Rules

DoIT Golf League Official Rules

See also: Scoring Rules and Scramble Rules

  1. Scoring and Team Standings
    1. One individual point will be awarded to the winner of each match. One team point will be awarded to the team with the fewest total net strokes. Ties in either individual or team matches will be divided evenly.
    2. Championship and Playoffs
      1. Two rounds (typically 8 week halves) will be played during the season with a winner determined at the end of each round (half).
      2. The league champion will be determined by an 18-hole playoff between the winners of each round as part of the tournament.
      3. No substitute may be used in the playoff without consent of a majority of the league. The playoff can be scheduled at a different time to accommodate those involved.
    3. Tie Breakers
      1. Season Half
        1. If there is a tie for first in either half of the season, the winning team will be determined by which team scores the most points in the opposite half of the season. If a tie still exists, the winner will be determined by the most recent head-to-head match winner from the current season, followed by a 3-hole putt off (see below).
      2. Tournament
        1. A tie in the league tournament will be decided by a 3-Hole Putt Off
      3. 3-Hole Putt Off Rules
        1. The Putt Off will take place on the nearest practice green available.
        2. The winner of the three hole putt off will be determined by the lowest number of strokes just like league play.
        3. Ball placement and course setup will be done by the league secretary, league scorekeeper, or their designee, as well as the coin flip.
        4. If a tie still exists after three holes have been completed, play will continue using sudden death rules one hole at a time until a winner is determined.
        5. A coin flip will determine which team goes first. The oldest participating golfer will call heads or tails. If they win the call, they can choose if their team will putt first or second. The team that putts first will alternate each hole. Hole 1: Team 1, Hole 2: Team 2, Hole 3: Team 1, etc.
        6. Teams can determine which player will go first, and then play will start in the following order: Team 1, Player 1; Team2, Player 1; Team 1, Player 2; Team 2, Player 2. Play will then continue as normal greens play, furthest from the hole goes next.
    4. A Handicap System Will Be Used In Determining Individual and Team Match Winners
      1. The handicap for each player shall be determined by taking 90% of the difference between par and cumulative actual average. Until a player has 3 rounds of golf we use the previous year’s handicap and after 3 rounds we compute the handicap using all rounds until a player plays his eighth round. Cumulative actual average is then calculated by dropping your lowest score after 8 rounds and totaling the next lowest seven rounds divided by seven and rounded (.5 or above you add 1 to average).
      2. The season average score from the end of the previous year will be used to determine the handicap for the first three rounds of the new season even if a player’s previous year average is based on only one or two rounds. After three rounds, handicaps will be computed using the new year’s scores.
      3. Any permanent player who has no league average from the previous year establishes an average on completion of the first round played, using the score for that round as the average to determine points for the round. That player’s average will also be used for the second round and thereafter recomputed for each round played rather than carrying the first round played through the first three weeks of the season.
    5. If One Permanent Team Member Is Absent and A Substitute Plays In His/Her Place
      1. All subs play in all respects as though they were a permanent member.
      2. If the substitute has no average, they will establish their average and handicap the first time the play in the league.
      3. If a permanent member has no substitute, play using rule I.D.2, but with a two stroke advantage.
      4. Subs play against the opponent that the permanent member was scheduled to play.
    6. If Two Opposing Permanent Members Are Absent For A Match
      1. If: (1) neither has a substitute or (2) if both have substitutes without established handicaps or (3) if one has a substitute without a handicap and the other has no substitute at all, the individual point is halved and the team point is decided on the basis of actual matches played.
    7. Season Average
      1. If a player has previously established a “season average” in any preceding DoIT Golf league season, that will be the player’s average for use in handicapping.
      2. Any player who does not have an official league average will establish their league average and handicap the first time they play in the league.
    8. League Secretary/Scorekeeper
      1. The League Secretary/Scorekeeper is prohibited from using any score from any player, permanent or substitute, which exceeds that player’s season average by 10 or more strokes. If such a score is submitted, the scorekeeper shall record a score of that player’s “season average” + 9 for that particular round.
  2. Late Tee-Offs
    1. Your foursome will be bumped to the next available tee time if all members of the foursome are not available to tee-off at the scheduled time.
  3. Rainouts
    1. Authority for calling a rainout ahead of time rests with the League Secretary or designee. You will be notified by 3:00 P.M. if golf is cancelled.
    2. If conditions cause a stoppage in play, a rainout can be declared if the course officials close the course or the League Secretary declares the round cancelled, usually after discussing it with various teams, or if there is lightning in the immediate area, etc.
    3. Rainouts will not be made up.
    4. In case of a rainout that occurs after play has started, all scores for all players, whether finished or not, are cancelled. The week’s matches are not rescheduled for a subsequent week. This applies even if moving from first to second round.Example: If week 8 was rained out, then that match would be cancelled and the half is over with the standings as of week 7.
  4. Playing Rules
    1. Winter rules (can move ball 6″ with head of club) shall prevail anywhere on the course, except hazards and greens, for all league play except where they may be in conflict with rules stated below.
    2. Course rules shall prevail in any instance, which is not covered by league rules.
      1. Maximum of 11 strokes per hole.
    3. There will be a one-stroke penalty for each playing violation, including the following:
