NCGA Team Match

If you wish to participate in this year’s NCGA Team Match competition, then please send your name and the best way to contact you by email to teamcaptain@stmgc.com. 

Here are some of the conditions of play / match rules.

By 9 AM on the Wednesday prior to each of your scheduled matches, please confirm with the Team Captain (email is preferred: teamcaptain@stmgc.com).  If you’re unable to play a match for which you’re scheduled, you must notify the Captain as early as possible, so we can find a replacement, and avoid a forfeit.

Please read carefully the pages in this packet: it is each player’s responsibility to understand the format of the Matches, and any special Rules of Golf which may apply.

Historically the NCGA has reminded clubs about a couple of rules because they are commonly broken:

  1. We all know it is against the rules to stand behind your partner when he is putting, but did you know the same applies to all strokes? e.g. standing behind someone while they are driving, to watch their ball as it disappears into the sun.
  2. Check the number of clubs in your bag (14 maximum).
  3. Be careful about conceding a hole; it might have implications on the four-ball match.  See below.

Cost

There is only one category of costs involved:

  • Hosting club pays green fees.  This means that for every match you’re scheduled to play, you either pay the pro shop directly at Santa Teresa or in the case of an away match, you pay the Team Captain the current Santa Teresa green fees at Santa Teresa.           

Format and Scoring

Each Club fields 12 players for a Team Match.  The six two-man teams of each Club compete against each other in three simultaneous matches:

  1. Match #1 (2 points): Lower Handicap player on each of the 2-man teams plays his corresponding opponent in an 18-hole individual match.
  2. Match #2 (2 points): Higher Handicap player on each of the 2-man teams plays his corresponding opponent in an 18-hole individual match.
  3. Match #3 (2 points): Each 2-man team players their better ball (net) against the opposing 2-man team’s better ball (net) in an 18-hole four-ball match.

If a match ends in a tie, there are no extra holes; each side gets 1 point.

Individual Match Handicap Strokes

  • Lower Handicap player plays from scratch
  • Higher Handicap player receives full difference between course handicaps

Four-ball Match Handicap Strokes

  • Lowest Hdcp player plays at scratch, and each of the other three players receives

    the full hdcp difference between their course handicap and the Lowest Hdcp’s.

Example

STMGC

Opponent

Individual Match Play

Four-ball Match

Dave (8)

Herb (6)

Dave receives 2;
Herb scratch

Herb scratch
Dave receives 2

Bill (13)

Rob (9)

Bill receives 4:
Rob scratch

Rob receives 3;
Bill receives 7

Other

  • Allocation of Handicap strokes as listed on score card
  • Each player is responsible for verifying his own Handicap, prior to teeing off.

Player Pairings

  • The sorted (ascending) list of Player Course Handicaps (CH) will determine their relative position on the team. Thus, the lowest CH will be player #1, and will partner with player #2 in the first group; the highest CH will be player #12, and will partner with player #11 in the final group.
  • Play to current index for the month in which the match is scheduled (effective index is limited to 18.4, by NCGA rules)

Recording the Players’ Score

  • The Hosting Team Captain will post all scores; posted as Tournament score (‘T’).
  • Incomplete Holes: If a player begins, but does not complete a hole:
    • Record the score which most likely would have been made if the hole was completed.  This holds true if the hole has been conceded, meaning if your competitor concedes the hole and you have 15 feet for birdie, you should mark down the score you most likely would have made.  You are not obligated to take birdie. 
    • Not to exceed ‘Equitable Stroke Control Limit’ (ESC).
    • Incomplete Rounds:
    If the Individual and Four-ball matches have been closed out before 18 holes have been played:
  1. a) Continue playing: Record actual score per hole, not to exceed ‘ESC”.
  2. b) Leave the course: Record “Par Plus any Hdcp strokes” entitled to receive.

