TFLEC Logo
HOME | CONTACT OFFICERS | VISIT THE FINE LINE
St. Bernadette Golf League Information Center
League Rules

RULES AND GUIDELINES

In order to establish common rules and consistent play among all members, the following guidelines were developed. Read carefully, some rules may have been revised from last year.

SUMMARY OF "YOUR" PRIMARY RESPONSIBLILITIES

  1. Payment of dues on time!
  2. Arrange a starting time with opponent (or let him know you cannot attend).
  3. Transfer your score card and point total awards to the Posting Sheet.
  4. Call the course for possible rainout conditions.
  5. Sign up for the year end outing (beginning in August)

PAYMENTS
Payments must be sent in by the specified deadlines, for three main reasons:

  1. Notifies the league that you will return for another year of play (most important).
  2. To insure a stronger commitment.
  3. Ample time is needed by the secretary to prepare the weekly matches by flight !

If payments are not received by the specified deadlines you may forfeit the right of play to someone on the waiting list.

ATTENDANCE
In order to retain a high level of competition within the league (and to emphasize the importance of making a weekly commitment) attendance is monitored throughout the season. Please understand, if your absenteeism is excessive, you will not receive an invitation to play the following season. In the event you miss numerous weeks due to a condition not likely to be repeated, it will be your responsibility to contact one of the officers to continue play the following season. NO explanation need be given. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

WAITING LIST
A formal waiting list is maintained each year. Contact one of the officers to put someone on the waiting list. For anyone trying to get a friend in the league, this is the rule of thumb:

  1. Priority goes to previous league members and St. Bernadette Church members.
  2. Next, all others.

ARRANGE A START TIME WITH YOUR OPPONENT
You take the initiative ! Waiting until Monday may be too late. Make arrangements with your opponent before Monday's play (i.e. Sunday night or earlier), especially if you cannot attend that day.

SCORING PROCEDURE
Score using the weekly handicap:

  1. 2 points per hole for low net.
  2. 1 point per hole for low net tie.
  3. 4 points for overall 9 hole low net .
  4. Maximum point value is 22.
There is no per hole stroke limit for league play (i.e. do not pick up after 10 strokes). (Although you probably should . . .). Hole out each ball (and continue the torture) in order to fairly calculate the 4 point overall low net award. Your opponent may also have a bad hole later in the match.

Note, you are responsible to transfer your score card and point total awards to the Posting Sheet. The league secretary will then provide a weekly Standing Worksheet using the Posting Sheet information. However, accuracy of point total awards on the weekly Standing Worksheet is your responsibility. Contact the league secretary within a reasonable amount of time if you have corrections.

ELIGIBLE PLAY DAYS & ABSENTEE SCORING
League members are encouraged, whenever possible, to play their league round during normal league times on Monday. Due to family and business conflicts however, play can be completed anytime Monday or Sunday. Members are responsible to e-mail their scores to our league President/Secretary, Dan O'Grady, at their earliest opportunity and no later than Monday. Remember Skins, Skill prizes & the Low Net award are only available to members playing during regular league times. The League highly recommends playing with your scheduled opponent. Competitiveness is lost if you are not playing with your opponent.

The rules for absentee scoring were changed on 5/3/2022.
If your opponent will not attend on Monday, then you will play the course. Start with 12 points. For every net birdie, add one point and for every net eagle, add two points. Your opponent will receive the remainder of the point total but not more than 8 and not less than 6. EXAMPLES:

  • You play and get two net birdies. Your score is 14 (12+2). Your opponent gets 8.
  • You play and get one net birdie. Your score is 13 (12+1). Your opponent gets 8.
  • You play and get three net birdies. Your score is 15 (12+3). Your opponent gets 7.
  • You play and get four net birdies. Your score is 16 (12+4). Your opponent gets 6.
  • You play and get five net birdies and one net eagle. Your score is 19 (12+7). Your opponent gets 6.
In other words, if you don't show up, you can't get more than 8 points and you can't get less than 6 points.
(Maximum point value for the player who plays is 22). (Net = Gross score Less handicap for that specific hole).