      1. Ball hitting another ball on putt; however, if player putting had asked player of the ball he/she hit to mark his/hers and he/she failed to do so, the player who failed to mark his/her ball is assessed with the penalty.
      2. Lost ball in bounds (5 minute time limit). Drop new ball in proximity of where ball was presumed to be lost.
      3. Ball hit into water hazard, the ball must be played by placing it in line of flight at the nearest playable lie, not nearer the hole.
      4. Ball hit out-of-bounds: The ball must be placed in bounds anywhere on the line of flight the ball took to the out-of-bounds including the same spot you just hit from. No provisional ball may be played.Example: If tee shot goes out-of-bounds, you drop a ball anywhere on the flight line and are now hitting shot number three. Anywhere on the flight line includes the option of teeing up another ball and hitting from the same spot. Remember though, the next shot is not a provisional shot: you must play it.
    4. Sand Traps
      1. For any shot that lands in a sand trap, the player has the option of taking a drop outside the trap. The drop must be taken on the path of the ball as it went into the trap, but no closer to the hole. Taking the optional drop is a one-stroke penalty.
    5. No Penalty Situations
      1. Ball on or within two club lengths of rock pile, young trees or road (in bounds only): remedy by dropping ball three club lengths away from obstacle no nearer the hole.
      2. Ball hit another ball on approach.
      3. Ball hit flag or flag tender on approach.
      4. Ball played not your own: remedy by playing own ball, player of ball hit drops another where the improper stroke was taken. If two or more players play each other’s ball inadvertently, finish the hole and exchange at the next tee.
      5. Drop from freestanding water.
  5. Rules Committee
    1. The Rules Committee will consist of three members elected at the Spring Organizational meeting. There can only be one person from a given team on the Rules Committee.
    2. Disputes concerning a rule, its interpretation, or a question concerning scoring which cannot be resolved by teams involved shall be given to the Rules Committee for a ruling.
    3. Decisions of the Rules Committee are binding unless successfully appealed to the league membership. (See VIII-League Administration)
  6. Scorecards
    1. The scorecard for each foursome must be signed by the scorekeeper and an opponent who played in that foursome. A signed scorecard is final, unless a violation is discovered by the Rules Committee. Each foursome must turn in one scorecard.
    2. If a dispute arises over scoring or a rules interpretation affecting an individual score for a particular hole, notice of the fact must be made at that time. Otherwise the score will stand as recorded.
    3. A score should be recorded by the scorekeeper even if it is disputed. Such a score must be circled, denoting its lack of finality.
    4. Resolutions of disputes shall be attempted in the following order prior to signing of scorecards:
      1. Within the foursome in which the dispute arose.
      2. By the Rules Committee.
    5. Record individual points and team points on card.
  7. Tournament
    1. The tournament will be medal play, handicapped, limited to permanent team members, or substitutes who have competed in at least four matches during the season. Guests are welcome but not eligible for prizes and will tee-off last. Those teams in the playoff will tee-off first.
  8. League Administration
    1. The League Secretary will be an elected position from those who volunteer at the Fall Banquet and will be paid $120.00 per year. The primary duties of the League Secretary are to administer/organize league activities including the scheduling of the Spring Organizational meeting approximately the end of March, collect fees from league members in two installments, function as the “Scorekeeper”, make arrangements for the banquet after the tournament, and provide one check to the golf course each week for greens fees.
    2. The tournament will be the last week. It will be 18 holes starting around noon at the home course and followed by the banquet. The tournament site can be changed by a simple majority vote of league members.
    3. Meetings
      1. A valid league meeting may be held at any place, at any time and for any reason if at least half plus one (50% +1) of the permanent league membership publicly votes in favor of holding such a meeting.
      2. The March organizational meeting is, by definition, a valid league meeting regardless of the number of permanent members in attendance.
      3. Any league business, including, but not limited to, rules, fees, courses, and scoring disputes may be addressed at a valid league meeting.
      4. No league rule may obligate the membership, permanent or substitute, to attend or support any event or outing other than the usual and routine weekly rounds of golf.
      5. Roberts Rules of Order shall govern all League meetings.
  9. Scorekeeper
    1. Will collect scores, enter and calculate handicaps on a weekly basis.
    2. Will publish the master schedule for the entire season as early as possible.
    3. Will publish weekly averages and tee-off times no later than two days before tee-off, to include weekly prizes.
  10. Fees
    1. A fee will be collected by the League Secretary in two installments by check. The fee will be decided by the League Secretary in conjunction with the current year rates required by the golf course and a minimal amount for prizes. This information will be published in the memo sent out prior to the beginning of each new golf session.
    2. In the case of a rainout(s), the fees will be applied as a refund to league members at the Fall Banquet. The refund will be computed by dividing the number of league members into the funds remaining after league expenses have been paid. Each member shall receive an equal share of any excess income.
    3. Members using substitutes are responsible for getting their fees reimbursed from the substitute. Substitutes are expected to pay.
  11. Prizes
    1. The number of means of winning prizes shall be determined by the League Secretary and/or from suggestions of league members.
    2. Substitutes are eligible for all weekly prizes and the tournament prizes if they qualify for the tournament.
    3. Season
      1. Traveling trophy to the 1st place team as determined by the playoff.
      2. Prizes: 1st and 2nd half winners ($5.00 each player).
    4. Weekly
      1. Nine prizes of $1.00 per night.
      2. Prizes are awarded to three players with the highest number of putts and six players with the lowest number of putts.
      3. Fringe is never to be considered “part of the green” for any weekly prizes.
    5. Tournament: 1st through 10th place, $10.00 for first ending with $1.00 for tenth.