Green Collar Golf League

Introduction

The Green Collar Golf League is a two-person team golf league that will play at Ledges Golf Club on Thursdays starting on April 18, 2024. Teams will play against a different two-person team each week. Four divisions of thirteen teams each were created. Your schedule is comprised of 12 in-division matches and 9 outside your division matches for a total of 21 regular season weeks. The outside division matches will be 3 matches from each remaining division.

This league has a 5:00 shotgun start. Both nines will have 13 matches being played. All nine holes will have a match and four holes will have a "B" group or second match tee off at 5:10. By the end of the season each team will play both the front holes and back holes 10 or 11 times each although you are not guaranteed to alternate every week. Please make sure you are at your hole on time and not to hold up pace of play.

Regular Season Play

The team who shoots the lowest combined net score will win that week’s match. The net score is determined by subtracting the player’s handicap from the gross score (the number of strokes actually taken). Teams will get two points for a win, one point for a tie, and no points for a loss. There will be 21 regular season matches.

Post Season Play

The post season will start on September 12th. Teams will be ranked from 1-13 according to how many points they have inside your division. Teams with the same record or amount of points will use the lower net score as a tiebreaker, followed by head to head for in-division ranking. Teams ranked 1-8 will make the playoffs, teams ranked 9-12 will make a consolation bracket, and the last place (13th seed) will miss the playoffs. The 1 seed will play 8, 2v7, 3v6, & 4v5. Highest seed will continue to pay lowest seed until there is a division winner. The winner of each division has now made the semi-finals and the highest seed will play the lowest seed based on regular season rank (1-52). The championship will take place October 10th.

Players must be present or attest their playoff matches. If you cannot be present or attest your partner can double their score. Over par doubles and under par has your partner come in as even.

A sub can only play in the playoffs if they have posted 5 rounds during the regular season.

A tie in any playoff match will need an additional 9 holes to settle the tie. If both teams agree to an alternative method of tie breaker that is acceptable.

Prizes

Regular Season Champions: $500
Post Season 1st Place: $2,500
Post Season 2nd Place: $1,000
Post Season 3rd Place: $750
Post Season 4th Place: $500
Field day winner: $400 (To be eligible for prize no additional shots can be taken for players not present, new in 2023)
Consolation bracket winner: $350
Closest to the pin
- Each week the 7th hole for players playing the front nine and the 14th hole for players playing the back nine will act as CTP. Whoever is closest on each 9 wins. This year $1/week totaling $21/member was allocated to the CTP pot out of league dues. No additional money is to be paid & winning player each week will win $50 to each hole's winner.

League Fees and Dues

League Dues are $175.00/player and are used for:

– Year end prizes

– League golf shirt

– Year end four player scramble on field day including food*

- Closest to the pin every week wins $50 (on each 9 holes totaling $100 of prize money per week).

Dues are to be paid on or before 3/14/24. Weekly Greens Fees and Cart Fees are paid directly to the course. League dues are non-refundable. If you are unable to continue playing in the league, it is your responsibility to find your partner someone to take your place and your responsibility to work league dues out with that new player.

Handicaps

Returning players will begin this season with their handicap from last season. New players will be given a handicap from League Manager, Rob. The assigned handicap will be based on end of the year scoring to be fair to returning members. Each week every player’s handicap will be calculated by taking the average of the top four scores from the previous six league rounds. For example, your Week 8 handicap will be calculated by averaging the top four scores from Week 2 – Week 7. Your league handicap is solely calculated from rounds played during league play.

Scorecards

Ensure your scorecard is filled out completely including you and your partner’s first and last name, individual hole scores and total round score ADDED UP. Ensure that both team’s scorecards have identical hole scores and total round scores for each player. Once you agree the cards match, please have both teams sign one of the scorecards. ONE PLAYER should submit this completed scorecard to the Green Collar box that will be left in the bar.

Once all four players agree to the scores and sign the scorecard, please have ONE PERSON submit all FOUR PLAYERS scores on the league website. This can be done by clicking on the "Submit" tab, selecting the golfer's name, selecting the correct week (this will self-populate), entering in the gross score each player shot and hitting submit. NEW this year, please make sure to also submit total #birdies for each player as well.

If you attest, someone other than your partner must attest your score by signing your scorecard. Please turn this card into the bin as well. NEW THIS YEAR: You must reach out to your opponents if you/ you and your partner need to attest. Your opponents need to have the opportunity to try to attest your score. If the players cannot agree on a time to make-up their match, attesting is allowed. You need to inform your opponents of the day and time you are attesting. Anyone who attests without reaching out to their opponent will FORFEIT their match as voted at league town hall meeting. The league recommends putting a group text message out to all four players and including Craig Roberts 413-885-5976 (league mediator).

