores are not the raw scores recorded by the player, but rather each round’s scores adjusted to account for maximum scores allowed per hole and are weighted by the rating and slope of the course on which it was played.

 

A maximum score per hole is counted for handicap purposes based on your handicap. These maximums are:

 

Handicap

Worst score allowed

 Less than 5

Double bogey

5-9

7

10-14

8

15-19

9

20 or more

10

 

The course rating is subtracted from this modified round score and multiplied by 56.5.  Finally, this value is divided by the course’s slope to arrive at the round’s adjusted score. It is these scores that are used to calculate your handicap.

 

Course

Rating

Slope

Blue

34.0

58.5

Gold

34.6

61.0

Red

33.6

56.0

White

36.1

61.5

 

 

Here’s an example:

 

John’s rounds so far this year after nine weeks have been (in order):

Course

Score

Adjusted handicap score

Blue

48

13.5

Gold

44

8.7

Red

42

8.5

White

45

8.2

Blue

45

10.6

Gold

41

5.9

Red

47

13.5

White

44

7.3

Blue

42

7.7

 

Nine rounds are available, so the mean of the best three is determined:

(5.9 + 7.3 + 7.7) = 20.9 / 3 = 6.966666 * 0.96 = 6.688

 

Dropping all digits after the tenths digit (but not rounding) yields a handicap index of 6.6. This value will be used before each match to determine the course handicap to be used during the round.

 

Rules of golf

There are a few good topics to address here. People play golf in different ways. To make the league competition fair, everybody should be playing by the same set of rules. Fortunately, the rules of golf are already published and I don’t have to type them all out.

 

There are only two or three issues that commonly come up, however:

 

1. Stroke and distance

According to the rules of golf, when you lose a ball, or hit one out of bounds the correct penalty is one stroke, plus you must hit the next shot from where you were before. This is commonly called “stroke and distance” as you lose any distance you hit the ball along with your penalty stroke. This doesn’t really work for league play, as it would tend to slow things way down if you had to go back to your last ball position after looking for a lost ball for five minutes.

 

What we will do instead is this:  The next shot after a lost ball or a ball out of bounds will be played from within one club length from the spot as close as possible to where the ball traveled out of bounds or where the player judges his lost ball ended up. The one stroke penalty still applies.

 

2. Preferred Lies

Also called “fluffing”, it is picking up and placing or nudging your ball into a better lie for your next shot. This is totally against the foundation the game: “play it as it lies”. However, recognizing that we don’t play on PGA level courses maintenance-wise here is a common compromise.

 

On any fairway a player may nudge, or otherwise fluff their ball before the next shot if they deem it necessary to obtain a “fairway” lie. This would include things like having your ball stop in a divot or un-mowed portion of the fairway. Let’s face it – it’s rare enough that we hit it in the fairway at all. It only seems fair that we should get a good lie for our efforts. Note that this only applies to your own fairway. No fluffing bonus for slicing the ball far enough to get it into the next fairway!

 

The only other comprise is anywhere on a hole, except in a hazard (water, sand trap), if your ball is “plugged”, or has an exceptionally large clump of dirt or mud on it you may pick it up, clean it, and place it near the old spot before your next shot.

 

3. The Mulligan and other “gimmies”

For obvious reasons, a player may not declare a mulligan during league play. Every shot counts. For the same reasons, each hole must be played to its conclusion, except where shots are conceded. To help speed play anyone can concede the next shot to any of his opponents. Provided that there are no objections from any of the other opponents, that shot is considered to have been made. Note that conceded shots cannot be declined or refused.

 

4. Course Etiquette

This year, the course is asking all league players to observe the 90 degree rule when using carts. Not many of us use carts, but when you do, please drive in the rough as much as possible, and when crossing fairways, please do so at a 90 degree angle.

 

Final notes

As usual, I would like to point out that all the money collected is returned to the players, either in the form of greens fees, or as prizes. I am paying a full share. The only benefits I get from running the league are 1) having a league to play in! And 2) it’s another outlet for my over-developed sense of competition.