Rules of Team Play
Revised 1/11/2024
COMPETITION:
Competition will be a four-ball match play. The match will be played off the lowest handicap of the foursome in each division and the home captain will stroke the score cards accordingly prior to the match. Holes won are determined by the one best net from each team.
RULES:
USGA match play rules apply, unless local rules have been written prior to the match. A copy of local rules will be provided. Rules disputes should be directed to the host club pro.
If it is cart path only for the entire course on the day of play; it will be lift, clean, and place in the fairway only, otherwise play it down. Once the ball is placed, you may not move it again without penalty.
Cell Phones must be turned off or on silent mode. They may be used for scoring purposes in Golf Genius but for calls may only be used prior to the match, at the turn, or afterward. Penalty is loss of hole for the team. Please call this on yourself if you need to take a call or send one, rather than waiting to see if your opponent imposes the penalty. Forfeit the hole, use the phone and move on.
Rangefinders that measure distance to the pin will be permitted during team play. Other devices that measure wind, elevation, etc. are not permitted. If a player uses a range finder, her partner or opponents may ask for the distance and the player is obligated to announce the reading. Use of the device must not cause delay in play. Please take several clubs to the ball, using your judgment from the other position markers, so that once a reading is made you have a club in hand.
Pace of Play must be followed. Keep up with the group in front of you. If a putt is given or a hole conceded, pick up and move on, even if you have to wait. You may get in trouble on the next hole! If a course marshal instructs you to skip a hole, you must pick up, split the hole and pick up the pace. To maintain pace of play walking is not permitted.
Ready golf on all fairway shots if agreed upon by foursome.
Proper golf attire and etiquette must be observed.
Late arrivals are allowed. If anyone from any team is late, they are allowed to begin play on the hole that is currently being played. There will be no delay of game or waiting for someone to arrive. Start times must be honored.
PARTICIPATION:
For clubs to participate in Team Play matches, they have a responsibility and an obligation to field a team or at least part of a team.
Participation in Team Play matches is limited to eligible golf members for each of the respective clubs. An eligible member is defined for Team Play purposes as a member of the club, member of the LGA and/or a member of a “sister” club of one of the participating clubs. Sister club participants must be a club member of the Sister club. (revised 01/2023). At the Captains meeting, each club will declare the sister club they intend to use for that year. This option will only be used if no eligible player from the home club is available to play. The following sister clubs have been added for the 2023 season; Brookfield/ Atlanta National; Cartersville/Cherokee CC; Eagle Watch/Bridgemill, Pinetree/Atlanta Country Club and Woodmont/Crystal Falls.
Year End Tournament: Every club is expected to send at least 6 players to the year-end tournament. Failure to send six players may result in suspension the following year. The year-end event is open to all members of the clubs whether they played in a Team Match Play event or not. An ideal number is 10 – 15 players per club needed to host this event.
TEAM CAPTAINS:
Each captain may have a co-captain to work with her. At least two days prior to the date of the match the guest team captain will contact the host team captain with her team’s players, GHIN Numbers and indexes. In turn, the host team will provide the same to the guest captain as well as confirm tee times, course played, rating/slope, tees and give directions if needed. The day of the match the host captain will provide
two sets of score cards indicating where the strokes fall. Adjustments can be made to the cards the morning of the match if players change. Use of Golf Genius is required.
Team Captains are responsible for ensuring all scores are posted after a match. All scores will be posted through Golf Genius, as approved by the acting captains, and submitted by the Host Pro. Golf Genius is the official scorecard.
TEAMS:
Each club will send a team of six players selected by the team captain of that club for each match. One player may compete alone in a division but she must have the proper index for that division. Points are forfeited in any division where there is no player.
DIVISIONS:
Selections are made from a list of players divided into three divisions: A, B and C. Each is based on the most current INDEX as stated by the GHIN system for the date of the match. The home team captain will convert each INDEX to HANDICAP based on the Slope Chart of the course being played.
DIVISION INDEX RANGE
A 0 – 17.5
B 15.0 – 25.0
C 23.6 – 34.6
Players may be used out of their division; however, they must play to the maximum index in said division adjusted to the course slope. Thus, an A player may only play A and B; a B player may play A, B, or C; and a C player may only play B and C. If a player moves down a division (A into B for example), she is only entitled to the strokes she has as determined by her index. If a player moves up a division (B into A for example), she can take no more strokes than the maximum allowed for that division. (Example: A player that is a B must play to the handicap determined by a 17.5 Index to move into the A division…. meaning she will lose strokes).
