Golf Regulations

2011 REGULATIONS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS GOLF TOURNAMENTS
SECTIONAL and DISTRICT

NOTE: The following regulations apply to all levels of tournament competition unless otherwise specified. They have been adopted by the Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors on June 9, 2011.

The Commissioner is authorized to modify these regulations when it is deemed necessary by the Commissioner, subject to ratification by the Board of Directors.

1. ORGANIZATION OF TOURNAMENTS

A. The District Athletic Boards organize and conduct Sectional and District Tournaments in their respective districts, subject to the rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Directors.

2. ELIGIBILITY

A. All participants must be eligible in accordance with the OHSAA Bylaws and Sports Regulations.
B. A student who uses anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs is ineligible for interscholastic competition until such time as medical evidence can be presented that the student’s system is free of anabolic steroids.

3. DIVISIONS

A. There will be three divisions (I, II, III) of competition in the Boys Tournaments and two divisions (I, II) in the Girls Tournaments.

4. TOURNAMENT ENTRY AND PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS

A. Tournament Entry/Withdraw
1. Member schools wanting to participate in the 2011 OHSAA Golf Tournaments must indicate their intent to participate on their 2011-12 OHSAA Sports Participation Card in myOHSAA. Tournament entry confirmation begins September 5, 2011 and ends September 12, 2011. Schools that change their tournament participation after September 12, 2011 will be subject to a $150 penalty per sport.
2. A school may enter a maximum of one team only in the tournament. Individual entries (3 or less) may be entered when there is no team entry. An individual who starts on a team in a Sectional, District, or State Tournament must continue until that tournament is completed.
B. Tournament Paperwork Requirements
1. Participating schools must provide the tournament entry form and OHSAA eligibility certificate to their sectional site manager per their instruction.

5. SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE

A. No team or individual entry will be permitted to compete in a tournament unless accompanied by the coach or a person authorized by the board of education. Teams or individuals unaccompanied by such school representatives will be disqualified. The school representative shall be present throughout the tournament.

6. RULES

A. The United States Golf Association Rules for Stroke Play shall prevail for all tournaments sponsored by the OHSAA.

7. TOURNAMENT RULES COMMITTEE

A. Each tournament site must select a rules committee prior to the beginning of the tournament.  This committee should include a minimum of three individuals (1) the tournament director or his/her designee, (2) the golf pro or his/her designee, (3) a coach from the field.  DECISIONS MADE BY THIS COMMITTEE ARE FINAL.  Appeals to the OHSAA office will not be accepted for a “golf rule” infraction.  If a coach serving on this committee is directly involved with a decision, he/she should be excused from this decision.
B. Players should be made aware of the difference between a “Marshall” working the tournament and a “Rules Official” on the course.  Players can still play a “second” ball and ask for a second opinion by the committee.

8. STROKE PLAY

A. Stroke play for 18 holes will prevail. There will be no handicap.

9. GROUPING – TEE TIMES

A. All teams should be arranged according to tee times in advance of the tournament.  The information should be made available to all schools prior to the start of the tournament.  “Threesomes” or “foursomes” should be used, and teams should be paired together.  Three or four teams should be paired and sent off, followed by the next group of teams, and so on until the field is completed.
B. All players from the same team should play the course in the same order of holes.
C. If there are an uneven number of players, a group should not be sent out with less than three players unless it is accompanied by an official scorer.
D. Each site manager should have an alternate plan for play in case of inclement weather conditions.  This may include a “shotgun” start if necessary.

10. SCORING

A. Teams
1. The team score shall be determined by totaling the scores of the 4 players with the fewest strokes for the match. The team with the fewest number of strokes is the winner.
B. Individuals
1. Golf tournament competitors should keep score for each other.
2. Each player will keep the official score for one competitor in their group.
3. No two players should score each other.
4. Each player should verbally announce his/her score at the completion of each hole so that all in the group can hear.  If there is a discrepancy, the scorer should ask the player to review their strokes in the presence of the group.  The score must be verified before play is resumed on the next hole.
5. Official scorecards must be signed by the scorer and attested to by the player.  The player is only responsible for the hole by hole score.  Once the scorecard is turned in, it may not be altered.
6. Each tournament site should provide a score area for the competitors to complete their cards.  This area should be as close to the final green as possible, and players should avoid contact with other players, coaches, and spectators until the card is completed and turned in.

