SPRING CHAPTER CHAMPIONSHIP
Local Rules Governing Play
- USGA Rules and the following will apply, unless stated otherwise herein or on tournament day.
- Pace of Play goals:
10 min/hole (PLAYer, Par & Birdie)
15 min/hole (Eagle & Ace – regulation course)
If your group is falling behind, please play “ready golf,” including but not limited to these strategies:
- Always do your scoring on the next tee box, rather than while standing on the green.
- “Continuous putting”: whoever is farthest (and/or ready) putts until the ball is in the hole..
- “Putt out and go”: once you hole out, head to the next tee box while others finish.
- Scoring: Keep 2 scores – yours and a playing partner. If you have a walking scorer, report to them after every hole. Sign both scorecards after the round. All scores must be signed and attested to be eligible!
- “Winter Rules”: You may mark, lift, and clean the ball anywhere on the course. On the green it must be replaced in the exact same spot, but off the green it can be replaced within 6” of its original location (no closer to the hole).
- Auxiliary Holes: If another cup/flag (e.g , footgolf) interferes with your intended line of play or shot, you may move the ball laterally, no closer to the hole and in the same cut of grass.
- Parents and Spectators: Must keep a distance of 25’ at all times during play, and refrain from providing advice. Exception: at the PLAYer level only, caddies may help with advice, equipment, and scoring.
- Long grass and perimeter fences are played as penalty areas. You may play the ball it as it lies, or drop within two club lengths of the point of entry (or nearest point of full relief) with a one stroke penalty.
- Maximum score is 8 per hole. If you reach 8 shots and have not holed out, record as “8x”
Have fun and play your best!
Tournament Details
Tournament Mission
To provide a fun and educational opportunity for our members to participate in tournament-style competition and apply the golf and life skill lessons they are developing in their weekly classes.
Tournament Timetable
Please check in 15-30 minutes prior to your tee time. Course play have a duration of approximately 90 minutes for PLAYer, Par & Birdie divisions (Eagle 9-hole is 2 hours, Eagle/Ace 18-hole is 4 hours). Once play has concluded, return to the check-in table to complete scoring and check out.
Parent & Guardian Roles
To minimize group sizes, we can only allow one adult or spectator on the course with each golfer. In the PLAYer division, this would be the “caddie.” In all other divisions, where caddying is not allowed, that would be a “spectator.”
Spectators: Having galleries for the tournament can make it a fun and exciting atmosphere for players, and enhance the experience for everyone. We ask that spectators keep a distance of 25 yards at all times (per WJGA rules).
Caddies: in the PLAYer divisions only, ONE parent, guardian, or family member per player is permitted to carry the golfer’s bag, provide assistance with equipment, and scoring if deemed the player’s caddie. Caddies are not allowed in the Par, Birdie, or Eagle/Ace divisions.
Walking Scorers: We will try to have one official “walking scorer” per group. This adult will keep a separate scorecard and players will report their score to you on each hole. At the end of the round, your scorecard is then used to verify each of the players’ cards.
In the interest of ensuring a young person’s positive association with golf, we encourage parents to be an active member of their child’s support team. To start, we recommend watching this video: “Golf Parent for the Future” – (10 min. Pia Nilsson & Lynn Marriot). Vision 54 is an industry leader in the theories golf skill development for all ages, with the goal being the pursuit of the perfect round: in score, enjoyment, and application for the future. Pia and Lynn were also instrumental in the development of The First Tee curriculum taught in each of our classes.
Weather
Please come prepared to be outdoors and comfortable for the duration of your round (hat, snack, water bottle, etc.).
Players must wear close-toed shoes (no flip flops or sandals) and golf cleats are ok of course, but no other cleats are allowed (soccer, baseball, football, etc.).
Walking Scorers
As stated above, keeping one’s score is an important part of our curriculum, so we ask that players manage their own scorecard independently. Additionally, we will attempt to assign at least one adult to each group as a walking scorer. It will be their responsibility to keep an objective and accurate score to compare with players upon completion of the round. If there is an unresolved rules question, please consult a coach.
Code of Conduct
For players and galleries in tournament play, we maintain a code of conduct consistent with the Washington Junior Golf Association (WJGA). For more information, visit their website HERE. USGA rules apply unless otherwise stated.
Photography
Cameras are welcome. We’re on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@firstteeseattle). Share your memories!