Association and Tournament Rules as of Dec. 2022
Article I Purpose
To document the Sandcrabs Seniors Golf Association and Tournament Rules approved by the Executive Committee.
Article II Information
The Sandcrabs, a self-supporting nonprofit organization, schedules approximately 24 golf tournaments each year. Membership entitles you to compete with other members to get on the Play List for a tournament. You are not guaranteed the right to play in the next tournament unless you have signed the top of your score card, and we are within the prescribed number of players allowed for that golf course.
Article III Membership
a. Membership Limit: Active membership is limited to 180.
b. Membership Application: Individuals seeking to become a member must submit a membership application to the Secretary, who will place them on the waiting list to join.
c. Membership Initiation Fee: New members will pay $50, which includes a $25 initiation fee and $25 for the first year’s dues.
d. Membership Annual Dues: Annual dues are $25 and are due January 1 of each year. Dues must be paid before a member can play in a January tournament. Failure to pay annual dues by January 31 will result in the member being dropped from Sandcrabs roster. Dropped members must submit a new application to rejoin.
e. Membership Tournament Play Requirements: All members must meet the following tournament play requirements:
(1) Play a minimum of eight (8) tournaments during the calendar year to be eligible for membership the following year.
(2) Members who do not play in 8 tournaments will be dropped from the roster at the end of the year. Dropped members must submit a new application for membership to rejoin.
f. Membership Reinstatement Requests: All dropped members may submit a request for reinstatement to the Executive Committee as follows:
(1) All requests must be in writing and must be received by the Secretary no later than 30 days after the date the member was dropped from the roster. The reinstatement request must contain the reason(s) for the member missing ten consecutive tournaments; and advise when he/she will be able to return to playing in tournaments.
(2) The Executive Committee will review and vote on each request for reinstatement. No additional dues will be required of reinstated members for that calendar year.
(3) The Secretary will submit the member’s name to the Handicap chairman who will schedule reinstated members to play in the next available tournament. Reinstated members must meet all other membership requirements to be eligible to renew their membership for the following year.
(4) All members not reinstated by the Executive Committee may submit a new application to rejoin. He will then be put on the waiting list to join.
Article IV Tournament Rules
a. Tournament Cost: The cost of each tournament will normally be $40.00 to members unless changed by the Executive Committee with the approval of the membership.
b. Tournament Play: Tournament play will be a shotgun start on all 18 holes. All members must keep up with the group in front of them and avoid slow play and complete play within four hours and 45 minutes (4:45) hours of starting time. After the four hours and forty minutes (4:45) scores will be posted and prizes awarded. Members and/or groups completing play after the close of score posting will not be eligible to win in their flight.
c. Tournament Rules: Tournaments will be played in accordance with USGA Rules unless modified by the President of Sandcrabs or the golf course official, due to golf course conditions. If the golf course official requires members to keep their golf carts on the cart paths at all times due to wet course conditions, the tournament play will include lift, clean and place your ball. Members will adhere to all golf course rules and dress codes.
d. Dress Code: We are guests at the golf courses we play, therefore, all members will strictly adhere to the special rules and dress codes of the golf courses. Blue jeans, shorts, and shirts without collars are not normally considered appropriate dress at most golf courses and for Sandcrabs tournaments.
e. Tees: All Sandcrabs male members will “tee” off from the “senior” tees. Female members will “tee” off from the “red” tees.
f. Player Score Cards: Tournament players will not enter scores on their cards. Score cards will be traded with other players in the assigned group. Each player is responsible for their scores and must sign their own card.
g. Guests: Any Sandcrab member may bring (2) guests per golf outing. Also, members may bring guests unlimited times during the year. Guests will pay a minimum of five dollars more than a member to play. Members must contact the Handicap Chairman to ensure that space is available for the guest. h. Riding Carts: All tournament players must ride in carts. Walking the course will not be allowed during a Sandcrabs’ tournament, unless there is an equipment failure.
