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SACRAMENTO GOLF CLUB PACE OF PLAY POLICY

 

The Sacramento Golf Club Pace of Play Policy (POP) leaves the responsibility for maintaining the pace of play where it belongs-with you, the player.

 

Pace of Play Sheets will be provided on the first tee with the MAXIMUM allowable time to complete the play of each hole based on a group’s scheduled starting time. These times are established based on the difficulty of the course and are established by the NCGA. They include time to search for balls and deal with other common occurrences encountered during play. A normal speed of play should result in completing play FASTER than the time indicated on the Pace of Play Sheet. If a group falls behind, they must play efficient golf and make up the lost time.

 

It is the PLAYERS’ RESPONSIBILITY to know their group’s position relative to the published Pace of Play and to ensure they play within the published limits. If a group falls behind the pace of play standard and is not in position directly behind the previous group, the group may be subject to penalty for Undue Delay:

 

The group will first receive a warning for slow play. The group will be allowed to continue as long as they can improve their time each hole until they catch back up to the pace of play standard. If the group cannot improve their time, they will be subject to penalty for Undue Delay:

 

Penalty - Skipping a hole with a penalty of two strokes (Net Double Bogey)

 

It is not our intention to penalize players. Our intention is to educate players on things that can be done to ensure that players take steps to complete the rounds within the allotted time. Steps to help complete round in 4 hours 27 minutes include the following:

 

1) Play Ready Golf – Play when ready and safe, not when it is necessarily your turn to play. On the tee, fairway and around the greens, play when ready. On the green, read your putts while others are putting so you are ready to play when it is your turn. Putt out whenever possible. (USGA Rule 6-4B).

 

2) Tee off while others are still putting - If you are the first person to putt out on a hole, grab your driver and head to the next tee and tee off. If it is a considerable walk to the next hole, wait for your partner to putt out, and both of you take the cart to the next tee and tee off. The other two players can take the other cart when finished putting. Fill in the scorecard at the next tee, not on the green.

 

3) In Team Events, Pick Up When You Are Out Of The Hole - If the event is a team event, when you reach a point where you can’t improve on your partner’s score, pick up and record on the scorecard the score you most likely would have made on the hole.

 

4) Dual Cart Etiquette - When sharing a cart, drop off your riding partner at their ball and drive to your ball to hit. After you hit, drive back to pick up your partner.

 

5) Per USGA Rules, only 3 Minutes Is Allowed to Search For A Lost Ball.

 

ALL GROUPS: All groups must finish their round within the maximum allowable time established by the Committee. If they finish over the maximum allowable time, they must finish within 14 minutes of the group in front of them. If they finish over the maximum allowable time and more than 14 minutes behind the group in front of them, each player will be assessed a penalty of two strokes to their score for the final hole.

 

GROUPS MAY BE MONITORED: If a player believes that the group is being delayed by the play of other player(s) in the group the player should first address the issue with the player(s) involved. If this discussion was ineffective, the player may request a Tournament Official on the course to have the group monitored. The Committee may also monitor a group that is failing to play within the maximum allowable time, whether or not a player has requested it. If the Committee identifies that a player(s) in the group is the cause of the group failing to maintain pace of play and determines other players are playing within the requirements of this policy, those meeting the requirements of this policy may be absolved from the penalty while others may not.

 

UNREASONABLE DELAY: If the Committee determines that a group or player(s) in a group are failing to play in accordance with the established guidelines severely disrupting the play of other players or following groups, the player(s) or group may be subject to penalty of unreasonable delay.

 

The Committee reserves the right to review all penalty situations.