Rules

The NEW Golf Tour Rules & Policies for 2019 Events

Participation
The NEW Golf Tour is open to all golfers here in Northeast Wisconsin (and beyond). Amateurs and local course professionals are encouraged to play on The NEW Golf Tour. While registering for each event please provide the most up to date information to ensure we have the best competition possible. You will be able to request to play with one other competitor.

Format

All tournaments are gross stroke play with USGA rules and/or local golf rules in effect. The rules of golf as governed by the USGA will apply with the following exceptions:

All players can card a maximum of triple bogey on any hole (unless stated otherwise). On any one hole if a player reaches triple bogey (including penalty strokes) and the ball is not holed out, the player MUST pick up his/her ball and record a triple bogey for that hole and move to the next hole when your group is ready.

Local rules and/or host course rules take precedence. These special rules will be detailed before the start of each tournament.

Flights

To be determined based on the number of players, their ability, and their age. Flights will be made with the intentions of trying to make for evenly-numbered flights (if possible). If possible, players 50 years of age or older will have the option to play in a flight with players around the same age (or older) provided their abilities are comparable.

Handicap Policy

After completing (5) rounds on The NEW Golf Tour you will be given a tour handicap. This tour handicap or your WSGA handicap will be used to determine which flight you should be placed. Between these two handicaps, your lowest will be used. Your tour handicap is intended to group players into flights of comparable potential ability to promote fair competition within each flight. The triple bogey rule from above is our version of Equitable Stroke Control (similar to the USGA). It is on the honor of each player to accurately report their handicap throughout the season while registering for tournaments. Tour Director has the final say on which flight a player will participate in based on reported ability and/or past performance (if applicable).

Flight Movement

If a player drastically outperforms their reported ability they may be subject to move to a new flight on the same day of the tournament. This will be at the discretion of the Tour Director and based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: course conditions, weather conditions, past performance, skill-level, and course rating and index. The intent behind this policy is to ensure that everyone is on a fair playing field. This is not to say that if someone has a “career day” they will automatically be moved. This policy is meant to protect to field, not punish players.

Appearance & Behavior Policy

The NEW Golf Tour will strictly enforce a tournament dress code with NO exceptions. You MUST wear proper golf attire and soft spikes. No cutoffs, sweat pants or jogging outfits are permitted.

The NEW Golf Tour will not tolerate vulgar language, club throwing, alcohol abuse, poor golfing etiquette, cheating, and improper use of golf carts or other such behavior. Such conduct may result in tournament disqualification and suspension or expulsion from the tour.

Caddies & Patrons

Caddies are allowed for tournaments based on each course preference. Check with each course directly before assuming a caddy will be allowed. Appropriate action will be taken if pace of play is not maintained as a result of a caddie/player issue.

Patrons are welcomed at tournaments; however each course has different guidelines for patrons. It’s the responsibility of those who wish to follow the action to check with the course before the tournament to receive course instructions and rules if they are allowed to be on the course during tournament play.

Weather Guidelines

If the course allows us on the course, we are playing. However, per USGA Rule 6.8.a (II), a player may discontinue play if he/she believes there is danger from lightning. Any delays or cancellation of a tournament will be determined by the golf course and their staff in conjunction with Tour Director. If a course becomes unplayable during a tournament, the tournament may be declared official if all players in a flight have played at least nine of the same holes.

If a tournament is cancelled due to weather, a makeup date will be announced as soon as/if one is determined. Cash refunds will not be issued, but rather will be applied to the scheduled makeup date or future tournaments. In some cases based on circumstances you will receive rain checks in exchange for the entry fee paid to The NEW Golf Tour.

Prizes & Awards

At each tournament, a portion of the tournament entry fee will be placed into the prize pool for each flight. The amount for each tournament and is determined by the number of players. Bag tags will also be awarded to the winner of each flight.

Tournament Registration & Refunds

You MUST register for each tournament using the The NEW Golf Tour website. The deadline to register for each tournament will be listed on the website near registration for each event. If you have problems using the website, please contact us for assistance.

If something were to happen that forced you to withdraw from an event, simply notify Tour Director via email before the deadline for that tournament. If you miss the deadline to withdraw, based on circumstances, additional fees may apply to play in any future event(s). Because a head count has to be given for these tournaments, only withdraw if you absolutely must. Please understand that we must maintain positive relations with the courses for future events.

2024 schedule will feature a lot of tee time events. This means that each course will need a headcount one week before the scheduled event to make sure they block off enough time for our players. Official tournament tee sheet will go out on the Monday before the event. Once the tee sheet has been sent, if you withdraw and I’m able to fill your spot in the event, you will not be subject to additional fees at a future event; if you withdraw and I am not able to fill your spot, you may be subject to additional fees at a future event.

If you no-show for a tournament, additional fees may apply at a future event.

Tournament Day

You MUST check-in with a representative of The NEW Golf Tour at least 15 minutes before your assigned tee time. Failure to do so may result in a 2-stroke penalty. It is important to the tour, the course, and to your playing partners that you are punctual. Best practice is to check-in as soon as you arrive to avoid any problems.

You must be to your first tee 10 minutes prior to your starting time. If you miss the start of your tee time, you will be assessed a one-stroke penalty per minute you are late, up to a maximum of five minutes before disqualification.

Before Play Begins

Make sure the assigned player in your group has all players loaded into the electronic scorecard if applicable. Also make sure one player is keeping a tour scorecard for backup. If there is a reason to hold play to get something answered, please do so. If an error was made and you and your entire group agree that you should be playing from a different tee box for example, begin play and verify with Tour Director after your round. In most cases it will be a simple oversight and this should not slow the pace of play or delay the start of a round.

