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2024 Nor'Easter Classic

Terms of Competition

The LPGA Amateur Golf Association Nor’easter Classic is an Amateur golf competition conducted under the direction of the following LPGA Amateur Golf Association Chapters: Central New Jersey, Coastal New Jersey, Northern New Jersey, New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Fairfield Connecticut, Central Connecticut and Greater Philadelphia. The competition comprises one 18-hole round.

Eligibility: Entries are open to all LPGA Amateur members in good standing who are members of one of the chapters listed and are female amateur golfers* and have a verifiable USGA Handicap Index. *LPGA Amateurs Gender Policy applies.

Four (4) foursomes from each chapter will be provided slots to register in Phase 1.

LPGA Amateur Golf Association Member-in-Good-Standing: Prior to registration participants must be a LPGA Amateurs member with a current membership processed and on record at LPGA Amateurs Headquarters. This does not include Virtual Members as these members are not eligible to compete in Association events.

Registration: Registration will be conducted in two phases.

Phase 1 - All teams will be placed onto the waitlist at the time of registration. If a chapter has more teams registered than the field allows, the first four (4) teams per chapter will be selected based on a first come-first serve basis. All other teams will be kept on the waitlist.

Phase 2 (if needed) - If the event is not at full capacity, this second phase of registration will select teams from the waitlist using the first come-first serve queue.

Individual registration - Every player must register themselves, identifying the chapter their team represents, team captain, and team name. There will NOT be an opportunity to register other players. All players will go into a "Pending Registration" status. Credit card authorizations will be approved but cards will not be charged until a player goes into the Confirmed Roster.

The last player on a team to register will determine the team's place in the First Come-First Serve queue. The first three teams from each Chapter will be moved into the Confirmed Roster and credit cards will be charged.

Handicaps: Players must have an established USGA Handicap Index and have a verifiable USGA Handicap Index by July 1, 2024. Players with a Handicap Index exceeding 40.0 are permitted to play; however, their Course Handicap will be calculated using a 40.0 Index.

Rules of Handicapping: The USGA Rules of Handicapping govern issues related to handicap. The Committee will settle all disputes. To obtain an initial Handicap Index, a player must submit acceptable scores from a minimum of 54 holes via an Authorized Association.

Amateur Status: All players must conform to the USGA Rules of Amateur Status. By application to this tournament, the player verifies that she has not received remuneration other than as specified as acceptable by the USGA Rules of Amateur Status.

Rules of Golf: The USGA Rules of Golf and the LPGA Amateurs Local Rules (Hard Card), so far as they are not at variance with the following specific rules, apply to Scramble Play. The NJ National Local Rules will apply.

Team members are considered partners and applicable rules apply. The Committee in charge of the competition will settle all disputes.

Team Composition: Scramble Open teams consists of four (4) members who meet the eligibility requirements. At least three (3) team members must be members of the same chapter. The team Course Handicap will be determined after the handicap revision date for the event.

Format: On every hole, each team member may hit a tee shot. The team then selects one of the tee shots from which to play. All team members may then hit a shot from that position. This procedure is repeated until the ball is holed. Each team member must hit and use a minimum of four (4) tee shots per

18-hole round. Three (3) player teams, they will hit a minimum of five (5) drives per player. (Additional info under Substitutions).

The scorecard shall be marked for each hole to indicate the player whose tee shot was chosen. Each team member may place a ball within one club length of the selected shot, no nearer the hole, within the same condition. If the selected shot is played from a penalty area, bunker, rough or fringe of the putting green, a ball may be placed within one club-length of the selected shot, no nearer the hole, but must remain in the penalty area, bunker, rough, or fringe of the putting green. When playing on the putting green, a ball must be placed within one putter club-head length (approximately 4”) of the selected shot, no nearer the hole.

Once the first ball is holed, the hole is complete. Team members may stand behind one another (on an extension of the line of play or putt) while they are making a stroke or putting.

Representation of a Team: A team may be represented by any one team member during part of the stipulated round. All team members need not be present. An absent team member may join her team between holes, but not during play of a hole. Each team member must still hit and use the required minimum number of tee shots per 18-hole round. Additional guidance provided under Substitutions if team must play as a 3-person team.

Caddies are NOT permitted in this competition.

Team Course Handicap – Ambrose Formula: The team Course Handicap will be determined using the Ambrose formula. The formula is 50% of the average of the four (4) team members. Course Handicaps are rounded to the nearest whole number. The Committee, working with the Local Handicap Chair, has the discretion to adjust a player’s Course Handicap based on knowledge of the player’s failure to post all acceptable scores, or otherwise not adhering to the policies of the USGA Handicap System.

Scoring: There are both NET and GROSS competitions. The Team Course Handicap will be subtracted from the team’s Gross score to obtain the Net score.

Player Meeting: A meeting for players will be held immediately prior to the round. Knowledge of the Rules of Golf and Scramble Open Local Rules (Hard Card) are the responsibility of the player. Attendance at the meeting is strongly recommended as additional Local Rules as defined in the Notice to Player in use for the event will be covered.

Yardages: Each team member will play from the Gold tees (5227 total yards) at New Jersey National Golf Club.

Individual Disqualification During a Round Results in Team Disqualification: Breach of the following Rules of Golf by any team member will result in disqualification of the entire team:

Rule 1.3b. Deliberately Failing to Apply a Penalty; Agreement to Waive the Rules;
Rule 3.3b(2). Signing and Returning Card;
Rule 3.3b(3). Wrong Score for Hole;
Rule 3.3b(4). Handicap;
Rules 4.1a(1). Clubs;
Rules 4.2a. Balls;
Rule 5.2. Practice Before and Between Rounds;
Rule 5.6. Undue Delay-repeated offense;
Serious Breach of LPGA Amateurs Code of Conduct

Substitutions: Substitutions will be considered for conditions that arise after registration closes. up to nine (9) days prior to the start of the competition.

Within three (3) days of the start of the competition, if an emergency arises which prevents a competitor from playing, a substitute must have a Handicap Index which is within eight (8) points of the player being replaced.

For ALL substitutions, a Substitution Request Email must be submitted to the Committee. At any time, the Committee reserves the right to disallow a substitution.

If the team is unable to find a substitution, the team may compete as a three (3) person team. The Team Course Handicap will be recalculated using 50% of the average course handicap of the three (3) remaining players. Five (5) drives will be required from each of the three (3) players. Players will not rotate hitting an extra stroke on each hole.

Flights: The Committee will create 2 flights based on the Team’s Course Handicaps using the Ambrose methodology. The flights will be determined after registration closes. This information will be made available on the event registration portal prior to the competition.

After flight information has been posted on the registration portal, if a team’s substitution request affects the team’s Course Handicap such that it is no longer within the range of the assigned flight, the Committee reserves the right to move the team to another flight. If the Committee deems that it is not reasonable to re-flight the team for any reason, the Committee reserves the right to establish other limitations to maintain fairness for all teams within the flights.

Ties: All ties will be determined by a scorecard playoff. The winning team is determined on the basis of the last nine holes played for the round (for a multiple tee start the last nine holes, last six holes, etc. are holes 10-18, 13-18, etc.). If tying teams have the same score for the last nine, the winner is determined on the basis of the last six holes, last three holes, and finally the last hole played using one-half, one-third, one-sixth, etc., of the teams’ Course Handicaps. Fractions of one-half stroke or more count as a full stroke; any lesser fractions will be disregarded. If this procedure does not produce a winner, the same process is followed using the first nine holes of the last round.

Spectators: Spectators are not permitted at this competition.

The Committee: Representatives of the LPGA Amateur Golf Association Central NJ Chapter.