State Amateur Match Play Championship
June 25 - 28, 2020
Desert Mountain Golf Club
Outlaw Course
10333 E. Rockaway Hills Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85262
(480) 595-4000
In order to offer as many competitions from the planned schedule as possible until the COVID-19 situation has completely eased, the following philosophy will be employed at each AGA-sponsored event:
- The AGA will be bound by the Host Facility’s mandates for social distancing.
- One week in advance of each event, any diversions from normal competition rules will be posted to the website.
- Any players who wish to withdraw at that time will receive a full refund.
OPENING DATE: February 1, 2020 CLOSING DATE: June 18, 2020
The competition shall be match play within flights. The field size will be a maximum of 96 players. If byes are necessary, the top seeded participant in the flight (beginning with the last flight) will receive a bye.
There will be two separate divisions of the Championship - an Open Division and a Senior Division. (Those entrants 50 years of age and older who desire to play in the Senior Division must indicate so). Anyone who does not select the Senior Division will play in the Open Division. All Division selections are final five (5) business days prior to the first day of the tournament. Based on the overall combination of entries, total players in each division may be limited to multiples of 8.
The competition will be individual match play within flights. The field will be limited to a maximum of 96 players. If byes are necessary, the top seeded participant in the flights in the individual division will receive a bye.
A Championship flight will be determined in each Division based on an 18-hole stroke play qualifying round. Those not vying for either one of the Championship flights will not have to play on Thursday, June 25 but may use the qualifying date (Thursday, June 25) as a practice round.
The 16 lowest handicap index (and ties) entrants in the Open Division and the 16 lowest handicap index (and ties) entrants in the Senior Division shall be required to play in the qualifying round. In addition, any player within seven full index points of the 16th player in the Open Division, may opt into the qualifying round. After the qualifying round those with the low 16 scores in the Open Division shall enter the Championship flight for the Open Division and those with the low 16 scores in the Senior Division shall enter the Senior Championship flight. The remainder of the field (including those who do not qualify for their respective Championship flights) will be grouped in flights of eight. Composition and seeding of these flights shall be determined by Handicap Index - without designation of Open or Senior Division.
For the qualifying rounds, ties for last place or places in the Championship Flights shall be decided by a hole-by-hole play-off. All other seeding ties will be determined by blind draw. For the purpose of settling a tie in match play, the stipulated round shall be extended to as many holes as are required for the match to be won.
The Open Division Championship flight qualifying round and its subsequent matches will be played from a longer set of tees. Those not qualifying in the low 16 after the qualifying round of the Open Division will go into the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th, etc. flight and will play the balance of the tournament from a shorter set of tees. The Senior Division Championship flight may also play from a longer set of tees than the remainder of the field.
There shall be a consolation flight for players not advancing from the first round of Match Play (as well as for those not advancing in the second round for the Open Division low 16).
Eligibility: The tournament is open to female amateur golfers who have a handicap index of 36.0 or lower, and are AGA members in good standing. An amateur golfer who is not a member of the AGA may enter a tournament for an additional fee of $50 only if the field is not full. This fee applies to each tournament entered.
Handicap allowances for matches:
Open Championship and Senior Championship Flights (and all their respective Consolation flight matches) will play at scratch - no strokes awarded. All other flights/matches will be played with strokes - the higher-handicapped player will receive the full difference in Course Handicap between the two players; the lower-handicapped player will play at scratch.
Handicap: Revision used for event: 6/18/20
Start Times: Play will begin with tee times starting at 8:00 a.m. each day.
Entry fee of $220.00 per player will include green fees for four rounds of golf, cart fees, range balls, tee prizes and awards. There will be a lunch following play on Saturday, June 27.
Transportation: We will follow cart policy in place at each individual facility. Motorized carts are included in the fees but players may walk.
Caddies and Spectators: Caddies and spectators will be allowed in the 2020 Match Play Championship.
Caddies: Caddies are allowed in the Match Play Championship. Players and their caddies must check in together at the starter’s table in order to receive a copy of the AGA Caddie Policy, which must be followed at all times.
Spectators: Spectators are welcome. All spectators must check in with a starter to get a copy of the AGA Spectator Policy before going out on the course. This policy must be followed at all times.
Practice Rounds will be available to tournament players only. Practice rounds can be scheduled for Thursday June 18, Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20 from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. To book a practice round, please email Matt Tinti at mtinti@desertmt.com. The practice round rate is $25 per player (including cart).
Registration: Players are expected to check in at the starting tee 10 minutes before their tee time.
Lodging: Players are responsible for making their own lodging arrangements.
Choice Hotels:
Remember AGA members save 15% when booking and staying at any Choice Hotel. To receive that discount, call (877) 240-AWAY (2929) or visit choicesportstravel.com and click on “Enter Special Rate ID.” Simply provide your AGA discount code #00216170 when making your reservations.
Cancellations: All cancellation and refund policies in the online 2020 Tournament Regulations on the web site apply. Requests for refunds will be handled as follows:
Withdrawing from a Tournament - Prior to the Deadline
Members may withdraw from Tournaments by:
- Calling the AGA office during normal business hours; or
- Calling the Withdraw Line (602) 944-3035 (ext. 210). Voicemail messages left after 4:30 p.m. will be considered official as of 7:30 a.m. of the following business day.
Withdrawing from a Tournament - After the Entry Deadline
- Withdrawals made after the entry deadline will be considered late withdrawals.
- Fees will be returned for a late withdrawal only if the player’s position in the field is filled by an alternate. In any case, an administrative fee of $30 will be deducted from the refund, regardless of the reason for the withdrawal.
- A withdrawal made less than three days prior to the first day of the event is not eligible for a refund (except when another player can be substituted).
Cancellations must be made in writing by email to Le Ann Finger, Senior Director of Tournaments and Championships or by calling the Withdraw Line. DO NOT CALL THE GOLF COURSE TO WITHDRAW.
Exemptions into tournaments shall be granted up to the closing date. Exemptions apply only to the criteria which determine how the field is set (e.g. Handicap or points). See the 2020 Tournament Regulations posted on the AGA web site for specific exemptions allowed.
Entry acceptance into the Tournament, if oversold, is based on the criteria stated in the Tournament Regulations listed on the AGA website.
Exemptions into tournaments shall be granted up to the closing date. Exemptions apply only to the criteria which determine how the field is set (e.g., handicap indexes, points). All past AWGA board members who have fulfilled their term of office will be exempt for the number of years served. All current board members who have served at least one year will be exempt. A two-year exemption will be granted for the champion.
Entry acceptance into the Tournament, if oversold, is based on the criteria stated in the Tournament Regulations listed on the AGA website. .
Determining Ties: Ties for the title of Champion are decided by a hole-by-hole playoff. All other ties are decided using the recommended USGA tie-breaking procedure of Matching Scorecards (also known as Scorecard Count-Back) as referenced in Section 5A(6) of the Committee Procedures, Rules of Golf.
Prizes
1) Perpetual trophies are awarded to the Champions in the Open and Senior divisions.
2) Prizes shall be awarded to the winner and runner up in each flight. Prizes shall be awarded to the winner of each of the Consolation Flights. No one may win one of these prizes without first winning a match.
3) There shall be an award for the Open Division Medalist and the Senior Division Medalist.