GOLF PR

TOURNAMENT OPERATIONS PROTOCOL

*COVID-19 RELATED GUIDELINES*

 

The following protocols are approved by the GOLF PR Board of Directors for the 2020 season as precautionary measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These protocols are designed in a responsible manner for all players, volunteers, host facility staff, and GOLF PR staff. They are devised per the guidelines and recommendations outlined by the CDC and State Health officials and are subject to change.

 

These protocols will be executed consistently across all tournaments conducted by GOLF PR. Executing these protocols consistently is a responsible effort to eliminate doubt as to procedural actions while on site at an event. Any health concern not addressed in the protocols will be decided in a responsible manner.

 

We anticipate minor adjustments and modifications in operational execution will be necessary as facility accommodations are different. Again, the priority for each event is to be responsible in our efforts to follow CDC guidelines.

 

Table of Contents 
Supplies............................................................................................................................................. 2

Registration....................................................................................................................................... 3

Practice Facilities.............................................................................................................................. 4

Starting Play...................................................................................................................................... 5

On the Course................................................................................................................................... 6

Scoring Procedure............................................................................................................................. 7

Awards Presentation......................................................................................................................... 8

Inclement Weather............................................................................................................................ 9

Local Rules...................................................................................................................................... 10

Tournament Staff (GOLF PR staff, Rules Officials, Volunteers)...................................................... 11

Spectators....................................................................................................................................... 12

 

 

 

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) and OTHER SUPPLIES

 

   All tournament staff (GOLF PR staff, rules officials, volunteers) are required to wear a mask in any situation where they interact with or are near others and when handling items that others may come in contact with during their tournament experience. Gloves must be worn when handling items that others may come in contact with during their tournament experience.

  • Masks will be supplied to the tournament staff by GOLF PR.
  • Tournament participants will be encouraged to bring their own masks and wear them when interacting with tournament staff and other individuals. GOLF PR will NOT provide masks to tournament participants.
     

   Hand sanitizer and/or sanitation wipes will be available at the following locations:

  • Practice Tee
  • Practice Putting Green
  • Starting Tent
  • Scoring Area
  • All Tournament Staff Golf Cars
     

   Additional trash cans will be placed in strategic locations for disposal of sanitation wipes
 

   Bottled water will be available to players and distributed by tournament staff (wearing gloves)

  • Players will receive two bottles of water in their golf car and have the option to receive two bottles of water on the 10th tee. If players need additional water, they may contact a tournament staff member and water will be brought to the player immediately.
     

   Food will not be provided as part of the event. Facilities may offer food separate from the tournament provided it is offered in compliance with CDC and Puerto Rico Health Department guidelines and regulations.
 

   Tournament staff and players will have their temperature taken by a touchless thermometer upon arrival at the facility or before the start of their round.

  • Any player experiencing a temperature above 100.4 F and/or exhibiting symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19 is not permitted to participate in a GOLF PR event. Any player exhibiting any symptoms is encouraged to seek medical attention and doctor’s recommendation as to a return toplay.
  • Any player diagnosed with COVID-19, or that has a family member they have come in contact with that has been diagnosed with COVID-19, is not permitted to participate in any GOLF PR event for 30 days following a diagnosis, regardless of symptoms, and must present a note from a doctor clearing them to participate to the GOLF PR Tournament Committee.
  • Any player found in violation of the above policies or found to have purposely hidden or not disclosed symptoms or diagnosis, will be banned from the GOLF PR for a length to be determined by the GOLF PR Board.

 

REGISTRATION

 

  • Player registration will be online via the GOLF PR Tournament Manager (Golf Genius) platform, or by calling the GOLF PR office 
  • Player registration will not occur on site and players are expected to be on the tee 10 minutes prior to their assigned starting time for the round.
  • Player gifts, if provided for an event, will be pre-packaged by GOLF PR staff prior to the event and distributed at the scoring area following the round.
  • Any player withdrawing from an event will be provided their gift before leaving or sent following the event.

 

PRACTICE AREAS

 

   Participants are not permitted to arrive at the host facility more than 45 minutes prior to their starting time. If a player arrives at the facility prior to 45 minutes of their starting time, they must remain in their vehicle.

   Practice areas are only available to participants 45 minutes prior to their tee time.

  • Following our 12-minute tee time intervals (groups of 3), this will limit the practice areas to no more than two groups (maximum of 18 players) at a time.
  • Players will be restricted to warming up at every station on the practice tee (minimum 6 feetapart)

   Tournament staff will monitor the practice areas to ensure compliance of the 45-minute timeallotment and number of players practicing. 