11. TIES

A. Team
1. Ties in team scoring for awards or at qualifying positions that affect the number of qualifiers shall be resolved by comparing the scores of the 5th team member and the team with the lowest 5th score shall be declared the winner. If one team does not have a 5th score, the team with the 5th score shall be declared the winner.
2. If teams remain tied after comparing the 5th scores, a playoff to determine the winner shall be held using the four players whose scores resulted in the team tie.

B. Individual (Medalist and Qualifiers)
1. Individual ties for qualifying positions, that affect the number of qualifiers, shall be resolved by playing an additional hole or holes until the tie is broken by the tied individuals.

12. REPORTING TOURNAMENT CONTEST RESULTS – ELECTRONICALLY

A. Contest results, with scores, are to be reported no later than 9:00am the morning following the contest to the NEDAB.  If your result is posted to the state website, MyOHSAA, then you do not need to inform the NEDAB.  If results are not on MyOHSAA you are to e-mail the NEDAB webmaster Genne Zimmerly at nrcn_gennez@tccsa.net

B. Managers should get media outlet information from teams at their coaches meetings with regard to who should be contacted with results and other pertinent tournament information.

13. DISTRICT & STATE QUALIFIERS

A. Each District Board shall determine the number of qualifiers from the sectional tournaments to the district tournaments.
B. The number of qualifiers from each sectional tournament to a district tournament, with qualifiers from two or more athletic districts shall be uniform and proportional to the number of school teams participating.
C. The State Tournament qualifiers information can be found at:  http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/go/gorglts.pdf

14. AWARDS

A. Sectional Tournament – no awards are to be given.
B. District Tournament there shall be Championship and Runner-up trophies presented to each team.  Individual awards shall be presented to the members and coach of the winning and runner-up teams and to the medalist and runner-up in each class.

15. SUMMER GOLF RULES

A. Summer golf rules will be played in the OHSAA Tournaments. In case of inclement weather; the Tournament Rules Committee may authorize winter rules.

16. GREENS FEE

A. The OHSAA is not responsible for the greens fee. Each school or participant will be responsible for the greens fee.

17. WEATHER (OHSAA Sports Regulation 20)

A. Recognition and Management:
1. Coaches, athletic trainers, athletes, administrators and contest officials should be educated regarding the signs indicating thunderstorm development. Since the average distance between successive lightning flashes is approximately two to three miles ANYTIME that lightning can be seen or heard, the risk is already present.

B. Weather can be monitored using the following methods:
1. Monitor Weather Patterns – Be aware of potential thunderstorms by monitoring local weather forecasts the day before and morning of the competition, and by scanning the sky for signs of potential thunderstorm activity.
2. National Weather Service – Weather can also be monitored using small, portable weather radios from the NWS. The NWS uses a system of severe storm watches and warnings watch indicates conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop in an area; a warning indicates severe weather has been reported in an area, and everyone should take proper precautions. Any thunderstorm poses a risk of injury or death even if it does not meet the criteria for severe weather. Therefore, anytime thunderstorms are in the forecast (even if it is only a 20 percent chance), event organizers should be at a heightened level of awareness to the potential danger of lightning.

C. Management:
1. Evacuation- If lightning is imminent or a thunderstorm is approaching, all personnel, athletes and spectators shall evacuate to available safe structures or shelters. A list of the closest safe structures should be announced and displayed on placards at all athletic venues.

2. Thirty-minute rule- Competition or practice shall be suspended once lightning has been recognized or thunder is heard. It is mandatory to wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning is witnessed or thunder is heard prior to resuming practice or competition. Given the average rates of thunderstorm travel, the storm should move 10-12 miles away from the area. This significantly reduces the risk of local lightning flashes.

3. Any subsequent lightning or thunder after the beginning of the 30-minute count shall reset the clock, and another count shall begin.

18. INTERRUPTED TOURNAMENT

A. Any OHSAA tournament interrupted due to events beyond the control of the responsible administrative authority shall be resumed from the point of interruption.

