2010 SMGA MATCH PLAY TOURNAMENT

Jerry Obenour is the 2010 SMGA Match Play Champion,
defeating Howard Hazlett 6&5

The SMGA Match Play Tournament is a competitive, but fun event.  This year’s format is similar to the past few years.  The basic idea is that play will be done in two phases.  The first phase will be a double elimination tournament to select flight winners.  These winners will then play a single elimination tournament to determine the overall 2010 SMGA Match Play Champion.

1.       The double elimination qualifying tournament will permit the flights to be closely matched by handicaps.

2.       It guarantees that each player will get at least two matches.

3.       Play may commence on April 7^th.  The First Round must be completed by April 26^th.  The Second & Third Rounds have a two week window to complete the match.  Thereafter, there will be a three week window to complete each match.  This will enable the tournament to be completed by September 27^th, just before the SMGA Championship Tournament and the end of the SMGA year.  Please note the “complete by” date on the Flight schedule.

4.       The entry fee is $25 and will be added to your club account.

Change from original announcement:  For 2010, 54 players signed up to play in the Match Play Tournament.  To avoid having many Byes, there will only be seven flights.  The last spot in the Championship Round will be filled by an 18 hole playoff of all seven players who lost in the Flight Championship Round.  The player with the lowest net score will fill the 8^th slot in the Championship Round.  If there is a tie after 18 holes, the players involved will continue to play in a sudden death playoff until one player survives.  The playoff round will be held on July 29^th (rain date is July 30^th).  The player will then have until August 16^th to complete his match against the winner of the 7^th Flight.

New for 2010:  Those members who qualify and choose to play SMGA tournaments from the Gold Tees will play from the Gold tees.  This determination is made monthly.  All others will play from the White tees.

New for 2010:  All participants will earn Player of the Year points.  Each player will receive four Participation points.  Place points will be awarded to the first (5 points) and second (4 points) place players in each flight. For the championship round, an additional 5 points will be awarded to the winner and 4 points to the runner-up.

Player Responsibilities:

You are responsible for getting your own tee times for your match.  The match must be completed by the dates noted in the individual flight pairings.

Once the match is completed, the winner must send an email with the results to Don Holec (donholec@yahoo.com).  Please note the final match score (e.g., 1 up, 3 and 2, etc.) and your Flight number.

The double elimination portion of the match play tournament has six “rounds” and the single elimination portion of the tournament has three “rounds” for a total of nine rounds.  This means the schedule is important.  The planned schedule shows completion of all rounds by 9/27/10.  The SMGA reserves the right to adjust the schedule if unforeseen events arise (bad weather, etc.).

Each delayed match in the double elimination portion affects two subsequent matches.  Therefore, extension of the match play schedule will not be permitted.  All competitors have an equal chance of injury, urgent family business, travel, etc.  If you can’t play a match, one player must forfeit the match.

To ensure that we get done, we will not allow a match to slide past the due date.  If a match is not completed by the scheduled date, the competitors must jointly agree on who will forfeit the match. In the event the players cannot agree, the SMGA President will decide the outcome based on a coin toss.

Handicaps:

Handicaps as of April 1^st have been used to flight the field. Thereafter, the handicaps in effect at time of the match will be used.

As this is a tournament, all scores will be posted as tournament scores for handicap purposes.

A player’s official handicap on the day the match is played will be used to determine the number of strokes a player gets or gives.  The number of strokes given is the difference in the official handicaps of the two players.  For your information, the official handicaps are calculated on the 1^st and 15^th of each month.

When a Gold Tee Program player is playing against a non-Gold Tee Program player, the handicaps will be adjusted in accordance with USGA handicap policy just as is done for Wednesday tournament play.  Furthermore, since eligibility to play in the Gold Tee Program is determined monthly, a Gold Tee Program player will play from the Gold tees for the entire month even if his handicap index changes on the 15^th of a month.

Rules for Match Play:

All play shall be accordance with the USGA Rules of Golf/Decisions and the SMGA Local Rules.  For SMGA Local Rules, please refer to Appendix C of the SMGA By-Laws (http://www.smgahills.com/bylaws.htm#_Toc238775598).  For the match play tournament, Local Rule #1 (Preferred Lies) and Local Rule #7 (Gimme putts) DO NOT APPLY.  See #2 and #3 below.

The below explanatory material is provided as a service to golfers to familiarize themselves with match play rules.

1. "Penalty for Breach of Rule" in match play is usually loss of hole. [2-6]
2. The “Preferred Lies” rule (SMGA Local Rule #1) when the course is cart path only do not apply.  The ball must be played down in accordance with USGA rules.
3. In match play, you can concede your opponent’s putt at any time.  The "18 inch rule" (SMGA Local Rule #7) we use for our normal Wednesday "gimme" putts does not apply.  All putts must be played until the golf ball is holed or the putt is conceded. 
4. A player may concede the match, a hole, or the next stroke (including putts).  A concession may not be declined – or withdrawn. [2-4] If a hole is conceded, the player should post the most likely score he would have made on the hole.
5. Once the match is won or lost, the match is over.  If you "play in" after your match is complete, you must record a net par (preceded by an "X") on each hole.  In other words, whatever actual score you make on such holes is not counted.
6. In case of doubt or dispute, a player may make a claim, but it must be done prior to any player making a stroke from the next teeing ground, or if the last hole, before all players leave the putting green.  Claims not made in this manner cannot be considered. [2-5]
7. The player is obliged to inform his opponent “as soon as practicable” that he has incurred a penalty.  If he gives wrong information to his opponent as to strokes taken he loses the hole [9-2]
8. The ‘away’ player has the honors.  If the opposing player hits out of turn, the ‘away’ player may require the opposing player to replay the shot in the proper order.  [10-1c]. 
9. If your ball hits a fellow-competitor or his equipment, you have the option to replay the shot. [19-3]
10. If teeing off from outside the teeing ground, there is no stroke penalty, but your opponent can cancel your shot and require you to replay it. [11-4a]
11. In singles matches, a player cannot consult with or obtain information from any other player (e.g., someone accompanying you or your match for example).    
12. You may not touch your ball other than as permitted by the rules.  For instance if your ball is lying such that you cannot readily identify it, you cannot just go to it and gently turn it to see your mark.  There is a procedure that involves informing your opponent, marking the ball, lifting, identifying and replacing the ball -- provided you allow your opponent to observe the lifting and replacing. [12-2]
13. You cannot lift (or even touch) another players ball without authority [18-3b].  Means that you cannot mark another player’s ball on the green without his permission.
14. You cannot touch your ball on the putting surface to line it up unless it is properly marked. [18-3b].

Tournament Schedule:

All matches must be completed by the deadline as follows:

·         Flight Round #1:  April 26

·         Flight Round #2:  May 10

·         Flight Round #3:  May 24

·         Flight Round #4:  June 14

·         Flight Round #5:  July 5

·         Flight Round #6:  July 26

·         Champ Flight Elite 8:  Aug 16

·         Champ Flight Final 4:  Sept 6

·         Champ Flight Championship:  Sept 27