Grand Strand Golf Tour

2011 Grand Strand Golf Tour RULES & REGULATIONS
Note: Changes to the Rules, Policies and Regulations for 2011 have been highlighted in RED.

MEMBERSHIP is currently required to play on the GSGT.  However, we are considering the addition of non-member entries.  Non-members will pay higher entry fees and will not be privileged to any of the Member advantages.

EVENT PAYMENT POLICY:

• Cash – MEMBERS ONLY - Accepted up to 30 min prior to players tee time.
• Checks – LOCAL ONLY – Accepted on-site (Approved Players Only)
• Credit Cards - (NO LONGER ACCEPTED ON-SITE) Credit Cards are accepted on-line as payment for Membership and Events. Credit Card payments must be received by the tour office prior to the event deadline.

2011 EVENT FORMAT:

◊ 18 Hole Stroke Play PRO-SERIES Events:

The majority of all Pro-Series Events will be held on Monday. These events are targeted at the CPGA Professional, CPGA Apprentice, Touring Professionals and seasoned Amateurs. Players may elect to ride in cart, carry their bag or employ a caddy.

All players are responsible for registering for the events prior to the deadline to avoid late fees. Prize money will be awarded to all players finishing in the top 40% of the field. Each Field is limited to the first 45 players.

Prize money for PRO-SERIES events will paid ON-SITE. Payment to Pros will be cash or check as determined by the tour director. Amateurs will receive gift certificates in the amount of their winnings up to the USGA limitations to maintain amateur status.

◊ 36 Hole Stroke Play CHAMPIONS-SERIES Events:

Champions Events will be held on weekdays and will not conflict with local qualifying for PGA, Nationwide or Champions Events. There are no cuts for any of the 36 hole events. Players may elect to ride in cart, carry their bag or employ a caddy.

All players are responsible for registering for the events prior to the deadline to avoid late fees. Prize money will be awarded to all players finishing in the top 40% of a full field. Each Field is limited to the first 45 registered players.

SHOOTOUT: On the last day of any 2-Day Event, players outside the projected 40% In-The-Money will be eligible to play in an 18 hole Shoot-Out in the final round. The cost of the Shoot-Out is $25.00. The payout formula in the Shoot-Out will be the same as the regular tournament and will be decided by the number of entrants.

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ALL EVENTS ARE LIMITED TO THE FIRST 45 CONTESTANTS WHO REGISTER BEFORE THE DEADLINE.

NOTE:

• A minimum of 12 professionals is required for any event.
• Amateurs: There is no separate Amateur division at this time.
• Seniors: There is no separate Senior division at this time.
  

Tournament Entry Procedure: To enter an event, players may register in the following manner:

• On-Line Registration: All players must register on-line. Professional Members take precedence on the roster over Amateur Members and Non-Members. Amateur Members take precedence over Non-Members.
  Click on the Registration Button and follow the instructions.
• Call-In Registration: Call-In Registrations are no longer allowed.
• Mail-In Registration: No longer allowed
• On-Site Payments: Only registered members in good standing are allowed to pay on site. Non-members MUST pay on-line prior to the event deadline.

• Tournament Deadlines: The deadline for all events is typically Friday 5:00 PM prior to the first round of the tournament. Members are encouraged to register prior to the deadline to reserve a spot in limited fields. If spots are available after this deadline, registered and paid non-members will fill the remaining spots on a first paid basis.

Waiting List Procedure: When a tournament is FULL and a waiting list is established, members will have priority over non-members. Withdraws will be filled by those on the waiting list in the order in which they were received. If a spot opens in the tournament, members will be filled in first, then non-members.

Credit Card Payment Policy: The Grand Strand Golf Tour uses a PAYPAL account which accepts MasterCard, Visa and American Express as well as debit cards. Players paying via Credit Card must pay on-line.

Tour Championship Qualifying: To qualify to play in the season ending Tour Championship, the player MUST be a member of the Grand Strand Golf Tour in good standing and MUST have played in (5) or more regular season events in 2011. Members who meet these conditions automatically qualify to play in the season ending Tour Championship.

Amateur Prizes: In order for Amateurs to retain their Amateurs status, the USGA has limited the value of the prize voucher to be won to an amount not to exceed $750. Amateurs will be awarded prize vouchers equal to the amount of prize moneys won not to exceed the USGA allowable limitations as stated in paragraph (3-2a) in the USGA Amateur Status Rules Book.

TOUR MEMBERSHIP

Membership Fee
2011 Membership fees are $100 for Pros and Amateurs. Membership fees are non-refundable. Membership is currently required of all players who wish to compete.  (Exception: Hosting PGA professionals and Apprentices are not required to become members to compete on their home course.) Membership Fees MUST be paid before a player can register for an event.

