Pace of Play Policy
Allotted Time: Groups will be required to play at no more than a 4-hour and 40 minute pace for an 18-hole stipulated round or within such other time specified in a separate Notice to Players.
Definition of “Out of Position”: The first groups will be considered out of position, if at any time during the round, the group is not playing within the allotted time. Any following group will be considered out of position if it (a) takes more than the allotted time to play and (b) is more than 14 minutes behind the group in front of them. Both (a) and (b) must apply for a group to be out of position.
Group Out of Position: If a group is out of position, the players in that group may be monitored and timed. Anytime a group is to be monitored and timed, they will be notified by the timing official that they are being timed.
Timing: When a group is being monitored and timed each player in the group is expected to make any stroke within 30 seconds after timing of the player’s stroke begins.
Other than on the putting green, the timing of a player’s stoke will begin when he/she has had a reasonable opportunity to reach his/her ball, it is his/her turn to play and he/she can play without interference or distraction. Time spent determining yardage, selecting a club, making practice swings, gauging wind, determining strategy and the like will count as time taken for the stroke.
On the putting green, timing starts when the player has had reasonable time to lift, clean and replace his/her ball, repair ball marks and remove loose impediments on his line of putt.
Timing ends with the stroke.
No warnings are required prior to a group being monitored or timed or before a penalty is issued. It is the player’s responsibility to be in position and not unduly delay play.
PENALTIES
The following are the penalties, in sequence, for any player in a group being timed who takes more than 40 seconds to play a stroke (a “Bad Time”) after timing of the player’s stroke begins.
*The first player to hit their tee shot, fairway shot, chip, putt is allotted an additional 10 seconds.
First Bad Time – Warning
Second Bad Time – One Stroke Penalty
Third Bad Time – Additional Two Stroke Penalty
Fourth Bad Time – Possible Disqualification
Note 1: If the group in question regains its proper position, any previous Bad Times will be carried over for the remainder of that round in the event that group requires additional monitoring and timing
Note 2: The Committee reserves the right at any time to assess a Bad Time to a player in a group which is out of position if the player delays play between strokes or makes no effort to help the group get back in position.
Note 3: When there are no Pace of Play monitors, groups will be expected to keep up with play and monitor their own pace based on the times on their scorecards. If the group feels that there is one player who is causing bad pace of play, they should bring that to the attention of the Rules Official or Official in Charge.
The SNJGA encourages continuous putting when possible. Continuous putting is when the first player to putt must putt until his/her ball is holed. Players are encouraged to finish any putts that are within 2 feet of the hole to keep pace of play up.