Player Rules and Responsibilities
Tournament Policies
Participants in Northern California Golf Association Junior Tour tournaments must read the following information. Players are responsible for knowing the rules and regulations concerning participation in NCGA events.
Tour Membership
Before playing in an NCGA Junior Tour, the player must become a member of the NCGA Junior Tour. Membership applications can be found here. The membership costs $50 a year if you or your parents are already members of the NCGA. If not, membership fees are $75 the first year. After the initial fee, you will be a member so it will only be $50 per year in the future. Membership includes access to the NCGA Junior Tour Golf Club e-Clubhouse. The NCGA Junior Tour Golf Club e-Clubhouse will have regular news on the many benefits of NCGA membership. It will allow you to track your statistics, post scores, find other members to play golf with and communicate with other members safely and securely through a forum that is only accessible by members.
You will also receive an NCGA Junior Tour bag tag and hat.
When filling out your entry application, it is important that you list your NCGA membership number / GHIN number. You must be a listed as a member of the NCGA Junior Tour Golf Club or your membership application must accompany your registration. Additionally, you must have a current NCGA numeric index at the time of the entry closing date in order to compete in the handicap divisions.
Conditions of Play
The Northern California Golf Association reserves the right to decline or withdraw any entry at any time. Any person whose entry is accepted shall be subject to the rules and conditions of play set forth by the NCGA. Any act of unsportsmanlike conduct, including but not limited to the use of obscene or abusive language, will be cause for disqualification. NOTE: The NCGA will not make any provisions for a player asking for special consideration due to other commitments. In other words, make it your lone project for the day.
Official Time
The clock at the tee (1st or 10th) where the player begins his/her stipulated round is the official time of starting. Starters will not page players in advance of their starting time. Players should report to the tee one starting interval prior to their tee time.
Tournament Eligibility
NCGA Junior Tour tournaments are open to junior golfers who are members of the NCGA Junior Tour. Applicants wishing to play in the handicap divisions of tournaments must have a current numeric index (CI) listed on the Master Report of the month of entry closing and meet all the eligibility requirements for the event they are entering. Any member who has not established a current numeric index (CI) is ineligible for the handicap based divisions and may only play in the Open division until their handicap is established.
Tournament Entry Deadlines
All NCGA Junior Tour events may be entered at any time after entries open provided the entry is received by the entry closing date. For those entering ONLINE, registration must be completed prior to 12 MIDNIGHT, day of close. The closing dates are located on the Tournament Calendar. Entries should be mailed at least seven working days prior to the closing date to assure mail delivery. NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED. THE NCGA DOES NOT ACCEPT TELEPHONE, FAX, E-MAIL OR WALK-IN ENTRIES. Tour membership must also be received by the deadline date in order to be eligible.
Mailing Your Entries/Qualifying Certificates
All mailed entries must be received through the NCGA Post Office Box. Address to: NCGA Tournaments, P. O. Box NCGA, Pebble Beach, CA 93953. To overnight entries you must use the United States Post Office Express Mail ONLY.
Online Registration
Online registration will not be available for the Spring 2008 series of events. Players should submit their entry along with their tour membership form. Online registration for fall 2008 events will open July 1, 2008 and will be available at http://www.ncga.org/juniors/juniortour/. Players must also be members of the Junior Tour before their registration will be accepted. Players anticipating playing in the fall series of events should ensure that their membership has been received before July 1 in order to allow their registration to be processed immediately upon receipt. The registration process MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT or your entry will be date stamped for the next day and be rejected.
Tournament Information
Information concerning course assignment, pairings, starting times, etc. will be e-mailed to the player or each team member approximately 10-14 days prior to the event and also posted on the NCGA website (www.ncga.org). If you do not have an e-mail address the information will be mailed to the address on your entry. If you have not received your information within seven days of the event, it is YOUR responsibility to contact the NCGA Rules & Competitions Department. DO NOT CALL MORE THAN SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT.
Tournament Entry Fees
Entry fees for all tournaments cover GREEN FEES, RANGE BALLS AND LUNCH ONLY at the championship sites. They DO NOT include practice rounds.
Handicap Adjustments
The NCGA reserves the right to adjust a player’s handicap prior to any net competition based upon previous performances in NCGA events.
