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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

About The Tour

NCGT Local Rules

NCGT Local Rules

The National Capital Golf Tour is not a member club of the RCGA. Handicaps calculated under NCGT local rules are valid for our tour only and are not RCGA approved handicaps. Play is governed by the 2008 Rules of Golf of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA), where applicable, by the local rules of the course being played, and by the following NCGT Local Rules.*

* In any instance where the Competition Course Local Rules and NCGT Local Rules conflict, NCGT Local Rules shall prevail, unless otherwise specified by the Rules Committee, prior to the start of the event in question.

Pace of Play Policy

In an effort to address slow play, the NCGT has adopted a Group Pace of Play Guidelines for our tour. Please read more by following this Pace of Play Policy link.

Rangefinders / GPS Units

During all NCGT competitive rounds, a player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g., gradient, wind speed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 14-3, for which the penalty is disqualification, regardless of whether any such additional function is actually used

Preferred Lies

A ball lying on a closely mown area (fairway) through the green may, without penalty, be moved with a clubhead only (no hands) within six inches of where it originally lay, but not nearer the hole and not in a hazard or on a putting green.

Abnormal Ground Conditions

Unmarked areas of spotty growth, or "hard pan", through the green that should be marked as ground under repair - Free drop - All claims of abnormal ground conditions are to be deemed by group consensus when conditions warrant. No relief within a water hazard.

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

“The environmentally-sensitive areas (ESA) (defined by signs or on scorecards) is ground under repair from which play is prohibited. If a player’s ball lies in the area, or if it interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the player must take free relief under Rule 25-1. (see right)

Provisional ball played, Original ball found, but unplayable

If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he must, under penalty of one stroke:

a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played; or
b. Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or
c. Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.

NCGT Local Rule alternative to option "a" only: In consideration of Pace of Play, if a player declares his ball unplayable, and has already played a provisional ball, and wishes to proceed under option “a” of the rule, he may declare his provisional to be in play and proceed from that point, applying the appropriate stroke and distance penalty as prescribed by the rule, instead of returning to the spot of the previous stroke.

Incomplete Hole

As we are using Stableford Scoring at ALL events, we ask that a player who has reached net bogey, and has not holed out, to pick up his ball and move on to the next hole. If at any time a player does not complete a hole (picked up), he shall mark an X on his card for that hole. The player is "out of the hole" and not eligible for a cleaner on that hole only. His Stableford score for that hole is zero (0). However, he may still be eligible for cleaners on any other holes that have a valid score.

Note: A player cannot score lower than zero points in Stableford play. Handicaps are not affected as the scores fall within Equitable Stroke Control guidelines.

Lift, Clean, and Place (when applicable)*

* Lift, clean, and place determinations will be made by the Committee based on course conditions, on the day of an event, prior to the starting time of the first group. In all cases where this local rule is in force for a stipulated round, the rule will apply to either "closely mown areas" only, or "through the green", at the discretion of the Committee. The procedure shall be as follows:

The player shall mark the original position of his ball with a tee or similar marker, prior to lifting his ball. The ball may then be cleaned and inspected by the player, and may not be substituted unless, by rule, the ball is deemed unfit for play. The ball must then be placed within one club length of the original spot, not nearer the hole. Once the ball has been placed it may not be re-lifted.

Penalty for breach of rule: 2 strokes in Stableford play, loss of hole in match play.

Disclaimer: The National Capital Golf Tour does not advocate that all players follow our tour's local rules. These are in effect for NCGT events only. If you wish to maintain a valid RCGA handicap do NOT implement our local rules in your day to day play.


		Stableford Tips
		The Stableford scoring system gives you points based on your score (in our case, net score) for a given hole based on the following formula. Net Double Bogey = 0 points Net Bogey = 1 point Net Par = 2 points Net Birdie = 3 points Net Eagle = 4 points Net Double Eagle = 5 points Net 1 on Par-5 = 6 points Net 0 on Par-5 = 7 points *Some Helpful Tips* Total number of strokes required to score minimum 1 Stableford point on a hole: 2 handicap strokes given on hole: Par 5s - 8 strokes, Par 4s - 7 strokes, Par 3s - 6 strokes 1 handicap stroke given on hole: Par 5s - 7 strokes, Par 4s - 6 strokes, Par 3s - 5 strokes No strokes given on hole: Par 5s - 6 strokes, Par 4s - 5 strokes, Par 3s - 4 strokes If you have reached the number of strokes indicated, prior to holing out, based on the above table, you must pick up your ball. Mark an X on your scorecard for that hole. The reason for this is that your next stroke, in all cases, will result in 0 points for that hole anyway. You cannot score fewer than 0 points in Stableford. This is a Pace of Play issue that must to be adhered to in order for all of us to complete our rounds on time. Additionally, where a player has an opportunity to score points on a given hole but “picks up” before completing the hole, his Stableford score for that hole will be 0 points, and an X is to be marked as the score for that hole. All putts where there is a potential to score more than 0 points must be attempted. There are no “gimmes” for points in NCGT play.

ESA

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

When the Committee is required to prohibit play from environmentally-sensitive areas (ESA) that are on or adjoin the course, it should make a Local Rule clarifying the relief procedure. ESA’s are areas declared by an appropriate government agency or the like. The Committee does not have the authority to declare an area to be an ESA. If the Committee wishes to protect an area by preventing play from it, a local rule deeming the area to be ground under repair from which play is prohibited may be implemented. See Ground Under Repair section. If an area has been designated as ESA, the Committee must determine how to define the area. There are three choices, either ground under repair, water hazard or out of bounds. In order to declare an ESA as a water hazard, it must meet the definition of a water hazard, otherwise the Committee must deem the area to be ground under repair or out of bounds.

When an area is deemed to be ESA, the local rule must clarify how the area is defined and how the player must proceed.

NCGT Local Rule:

“The environmentally-sensitive areas (ESA) (defined by signs or on scorecards) is ground under repair from which play is prohibited. If a player’s ball lies in the area, or if it interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 25-1.

Rule 25-1 Ground Under Repair

b. Relief

Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an abnormal ground condition as follows:

(i) Through the Green: If the ball lies through the green, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped

within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the condition and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

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