Ladies National Golf Association 

93rd Amateur Championship

JULY 25-27, 2023

 

CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION

93rd Amateur Championship                                                     

The Grizzly Golf & Social Club

Mason, Ohio

Practice Round Monday, July 24, 2023


ELIGIBILITY

Entries are open to female amateur golfers with a handicap index of 5.5 or less under the World Handicap System. All applicants must conform to the USGA Rules of Amateur Status and meet the requirements of the USGA Gender Policy.

 

FORMAT
Three rounds (54 Holes) of Stroke Play will determine the Champion.  The 144-player field will be cut to the top 60 and ties after 36 holes.

 

ENTRY PROCESS | ENTRIES OPEN MARCH 1, 2023
All entries must be made online at the LNGA Website after creating a Player Profile. Entries must be received by the Championship Committee staff by the entry deadline of 5:00 PM eastern daylight time on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.  Late entries will be accepted and placed on a waitlist in the order accepted. If space becomes available, the field will be filled from the waitlist.  Entries should be submitted early enough to allow ample time for delay or error in transmission. The risk of delay or error in transmission lies solely with the entrant and the LNGA has no liability with respect to any such delay or error and the consequences including rejection of the entry.  Applicants will fall into one of two categories: Championship Exempt or Championship Non-Exempt.  Exempt players will be accepted as entries are filed, and the Championship field will be finalized by Friday, July 14 at the latest.  All applicants will be notified immediately of their status via email.

 

Entry Fee: $300

(Payment information will be collected upon receipt of entry but will not be processed until the application is accepted). Prior to the close of entries there will be a 90% refund.  After the close of entries, there will be a 50% refund until 2 weeks prior to the tournament.  Withdrawals after July 12, 2023, will not receive a refund except in cases of extenuating circumstances, which will be handled on a case-by-case basis.  All refunds are at the discretion of the Championship Committee.  

 

INVITATIONS | APPLICATION PROCESS

Invitations (Championship Exempt) *see below for more details

  • Players meeting our exemption criteria will be invited to compete.

  • Players meeting the LNGA Handicap Index criteria and exemption criteria will be accepted upon receipt of a completed application but not charged until the close of entries.

  • Players meeting these criteria will be guaranteed acceptance unless more than 144 exempt players accept invitations to compete. If this occurs, players will be granted entry into the Championship based on their highest level of exemption status. (A-1 precedes A-2 so on, and so forth).

 

Applications (Championship Non-Exempt)

  • Players not meeting exemption criteria may apply via an online application.

  • Players are encouraged to send a playing resume along with their application to ladiesnationalgolf@gmail.com. The resume along with handicap and various rankings will be used to determine the remaining players that are accepted.

  • All decisions are at the discretion of the Championship Committee and all decisions are final.

 

Close of Entries

  • Invitations and applications are received and processed.  The field is determined based on the number of exempt players and the selection of the best non-exempt players based on handicap at the time entries close to completing the 144-player field.

  • All players not accepted into the Championship will be placed on a Wait List.

 

ON-SITE REGISTRATION

On-site Championship registration will take place Monday, July 24, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Each contestant MUST register in person.  Please make every attempt to register prior to playing your practice rounds. **Failure to register without notification to the Championship Committee may result in the player forfeiting their spot in the event. **

 

PRACTICE ROUNDS | PRACTICE FACILITIES
The official practice round is Monday, July 24, at The Grizzly Golf & Social Club.  Details on practice rounds will be sent to competitors after entries close.

 

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

There are several hotels, VRBO, Air BNB, and other home rentals nearby.  Please see a list of AREA HOTELS under PLAYER INFORMATION above.

 

CADDIES | CARTS | POLICIES

Players must walk at all times during a stipulated round in the Championship.  A player may provide her own caddie, carry her bag, or provide her own non-motorized pushcart.  A limited number of club caddies are available for the practice round and championship rounds on a first-come, first-serve basis.

 

Caddies are available at two levels of experience.  An “A” caddie with experience is $100+tip per day and a “B” caddie with little experience is $50+tip per day.  All caddies must register with the Caddie Master and wear an LNGA Caddie Bib during all rounds.  Caddie bibs shall be returned at scoring after each round.

 

CONDITIONS | SCHEDULES
The LNGA Championship Committee reserves the right to alter any of the conditions, provisions, and/or schedules herein. The decision of the Championship Committee in any matter will be final.

 

The LNGA Championship Committee may reject an entry application, revoke an accepted application, expel from the Championship, and/or suspend a player from future championships if the player engages in conduct detrimental to the integrity and image of the game of golf as outlined in the Code of Conduct below.  

