Stevenage Golf Club Men’s Section Handbook (for New & Existing Members)
It is every Stevenage Golf Club Member’s responsibility to be aware of the R&A Rules of Golf (click here for link) and any Stevenage Golf Course rules (click here for link).
Application Process
The following process has been authorised by Stevenage Golf Club Men’s Section Committee (SGCMSC) for the management of all new Club members.
- New Club applicants are requested to complete the current Stevenage Golf Club Men’s Section membership form and to supply a summary of their golf history/experience (if any).
- New Club applicant’s forms and statements are presented to the next SGCMSC meeting, usually the second Tuesday of the month.
- If accepted, Club membership is confirmed on a 3-month trial with a full refund if cancelled by the SGCMSC within this period.
- New accepted Club members without a current WHS Index must supply 3 cards (from Stevenage off the white tees signed by an existing Club member) to gain a WHS Index. New Club members joining from another club, with a valid WHS index and historic playing record, are considered to have met this requirement. On acceptance or allocation of a first WHS driven course handicap an additional 3 qualifying Section competitions must be played before a new Club member is eligible to win a Section competition.
- There will be a 3-month review at the relevant SGCMSC meeting.
Competitions
Apart from the Club Championships and Monthly Medals, Section competition tee times are drawn randomly from those entering.
The Monthly medals are drawn in matched handicap groups and random tee times (these are options within the ClubV1 software). Individual exceptions may be catered for where possible for people needing to play early or late within the draw (requests for this must be received before 14:00 on the Thursday before the competition).
The Club Championships are played over 36 holes (currently across a weekend). The first 18 holes are drawn in matched handicap groups and random tee times (these are options within the ClubV1 software) The second round the draw is in reverse gross score order, with the lowest scoring players in the last group.
Section Competition Prerequisites
General Requirements.
To be eligible to play in any Section competition Club members must have a current WHS Index.
To be eligible to win a Section competition competitors must have a valid WHS Index and have entered a minimum of 3 organised Club competitions (to validate the WHS Index).
Club members wishing to enter the Club Championships must have played in a minimum of 3 Club competitions within the prior rolling 12 months.
Other restrictions will be published with the Section competition invitation.
Section Competition Formats
General
Unless otherwise stated all Section competitions will be handicap qualifying where the course is in a qualifying condition (where known, work being undertaken is deemed to make the course non-conforming the SGCMSC will communicate this prior to the competition).
The Club Championship
Is a stroke play competition off the white tees, there are Net and Gross running concurrently.
Monthly Medals
Are net stroke play off the white tees. There are 3 handicap divisions in each medal (0 – 12, 13 – 20, 21 – 28 in line with NAPGC competition requirements).
Summer League
Stableford off the white tees, best 4 scores count towards final points.
Winter League
Stableford off the white tees, top 8 competitors awarded points from 10 down to 3. All players completing 9 holes are awarded 1 point and 18 awarded 2 Points
Section Competitions
Section competitions are managed by the SGCMSC using ClubV1 and How Did I Do (HDID). They are made available on both HDID and the terminal in the Golf Course Centre a week prior to the competition date.
Tee times allocation for all Section competitions are agreed with the Centre management at the beginning of the year. Therefore, tee times are limited and while the SGCMSC will try and accommodate additional players this is not guaranteed.
The draw will be made and published prior to the Section competition date. Where possible the SGCMSC will try and accommodate late entry, but this cannot be guaranteed.
Published Tee Times
Players must be on the tee, ready to play, at least 5 minutes before the published time.
To minimise congestion on the earlier holes, players must not tee off before the published time unless instructed by a starter or member of the SGCMSC.
Players not present and ready to play at least 5 minutes before their group’s published time will be given a penalty of 2 strokes. This should be given by the starter or the other players in their group prior to the player teeing off.
If the starting time is delayed for any reason (such as weather, slow play of other groups or the need for a ruling by a referee) then there is no penalty, if the player is present and ready to play when their group can start.
Players not attending a published tee time will forfeit any related Section competition fees unless they can evidence, they have contacted a member of the SGCMSC prior to the published time. Repeated offences will be addressed by the SGCMSC.
Team Competitions:
In addition to the rules for Section Competitions.
Once confirmed as a member of a Section representing team, failure to attend without being able to evidence notifying the published organizer (or a SGCMSC member) will incur a ‘Section Reprimand’ (SR).
Away members (those who choose another Club as their Home Club) are not eligible to represent Stevenage Golf Club in any interclub competition to avoid any possibility of them representing more than one Club in any such interclub competition.
Speed of Play
Players should keep pace with the group in front.
Other than in match play, players should ‘play ready golf’ where it is safe to do so.
When looking for a ball, players must be aware of and adhere to the 3-minute rule.
Golf should be played at the reasonable pace, the SGCMSC estimate a 4 ball should not take longer than 4 hours 20mins and a 3 ball no longer than 3 hours 45mins.
Where your group drops a hole behind from the group in front, it is your group’s responsibility to close this gap as soon as possible. If your group is unable to close the gap for any reason, you must invite the following group to play through at the next tee.
Also, if a member of a group must walk back to replay any shot, and the following group are ready to play they must be invited to play through immediate rather than the next tee.
It is not the following group’s responsibility to ask to play through in any situation & they may decline. There is no implied blame on anyone for the slow play & the play through invitation is merely to manage the fact that is has occurred for the benefit of the pace of play for all following groups.
Failure to invite the following group to play through (without a valid reason agreed with that following group) will incur a 1 shot penalty for each player in your group.
General behaviour
Any behaviour seen by or reported to the SGCMSC and considered as detrimental to the reputation of the Section or Club will be discussed at the next SGCMSC meeting. If proven this may incur a reprimand appropriate to the level reported (see Reprimand Process).
Reprimand Process
The SGCMSC will follow the following process for any Club member found in contravention of any of the operating rules of the Section:
- A SGCMSC member will verbally inform the Club member who will be asked for a verbal account of the situation raised.
- On the second occurrence of the same contravention the Club member will be asked in writing for their written account of the situation raised.
- On the 3rd occurrence of the same contravention the Club member will be asked in writing for their written account of the situation raised (and may be asked to attend a SGCMSC meeting in person to review).
All reprimands issued will be recorded and kept by the SGCMSC. This record will be reviewed and agreed on the formation of each new SGCMSC
No recorded reprimand should be kept beyond 24 calendar months unless a specific reprimand is deemed as detrimental to the reputation of the Section or Club or exceptional at the time by the SGCMSC.
Penalties applied will be applied at the time and escalated as follows:
- Verbal reprimand.
- Ban from 1 Section competition
- Ban from 3 Section competition
- 1 calendar month suspension of Club membership
- 3 calendar month suspension of Club membership
- 1 year rejection of Club membership
Note: There will be no refund of any membership fees for any suspended period.
Appeals against any decision given by the SGCMSC must be presented to the Secretary of the Section within 6 weeks of the decision being delivered.