All tournament signups, payments, and tournament management will be done through Member Planet.

Prizes are paid out as credits at Baylands Golf Links.

We also host an annual points system to determine player of the year. For full Tournament of Champions Points, see this link.

In addition to tournament prizes, we also host an annual points system to determine player of the year. For full Tournament of Champions Points, see this link.

Times shall be posted on the website no later than 6:00 PM on the Wednesday prior to home Tournaments, or three days before away Tournaments. The Pro Shop Staff will also be provided with a list of tee times for the convenience of players who call in for their times.

Nevertheless, it is the sole responsibility of the player to ensure the accuracy of times given over the telephone. The Staff is totally absolved of responsibility for a player missing their tee-time. The player must also be aware of changes in starting times due to "acts of nature" or other delays. The Staff can only estimate re-start times and or procedure changes due to these causes. Again, sole responsibility rests with the Player to be on the tee, on time. (Rule 5.3a)

Download the Golf Genius mobile App on your phone. – see the instructions at https://docs.golfgenius.com/article/show/127356-using-the-mobile-and-ipad-apps-player-instruction

Printed scorecards will not be provided so please use the course scorecard as a backup for players that do experience phone issues. Each match has a 6-character GGID (Golf Genius ID) printed on the digital scorecard. You will use this code to login to the GG App. If a player confirms their score on the GG App, then that score will be binding.

Cancellations will incur a $15 cancellation fee with no refunds being made at all within 3-days of play before the event.

A hole-in-one scored by a Palo Alto Golf Club member and witnessed by one other PAGC member, will receive $100.00 in credit in the Palo Alto Pro Shop. Check out our member aces at the Ace Parade page.

All scores in PAGC tournaments will be posted by the Committee. It is expected that all other rounds played by PAGC members will be posted promptly and accurately, adjusting the scores as described under ‘Equitable Stroke Control’ on the club website.

Each tournament has a different format, but all tournaments adhere to official USGA RULES OF GOLF.

If extraordinary ground conditions require Local Rules, or if any other Special Rules are applicable, beyond those printed on the Golf Course score card, they will be provided on Tournament Information Sheets available at check-in or will be announced from the desk. Penalties for disregard of these Rules may include disqualification.

At all tournaments one or more Committee members, or their designates, will be assigned to resolve claims and disputes. These decisions shall be final (Rule 20).

Yes.

Handicaps for all tournaments are based on the Player's current index at the time the Tournament Chair is setting up the pairings. Standard USGA adjustments to course handicaps for four-ball competitions and four-player competitions will be applied. An NCGA Index is reguired for all Major Tournaments. New members, lacking an index, may enter non-major tournaments by submitting at least three signed score cards in time for the Handicap Chair to calculate a handicap.

The MAXIMUM time to complete a tournament round shall be 4 hours 30 minutes or a finishing time within 15 minutes of the group in front. Scorecards have printed on them the actual starting tee time and completion times for 9 and 18 holes. All competitors should complete these fields prior to returning their signed scorecard to the Tournament Committee. If a group fails to enter their finishing time on any scorecard, then the group’s finishing time shall be adjudged to be 2 minutes before the first scorecard is returned. The maximum time for a round includes time to search for balls (maximum 3 minutes – see Rule 18.2) and deal with other common occurrences encountered during play. A normal speed of play should result in completing play FASTER than the maximum time allowed. If a group falls behind, they must play efficient golf and make up the lost time. This might mean playing “ready golf” or continuous putting, which are both permitted in stroke play. It is the PLAYERS’ RESPONSIBILITY to know their group’s position relative to the published Pace of Play and to ensure they play within the published limits. Failure to play within the Pace of Play guidelines will result in a penalty of two strokes. The Tournament Committee may communicate with groups throughout the round regarding their pace of play position, but are not required to do so. THERE ARE NO OFFICIAL WARNINGS UNDER THIS POLICY.

LEAD GROUP(S): The lead group(s) must finish their round within the maximum allowable time established by the Committee. If they finish over their maximum allowable time, each player will be assessed a penalty of two strokes to their score for the final hole.

Exception: If the lead group is delayed by play that was sent out before them, they will be exempt from penalty if they finish over their maximum allowable time but within 15 minutes of the group in front of them.