i. Mulligan: Each player will receive one mulligan (a second shot) during each tournament. The mulligan may be taken at any time to replace an errant shot. If a ball appears lost or out-of-bounds, a player may hit a provisional mulligan until he determines the status of his original ball. If the player determines that the original ball is not lost or out-of-bounds, he must play the original ball. Once a player declares that he is hitting his mulligan, he may not play his original ball.
j. Red Tee Buster: Each player may choose one hole, per tournament, from which to tee off from the red tees.
j. Clubs: No limit to the number of clubs a player may have.
k. Putts: Putts which are within the length of the grip of the putter, a distance of approximately twelve (12) inches, may be conceded without having to putt out. However, once a player’s score equals a double bogey, he will pick up his ball and go the next hole.
l. Tournament No Show Penalty: Once a player has signed up to play in a tournament he must cancel his play to avoid a “no show” penalty. To cancel, he must notify the Handicap Chairman no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before the tournament. Failure to notify the Handicap Chairman before the cut off time will result in $10 fine for the “no show.” The member’s record will be flagged, and the fine must be paid before playing in his next tournament.
m. Moving the Golf Ball: You may roll (bump) your golf ball one (1) score card length with your golf club any place on the golf course except in a hazard or when on the green, to get onto the green or when the ball is out of bounds. When you move the ball, you must not intentionally improve your lie through the green. If you are behind a tree, you must keep the tree between you and the green. You must move the ball with your club and not pick it up and place it. If the ball is out of bounds, you cannot roll it back in bounds.
n. Soft Spikes or No Spikes: All members of Sandcrabs will wear soft spikes or no spikes at all tournaments.
o. Consecutive Play: Holes shall be played consecutively. No skipping holes and coming back to play later. Slow players may allow faster players to play through.
p. Tournament Cancellation Procedures
(1) Who will Cancel Tournaments. The President, in consultation with the Golf Course Professional, will determine when a golf tournament must be canceled due to inclement weather. After the decision to cancel is made, the President will notify the members of the Executive Committee for appropriate action.
(2) Tournaments Cancelled before the day of the tournament. When a tournament is canceled before the day of play, all members on the Play List will receive a email advising them that the tournament has been cancelled. Each player on the cancelled tournament players list will be automatically be placed on the Play List for the next tournament.
(3) Tournament Cancelled on the day of the tournament. If a tournament is cancelled after registration and payment of tournament fees, the Sandcrabs will retain tournament fees and the members will be given credit towards playing in their next tournament and put on the play list. Members not showing up at the tournament site will be put on a standby list.
Article V Tournament Flights and Scoring
a. Tournament Flights: All tournaments will be divided into four equal flights (A, B, C, and D) based on the Points to Pull (PTP) Handicap.
b. Tournament Scoring: Tournament scoring will be based on the number of strokes taken on each hole as follows:
Zero (0) points for double bogey and above
One (1) point for a bogey
Two (2) points for a par
Four (4) points for a birdie
Six (6) points for an eagle
Six (6) points for a hole-in-one on a Par 3 hole
Eight (8) points for a double eagle
c. Tournament Score Adjustments: All tournament scores, which exceed minus seven (7) points, will be reduced to a minus seven (7) when computing the PTP Handicap. (Example: If a member’s PTP is 20 and he pulls only 11 points during a tournament the score will be adjusted to 13 when computing his next tournament PTP Handicap.) All tournament plus points will be counted when computing the PTP Handicap.
Article VI Tournament Points to Pull (PTP) Handicap
a. Points to Pull Handicap: Each member’s PTP Handicap will be the average of his or her last five tournament scores, except for new members, and is based on the 36 points system for 18 holes of golf.
b. New members: All new members must complete one round of play with the Sandcrabs before being eligible to win prizes. The new member’s first round score, will be used to establish the PTP handicap for their second tournament, and they are eligible to win.
Article VII Tournament Registration
a. Tournament Sign Up Lists:
(1) Play List: The Play List for the next tournament is made up of those players that signed the top of their score card at the previous tournament. To fill out the field, player’s names will be taken off the standby list in the order which they were put on. Players on the standby list will be contacted by the Handicap Chairman either by phone or Email the week of the tournament.