 

DRESS CODE 

Contestants and caddies are expected to wear golf appropriate attire at all times when using the practice facilities, golf course, or while visiting the clubhouse. No short shorts, short skorts/skirts, jeans, cut-offs, tank tops, halter tops, bathing suits, or the like are permitted. No metal or ceramic spikes are permitted.

 

CODE OF CONDUCT

In fairness to the field of competition: At all times during the Championship and on the golf course property, including both the practice round and championship portion of the event, the following actions by contestants or caddies are considered violations of the Conduct Code: any abusive language, club throwing, cheating, disrespect of volunteers or other contestants or officials, abuse of the course, leaving the course during the competitive round without permission from an LNGA official, any use or association with drugs, any abuse of alcohol, not adhering to the dress code during any portion of the championship, any vandalism at the host hotel, and/or any other conduct unbecoming of an LNGA contestant. The penalties for Conduct Code violations, based on the severity of the misconduct, may be any or all of the following: a warning, 1 or 2-stroke penalty, disqualification of the player from the championship, removal from the golf course property, suspension of the player | caddie indefinitely from LNGA Championships.

 

RULES OF GOLF

The Rules of Golf as approved by the USGA and the R&A, as modified by the Local Rules established by the LNGA, will be used. The LNGA Championship Committee reserves the right to alter any of the conditions and schedules herein. Changes in the championship format caused by force majeure shall be within the sole discretion of the LNGA officials. The decisions of the LNGA Committee in any matter shall be final.

 

AWARDS

Amateur Champion: The George III Champion Trophy and a Gold Medal 

Amateur Runner-Up: The Iva May McDonald Champion Runner-Up Trophy and a Silver Medal  

 

The following will also be awarded: 

  • Dorothy Pease Junior Medalist Trophy and a Silver Medal
  • Howell Team Trophy and Silver Medals:  The Howell Team Trophy is a separate competition where teams of not more than 3 golfers from the same club or university/college compete using the best 2 scores of each round toward the team score.  At registration for the championship, golfers can identify who their teammates will be (if known). Teams will be verified during on-site registration at the championship.  A club or university/college may have more than one team in the competition, just no more than 3 golfers per team (i.e. University of XYZ has 5 golfers in the championship, they can have multiple teams, consisting of 2 teams of 2 (with one golfer out) or a team of 2 and team of 3).  The winning team will receive the Howell Team Trophy and team members Silver Medals.  

 

PUBLICITY

I understand the LNGA or its designee, may record, film, photograph, or otherwise capture a likeness, image, voice, biography, references to me, my quoted statements, and my play in the Championship (the foregoing, together with my name, my “Appearance”).  In consideration of the opportunity to participate in the Championship, by submitting this Application, I grant (and/or have the authority to grant to the LNGA in the case of a parent/guardian of a minor or other authorized representative submitting the Application on my behalf) to the LNGA, and its licensees, successors and assigns, the perpetual, transferable, assignable, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable right to use my Appearance, in whole or in part, in all manner (including exhibition, distribution, reproduction, publication, display, broadcast, transmission or otherwise), and media now known or hereafter invented or discovered, and for any purpose whatsoever.  

 

*INVITATIONS | CHAMPIONSHIP EXEMPTION CRITERIA
Players in the following categories will be eligible for an exemption into the 2023 Championship. The Championship Committee reserves the right to revise any of the exemption categories. Exempt players who wish to participate in the championship must enter online at the LNGA website prior to the entry deadline and must not exceed the Handicap Index requirement as of the entry date.

A-1   Past LNGA Champions and Top 25 & Ties (Past 2 years)

A-2 Past USGA Champions

A-3   All Exempt for Current U.S. Women’s Amateur

A-4   U.S. Women’s Open Qualifiers (Past 3 years)

A-5   U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifiers (Past 3 years)

A-6   NCAA D1 Women’s Individual Champion (Past 5 years)

A-7   NCAA D2 Women’s Individual Champion (Past 2 years)

A-8   Reigning Women’s NCAA D3, NAIA, NJCAA Individual Champion

A-9   Reigning Women’s Canadian Amateur Champion

A-10 Reigning Australian Women’s Amateur Champion

A-11 Reigning European Ladies Amateur Champion

A-12 Reigning Mexican Women’s Amateur Champion

A-13 Reigning Women’s State Amateur Champions (50 States including Puerto Rico)


 

RANKINGS AS OF ENTRY DATE

B-1 Top 50 Golfweek or Golfstat Women’s D1 Collegiate Rankings 

B-2 Top 20 CGA Rankings 

B-3 Top 20 Junior Rankings (Junior Golf Scoreboard, Golfweek, AJGA | Polo)

EXEMPTIONS BASED ON SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

C-1 A limited number of exemptions, based on special considerations and/or written resumes submitted to the LNGA, may be granted by the Championship Committee.