To participate in the IGA Club Championship Matchplay competition members must ensure that they have adhered to Rule 5.1 or face disqualification.
1. IGA-FS Matchplay Competition Rules:
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| 1a. |
An official IGA-FS matchplay competition will be held annually. Ladies and Gentlemen will play in separate competitions.
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| 1b. |
Both the winner and runner-up in each competition will receive a trophy.
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| 1c. |
In the event of any unresolved issues concerning these competitions, the IGA-FS Tournament Sub-Committee’s decision will be final.
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| 1d. |
If there are not sufficient participants in either the Ladies or Gentlemen’s individual competitions, the IGA-FS Tournament Sub-Committee may determine that there will be only one Mixed competition.
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2. Eligibility:
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| 2a. |
Only fully paid-up members of the IGA for that year will be eligible to enter the competition.
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| 2b. |
Members will be asked to register their interest (or not) in entering this competition when they pay their annual subscription.
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| 2c. |
The previous year’s winners and runners-up will be exempt from pre-qualifying, and will be automatically entered in the next year’s competition unless they specifically request not to be.
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| 2d. |
In addition, the top three in each series of the previous year’s Overall Stableford Competition will be automatically entered in the next year’s competition unless they specifically request not to be.
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| 2e. |
Thereafter, those members who have expressed an interest in playing in the competition will need to pre-qualify. Qualification for that year’s competition will require participating / playing in at least one of the official IGA competitions held between the beginning of January and the end of May.
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| 2f. |
Adherence to USGA Rule 5-1 (see above) is mandatory.
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3. Timetable:
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| 3a. |
At the end of May, all those who have qualified, and have signed up / registered to play in the matchplay competition, will go into their respective draws. There will be only one draw, before the first round of the matchplay competitions, applicable for the whole season, and these draws will be posted on the IGA website, which will be updated as matches are played.
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| 3b. |
Each round of the draw will be scheduled to be completed by the end of each month, but matches may be played at any time in advance of this deadline.
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| 3c. |
The first named person in the draw for any particular match will be expected to contact his or her opponent at the latest (and preferably sooner) by the 10th day of the month in which the match is scheduled to be played, offering at least two reasonable alternative dates, times and venues for the match on an 18 hole golf course. If, on or before the 10th day of any particular month, the first named player has made reasonable suggestions as to where and when to play, and the second named player is unable to agree a time and place for playing before the end of that month, then the first named player will normally be awarded a walkover into the next round of the competition.
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| 3d. |
However, if the first named player makes no contact with the second player within the first 10 days of the month, the second named player should attempt to contact the first one and arrange the match, offering at least two reasonable alternatives. If no agreement can be reached to play before the end of the month under these circumstances, the second named player will normally be awarded the walkover.
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| 3e. |
If neither participant has made any effort to contact the other before the end of the relevant month when their match is due to be played, both participants will be withdrawn from the competition.
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| 3f. |
In the event that no agreement can be reached on when and where to play, the facts should be promptly relayed to the Tournament Sub-Committee for final approval of any walkover which may be claimed or given. Not withstanding the above, members are expected to show flexibility, sportsmanship and fair play in trying to arrange their matches, and the Tournament Sub-Committee may impose sanctions for any obstructive, unfair or unsporting behaviour on the part of any participant and may disqualify the offending party from the competition.
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| 3g. |
The final of both competitions will take place on the first weekend of October. The venue for the finals will be decided early in the season and posted on the IGA website. Non-participants may play at the same time as the finals are being played, but not in the same groups as the finalists.
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| 3h. |
If practicable, a dinner will be held on the evening of the finals.
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4. Handicaps:
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| 4a. |
The Handicap Committee will review all participants’ handicaps prior to each round of the competition, and handicaps to be used will be published with the matchplay draw on the IGA website. These will normally conform to the member’s IGA handicap, but can be varied at the Handicap Committee’s discretion. The competitions are open to any player with an IGA handicap, who has pre-qualified or falls in the categories as indicated in 2c and 2d above. There is no maximum handicap restriction.
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| 4b. |
The handicaps for each match will be based on the full difference between the IGA handicaps of the two participants.
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| 4c. |
These handicaps should be adjusted for the particular slope rating and standard scratch score of the course where the match is being played, thereby creating the course handicap of the day for each player. Information on the slope rating may be obtained from the secretariat of the club in question. If the match is being played during an IGA Stableford competition, very often the handicap of the course is indicated on the competitor’s scorecard.