                                                                                                Example: Hole #17 and  #18 not played

 

Hole

17

18

 

Hdcp

6

13

Player

Par

5

4

Dave
(8)

 

6

4

Bill
(13)

 

6

5

 NCGA Team Match Rules of Play

  • USGA Rules of Four-ball Match Play (Rule 30) and the Team Match Play Rules Document govern all matches.
  • USGA General Rule for Match Play Breach of Rules: Loss of Hole
  • The NCGA Team Match Program involves both Four-Ball and Individual Match Play. Because of this, Rules Unique to Four-ball apply and are summarized herein.

 

1)    Rule 30-3 Four-ball Match Play

  1. Representation of Side:
    A side may be represented by one partner for all or any of a match; all partners need not be present. An absent partner may join a match between holes, but not during play of a hole.
  2. Maximum of 14 clubs:
    The side shall be penalized for a breach of Rule 4-4 by any partner. Rule 4-4. The state of the match shall be adjusted by deducting one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred. Maximum deduction per round: two holes. (Penalty also applies to individual match).
  3. Order of play:
    Balls belonging to the same side may be played in the order the side considers best.
  4. Wrong ball:
    If a player plays a stroke with a wrong ball except in a hazard, he shall be disqualified for that hole, but his partner incurs no penalty even if the wrong ball belongs to him. The owner of the ball shall replace it on the spot from which it was played, without penalty. If the ball is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted.
  5. Disqualification of side:
    (1) A side shall be disqualified for a breach of any of the following by any partner:
  • Rule 1-3: Agreement to waive rules.
  • Rule 4-1, -2, or -3: Clubs
  • Rule 5-1, or -2: The Ball
  • Rule 6-2a: Handicap (declaring a higher Hdcp)
  • Rule 6-4: Caddie
  • Rule 6-7: Undue Delay (repeated offense)
  • Rule 14-3: Artificial Devices/Unusual Equipment

(2) A side shall be disqualified for a breach of any of the following by all partners:

  • Rule 6-3: Time of Starting and Groups
  • Rule 6-8: Discontinuance of Play
  1. Effect of Other Penalties:
    If a player’s breach of a rule assists his partners or adversely affects an opponents play, the partner incurs the applicable penalty in addition to any penalty incurred by the player. In other cases where a player incurs a penalty for breach of a Rule, the penalty shall not apply to his partner. When the penalty is stated to be loss of hole, the effect shall be to disqualify the player for that hole.
  1. Another Form of Match Played Concurrently:

           In a Four-ball match when another form of match is played concurrently, the above Rules apply.

Other Rule Reminders

 1)   Concession of next Stroke, Hole or Match

  • A concession of the next stroke, hole or match, by any player is binding on both the individual and four-ball match. Before making any concession, the player should consider the implication of the concession on his individual match and the four-ball match.
  • A player may elect to not finish a hole. If a player so elects, this has no effect on the four-ball match. His partner may continue to represent the side in the four-ball match. However, it is important that the player who wishes to not finish a hole simply state that he is disqualifying himself, rather than conceding the hole, since a concession of the hole is binding on the four-ball match.
  • A concession may not be withdrawn or declined.

 2)   No Continuous Putting

  • The ball farther from the hole shall be played first. (Exception: Four-ball rule 30-3c)

 3)   Advice

  • When the four-ball match is closed out, the players who were partners no longer remain as such, and may no longer give advice to each other.

4)   Match Play Claims

  • There is no provision in match play which allows for the play of a second ball if a player is in doubt of his rights or procedure. (This rule does not prohibit play of a provisional ball under rule 27-2).
  • Try to resolve disputes as it occurs (carry Rule Book in golf bag)
  • If a doubt or dispute occurs and agreement can not be made, inform your opponent prior to any player playing from the next teeing ground, or in the case of the last hole of the match, before all players in the match leave the putting green, that you are making a claim and want the rules of golf to apply.
  • No latter claims shall be considered unless it is based on facts previously unknown to the player making the claim and the player making the claim had been given wrong information (Rules 6-2a and 9) by the opponent.
  • Inform Team Captains at conclusion of your match.