(2) Standby List: There will be a Standby list on the registration table at each tournament. A member who is unable to play or attend the tournament site to place his or her name on the Play List for the next tournament may write the name of the next tournament which they plan to play.
(3) Cancellation: Cancellations can be made up to 12 noon p.m. on the day before the tournament. Members who desire to become last minute replacements, on the morning of the tournament, must arrive early and sign in as possible replacements at the Tournament Registration table. Replacements will be called in the order they sign up at the tournament site.
b. Registration Times: Payment of tournament fees, pick up of member’s score card and hole assignments will begin at 06:45. Registration will close at 07:45.
Article VIII Tournament Prize Awards
a. Prize Awards: Prizes for each flight will normally be gift certificates to purchase merchandise in the golf course pro shop. The prize money per player is determined by the number of players in the tournament divided by four flights. Prize money will be equal for each flight. Prizes will be awarded to the top five golfers in each flight. Exceptions can be made by the President to increase payout to six places or drop to four places. There will be no ties. All ties will be resolved by the best score on the handicap holes, starting with the number one handicap hole and so forth until one player has a better score on the handicap hole than the other.
b. Par 3 Closest-to-the-Pin Prize Award: Two of the par three holes on the course will be designated as closest-to the-pin hole for Flights A and B and the other two par three holes will be for Flights C and D. The player in those flights who is closest-to-the-pin, on the green, or makes a hole-in- one will receive a gift certificate. Members may use their mulligan on the par three holes and receive the closest-to-the-pin prize. Amount of the gift certificate will be determined by the Executive Committee.
c. Hole-In-One Prize Money: Each member making a Hole-In-One will receive $100. Members making a hole-in-one with their mulligan will receive the hole-in-one prize money.
Article IX Annual Christmas Party
a. Annual Christmas Party: The annual Christmas Party will be held, before Christmas, with a scheduled December golf tournament. Members are not required to play in the Christmas tournament in order to attend the Christmas Party.
b. Christmas Party Reservation Fee: Each member, planning to attend the Christmas party, will be assessed a reservation fee. The reservation fee, to be determined by the Executive Committee, is non-refundable unless the member cancels his reservation a minimum of seven days before the party. All funds collected will be used to help defray the cost of the party.
c. Christmas Party Door Prizes: All members who pay the reservation fee can attend the Christmas Party. The Executive Committee will determine the quantity and type of door prizes based on the money available. To be eligible for a gift a player must have completed eight (8) tournaments. The final tournament in which a player can qualify for a door prize is the last tournament in November.
Article X Inclement Weather, Electrical Storm and/or Rain Out Procedures
a. Electrical Storm and/or Rain Out Procedures: Tournament play will immediately stop and players must seek shelter when lightning or an electrical storm approaches. The President in consultation with the Golf Course Professional, will determine if tournament play will continue and/or make the final decision on when to cancel tournament play. All players stopping play and departing the golf course, before the tournament is cancelled, may not win a prize. Once the tournament is cancelled, all players must stop play and players will be advised to return to the clubhouse. Scores on all cancelled tournaments of less than 18 holes will not be used to update member’s PTP handicap and prize award procedures will be as follows:
(1) President completes less than nine holes: The tournament will normally be canceled, payment is not normally required by the golf course, and each player will receive credit towards playing in his next tournament. The tournament may be rescheduled.
(2) President completes nine holes but less than eighteen holes the event is declared a tournament: The number of holes used to score the tournament will be the players first 9 holes. Prize award procedures will be as follows:
(a) Each player's total score on the first nine will be used to determine the tournament scores. (Holes not played will receive a zero and additional holes above the first nine will not be used in the score.)
(b) Points scored on the first nine holes will be doubled, and then subtracted from PTP to determine the players plus or minus score.
(c) Closest-to-the-pin prizes for all par three holes will not be awarded.
(d) Tie breaking scores will be determined by a coin flip by the member scoring the flight.