PALMETTO AMATEUR GOLF TOUR

PLAYER HANDBOOK & RULES

Tee Times & Player Placements

Tee Times will be posted on the web site by Thurs. or Fri. before each tournament. You can check the web site's TEE TIMES page for your tee time or call. We ask that you please sign in 30 minutes to 1 hour, prior to your starting time on Saturday. WE CAN ONLY ALLOW 2 FRIENDS OR 2 FAMILY MEMBERS TO PLAY TOGETHER IN A FOURSOME. If you would like to play with a friend, or family member, then you must tell us before the foursome drawing (Thurs. before each round) so we can pair you up together, we then draw two names to complete the foursome. We have to do this in order to keep the scoring as fair as possible. We will group all players from AA to D flight to the best of our ability.   Player Flight Placement, You will be put in the flight where your handicap falls. We ask each new player to bring proof if possilble, Scorecards of what you shot your last few rounds. USGA Handicap Card, Etc. We will then monitor your handicap and you will then achieve your PAG Tour Handicap. (See PAG Tour Handicap Rule)

Tournament Scoring

No player is allowed to keep their own official scorecard. Each player will be responsible for keeping another players score in each group. When each group gets finished with Hole #18, players must check their scores with the player who kept their score and then attest and sign their scorecards. Then you must give the cards to Scoring Official before leaving Hole #18.   NO EXCEPTIONS!! You will be disqualified if you leave 18 without giving the Scoring Official your card.  Players must exchange cards with a player in other cart.  In case there may be any mistakes in scorekeeping, you can show your scorekeeper and go back over the hole or holes in question. All scores must be written BEFORE teeing off on the next hole.   You should not have to ask the player what they had. It is the scorers responsiblity to keep track of how many shots their player made on each hole. If you need to ask at the end of a hole, you should go over shot for shot with the player before you write the score down. Then you can proceed to the next tee.

Pace of Play

Play "Ready Golf." Each foursome must strive to keep up with the group in front of them. If a player loses a ball, he has only five (5) minutes to find that ball. If the player thinks he has lost his ball after you have hit you must hit a provisional ball to keep from going back to hit another ball. This saves lots of time. Then the player and his score keeper should go look for the lost ball together. NO PLAYER IS ALLOWED TO LOOK FOR THEIR BALL ALONE!! NO EXCEPTIONS! When the ball is found the scorer must verify that it is the ball the player showed at the First Tee. The other 2 players in the group should go ahead and hit their balls, then they can go start looking for the lost ball for the remaining 5 minutes. If after the 5 minutes the ball is not found then the player must use their provisional ball. Each foursome is responsible to finish within 15 minutes behind the group in front of them - 15 minutes usually means you are playing two strokes behind or a hole behind. If a group falls behind more than 15 minutes, they could be penalized for slow play - a 2-stroke penalty for each player in the group. It should not take any foursome over 4 1/2 to 5 hours to complete a round of golf. Play "Ready Golf" if you lose sight of the group in front of you, you should increase your speed until you get back on their heels. We will try to have a Marshall at each event to inform groups if they are behind and need to pick up the pace. Be ready on the green to make your putt also speeds play. Have your line picked out, as soon as you arrive to the green start looking your putt over.  Thanks For Your Cooperation!

Balls & Clubs

Each player must mark two (2) golfballs at the start of every tournament, the ball you intend to start with and a provisional ball. Your two golfballs must have different markings or numbers. You must show the players in your group both of these marked balls and show which one you will tee off with before you tee off. If you lose or think you have lost the first ball that you started with, you need to hit your second ball as a provisional immediatly so that you don't have to go back and hit from that spot, after not finding the first ball. If you have to go to woods or water to look for your ball you must take your scorekeeper to look for your ball. The other 2 players can play their ball, then come help in the search until the 5 minutes is up. This saves valuable time. If a player rushes to the spot where their ball was hit without scorekeeper they will be given a 1 stroke penalty.  Each player is also responsible for counting his or her clubs, players must have only 14 clubs at the start. Any player who gets caught with more than 14 clubs will recieve a 2-stroke penalty for each hole they start with the 14 clubs.

Lost Ball & Provisional Ball

If a player thinks he has lost a ball, he must hit a provisional ball right away. This will keep the pace of play going. Although this point was covered earlier, it bears repeating, because slow play is one of the most frustrating parts of a golf tournament. Not hitting a provisional ball or looking for the lost ball to long creates slow play. When a player goes to look for his lost ball, he must take his scorekeeper with him to verify that they found the correct ball which was properly checked at the start of the event. The ball in question must be verified BEFORE the player hits this ball by the other player. This will prevent anyone from dropping a ball with no one looking and claiming it as the lost ball. Our aim is to provide honest weekly golf tournaments, with thanks to your cooperation. If a player goes to the area where the lost ball entered by themselves then the group can impose a 1 stroke penalty.  Furthermore, if a player has to hit a provisional ball, he must finish that hole with that marked ball. Then the player after finishing that hole can mark another ball at the next tee, with his group as witnesses, and put it into play if he prefers it over the provisional ball. Remember, prevent slow play... always hit a provisional if you think you've lost your first ball, and only look for your ball for 5 minutes.