   Players should leave the facility upon completion of their round. Exception: if following the final round of the event, a player is in contention for first place, they will be permitted to remain on property. If they fall out of contention prior to completion of the championship, they should leave the premises at that time.

 

STARTING PROCEDURES

 

   Tee time events only, no shotgun events until we enter Phase 3 (or approvals by State HealthDepartments)

Groups of 3 players: minimum of 12 minutes between tee time Groups of 4 players: minimum of 15 minutes between tee times

The starting area is to be marked/roped off and posted with a sign restricting the area to the Starter and ONLY the players receiving instructions/teeing off.

o NOTE: the first teeing area is not a part of and is outside the starting area

  • Spots will be marked on the ground in the starting area for players to stand to

maintain spacing while receiving instructions and other materials.

   Exchanging of cards will not be necessary given the way information will be distributed (players will not be assigned their own cards).

   Tournament information will also be available online and players may print documents from their home and bring with them. Players may also take photos of the tournament documents and refer to them during their round.

   A starter’s box is viewed as a common area and players will not be allowed to access items normally located in a starter’s box.

 

 

ON THE COURSE

 

   All players must play by the current USGA Rules of Golf and GOLF PR Conditions of Competition.

   Caddies are permitted only for the Professional, Amateur and 18 & Under Divisions. 

   Players should follow proper social distancing protocol and stay at least six feet away from other competitors, partners, and other individuals while on property.

   Prior to or following a round, players should refrain from shaking another player’s hand or contact of any kind with another individual.

Players should not touch another players equipment.

If golf car use is permitted, it is under the single rider policy in which one competitor will be allowed to drive the golf car throughout the competition.

o If a player walking is to place their golf bag on the car, that individual must walk the entire round. They will not be permitted to ride or drive the golf car at any point.

   All cups will be placed in the ground for competition rounds per USGA Rules of Golf to allow the ball to properly drop in the hole. During play of a hole, a player must not remove the flagstick from the hole. Penalty for first violation: 1 stroke; Penalty for second violation: General penalty; Penalty for third violation: Disqualification. The flagstick has been removed from the hole when it is lifted by a player, his or her partner, or caddy, or any other person at the request of the player by any method resulting in the bottom of the flagstick no longer being in contact with the socket of the hole liner. A player may reposition the flagstick without removing it from the hole by touching it with a towel orclub.

   All bunker rakes will be removed for the entire competition. A local rule will be in place allowing competitors (whose ball lays in a bunker) to lift the ball, clean the ball, smooth the sand, and replace the ball within 1 club length no closer to the hole within the bunker. This will be at no penalty to the player. Please smooth footprints following play from the bunker.

   All individuals must maintain recommended social distancing when assisting players with ball searches, directional messaging and all other possible interaction points.

   Rules Officials must maintain recommended social distancing when assisting players with rules assistance. They must not assist the players with any situation where the official would deliberately need to touch either personal equipment of the player or golf course equipment.

 

SCORING PROCEDURE

 

   Players will utilize the Golf Genius scoring application for posting hole by hole scores during each competition round.

   One player will be designated by a GOLF PR tournament official to digitally post all players’ scores in their pairing group.

   All players will be assigned a paper scorecard (official scorecard) and their designated marker will populate the scorecard for each hole played. Since the scorecard will be assigned, exchanging of the scorecards is not necessary.

   Once the round is complete, players will be assisted by an official scorekeeper to verify all hole-by-hole scores are correct. The scorekeeper will be in a separate and safe space (GOLF PR Scoring Tent). The scoring area is for players and officials only.

  • The scoring table will not have a cloth, and all players will be positioned at an acceptable social distance from each other.

   Once all scores have been reported and verified by players and the scorer, each player will twice sign the scorecard in their possession – once on the “Scorer” line and once on the “Attest” line of the samescorecard.

  • The signature on the “Scorer” line is standard, and the signature on the “Attest” line will signify that the player signing approves his or her own score that was read aloud and verified by the scorer, the player and the scoring official.
  • This process will ensure that every player has signed twice – once as a scorer and once to attest their own score – without having to exchange scorecards

   The scorecard will then be placed in a box by the marker. These scorecards will be collected at the end of the competition round and kept for review if necessary.

   Players must remain in the designated scoring area until verification is complete. When the player leaves the scoring area, the score for that player is official. The player may not return to the scoring area once he/she has departed.

   Digital leaderboards will be available on golfpr.org and may be placed at the scoring area (streamed through facility TVs when applicable). Players must follow CDC social distance guidelines when viewing digital leaderboards.