Course Handicaps
The current index as of the qualifying and/or championship date is used to determine the player’s course handicap for most NCGA Junior Tour events. Players who have a Temporary Index will have that index used.
Withdrawals
For Paper Entries: to withdraw for any reason players MUST notify the NCGA Rules and Competitions Department at (831) 625-4653. Failure to notify the NCGA will cause the player to be listed as a NO SHOW resulting in a ONE-YEAR SUSPENSION FROM ALL NCGA EVENTS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR FOLLOWING THE INFRACTION. A player who only contacts the course and NOT the NCGA will incur the suspension.
Online Withdrawals
Players that enter online may also withdraw online prior to midnight on the day the event closes. After that, players must contact the NCGA directly.
No-Shows
A player who does not show up and does not notify the NCGA shall receive a ONE-YEAR SUSPENSION FROM ALL NCGA EVENTS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR FOLLOWING THE INFRACTION. NO SHOWS also include a player who starts and withdraws prior to the close of the competition and has not turned in his scorecard personally to a tournament official. Failure to comply will result in the same one-year suspension.
Refunds
Refund less $5.00 if requested prior to closing date. NO REFUNDS WITHIN 2 BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT. MAILED/PAPER ENTRIES: 50% refunds given after closing date BUT PLAYER MUST NOTIFY the NCGA by Wednesday at 5 PM prior to a tournament on the weekend. ONLINE ENTRIES: After closing, a 50% refund will be honored up to Wednesday at 12:00 MIDNIGHT prior to a tournament on the weekend.
Dress Code
PLAYERS must be properly attired both on the golf course and premises of the club. Blue jeans, designer jeans, T-shirts and tank tops are prohibited. Golf shirts must be worn and shorts must be no shorter than mid-thigh (no jean shorts). DRESS CODE IS THE SAME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. This dress code will be used at all NCGA Junior Tour events in conjunction with any additional dress code restrictions of the particular golf course you are assigned. A player violating this dress code will not be permitted to start the competition. A violation of this dress code by the player during the stipulated round must be rectified without undue delay or the player will not be allowed to continue play.
Spectators
Walking spectators are always welcome at NCGA Junior Tour events. Spectators should ensure that they do not give any advice to players. Spectators may carry water bottles, food and clothing for the players but must not carry clubs or perform any other duties of a caddie. Spectators may help look for golf balls. Spectators should ensure that they stay out of the fairway and follow at a reasonable distance behind the players so as not to delay the group behind. Spectators should refrain from making rulings. If a player is unsure what to do, an NCGA Rules Official should be called or the player should play a second ball under Rule 3-3.
Spectators should dress appropriately. Spectators who are causing any kind of disturbance or are not dressed appropriately will be asked to leave the premises immediately and will not be allowed back that day for any reason except to pick up their child after the completion of the round. SPECTATORS ARE PROHIBITED FROM USING GOLF CARTS.
Spirit of the Game
Players and spectators should always be aware that golf is meant to be played in a fair, competitive, and courteous manner. If anyone sees, what they believe to be, a rules violation, they should inform a rules official of the matter in a timely manner BEFORE THE PLAYER’S SCORECARD HAS BEEN RETURNED. If it is possible to stop the infraction before the player has incurred a penalty, the witness should attempt to do so. The Rules of Golf state that if a player knowingly waits until after the card has been returned to report a violation by another player the player who waits may also be disqualified. In a similar vein, if a spectator waits until after the round to report a problem, the NCGA Rules Committee may prohibit the spectator from attending the rest of that event or future events.
Golf Carts and Caddies
Golf carts and caddies will not be allowed at NCGA Junior Tour events. Players may use a pull cart if the club permits them. Riding in a cart without the express permission of an NCGA Tournament official or having a caddie will result in a two-stroke penalty at each hole where the violation occurs with a maximum of four strokes per round.
Cellular Phones
The use of cellular phones or similar electronic devices by a player during a stipulated round is prohibited. Failure to observe this condition of the competition may result in disciplinary action including withdrawing a player’s playing privileges for the rest of the championship or for the same event the following year. Players should also observe all club rules regarding the use of cellular phones before and after the round.