Membership Advantages:

• Guarantees any members a position in the field that registers prior to the deadline.
• Reduced entry fees over non-members.
• Members can pay for the event on-site.
• Members are paid immediately following the events conclusion.
• Members have complete access to website.
• Only Members have dedicated profile pages.
• Only Members collect credits for event played.
• Only Members appear on the Money Leaderboard.
• Only Member are allowed to play in the season ending Tour Championship.

Lose of Membership:
A player can loose his playing privileges and member status in one of three ways:

• Register for an event and NO-SHOW.
• Register for an event and WITHDRAW with less than 48 hours prior to the event.
• Conduct at the event that is unbecoming of a professional.

Players who loose their Member status will be required to meet the tours requirements for reinstatement and pay an additional membership fee.

TOUR MEMBERSHIP FUND DISTRIBUTION
Membership Fees:
- 80% Tour Championship Fund
- 20% Tour General Expense Fund

EVENT ENTRY FEES - (Must be received prior to deadline)
(Some events are slightly higher due to seasonal course cost and/or premium course cost)

EVENT	PRO ENTRY FEE	AM ENTRY FEE	NOTES
1-Day Pro Series	$180.00	$95.00	1, 2
2-Day Champions Series	$350.00	$180.00	1, 2
Tour Championship	$400.00	$200.00

Notes:
(1) Some events may be slightly higher due to course cost.
(2) Payments made with credit cards are 3% higher.

TYPICAL FIELD PAYOUT
PLAYERS	% OF FIELD PAID	NOTES
12 – 15	25.00%
16 – 21	30.00%
22	40.00%

ENTRY DEADLINE
Players must be registered by the stated event deadline to guarantee their entry into the field.

PAYMENT OPTIONS
Personal Checks, Cash, Money Orders and Credit Cards are accepted. There will be a $50.00 charge for any returned check and loss of membership privileges until the debt is settled.

NO SHOW/WITHDRAW*
Withdrawals will be accepted for any reason, without penalty, when notice is given 48 hours prior to the start of the event. Players must call the Tour Director to withdraw. For withdrawals after the 48 hour deadline, the player will forfeit his Membership Fee and will be required to pay $100 to reinstate his membership and rights to play the tour.
Medical and personal withdrawals after the 48 hour deadline will be evaluated on a case by case instance, and if accepted, there will be no penalty or loss of privileges. The player must provide evidence in written documentation to the Tour office within 48 hours of withdrawal. No Refund or credit will be given for any reason once a player has teed off.
NO SHOWS & LATE WITHDRAW: The player will forfeit his Membership Fee and will be required to pay $100 to reinstate his membership and rights to play the Tour. Player will also be required to pay next event in advance.

*This rule does not apply to players who have qualified or gained entry into a PGA, Senior PGA, Nationwide or European Tour event and the two events coincide.

PRACTICE ROUNDS
Practice rounds are the responsibility of the player. Tee times are to be arranged between player and pro shop. Practice round dates and cost will be posted on the web site.

PACE OF PLAY
Rule 6-7 states, in part: “The player shall play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guidelines which may be laid down by the Committee.” The following pace of play guidelines and slow play penalties and fines, except during match play competitions, has been adopted.

1. Definition of “Out of Position”
The first group to start will be considered out of position if, at any time during the round, the group exceeds the time allotted per hole, as detailed on the applicable course’s Local Rules Addendum.
The second and third groups, and additional groups as determined by the Rules Committee when play is in pairs, to start will be considered out of position if, at any time during the round, they (a) exceed the allotted time to play or (b) reach any place where there is an open par-3 or par-4 hole, or when the preceding group is on the putting green of a par-5 hole when the group in question is on the teeing ground.
Any subsequent group will be considered out of position if, at any time during the round, they reach any place where there is an open par-3 or par-4 hole, or the preceding group is on the putting green of a par-5 hole when the group in question is on the teeing ground.

2. Monitoring Groups
It is the responsibility of each player to be aware of his groups’ position on the golf course. Rules Officials Are Not required to warn groups prior to be timed. A group will be subject to being timed until back in position with the group ahead or back on TIME PAR.

3. Timing
The timing of a players stroke will begin when it is his turn to play and he can play without interference or distraction. Any time spent determining yardages will count as time taken for the next stroke.
On the putting green, timing will begin after a player has been allowed a reasonable amount of time to mark, lift, clean and replace his ball, repair his ball mark and other ball marks on his line of putt and remove loose impediments on the line of his putt.

A player will have 40 seconds to play a stroke when being timed.

