115thMatch Play Championship
Essex Fells Country Club
219 Devon Road
Essex Fells, NJ 07021
Monday, June 25 – Thursday, June 28
NOTICE TO PLAYERS
USGA RULES OF GOLF AND WMGA LOCAL RULES AND CONDITIONS ARE IN EFFECT EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING CLARIFICATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS:
Unless otherwise noted, the Penalty For Breach Of A Local Rule Or Conditionis two strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play.
THE WMGA WILL BE POSTING SCORES DIRECTLY TO GHIN FOR ALL TOURNAMENTS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE PLAYER’S BEHALF.
TEE MARKERS & HOLE LOCATION SHEETS
Official WMGA silver markers with blue insignia. Yardage is calculated to the center of the green.
Hole location sheets will be available at the 1stTee.
Yardage: 5,627 Rating: 73.2 Slope: 135
CADDIES
This Championship is WALKING ONLY. Players and Caddies MUST NOT RIDE on any form of transportation during a stipulated round unless authorized by the Committee.All players will be required to take an Essex Fells Country Club caddie. Caddies will be assigned by the Caddie Master. Players may not bring their own caddie or have the same caddie for two rounds except for the finalists on the final day.
Match Play Championship Caddie fee:$80.00 inclusive of tip (walking).
FORMAT
Qualifying: 18 holes of stroke play. Pairings made by the Committee. Championship Flight: low 16 qualifiers, Sanford Cup Flight: next 16 qualifiers. ONE BALL CONDITION IS NOT IN AFFECT. Trophy awarded for Medalist in the Championship Flight. In the event of a tie for Medalist, duplicate prizes will be awarded. For the purpose of determining places in the draw, ties in the qualifying round, other than those for the last qualifying place in either Flight, will be decided by the order in which scores are returned. A tie for last place in either Flight will be decided by an immediate hole-by-hole play-off. If a player who is involved in the play-off for either Flight is not present, her placement will be determined after the placement of participating players, on the basis of the best score for the last nine holes. If the tying players have the same score for the last nine, the winner will be determined on the basis of the best score for last six holes, last three holes, and finally the 18th hole. If this procedure does not break the tie, placement will be determined by blind draw.
DRESS CODE
Proper golf attire must be worn at all WMGA events. No denim of any color, leggings, tank tops, warm-up suits, or sweat pants will be permitted. Under no circumstances will short shorts or low cut shirts be allowed. Skorts and shorts must be Bermuda length, no more than 4” above the knee. Players whose dress is deemed inappropriate by the WMGA may be denied participation in the tournament.
Matches:Each match will be 18 holes, except the final match of the Championship Flight which will be 36 holes. The first and second round matches of the Championship Flight and the Sanford Cup Flight will be played on the first day of match play. In the event of a tied match, (a) the winner is decided by an immediate hole-by-hole playoff beginning on the first hole and (b) the stipulated round is deemed to extend to as many holes as are required for a match to be won. Trophy awarded to the winner in each Flight.
PACE OF PLAY
The WMGA Pace of Play Policy is in affect for the qualifying round. The allotted time is 3 hours and 46 minutes.
FOOD SERVICE
Continental breakfast will be served starting at 7:00AM. Breakfast & Lunch charges for June 25 & 26 have been included in the entry fee (not including halfway house & alcoholic beverages). Chargebacks will occur for breakfast and lunch charges on June 27 & 28.
EMBEDDED BALL RULE 25-2
“If a player’s ball is embedded in any closely-mown areathrough the green, it may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green.”
DISTANCE-MEASURING DEVICES
“For all play during WMGA competitions, a player may obtain distance information by use of a distance-measuring device. If during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g., elevation changes, wind speed, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 14-3.”
LOCAL RULES
OUT OF BOUNDS
All white stakes and white lines, as well as boundary fences define, out of bounds. No relief is permitted from a boundary fence.
Internal Out of Bounds (Hole #14)
A ball lying out of bounds on the Hole #15 shall be considered out of bounds on Hole #14 ONLY. Out of Bounds does not apply when playing Hole #15.
WATER HAZARDS
Defined by yellow stakes.
THE USE OF DROP AREAS IS NOT PERMITTED.
LATERAL WATER HAZARDS
Defined by red stakes.
