Pennants
Rules/Conditions
for the 2012 Brisbane District Competition for all Grades and Divisions. (Amended 2012)
THE COMPETITION:
It is a condition of entry in The Brisbane District Golf Association Pennant Competition that each invited Club, player, caddie and club official agrees to abide by the
"Pennant Rules" and the "Code of Conduct" documents of The Brisbane District Golf Association. The BDGA may apply penalties, including loss of points, for any infringement.
There shall be three (3) grades : Open, Junior, and Masters.
There shall be four (4) divisions: 1,2,3 and 4.
All grade teams from each club will compete in the one division for a Club pennant and individual Grade pennant.
The competition shall use a home and away format in each division, noting that in Division 4, each team will play only 2 home and 2 away matches before a final.
COMPETITION STRUCTURE:
1. A club pennant format with the aggregate scores from the results of all three grade matches determining the winner of each fixture.
A win will score 2 points, a tie 1 point and a loss 0 points. Promotion and relegation will be determined using the ranking obtained from these club results.
Example Club A v Club B
Club A wins 6 Open matches, 3 Junior matches and 1 Masters matches.
Club B wins 5 Open matches, 2 Junior matches and 4 Masters matches.
Club B wins the fixture 11/10 and gains 2 points.
2. Each grade (Open, Juniors and Masters) will play within their division for a pennant using the points system in (a).
Host clubs will be required to have available for play an 18 hole or 9 hole golf course, which is either their course, or a surrogate course.
Each fixture shall be played on the date, at the time, and at the course allocated in the pennant fixture document distributed at the beginning of the pennant season,
unless altered by the B.D.G.A. Match Committee.
HOST CLUB RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. The Host Club shall provide the "Match Committee" of the day.
The match committee is to supervise the commencement of play.
The match committee's presence on the course should be such as to allow ease of access for all players when any match decisions are required.
It is the Match Committee's responsibility to supervise care of the course, the pace of play, make decisions when requested and penalise players where necessary during the competition.
For other matters of dispute the BDGA Match Committee shall be the final arbiter.
No member of the Match Committee of the day appointed by the host club may be a player in the competition on that day, nor be the non-playing Captain/Manager, nor be any person giving team advice under Rule 6 of the 'CONDITIONS of PLAY' of these Pennant Rules (Rule 8 of the Rules of Golf).
2. In the event of poor climatic conditions, the Match Committee of the day should consider the following options in an endeavour to complete the fixtures as programmed and prevent abandonment:
(a) A satisfactory course presentation.
(b) With a possibility of play, a short postponement of the commencement of play.
(c) If only part of the course is playable, the Match Committee of the day should stipulate the eighteen (18) holes to be played. Some holes may be played more than once.
(d) If no play is possible, or the course becomes unplayable after a match of the pennant fixture has commenced, and there is no possibility of completing play that day, the fixture shall be abandoned and each team is awarded one
(1) point.
The Secretary of the BDGA is to be notified of such decisions by phone or /and confirmed by facsimile or E-mail.
3. The Host Club is responsible for welcoming visiting clubs, providing cards, copies of local rules and "pin placements" when possible.
After- match catering is at the discretion of the host club and catering is to be minimal, kept simple and as inexpensive as possible. If clubs cannot supply after- match catering the invited club is to be notified prior to the pennant fixture.
*PLAYER ELIGIBILITY:
Male players only, who have the qualification of an "amateur" as required by Golf
Australia, shall take part in this competition.
Each person selected to play in a pennant team MUST register their relevant contact details with the BDGA on the website www.bdga.org.au prior to playing. It is the responsibility of the relevant CLUB to ensure that each player is so registered and the ultimate responsibility of the Club Captain to ensure that only registered players actually play.
Should an unregistered player inadvertently or otherwise compete in a match, then that player will not be able to score points in any subsequent pennant match until registered with the BDGA.
Any attempt to circumvent the registration process will be dealt with by the BDGA.
1. Any player competing must be:
Either an Ordinary, Junior, Intermediate, Provisional, or any other category of membership, with full rights having paid un-discounted fees to the club they represent.
2. Any player, who is a country, interstate or absentee member of the club for which he is nominated is NOT eligible.
3. Once a player has played a pennant match , he may not play a match for any other BDGA affiliated club in that calendar year, irrespective of his eligibility for more than one grade.
4. Any player who has played three (3) games in the Open grade in a calendar year is then not eligible to participate in the Junior grade or Masters grade in that same calendar year.
GRADES & TEAMS:
OPEN - Eligible players. A team shall consist of eleven (11 ) players in Divisions 1,2 and 3, and nine (9) players in Division 4.