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| 4d. |
Having established each player’s course handicap, the full difference between the two handicaps is used to establish how many strokes are awarded to the higher handicap player (the lower handicap player always plays off zero in the matchplay competition).
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| 4e. |
Should it be impossible to ascertain the participant’s course handicap, and only as a last resort, the participants’ IGA handicaps will be used as the starting point for the full difference calculation.
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| 4f. |
Handicap differences and tee-boxes (see paragraph 6c below) must be agreed before the match starts.
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5. Location of Matches:
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| 5a. |
Matches should ideally be played at neutral venues (i.e. not at a club where one of the participants is a member). However, participants, who are not a member of the club in question, may choose to waive this rule if they wish, but are under no obligation to do so.
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| 5b. |
Matches must be played on an 18 hole golf course.
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| 5c. |
Matches should, if possible, not be played during normal IGA Stableford competitions. However, playing matches during IGA Stableford competitions is permitted.
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| 5d. |
The semi-finals and the finals of the matchplay competitions must be played at neutral venues.
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6. Conditions for the match:
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| 6a. |
All competitors should be familiar with the Rules of Golf as applied to Matchplay competitions. Any query, which cannot be resolved on the course, should be referred to the Director of Golf at whichever course the match is being played. Should the Director not be available, in extremis, the case should be referred to the IGA-FS Tournament Sub-Committee, as soon as possible after the match. The scorecard for the match should be submitted, if it is available and relevant to the case.
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| 6b. |
In general, all matches in the matchplay competition should be played without the use of a buggy. Participants will be permitted to use a buggy if they are in possession of a valid medical certificate, in which case their opponent is also permitted to use a buggy. Buggies may however be used if both participants are in agreement to do so. Caddies are permitted in accordance with the Rules of Golf.
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| 6c. |
The two participants for any match must play from the same tee-box, except in the case where the match is being played between a man and a woman who will then play from their respective tees. The course handicap of the day will ensure the required adjustment if one is playing from an unaccustomed tee, but this should be ascertained from the club secretariat before the match.
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| 6d. |
The higher handicap player will have the choice of tee-box from which the match is to be played.
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| 6e. |
Ladies will either play from the red or the blue tees and gentlemen from the yellow or the whites.
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| 6f. |
Exception to the above applies only to Professionals who should play off 0 handicap and from the furthest available tees from the hole, and in use on the day at the chosen club – their opponent may choose to play from any teeing ground appropriate to rule 6c.
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| 6g. |
A match which ends all square shall be played off hole by hole until one player wins a hole. The play-off shall start where the match began. Handicap strokes for the play-off holes shall be allowed as in the prescribed round.
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| 6h. |
Both players should ensure that the result of the match reaches the IGA-FS Competition Secretary (at present: Scott Austin) as soon as possible after the match and before the deadline set for that round of matches. The scorecard for the match should also be submitted, where available.
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Match Play rule in the event of a thunder storm:
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| 7a. |
The following rule shall apply to interruptions caused by thunder storms. Safety must be the primary factor to be considered. If a suspension of play is announced by the course marshalls or staff, with or without a return to the clubhouse, this must be respected and non-compliance will lead to disqualification.
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| 7b. |
In the event of a suspension of play, players must await an all clear (based upon safety) from the club before resuming play. The match play will continue only if there is a reasonable chance of an outcome being determined during the session taking into account the course time schedule for the completion of each hole (where available).
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| 7c. |
If the match cannot be completed following a resumption of play, the match will be considered null and void.
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| 7d. |
If no decision regarding resumption of play is made within two hours following the suspension, or a second suspension is announced following a resumption of play, either of the two players may consider the match null and void.
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| 7e. |
However, if a minimum of nine holes have been completed and both players are in agreement and inform the Committee, the match may be resumed on another day on the same course. The match will resume on the hole following the last completed before the rain delay, using the score, handicaps and honour at the time of the delay.
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| 7f. |
If a match is considered null and void it is as if the match play round has not taken place. The rescheduled match must follow the same criteria as for the original match i.e. the IGA rules for match play including the free choice of course, etc.
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| 7g. |
If a matchplay competition scheduled to take place within the last five days of the month is declared null and void and cannot be rescheduled before the end of the month, the Committee may grant a grace period of five days into the next month to complete the fixture. If within this period there is not a clear result both players will be withdrawn from the competition.
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