 

AWARDS PRESENTATION

 

   All award presentations will be conducted immediately following conclusion of the tournament at a location near the 18th hole.

  • If the tournament has multiple divisions, division awards will be presented immediately following conclusion of that division’s competition.
    • Following the awards presentation for that division, players of that division should depart thepremises.

   The Official in Charge will wear proper PPE, sanitize the awards, and lay them out in an organized fashion on the awards table.

   The award ceremony will be conducted by the Official in Charge and include recognition of sponsor(s), host facility staff, and champion(s). When a player’s name is announced, they will proceed to the awards table and accept their respective award.

   Photos will be taken following conclusion of the awards presentation and will be taken individually.

 

INCLEMENT WEATHER & COURSE EVACUATION

 

   Every effort will be made to provide advance notice of inclement weather systems approaching the tournament site for players to return to the clubhouse. If a suspension of play is announced, players are strongly encouraged to return to the clubhouse or designated safety area. However, we all know Caribbean weather is, at times unpredictable. In the event the facility has on-course safety shelters, players will be reminded that while congregating in these areas, they must follow CDC guidelines (social distancing). The shelter may not provide adequate space for players to maintain CDC guidelines, thus the reason for returning to the clubhouse. Designated shelter areas will be provided to players prior to their round.

   Players must follow the prescribed procedure as outlined in the USGA Rules of Golf, Rule 5.7b, when play is suspended for a dangerous weather situation such as lightning.

   All golf car use policies remain in effect during this procedure, including individual rider policies. Therefore, players that have chosen to walk the course during the round of play, must walk to the designated safety area.

   The Official in Charge will use the current policy when determining the need to suspend play. The current three phase system is in effect but modified in the following way:

  • When a dangerous weather system is encroaching on the event site, a minimum of 15 miles is used to determine when suspension of play will be signaled (current policy is 10 miles).
  • The Official in Charge may increase the minimum mile requirement based on variable conditions that may affect the weather system and the removal of players from the course; including wind speed, rain amount forecasts, size of golf course (acreage of property), and field size of players on the golf course.

   All precautions must be taken to adhere to the current social distancing guidelines including clubhouse capacity, use of personal vehicles during delays, alternate buildings on property, etc.

   Resumption of play must also comply with the golf car policy. Players must be given enough time to return to their playing positions before play is to resume.

   All practice facilities will be closed during inclement weather. Players returning to the course will not be permitted to practice before resuming play. Players who have not started their round are subject to the same protocols provided in the “Practice Facilities” section of this document.

 

LOCAL RULES

 

   GOLF PR will provide updated information and clarifications concerning suggested modifications to the USGA Rules of Golf affected by CDC guidelines and governmental regulations.

   As these changes occur and when they affect any of the tournament events or championships, the changes will be added to the Conditions of Competition.

   Currently flagsticks, bunkers and bunker rakes, scorecards, scoring and holing out are addressed by the USGA. These rule related items have also been identified as modifications by GOLF PR in the Tournament Operations Protocol Guidelines.

 

TOURNAMENT STAFF

 

 

   The Tournament Staff will provide a responsible effort to ensure execution of all protocols while at all tournament sites and environments.

   All tournament staff members must wear protective equipment while on property at a sanctioned event, as outlined in the COVID-19 tournament protocols.

   Masks are required for use when in the presence of other persons or when handling items others may come in contact with during their tournament experience. The wearing of gloves is required when handling materials that other persons may be handling as well.

   The Official in Charge will assign individuals to place signage for directional needs, CDC signage, time clocks, branded items, and starting and scoring tents and tables.

   Starters and scorers must use their best judgment when complying with social distancing and the need for verbal interaction with the players and others.

   All individuals must maintain recommended social distancing when assisting players with ball searches, directional messaging and all other possible interaction points.

   Rules Officials must maintain recommended social distancing when assisting players with rules assistance. They must not assist the players with any situation where the official would deliberately need to touch either personal equipment of the player or golf course equipment.

 

SPECTATORS

 

  • Spectators are prohibited from all areas of the golf course during the scheduled time of the event.
  • All players will be restricted to one (1) adult spectator.
      • If the player is utilizing a caddy for the event, the caddy will count as their spectator.
      • Caddies must be from within the same household
      • Caddies not from the same household, must present a negative COVID-19 test prior to the beginning of the round
      • Caddies must be 16 years of age or older
  • All spectators must walk at all times and remain 30 yds away from other

players and practice social distancing.