JUNIOR - Eligible players who have not attained the age of eighteen (18) years as of the first scheduled fixture day of the Junior Pennant Competition.
A team shall consist of five ( 5 ) players.
MASTERS- Eligible players who have attained the age of fifty (50) years.
A team shall consist of five (5 ) players.
CONDITIONS of PLAY:
Any player , club official or other person who fails to comply with these Rules may be disciplined by the BDGA Match Committee.
1. Each match shall be played under the Rules of Golf (R. & A.) and the Local
Rules of the host club.
The use of Distance Measuring Devices in compliance with Rules of Golf, Appendix 1, Part B.9 is permitted, irrespective of host club local rules.
The ball a player plays must be named on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls issued by the R&A. Penalty as per the Rules of Golf.
Any driver the player carries must have a club head, identified by model and loft that is named on the current List of Conforming Driver heads issued by the R&A. Penalty as per the Rules of Golf.
2. Course presentation should be of the highest standard possible for such a competition. Tee markers may be in different positions for different grades.
NO social clubs or social play is permitted in advance of the pennant matches. Unless specific permission is granted by the BDGA match committee, each pennant fixture shall be played on the date, at the time, and at the course allocated in the Pennant Fixture document, including such changes negotiated with the BDGA prior to the beginning of the pennant season. Any proposed subsequent alteration is to be negotiated with the BDGA Match Committee.
*3. Each player (or reserve) is NOT permitted to practice on the course on the day of his pennant match. Any player found practising will be disqualified and a reserve may be substituted.The use of designated practice areas not on the course area to be played is permitted. Practice rounds prior to the day of competition are to be negotiated between competing clubs.
4. A Golf Club entering a team in The Brisbane District Golf Association Open Pennant Competition must have a golf course available to accommodate play, and to facilitate the promotion and relegation regulations of the competition. This course must be either the club's own course or the club must show intent to have available a named, agreed and approved "surrogate course."
Where a participating club has a "surrogate 18 hole golf course," that participating club must nominate in writing to the BDGA the proposed "surrogate course" available for the pennant fixtures, on the specified competition days. The "surrogate course" must be approved for pennant play by The BDGA.
The "participating club" and the "surrogate club" cannot compete in the same pennant division. The cost and responsibility of supplying a "surrogate course" for pennant play, including course presentation and practice facilities as detailed above, shall not be borne by the BDGA, but through negotiations between the "participating" and "surrogate" golf clubs.
Where a participating club has more than 18 holes, the club must nominate the 18 holes to be played for all pennant fixtures, for the calendar year in question.
Participating clubs must nominate the order of holes to be played. Clubs must notify the BDGA in writing of these nominations at least two months prior to the commencement of the first pennant fixture for the calendar year. Should a temporary alteration be necessary, clubs must notify the BDGA Match Committee and the Captains of all participating teams involved of the changes.
5. Open grade matches shall commence from the 1st tee. Masters and Junior grade matches shall commence from the 10th tee or for 9 hole courses to follow the open players. Juniors are to be followed by Masters.
There shall be a toss for the honour between club teams, not individual grades.
Matches are to be played as a two ball, but at the discretion of any host 9 hole host club and with prior agreement of participating clubs and the BDGA Match Committee established prior to the beginning of the pennant season, two matches may be played together as a group of four players.
6. Team details The Captain or his nominee, of each team shall prepare a list of the players for each grade team in numerical playing order. This list is to be submitted to the host club's appointed official, no later than ten (10) minutes before the scheduled starting time of the pennant fixture.
The individual matches are to be played in the reverse order to the numerical order in which the respective names appear. The first match of the pennant fixture shall be ready to hit off at the appointed time.
The opposing Captains may agree to alterations of the submitted order of play only of matches between members of the teams already submitted.
A player shall be considered absent if he is not present and ready to play at the time his match is due to commence. After the team has been submitted, an eligible emergency player may substitute a team member only in a case of (1) disqualification or (2) failing to arrive at his appointed tee time. In no case shall individual matches be played outside the block time allocated for that fixture.
Failure to comply with such an alteration or substitution will award a forfeit to the opposing team for that match. In accordance with the note to Rule 8 of the Rules of Golf, each grade team may
appoint one non-playing person who may give advice to members of (and caddies of) any of that Club's grade teams, in addition to the persons from whom advice may be asked under that rule. One of the persons appointed to give such advice must be the nominated non-playing Captain/Manager.
7. Slow play: Play should be without delay and in accordance with "the pace of play guidelines" laid down by the committee of the host club. If a match fails to keep its place on the course and has lost more than one clear hole on the match in front, it shall be deemed to have breached the guidelines of "play without delay." The match can expect an official warning from the Match Committee of the day, and subsequently may be directed to invite the following match to pass. Further penalties for subsequent offences may be invoked. (Rule 6-7: Match play - loss of hole, and for subsequent offence- Disqualification.)