The maximum handicap allowed is 36, no matter how high the index. You must play players in order of index, lowest to highest.
For monthly play, use handicap index 2 days before the match.
All players must have a current handicap.
PLAY:
Each team should play two matches per month, one at the host club and one at their club. Matches will begin after March 15th and each month will run from the 15th to the 15th (revised 01/2022). Host club should try to reserve 4 tee times.
Play will occur as determined by the published master schedule unless a host club course is closed. The clubs involved will reschedule and try to play the match before the end of the month. Only unusual circumstances permit going into the next month. If necessary, that match may be rescheduled for adequate reasons, other than inclement weather. Rescheduled division matches do not have to be played on the same day.
INCLEMENT WEATHER/RAIN DELAY:
Use your own judgment and weather forecast to cancel and reschedule the match by the evening before. In case of inclement weather the day of the match, the two team captains, after consulting the golf professional or course superintendent of the host club, may upon mutual agreement reschedule the match without going to the host course. If not canceled, teams are required to show up on time, be prepared to wait one hour for course or weather conditions to change, and they either play or reschedule the match. The only reason not to play would be if the course is closed per the course superintendent/golf pro. If the match has to be rescheduled, the host club must offer at least three possibilities within the next month; the guest team must choose one of these dates.
Thirteen completed holes constitute a complete match. The remaining holes, 14 –18 (or fewer not played holes), will not count as a tie. The holes that were played will count in figuring the front, back and overall winner. Should only nine to twelve holes be completed, the back and overall points will be split. (Holes 10-12 are not counted). If nine is not completed, the match must be rescheduled. Only by mutual agreement between all four players may the one-hour rain delay be dismissed and points determined as above. Teams not completing at least nine holes that are unable to reschedule within thirty days will split all points.
If shotgun start / rain delay rules:
If 9 holes are not completed, the match must be rescheduled. Thirteen holes constitute a complete match and the holes played are used to determine the front, back and overall winner. Holes not played are not counted in the computation of the front, back and overall winner. Should only 9 to 12 holes be completed the first nine holes played are considered to be the “front” nine and 1 point goes to the winner. (The 10th,11th, and 12th holes played are not counted. The back and overall points are split. Thus the winner of the front nine is awarded 2 match points and the other team is awarded 1 point.
POINTS:
Points will be awarded on the Nassau system: one point to the winner of the Front Nine, one point to the winner of the Back Nine, one point to the winner of the Eighteen Total. If a nine or eighteen is tied, a half point is given to each side. Three points are possible for each division.
If a club cannot field a team at one Division (A, B or C), that division team will take zero points and the non-forfeiting team at that division will take 3 points (revised 02/2022).
If a club forfeits the entire match, the non-forfeiting team will take a total of (seven (7) revised 2/23) points for the match and the forfeiting team will take zero points for the match. Future or past scores for those clubs and others will not be affected (revised 02/2022).
If a club forfeits an entire match, that team’s club may be suspended from play the following year.
RESULTS & SCORING:
All scores will be posted through Golf Genius, as approved by the acting captains, and submitted by the Host Pro. Golf Genius is the official scorecard.
Team captains are to collect the cards from the match. The host captain is to examine the cards, assure they are attested, and tally the total team points won and lost. When both captains agree on the total points scored the host captain will submit the total points of the match to the Team Play Coordinator as soon as possible. The total points for the match should add to nine, except if there is a forfeiture. In that event, mark the scorecard with an “F” and advise the Team Play Coordinator as to how many divisions were forfeited (see Points above). The host score keeper will track and report forfeits to team captains.
The club with the most match points for the season will be announced at the end of season event. If teams are tied, the points awarded by the two matches of the teams involved will be totaled to break the tie.
2024 Team Play coordinators: Dallas Otterlee & Beverly Pearcy
Please submit points from each match to Dallas Otterlee by text to 770-633-8531 or email dallasotterlee@gmail.com
COORDINATOR:
Teams will rotate alphabetically being the Host of Team Play. It will be announced at the year-end tournament. The next coordinator shall schedule a planning meeting in January, distribute the final Calendar and Rules in February, keep points awarded for all matches throughout the season, and plan the tournament event at the end of the year. The all-inclusive cost will be determined by the host club.
[Note: 2024 host is Pinetree; 2025 will rotate alphabetically to Big Canoe.]
DUES:
Each team will submit $60 (revised 01/2022) to the coordinator at the scheduling meeting or via mail before the March matches begin. The money will purchase a trophy for the winning team and be used for prizes at the end of season tournament.