Shot Maximum

Play Each Hole Out Until Ball Goes In Hole. No Max. Limit!!

Event Day Weather

If it is raining before a tournament, we may postpone until Sunday or another day. If play has already started, then play will only be stopped if there is lightning seen in the area. The golf course will sound a horn to halt play. You must be prepared to play in the light or coming and going rain. Have with you a rain jacket, umbrella, etc., or anything you deem necessary to continue playing. If the rain becomes too intense to continue play were the course gets to wet, the horn will also be sounded to halt play. Take cover or return to club house and wait for the horn to sound again to resume play. If lightning is sighted, or the horn sounds for lightning, return to the clubhouse immediately. If the tournament cannot be continued, it can be scored official if all players have completed nine-holes. We will always try to play tee times, if the weather is forcasted to be an issue, so all of the players will get to play the same nine holes. The tournament will be scored as complete if all players get to play the front nine before the tournament is stopped due to weather. Therefore, if the tournament is scheduled to be a Shotgun Start, it could be changed to Tee Times due to the weather forecast. With the likelyhood of inclement weather, check our web site to see if Tee Times are posted as a change from a scheduled Shotgun. Thank you.

On Course Rulings

If there is ever any doubt about what a player should do, and no one in the group can fully answer the question, then the player must play two balls and finish the hole playing and scoring both balls. Then all of the players in that group must come to the scoring table and talk with the rules committee to decide which ball should be used before signing the score card.

Dress Code & Respect

All courses require that you wear a collared shirt and no denim. Shorts are allowed (not denim). Please use proper golf etiquette while competeing and at all times you are on the course. Please be aware of the players around you, and show your respect while they are shooting by being still and quite.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS RACE You must join the points race $20 for one tour or $30 for both, to recieve championship payouts. Players will receive points in each tournament they compete in to determine flight champions. We will build the end of the year purse with $6.00 from every entry for the entire tour. The more rounds of golf played, the more payout. You do not have to join the points race to compete, but you won't be eligible for the end of the year championship prize money or Gold Cup.   ENTERING TOURNAMENTS To enter tournaments, you can fill out the entry form on the web site. Please sign up before Thurs. 5:00pm of the week you plan to play. You can pay by using paypal on the Application also. Or you can email or call us before Thurs. 5:00pm the week of each tournament and let us know you are coming. We ask that you sign up before Thursday so we can post Tee Times each Thurs. evening. We can still take players Friday and, in most cases, Saturday morning, but please help us out and sign up early as possible. You can sign up weeks in advance if you know you plan to play in a tournament. The cost of the tournaments range from $70-$75. Thanks for your support! DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICES Distance measuring devices will be allowed in all PAG TOUR tournaments per the USGA Decision 14-3/0.5 Local Rule Permitting Use of Distance Measuring Device. A local rule will be in effect at all tournaments for the use of all devices that do not use gradient, slope, or any other subjective means to give distances. If you have any questions about a certain device please consult with us before using the device on TOUR.

TOURNAMENT PAYOUTS $25.00 From each player goes towards the tournament payout.  ALL  FLIGHTS PAY THE SAME! 25 Players   1. $95.00 2. $30.00 35 Players 1. $100.00 2. $50.00 3. $20.00 45 Players 1.  $130.00 2.  $60.00 3.  $30.00 55 Players 1. $150.00 2. $80.00 3. $50.00 65 Players 1. $170.00 2. $100.00 3. $70.00 4. $30.00 75 Players 1. $190.00 2. $120.00 3. $90.00 4. $60.00 CLOSEST TO THE PIN & SKINS GAME!  We will have 2 groups that will compete in the special games. Group 1: AA, A Flights Group 2: B, C, & D Flights The size of the pots will be determined by number of players in each group.  This should allow for some nice size payouts in both Skins and CTP contests. Cost for Closest to Pin Contest  $5.00. 2 chances in each group. All money paid back.   SKINS GAME: We will have same 2 groups as above. Player who gets the only birdie or eagle on a hole in their group wins hole: All birdies and eagles should be circled on scorecard.  2 Birdies or 2 Eagles on a hole cancels the hole. Cost is $10.00. All money paid back.