19. CADDIES

A. Caddies are not permitted during the tournament. Participants will be disqualified if any person assists by caddying or if the participant rides in any type of vehicle. Participants may use pull carts to carry golf clubs.
B. EXCEPTION: A medically authorized waiver is required for the use of a vehicle. A copy of the doctor’s statement must be filed with the OHSAA and the OHSAA authorization shown to the referee.

20. COACHING

A. Participants will be disqualified if any person assists the participant by coaching and giving advice which could influence a player in determining play, the choice of a club or method of making a stroke (Rule 8).
Note: A team member is not a partner and may not give advice to or receive advice from another member of the team.
B. EXCEPTION: The school head coach may speak with his/her players, without any delay of play, between a green completed and the next tee.
C. Penalties for violation of the coaching regulation:
1. A warning is issued
2. Player is assessed a two stroke penalty and the coach loses his/her privilege.
3. Coach is disqualified/ejected.
Note:  Following a coach ejection, if there is NOT a person authorized by the Board of Education present at the contest, forfeiture would result (bylaw 3-2-1-school representative must accompany team).

21. VIOLATIONS

A. Tobacco. Participants (coach, players, managers, etc.) are prohibited from using any form of tobacco on the golf course, in the clubhouse, or caddy house during any tournament. Penalty for violation of this rule will be disqualification. Managers are instructed to inform all coaches beforehand that this rule will be strictly enforced.
B. Conduct. A two-stroke penalty shall be assessed for unsporting conduct. Unsporting conduct shall include but not be limited to club throwing, willful acts which damage property or equipment on the course, use of abusive language, profanity, obscenities, and other unsporting conduct as determined by the Golf Rules Committee. Penalties imposed may result in disqualification.
C. Electronic Devices - The use of any electronic communication devices shall be prohibited on the course during any competition by all players, coaches, and spectators. Penalty shall be:

a) Player   1st offense two (2) strokes
2nd offense disqualification
b) Coach   1st offense lose coaching privilege
2nd offense disqualification
c) Spectator  1st offense warning
2nd offense removed from course of play

D. Range Finders - At the request of the Executive Committee of the OHSGCA and with full support of the OHSAA, Range Finders are prohibited for use in all competitions during regular season and tournament play. They may be used during individual/team practice sessions.  Penalty shall be same as above for Electronic Devices.

22. UNSPORTING CONDUCT PENALTY

A. During participation in OHSAA Tournaments, any student or coach ejected for unsporting conduct or flagrant foul shall be ineligible for contests for the remainder of that day as well as for all contests in that sport until two regular season/tournament contests are played at the same level as the ejection.
B. Individuals ejected for unsporting conduct shall be reported to the OHSAA Commissioner by the tournament manager. The Commissioner will investigate the situation and may impose additional penalties in accordance with Bylaw 12 if the situation warrants it.
C. Participation in an athletic contest is a privilege. Each individual is expected to conduct himself or herself in an exemplary manner while participating.

23. PROPERTY DAMAGE

A. There is no insurance covering property damage. If property is damaged at a tournament site by competing school teams, student body or spectators to physical facilities and equipment, etc. the school from which the students and/or spectators come shall be liable and pay the cost of repair or replacement. The tournament manager is authorized to deduct from the school’s share the cost of any damages caused by competing schools. Other damages to facilities not attributed to a competing school could be a legitimate tournament expense and may be deducted from tournament receipts. If damage is extensive, the District Board or Board of Directors will become involved. Student crowd control at state-sponsored tournaments is the responsibility of the administrative heads of the competing schools.

24. SPONSORSHIP AND RIGHTS

A. The Ohio High School Athletic Association is the sponsoring association for the Golf Tournaments. The OHSAA reserves all rights in regard to the management of these tournaments and the sale of any items or any audio-visual reproductions. Any sale of food, clothing, souvenirs or any other items is strictly prohibited without permission of the respective District Athletic Boards for Sectional or District Tournaments and the OHSAA Commissioner for the State Tournaments.

25. STATE INFORMATION:  http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/go/gorglts.pdf