PENNANT COMPETITIONS

RULES and CONDITIONS OF PLAY

DATES:

The Mens Pennant Competition will be conducted under the following:

  • GNQ Mens Pennants (Stroke) will be played annually on the TIHIRD weekend of September on Saturday and Sunday morning or, in extenuating circumstances, re-scheduled in accordance with the availability of courses by GNQ.
  • GNQ Mens Pennants Divisional Handicap will be played annually in April with a date set each year on Saturday and Sunday morning or, in extenuating circumstances, re-scheduled in accordance with the availability of courses by GNQ.

VENUES: Venues will be determined and set annually by Golf North Queensland.

Please refer to Current seedings for Host Clubs

FORMAT:

  • STROKE MATCH PLAY: The format will be the Team Aggregate Points, of individual Scratch Match play matches, played over two days. Players can be played in any order
  • HANDICAP MATCH PLAY: The format will be the Team Aggregate Points, of individual Handicap Match play matches, played over two days. Players will play in order of Handicap, i.e. lowest marker is ranked as player one
  • Should there be a late Team withdrawal, GNQ will use Plan B playing Format

COMPETITION: The competition shall consist of.

MEN STROKE

A Grade: Three or Four Divisions of Four teams.
Teams of Eight Players with option of one reserve player

B Grade: Three Divisions of Four teams.
Teams of Eight Players with option of one reserve player

C Grade: Three Divisions of Four teams.
Teams of Eight Players with option of one reserve player

HANDICAP DIVISIONAL COMPETITION
3 or more Divisions with Four teams
Teams of SIX players with option of one reserve

GRADES and HANDICAPS: Handicaps for grading purposes (Stroke) are frozen Friday midnight one month prior to play.

A grade -No handicap limits.
B Grade GA Handicap of 9.5 and above.
C Grade GA Handicap of 17.5 and above.

Handicap Competition – no handicap limits

PLAYER ELEGILBILITY: Players who have the qualification as an “amateur” as specified by Golf Australia, who have supplied the current stipulated details for registration (including Golf Link Numbers and DOB).

Be a financial member, with full playing rights of the Club he represents.
Be a provisional member, with full playing rights, paying fees awaiting to be granted full rights, of the club he represents.
Each Player must have a current GA handicap in accordance with his grade

NOTE:- Male players are only eligible to play Mens Pennant Competition

FEE STRUCTURE: On notification to the Golf North Queensland of their Clubs intention to compete in the fore-coming season, GNQ will issue an invoice for required green fees.

Host Clubs: – please refer to Hosting GNQ Event Document for HOST Fee Structure

(STROKE: – One Team = 8 players x $20 x 3 rounds = $480 including GST)
(HANDICAP: – One Team = 6 players x $20 x 3 rounds = $360 including GST)

Invoices will be issued 10 weeks prior to Pennant Competition

Failure to pay fees by due date will mean your Club will NOT play in Pennant Competition
Clubs withdrawing from Pennant Competition within 4 weeks of Competition, will forfeit fees.

Fees must be paid in full by;

Mens Handicap Pennant Competition COB 8th March each year
Mens Stroke Pennant Competition COB  16th August each year

CLUB INTENTION TO PLAY (NOMINATION): Clubs Intention to Play Nomination Forms must be received by COB 1st March

Any Club, which is not currently competing in the Pennants competition, may request in writing to the Secretary of GolfNQ that they be included the following year and shall challenge for a position.

TEAM LIST: Team List are to be nominated by the Club at the start of the weekend. No other player may play for the Club during the nominated Pennant weekend after the first match has commenced.

  • The Captain or Manager of a team may play the members of the team in any order he chooses.
  • Team lists are to be handed to the GNQ representative officiating at least 15 minutes prior to the advised tee off time except for the first round –
  • the MENS Team list must be emailed to Mens Match mensmatch@golfnq.org.au before 5pm on the Friday before the event.
  • Last minute substitutions are permissible due to late arrivals.
  • The team list for the Sunday Morning round should be submitted before leaving the course on Saturday night. Last-minute substitutions are permissible.

TEAM MEETING: Team Captains will meet with GNQ representatives 20 Minutes Prior to Tee off Times. 

RULES: The Golf North Queensland Mens Pennant Competition will be played under the auspices of Golf North Queensland, in accordance with the current GNQ Mens Handbook.  This includes The Rules of Golf, as adopted by R & A Rules Limited and such additional Local rules, approved by the Pennant Committee

In accordance with the note to Rule 8 of the Rules of Golf, each team may appoint one person who may give advice to members of each of their teams, in addition to the persons from whom advice may be asked under that Rule.

Such a person giving advice, must be the named Non-playing Captain/Manager, whose identity is to be shared with the opposing team prior to competition. 

https://www.randa.org/Rules-of-Golf/MainRules/8-Advice-Indicating-Line-of-Play/SubRules/2-Indicating-Line-of-Play#core

Any proven infringement of the rules will be penalized.

PENNANT COMMITTEE: The GNQ Pennant Competition will be under the management and control of the Pennant Committee, consisting of representatives of Golf North Queensland and Host Club Match.  In the absence of the full Pennant Committee, such members thereof as may be present at any time may give a decision and any decision shall be deemed the decision of the full Pennant Committee.  The Pennant Committee reserves the right to vary any condition of this event.