8. Matches finishing square after the eighteenth (18) hole remain square, with each player recording 1/2 a point.
9. To use a motorised buggy or the like, when competing in Open or Junior Pennant Fixtures, the player must submit a medical certificate to the BDGA Match Committee for review. The certificate must be submitted for review and approval at least seven (7) days prior to the commencement date of the pennant fixture. The Captain of the opposing team is to be notified immediately of such approval. The approval of certificates to validate the use of motorised buggies or the like will be at the sole discretion of the BDGA Match Committee. Non compliance awards a forfeit to the opposing team for that match.
Each caddie is permitted the use of a motorised buggy.
Each player competing in the Masters Pennant Fixtures is permitted the use of a motorised buggy.
10. The B.D.G.A. Code of Conduct states "consumption of alcohol during the course of a round of competition" is an offence. Whilst purchase of alcohol at or on the golf course is permitted, consumption of alcohol by any player or caddie is prohibited while playing a stipulated round in The B.D.G.A. Pennant competition. Violation of such condition of play will result in disqualification.
SCORING and RESULTS:
1.An individual match result of a win after 18 holes scores (1) point and a square (1/2) point.
2.The winning team/club is the team/club that secures the greatest number of individual match points.
A win shall then score two (2) points and in the event of the fixture being tied, each team shall score one (1) point.
3. Competition structure:
(a) A club pennant format with all matches counting towards the match result, noting that in Division 4, the winner shall be determined by a final played between the teams finishing first and second on points after the home and away matches. (This match shall be played at the highest ranking 18 hole course from the previous season.)
This will determine the promotion/relegation ranking positions.
(b) Each grade (open, junior and masters) will play within their division for a pennant flag
4. Details of the match results, signed by the captain of each club team, shall be handed to the Secretary / Manager of the host club immediately on the conclusion of play. The host club shall ensure the results are forwarded without delay to the secretary of the BDGA Inc.
5. The winner in each division and of each grade will be awarded a pennant trophy/shield.
DETERMINATION of TIES:
Where there is a tie in a division, the team winning the highest number of individual matches shall be placed in the higher position. If the result is still tied a count-back on for and against results (commencing with Open followed by Juniors then Masters) in ascending numerical order will be used to break the tie. The same principle applies to a tie in a grade result.
PROMOTION and RELEGATION :
Provided the circumstances and the conditions of play are appropriate for such promotion and relegation for the forthcoming year and prior to the commencement of the pennant fixtures following review of the order of merit results of the previous year's competition, promotion and relegation will be as follows.
The team finishing first in Divisions 2, 3 and 4 shall be promoted to the higher division for the following years competition. The team finishing last in Divisions 1,2 and 3 shall be demoted to the lower division for the following years competition.
DRESS REGULATIONS and LOCAL RULES etc:
1. Each player and caddie must comply with Host Clubs' dress regulations and local rules. Any official or club supporter is to respect the dress regulations at participating host clubs, especially in respect to collared shirts, tailored shorts, hosiery requirements, and also in requesting the wearing of non-metal spikes. These conditions will be endorsed by the BDGA Management Committee.
2. Each host clubs insisting on the wearing of non-metal spikes shall notify all other clubs within the division and the BDGA Match Committee of this requirement, at least thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of the pennant season.
3.Each player shall abide by the B.D.G.A. Code of Conduct By-Laws Document. This document can be reviewed on the BDGA web-site: A copy will be forwarded to each participating club for their notification.
4. The use of any mobile phone by a player or caddie on the course whilst any pennant competition is in progress, is PROHIBITED. Each mobile phone must be switched off during play and until all play is completed ,( other than when the player or caddie leaves the competition course). Refer Rules of Golf, App. IV Part 5, p.162 and Rule 14.3.
Any electronic communicating device in the possession of any official or spectator whilst on the course should be switched off or on ‘silent’ to prevent interference with play. Only in an emergency may such a device be used on the course.
AMENDMENTS and INTERPRETATIONS:
The BDGA Management Committee has the right at any time to alter, to add to, or to substitute, any or all of the foregoing rules by appropriate notification to all clubs, and is the authority for the interpretation of these rules, having full power to deal with any relevant matter not provided for herein. A copy of this document can be reviewed on the BDGA web-site, while a copy will be forwarded to all participating clubs prior to the commencement of each yearly pennant fixtures.
BDGA Match Committee
N.B. Amendments for 2012 Rules are marked with an asterisk * .