THE USE OF DROP AREAS IS NOT PERMITTED.
CASUAL WATER
“Casual Water” is any temporary accumulation of water on the course that is not in a water hazard and is visible before or after the player takes his stance. A ball is in casual water when it lies in or any part of it touches the casual water. The player is entitled to relief without penalty under Rule 25-1b.
DECORATIVE FLOWER BEDS
The Decorative Flower Beds are Ground Under Repair from which play is PROHIBITED.If a player’s ball lies in the area, or if it interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the player may take relief under Rule 25-1 without penalty. Relief is mandatory.
TIRE RUTS
Interference occurs when a ball lies in or touches the condition or when the condition interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing. The player is entitled to relief without penalty under Rule 25-1b.
OBSTRUCTIONS
All cart paths (paved or natural) and buildings are immovable obstructions. The player is entitled to relief from lie, stance or the area of his intended swing without penalty under Rule 24-2b.
Hole 1: The buildings (left and right of the fairway), surrounding mulch areas and the protective fence (behind/right of the putting green) are IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS (Rule 24-2)
Holes 9 & 18:The clubhouse, cart path, hedges, and mulch area is deemed to be one IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTION(Rule 24-2).
Stones in bunkers ARE movable obstructions.
Immoveable Obstructions Close to Putting Green (e.g. Sprinkler Heads)
In addition, if a ball lies through the green and an immovable obstruction on or within two club-lengths of the putting green and within two club-lengths of the ball intervenes on the line of play between the ball and the hole, the player may take relief as follows:
The ball must be lifted and dropped at the nearest point to where the ball lay that (a) is not nearer the hole, (b) avoids intervention and (c) is not in a hazard or on a putting green.
If the player‘s ball lies on the putting green and an immovable obstruction within two club-lengths of the putting green intervenes on his line of putt, the player may take relief as follows:
The ball must be lifted and placed at the nearest point to where the ball lay that (a) is not nearer the hole, (b) avoids intervention and (c) is not in a hazard.
The ball may be cleaned when lifted.
Exception:A player may not take relief under this Local Rule if interference by anything other than immovable obstructions makes the stroke clearly impracticable. Penalty for breach of local rule is two strokes.
BALL IN ABNORMAL GROUND CONDITION NOT FOUND
In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the abnormal ground condition. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1.
SOD SEAMS
Interference occurs when a ball lies in or touches the Sod Seam or when the Sod Seam interferes with the player’s area of intended swing. The player is entitled to relief without penalty under Rule 25-1b. A player’s stance is deemed not to be, of itself, interference under this Rule.
Through the Green: The player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief.
On the Putting Green:The player must lift the ball and place it, without penalty, at the nearest point of relief
INSTRUCTIONS FOR DISCONTINUANCE OF PLAY
Essex Fells Country Club DOEShave a lightning detection system. Although bad weather is not of itself a good reason for discontinuing play, a player is permitted to discontinue play at any time she herself believes there is a danger from lightning. The WMGA strongly endorses each individual’s attention, vigilance and care in this regard, to one’s own safety and that of one’s caddie.
Rule 6-8(b) details the procedure for discontinuance of play, e.g. darkness, golf course unplayable, which shall be signaled by three short blasts, repeatedof an air horn(s). If players are in the process of playing a hole, they may continue provided they do so without delay. If players choose to continue, they shall discontinue either before or immediately after completing the hole. The penalty for breach of this Rule is disqualification.
In potentially dangerous situations,e.g. lightning in the area, play shall be discontinued immediately following a suspension of play by the Committee, which shall be signaled by one prolonged blast, of a siren. If a player fails to discontinue play immediately, she shall be disqualified unless circumstances warrant waiving such a penalty as provided in Rule 33-7.Play shall not resume in either case until signaled by two short blasts, repeatedof an air horn(s). All practice areas shall be closed during a suspension of play, until the Committee has declared them open for use. When play is discontinued in a dangerous situation, players should seek the nearest point of shelter.
SEEK: AVOID:
Lightning shelters Open areas
Clubhouse Water
Maintenance buildings Metal
On-course buildings Wire fences, overhead wires, power lines
Automobiles Isolated trees
Dense trees Elevated ground
Low-lying areas Maintenance machinery, golf carts