BALL: It will be obligatory for all competitors in all events to play with a ball which is named in the current list of Conforming Golf Balls issued by the R&A.  Penalty for breach of this condition: Disqualification.

USE OF MOTORISED VEHICLES: There is no restriction on the use of motorised vehicles for this Event.

CADDIES: A player is responsible for their caddie actions both during a round of golf and while play is stopped under Rule 5.7a, but not before or after a round.  Refer to Rule 10 Caddies

DRESS REGULATIONS: All players, officials, caddies and supporters are required to observe dress standards and regulations advised by host clubs. Unless otherwise specified by the Host Club, Pennant team playing uniforms are permissible for all after match and official functions.

Where playing uniforms are being worn at after match functions, the condition of the clothing must

be maintained at the highest levels. Players with wet or dirty playing uniforms should change prior to entering the clubhouse. In addition, all players are required to take a change of shoes for wear in the clubhouse. 

PACE OF PLAY: Pace of play will be administered in accordance with The NQ Pace of Play Policy as outlined by R&A’s Pace of Play.  A copy of R&A’s Pace of Play- Player Responsibilities is available at www.golfnq.org.au

DRUG TESTING: All competitors are subject to drug testing by the Australian Sports Drug Agency for banned substances as laid down in Golf Australia’s Doping Policy – endorsed by Golf North Queensland.  Any competitor infringing this policy or refusing to take a test, may be disqualified.

CODE OF CONDUCT: All entrants are bound by Golf North Australia’s Code of Conduct (“the Code”).  A copy of the Code is available at www.golfnq.org.au

Any breach of the Code must be recorded with the Championship Committee within 15 minutes of finishing the match.  The Pennant Committee decision reached will be final.

DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICES: For all play in this Championship a player may obtain distance information by use of distance-measuring device. If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect her play (e.g., elevation changes, wind speed, etc), the player is in breach of Rule 14-3.

 SCORING and RESULTS

All matches must cease by the 18th Hole.
Players must not continue to play once their individual match has been completed.
Forfeits will be recorded as a 10/8 (win/loss)
Each individual match may be Won: – 2 points, Square: – 1 point and Lost: – 0 points
Result sheets are to be signed by both players at the end of each match and handed to the NQ representative.  Failure to return this sheet will result in a draw being recorded.
Where, on completion of the Competition, if teams finish level on points, the count back system to be used is;

COUNT BACK SYSTEM:

Add all the matches won and drawn over the weekend. The team with the highest total wins.
If still equal, add the number of holes won by each team during the weekend. The team with the highest total wins.
If still equal, the results of the No 1 players are used, and if still equal, proceed through the team in order until a result is obtained.
The winners of each Divisional Grade will be presented with the Golf North Queensland Divisional Pennant Flag.

DRAW: A seeded draw is used in each Division. The draw for each competition will be determined by the Match Committee. 

 

Saturday: – 7am

Team 1

V

Team 4

Team 2

V

Team 3

 

Saturday: – 12.30pm

Team 3

V

Team 1

Team 4

V

Team 2

 

Sunday: – 7am

Team 1

V

Team 2

Team 3

V

Team 4

 

 WITHDRAWALS: Any Club withdrawing from the Pennants competition automatically forfeits its place in the draw and must pre-qualify for re-entry in the following or subsequent year.

 CHALLENGES: All challenge Matches are to be played on a neutral course.  If there are no vacancies in the lowest Division, then GNQ will advise the Captains of the Challenging Club and the Fourth placed Club and it is the responsibility of these Clubs to arrange a challenge between themselves.  The winning team in this challenge will advise GNQ of the result and then takes the fourth place in that Division. 

If more than one club wishes to challenge, then the challenging clubs are required to play off on a neutral course to select the challenger.

Clubs may request to enter more than one team in any grade however preference will be given to clubs wishing to re-join the competition

Team Challenge Forms must be to GNQ Secretary by COB 31st January

PLAY: Competition will be a Shot Gun Start with AM and PM Tee off times.  Morning Tee off time is scheduled for 7am at each venue.  Afternoon Tee off time is scheduled for 12.30pm at each venue.

A player must start at the time allocated. [Rule 6-3] In no case shall an individual play outside the block time allocated for the competition. 

https://www.randa.org/Rules-of-Golf/MainRules/6-The-Player/SubRules/3-Time-of-Starting-and-Groups

After the teams have been submitted, an eligible, registered reserve player may be substituted for a nominated player in the case of the player being disqualified before teeing off.

Matches are to be played in group of four unless GNQ Match Committee direct that play proceed in twos if this is considered practicable.

Players from the first-named team on the draw have the honour on the designated starting tee in all matches.

 PROMOTION and RELEGATION IN SEEDINGS: Dependent upon performance at the annual event, a team is either relegated to a lower Division, is promoted to a higher Division, or stays in the same Division.

In Division 1, the top three teams stay in that Division and the fourth placed team is relegated to Division 2.

In the remaining divisions, the top team moves up a division, the second and third placed teams remain in the Division, and the fourth placed team is relegated. In the lowest Division, the top team is promoted to the next highest Division and the second and third placed teams remain in the Division and the fourth placed team is subject to a challenge.

Clubs wishing to challenge for a position any Grade must challenge the fourth team in the lowest Division

All challenges must be in writing to GNQ Secretary by COB  31st January

All challenge matches must be played by COB  3rd Friday of March each year.