NOTE: An extra 10 seconds will be allowed for:
A. The first player to play a stroke on a par-3 hole.
B. The first player to play a second stroke on a par-4 or par-5 hole (when attempting to reach the putting green).
C. The first player to play a third stroke on a par-5 hole.
D. The first player to play on or around the putting green.

4. Fines and Penalties – Penalty Phase
Any player in a group out of position will be subject to being timed. Any player who exceeds the allotted time to play a stroke will be fined $20.00 on his second bad time of the year and is then considered to be in the Penalty Phase of the Pace of Play Policy. Players in the Penalty Phase of the Pace of Play Policy exceeding the allotted time to play a stroke will be fined and penalized in the following manner.

5. Summary of Fines and Penalties during a Round
First Offense: One timing exceeding the allotted time to play a stroke — one stroke penalty.
Second Offense: One more timing (a total of two) exceeding the allotted time to play a stroke — two stroke penalty.
Subsequent Offense: One more timing (a total of three) exceeding the allotted time to play a stroke — disqualification.

Note: In the administration of these paces of play guidelines, a member of the rules committee shall not tolerate any form of abuse, by the player. Such abuse constitutes conduct unbecoming a professional.

6. Appeals
Any appeal of a penalty and fine must be referred to the Tour Director, by the player in question immediately upon completion of his/her round. The Tour Director’s decision shall be final.

Electronic Devices
The use of distance-measuring devices will be permitted in all Grand Strand Golf Tour events.  The devices can only measure distance.  The use of devices that gauge or measure other conditions that may affect a players play (e.g. wind or gradient) regardless of whether used is not permitted.

Other electronic devices such as mobile cell phones (unless used to contact an official), radios, ipods, MP3 players, televisions, and the like, are NOT permitted.  Any use of such device during the stipulated round will result in disciplinary action and possible DISQUALIFICATION. (Use is defined as the device being on at any time during the stipulated round).

Alcohol Consumption During Round
Alcohol during any competitive round will not be tolerated and is considered conduct unbecoming of a professional.  Breech of this policy will result in the immediate disqualification. Contestants who continue to breech this policy will be banned from future events.

CONDUCT
Any conduct unbecoming of a professional will not be tolerated. Such behavior includes abusive profanity, acts of rage and or any act that results in personal or private property damage. Breech of professional conduct may result in warnings and or disqualification.

87 Rule
Any Professional shooting 87 or higher in a Full Field will be automatically disqualified. Other than a full field, any player shooting and 87 or higher will be placed on probation for the next two rounds. Should that player follow with another round of 87 or higher, the player will be suspended for the next two events. Should the player shoot 87 or higher in any event following suspension, regardless of field size, the player will be automatically cut from a multi-day event and/or suspended until the player can prove his ability to compete.
Note: This rule is only applicable where weather conditions are not a controlling factor in dictating a higher scoring average for the field.

DRESS CODE
No jeans or denim allowed. Shorts may be worn but must be of Bermuda. length. Soft spikes are mandatory at all events.

MOBILE PHONES
See Electronic Device section above.

PLAYOFFS & TIES
Ties for first place will be decided by a sudden death playoff. The Tour Director will decide the holes to be played immediately following regulation play.

PRIZE MONEY
Prize money will paid by Direct-Deposit or by checks mailed by Friday following any event. Competitor must have an IRS W-9 Form on file with the tour office prior to receiving any prize winnings. Non-Resident Alien players must have an IRS W-8 BEN form on file and according to IRS regulations, must submit to the Tour withholding 30% for taxes. Players are responsible for correct Names, Social Security Numbers and Addresses.

SUSPENSION OF PLAY (Due to Dangerous Situation)
Play may be suspended due to dangerous situations. After a horn or siren has sounded, players must immediately halt play and may not resume again until the Committee has ordered to do so. Under suspension the entire golf course is closed, this includes ranges, putting greens and all practice areas. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification.
Suspension of play due to fog, excessive rain, ice, wind or any other reason is considered not dangerous. After the horn sounds, players have the option of finishing the hole they are on or marking the ball position and stopping play.

INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS – REDUCTION OF ROUNDS:

The Tour will do everything within reason to complete 18/36 holes. In such a case 18/36 holes cannot be completed the tournament is final after 18 completed holes of a Two Day Event. Partial rounds will not count. Every effort will be made to complete a round. If less than 18 holes are completed, refunds will be given less course costs.
The rainout policy is very specific. If play is suspended at any time during the first round, play will resume later that day or the next day. The same procedure will be followed for the second round. If the second round is canceled the tournament will be deemed final after the first round. WARNING: Weather conditions may force the course to remove carts from the fairway. In this condition, players may have to walk from cart path to their ball. This is not a condition for a player to withdraw from the event. Players who are not conditioned to walking from cart path to their ball should not play the Grand Strand Golf Tour.