RAINOUTS
Calls regarding potential rainouts should be directed to Hilliard Lakes 440-871-9578. If Hilliard Lakes is open, league play will continue. In the event severe weather bars the completion of play after it has commenced, the league officers will rule on whether the round will count or not. Also, if canceled, the skins game money will be carried over to the following week.

RULES OF PLAY
All U.S.G.A. rules apply with the following two exceptions:

  1. Rolling the ball in your own fairway is permitted. This will not add a penalty stroke to your score. Rolling or bumping the ball outside your own fairway is NOT permitted. If this takes place, a penalty stroke should be added to your score. This rule change is due to Hilliard Lakes not marking the course "ground under repair" in most cases, in bad areas.
  2. Lost ball or out of bounds will be assessed a one stroke penalty only (rather than the USGA ruling of stroke and distance). In layman's terms, If you hit your ball out of bounds, drop a ball two club lengths from where it crossed the out of bounds line and take a one stroke penalty. If you lose a ball, drop as close to where your ball was lost with a one stroke penalty. This rule change is to address speed of play.

SENIOR TEES
Beginning with the 2025 season, a new rule is being installed. Players who are in the C Flight or D Flight and who are 65 years old and older may play from the Gold Tees EXCEPT on Hole Number 2. On Hole Number 2, Seniors who have chosen to play from the Gold Tees for their league round may play from any spot on the White Tee area, but may move in front of the White tees, as long as they remain in the White Tee area (as defined by the cut of the White tee area).


SPECIAL EVENTS

WEEKLY SKINS
Money for the weekly skin game will be collected by one of the officers. The winners of the skins game will be paid the following Monday. Payments and the previous week's skin sheet will be placed in a box and available after 5:00 PM the following Monday. (New, starting in the 2011 season) The skins game will be by individual flight, e.g. the "A" flight will have their own skins game, the "B" flight will have their own skins game, etc. The cost will be $3 per person except during special event nights where the cost will be $5 per person. Note, the skins are "not" handicapped at any time.

PRIZE AWARDS

  1. For championship matches, prizes will be awarded to the top two qualifying members in each flight during:
    1. 1st and 2nd half Knockdown Nights
    2. Year End Outing Championship match.
  2. For non-championship matches, prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place finishers during:
    1. 1st and 2nd half Knockdown Nights.
    2. Year-End Outing.
  3. The League will "partially" fund the Skins game on the following nights:
    1. 1st and 2nd half Knockdown Nights.
  4. $100 will be paid to the first person scoring a Hole-In-One or a Double Eagle only during Monday league play (i.e. 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM) or the year end outing. This award can only be paid out one time per year. If two or more players happen to pull this off on the same day, they will split the $100 award.

KNOCKDOWN CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT

  1. The top two players in each flight will play for the 1st half and 2nd half Knockdown championship.
  2. If a player finishing 1st or 2nd in the second half is certain that he cannot attend the year end outing, then he is not eligible to participate in the Knockdown Night Championship match. The player will be awarded the 2nd place prize money.
  3. If there is a tie to determine who finished in "second" place, the tie breakers are:
    1. Head to head play during the regular season.
    2. If they did not play a head to head match yet, both players tied for 2nd will play "together" for the right to play in the Knockdown match.
    3. The next tie breaker, compare "all" common opponent matches, highest point total wins.
    4. Finally, if necessary, coin toss. The Knockdown championship participants will be notified the weekend before each Knockdown night. In the event any player cannot attend Knockdown night, the right of play will be forfeited to the next top finisher.
  4. If the Knockdown championship match ends in a tie, the first place point finisher wins the tie breaker.
  5. Players in the 1st and 2nd half championships will not be eligible for the league contributed skins game. However, prizes are awarded to all Knockdown championship qualifiers.
  6. A special golf event (to be determined) will be played for all members "not" participating in the Knockdown championship match. Rules will be available that evening.

Special note to first year members: The league must first establish an accurate handicap before you qualify for championship play (approximately 8 nine-hole rounds). Should your accumulated point total qualify for championship play before 8 rounds are completed, the right of play will be forfeited to an existing member with the next highest point total. Basically, you can't qualify for the first half championship, but can qualify for the second half.

HOME | CONTACT OFFICERS | VISIT THE FINE LINE