Playing Rules

Summer rules of the USGA will be used in situations not covered here: If your ball lies in the fairway you may move the ball, up to one club grip length, no closer to the hole, without penalty. If your ball lies in the rough or sand bunker, you must play it as it lies. If your ball lies on the cart path you may move the ball, up to two club lengths, no closer to the hole, without penalty. In all “drop situations” where a penalty stroke is being added, you can use the 4-Options Rule. At any time a player can declare his ball unplayable and use the 4-Options Rule. The league does not follow the USGA’s rules with white and red stakes. If the player wants to play their ball they are allowed to, otherwise they will use one of the 4 options.

The 4-Options Rule – ADD 1 STROKE and use one of the following 4 options:
Option 1: Place the ball and re-hit from approximately the same spot as your last shot.
Option 2: Place the ball 2 club lengths from where the ball lies or the point of entry, no closer to the hole.
Option 3: Keep the point of entry between yourself and the Flag and place the ball on this line, no closer to the hole, back as far as you want.
Option 4: Keep yourself between the point of entry and Your Last Shot and place the ball on this line, no closer to the hole, back as far as you want.

Point of Entry: The last point where the ball crossed playable golf course – before becoming unplayable, whether going lost, or in a water hazard or wooded area. If the shot never crosses playable golf course then use option 1. If the player and the opponents disagree substantially where to spot the point of entry, it can be a compromised spot agreed to by both sides. Make a decision and GO!

Unfair Lie Rule: If your ball rests in a divot or in ground which may be considered under repair or unfair, you may place a ball at the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole, without penalty, only after notifying and receiving permission from your opponent. A bunkered ball shall be placed in the bunker. If permission is not granted then the ball must be played as it lies.

Putting: No putts for birdie or better may be conceded. Only pars and higher putts may be conceded at the discretion to the opponent. If the opponent declares the putt is good, you do not need to putt out. If you choose to putt out and miss the putt was already conceded.

Stroke Limit: If a player has reached a score of quadruple bogey (four over par) and has not yet completed a hole, he must pick up his ball and discontinue play. He will get the maximum score of quadruple bogey on that hole.

Tee Boxes: Women tee off from the red tee markers. Men tee off from the blue tee markers. NEW in 2022 is the 50/50 rule. Any player 50 years of age or higher OR any player with a gross handicap of 50 or higher can elect to play from the white tee markers. This decision needs to be made prior to week 1 and swapping back and forth from tee boxes is strictly prohibited. Finally, any players age 80 and above may hit from the yellow tee markers.

Pace of Play: Due to the number of teams and the limited amount of daylight, it is very important that you keep pace with the group ahead of you. Please work hard to keep up.

Mid round injury: If you injure yourself during your round and cannot finish the remaining holes, you will receive the max score (quad bogey) on the remaining holes unable to be played.

Substitutions

If you are unable to make any given week there will be multiple ways to make up your score. Rounds must be made up prior to 5:00 that Thursday.

If you and your partner both cannot make the next Thursday match you should first and foremost reach out to your opponents and attempt to reschedule the match. You will have 6 days (up until the next league day you will miss) to make up that round.
If one player of your team cannot make the Thursday match please follow one option from below.
1. The player who is unable to make that week can play any day before the match with any league member other than their partner to attest their score. The person attesting must sign your scorecard and you must drop the scorecard off in the Green Collar drop box. Your partner is welcome to play with you, but cannot be the person to attest your score.
2. If your partner does not have their score attested prior to Thursday’s match there are two options
  1. The player who is unable to make that week can use an approved sub for the league. Subs must have a Green Collar handicap. A sub cannot attest or double.
  2. The player who is able to make the match can double their score. (If the player shoots 2 under their handicap their team’s score will be 2 under par (New in 2023). If the player shoots 3 over their handicap their team’s score will be 6 over par. Doubling a score will only be allowed during the Thursday match. You will not be allowed to double a player’s attested score from earlier in the week unless the match was played vs. your opponent.
If both players from your team are unable to make any given week and your opponents are unable to reschedule, both golfers can make up their round prior to the Thursday they will miss. Teammates can play together but an additional league member will need to be present to attest for both player’s scores. In this situation please let your opponents know that you will not be present at Thursday’s match.

***Please see new attesting rules under "Scorecard" section.

Rainout/Lightning Policy

We play rain or shine. The Ledges Golf Club Staff will make the decision as to whether or not the league will be called-off that week due to thunder/lightning. If a partial round is completed and play does not resume due to the course shutting it down, there are two possible results.

1. If every group has not played and completed at least 6 holes, the match gets thrown out.

2. If every match has completed 6 holes, players will take the scores on the unfinished holes from their last completed league round on that 9. If a substitute is being used that week and did not complete their round, the league player’s scores will be filled from the last league round on that 9 and overall score doubled vs par.