Section: Rules & Regulations – Member Handbook
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Handicap Policy is to ensure that all members maintain a handicap that is a valid representation of their best competitive abilities. Any member who plays any type of competitive golf will be expected to play fair and maintain a proper handicap.
RESPONSIBILITY
This policy applies to all Members who wish to play competitive golf. Any Member who plays any type of competitive golf will be expected to play fair and maintain a proper handicap.
This includes external events as a guest at another club as well as any Golf Canada, USGA sanctioned events
(Not all Lookout Members wish to play competitive golf and as such will not require a handicap.)
The following Core Principles apply:
1. You agree to comply with the LP Handicap Policy and the Golf Canada Handicap Manual
2. An accurate handicap represents a players “potential scoring ability”…..not the average of all your scores.
3. whenever you sign up for a Tournament or club event or play for anything in your playing group, you are saying to all the fellow players in the field or in your group that “my handicap is complete, up to date, compliant with Lookout Point CC handicap rules, and is an accurate representation of my “potential scoring ability”
4. If you want to use the handicap purpose for any reason, then you agree to comply with the Lookout Point CC Handicap policy
5. You will not be allowed to enter events without a properly maintained handicap
6. The Golf Shop will not enter members into an event without a proper handicap unless they agree to play at scratch
7. Members will post all acceptable scores
8. Members will post 100% of all member event scores
9. All acceptable scores must be posted before you play your next round (not after you next play, or multiple scores posted on a later date all at the same time, etc.)
10. Members agree that there should be consequences for members who do not comply
11. You are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of your own scoring record
12. There are no reasonable excuses for not posting your score before you next play
PROCEDURE
1. Members will enter all valid scores within 72 hrs after playing
2. Members will stay current with the rules of golf and proper scoring methods
3. While the Professional Staff will enter your scores for Club Events deemed “tournament scores” ( T scores) , you are responsible for entering T scores for all Match Play rounds, Competitive Invitational rounds as well as any outside event involving stroke play competition.
4. It is expected that you will post all rounds played including rounds played at other golf courses (at any time during the HDCP season associated with the geographic region the round was played ie. Florida during Nov – March)
To support the desire to maintain a proper handicap;
1. Members will receive a reminder from Golf Canada of any round played at our club that is not entered within 72 hrs (of playing a round). The Member is responsible for entering the missing scores, either on the Golf Canada App or The LPCC Website. The Professional Staff will not enter missing scores.
2. Members will be contacted by the handicap committee if you fail to enter at least 80% of the rounds played. (Not including the 100% expectation of all member event rounds)
3. Repeated reminders may result in;
1. A modification to your handicap used for competitive events, including Men’s & Ladies League play
2. Suspension from competitive play
4. From time to time, the Handicap Committee may review & adjust handicaps for players who appear to play well below their handicap in competitive events
Handicap scoring record Modifications:
Apart from enforcement, the Handicap Committee will be called upon from time to time to review players scoring records to ensure that Handicaps continue to accurately reflect the player’s “potential scoring ability”. These reviews will be done by considering Handicap Manual Probability Tables, player’s competitions results, and any other relevant information. The HC will make all required modifications to the Members scoring record. The member will be notified of the proposed modification and be given a reasonable opportunity to respond. The Committee will then decide whether or not to proceed with the modification or not.
Notification of Member and 3 Stage Enforcement Policy
In the case of any non- compliance, the Member will be notified.
1. Stage 1- For the First event of non-compliance, the Member will be notified, and advised of the violation. The Member will be asked to immediately correct the non-compliance. There will be no penalty. During that time, the Member will be required to comply with all Handicap Rules and the Member will be actively monitored. Compliance will result in the Member being removed from the Watch List.
2. Stage 2- For a second event of non-compliance while on the Watch List, the Member will be notified, advised of the violation(s), and be invited to provide an explanation or response to the Committee at a special Meeting of the committee. The committee will then render a decision which may consist of no response, or continuation of the Watch List for an extended period of time, and/or the imposition of a penalty score, and/or to require the Member to produce verified scorecards of all rounds played for a period of time, and/or to suspend the Player’s right to participate in club events for a period of time, and/or modification of the Member’s Handicap factor for a period of time.
3. Stage 3- For a third event of non-compliance while in a second violation period, the Committee will notify the Member of the continued infraction(s), invite the Member to attend a special meeting with the Committee at a mutually agreed upon date to provide information that may be pertinent to the Committee decision. The Committee will then decide to make no decision and have the member remain at the Strike Two phase, or to recommend the withdrawal of the Member’s handicap for a period of 1 year. During the period of withdrawal, the Member will be required to provide signed, dated, and attested scorecards to the Handicap committee until such time as the Committee decides to return the Handicap privileges to the Member.