FOLLOWING GROUPS: Any subsequent group must finish their round within the maximum allowable time established by the Committee. If they finish over the maximum allowable time, they must finish within 15 minutes of the group in front of them. If they finish over the maximum allowable time and more than 15 minutes behind the group in front of them, each player will be assessed a penalty of two strokes to their score for the final hole.

EXEMPTION FROM PENALTY: If a group does not finish within their maximum allowable time or within 15 minutes of the preceding group due to circumstances which the Committee deems to be exceptional, the Committee MAY determine not to assess the penalty.

GROUPS MUST SELF MONITOR: If a player believes that the group is being delayed by the play of another player(s) in the group the player should first address the issue with the player(s) involved. If this discussion was ineffective, the player may report the issue to the Tournament Committee at the end of the round. If the Committee identifies that a player(s) in the group is the cause of the group failing to maintain pace of play and determines other players are playing within the requirements of this policy, those meeting the requirements of this policy may be absolved from penalty while others may not.

The Tournament Committee reserves the right to review all penalty situations.

Relief from interference by an immovable obstruction may be taken under Rule 16.1.

The player also has these extra options to take relief when such immovable obstructions are close to the putting green and on the line of play:

Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b if an immovable obstruction is:

• On the line of play, and is:

  • Within two club-lengths of the putting green, and

  • Within two club-lengths of the ball.

Exception – No Relief If Line of Play Clearly Unreasonable. There is no relief under this Local Rule if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

When the Committee has determined that "preferred lies" or "winter rules" are necessary due to adverse weather or course conditions, the following Rule is in effect: "When a player's ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:

1. Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.

2. Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: one club-length from the reference point, but with these limits:

3. Limits on Location of Relief Area:

   1. Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and

   2. Must be in the general area.

In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

"When a player's ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance." For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):

Two Estimated Reference Points:

1. Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball is estimated to have:

   1. Come to rest on the course, or

   2. Last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.

2. Fairway Reference Point: The point of fairway of the hole being played that is nearest to the ball reference point, but is not nearer the hole than the ball reference point.

For purposes of this Local Rule, "fairway" means any area of grass in the general area that is cut to fairway height or less. If a ball is estimated to be lost on the course or last crossed the edge of the course boundary short of the fairway, the fairway reference point may be a grass path or a teeing ground for the hole being played cut to fairway height or less.

Size of Relief Area Based on Reference Points are anywhere between:

1. A line from the hole through the ball reference point (and within two club-lengths to the outside of that line), and

2. A line from the hole through the fairway reference point (and within two club-lengths to the fairway side of that line).

But, with these limitations:

1. Limits on Location of Relief Area: Must be in the general area, and must not be nearer the hole than the ball reference point.

2. Once the player puts a ball in play under this Local Rule:

   1. The original ball that was lost or out of bounds is no longer in play and must not be played.

   2. This is true even if the ball is found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 6.3b).

3. But the player may not use this option to take relief for the original ball when:

   1. That ball is known or virtually certain to have come to rest in a penalty area, or

   2. The player has played another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.3).

A player may use this option to take relief for a provisional ball that has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

When a tie exists for first place in a Major tournament (as defined under Tournament Policies), a sudden death playoff shall take place immediately following the conclusion of the event. In the case of NCGA Qualifiers, the playoff is only done for the playoff spots.

If the tie involves handicaps, each player's course handicap (as shown on the scorecard) will be reduced by the lowest handicap involved in the playoff, with the low handicap player getting zero strokes. The stroke allocations shown on the scorecard will be used for the playoff. If the playoff is for an overall net winner and different tees have been used by different players, the shorter tees will be used for the playoffs. It may be that handicaps need to be recalculated at this point.

When a first place tie exists in other situations, a "card" playoff is done. The USGA recommended method is used in which the winner is determined by the last 9, 6, 3, and 1 holes. A tie at that point will be decided by the flip of a coin.

If there are both gross and net ties to be broken, the gross tie is broken first.

Ties for other than first place are not broken; prize awards and TOC points are combined and shared. However, at away tournaments where prize certificates must be distributed, the Tournament Chair may choose to distribute the prize awards (not the TOC points) based on a card playoff as described above.