One player per group will be assigned to keep scores utilizing our electronic scoreboard feature on the tour website. A link will be sent out to the assigned players either the night before or morning of the event. A different play per group will also be asked to keep a physical scorecard incase backup is needed and for skin purposes. Keeping an unofficial scorecard for your reference and others in your group is allowed.

Identify your ball with a distinctive marking and show this ball and it’s marking to your playing competitors. You must be able at all times to positively identify that the ball you’ve played is not another player’s ball.

During the Round

Please follow proper golf etiquette at all times. Rake bunkers, keep riding carts far enough away from greens and bunkers, repair your divot and another divot on each green, assist competitors with locating errant shots, pull the pin, be aware of your footsteps, follow all golf cart signs, etc.

After each hole, announce your score for your group to hear so that your official scorecard can be updated and the honor determined for the next tee.

If you would like to listen to music at an appropriate volume, you are welcome as long as you check with your playing competitor’s first. If a fellow competitor does not want you to listen to music, please be respectful. You are NOT allowed to listen to headphones while playing.

Keep cell-phone usage to an absolute minimum. You need to be aware of your surroundings and keep the pace of play moving along.

Pace of Play

This will be a focal point on The NEW Golf Tour. We want to make sure that everyone can enjoy their round while at the same time being competitive. Unless a course is unable to provide the needed number of riding carts, or the tournament allows walking, it will be mandatory that you ride to help with pace of play. Slow play penalties will be assessed if need be; keep your groups moving! Our goal will be to complete each round in less than four hours and thirty minutes.

We encourage ready golf. If you reach your ball and are ready to hit, when others in your group are not yet ready, then go ahead and hit. In a stroke play competition there is no penalty for playing out of turn, provided there is a reasonable justification to do so.

The penalty for slow play is 2 strokes for the entire group. Everyone in a group needs to make sure that their group is keeping up with the group ahead of them. Repeat offenders of slow play will be asked not to return to the tour for the enjoyment of the other golfers.

We have the triple bogey rule in effect to help with pace of play (unless otherwise stated). There is no limit to the number of triple bogies you can card. Remember that once you reach triple bogey on a hole and you have yet to hole out, you MUST pick up and help the other finish that hole.

If there is a rules disagreement while during the round of play, you may play an alternate ball(s) under USGA Rule 3-3, but must comply with all requirements of that rule. Before playing any ball, the player must announce that he will play two balls under Rule 3-3, which ball is being played under which rule, and state which ball he wishes to count if the rules permit. At the conclusion of the round or first opportunity, Matt Werner will make the final ruling. In any discrepancy of the rules, Matt Werner along with the course Professional will make all final decisions.

We want to have fun and compete. The rules of golf and the honor of play are very important on The NEW Golf Tour. At the same time we want to make sure we keep the pace of play moving and that we are not “looking to catch” someone doing something. This is a game of honor, let’s act as such. Rules are made to be followed, not to argue about.

Completion of Your Round

Move away from your final green as soon as possible so as not to slow down anyone finishing behind you. If you need a ruling, get it before approving your total score. Get with your competitors and verify that your total score on the electronic scoreboard is accurate. Also check your hole by hole score with the player that kept the group scorecard.

Electronic score keeper: Notify Tour Director as soon as possible if all scores online are accurate.

Scorecard score keeper: Please turn in group scorecard as soon as possible for record keeping.

You are responsible for the correctness of each score on each hole, not the final score.

Each hole must have an official score; you cannot just have a final score on your scorecard you turn in.

Tiebreaker Policy

All ties for 1st place will be decided by a playoff on the course.

If time and/or the course prohibits a playoff from being administered, a scorecard-playoff will be used with the following criteria:

  • Best total of last 9 holes (same); if same score…
  • Best total of last 6 holes (same); if same score…
  • Best total of last 3 holes (same); if same score…
  • Best score on #1 handicap hole, #2, #3, #4, etc. until decided

Tournament Conclusion

Once all the scores have been submitted and confirmed, and all the prizes and trophies have been given away, the tournament will be considered official and therefore closed.

How You Earn Points

We will reward points based on your finishing place each tournament. This points system is designed to keep everyone competitive throughout the season. We will also be crowning a season-end Champion so you will want to keep track of the standings all season to see where you stand! There will be plenty of awards and prizes at each event thanks in large part to you and all of the tour sponsors. With that being said, the points system is very simple to understand and follow and it was made this way to keep everyone competing while at the same time rewarding those that finished better in each of our tournaments. This points system applies to each flight.

Place 18-hole Event 36-hole event 54-hole event Tour Champ Appleton City Bonus
1 100 125 140 150 30
2 90 115 125 130 20
3 85 105 120 110 20
4 80 100 115 100 20
5 75 95 105 95 20
6 70 85 100 85 20
7 65 80 95 80 20
8 50 75 85 75 20
9 55 70 80 70 20
10 50 65 75 65 20
>10 40 55 65 55 20

You will also earn bonus points each event based on the number of players you beat. Two bonus points for each player you beat in your flight at the conclusion of each event.

Appleton Trophy Cup Format (Season-Long Points Race)

Each tournament you compete in you will earn points based on the scoring system above. Our standings will be calculated using your points from your five best points finishes and your points from the Tour Championship. If the overall winner is tied after the Tour Championship we will have a sudden death playoff to decide winner. Handicap will not be a factor during this playoff.