Golf Info

OHSAA GENERAL REGULATIONS

1) Interscholastic Participation

• Participation Limitation — 9th-12th Grades — A high school team and/or golfer may participate in a maximum number of 20 regular season contests. No team or individual may play more than two contests per day.

• School Representative — No team or individual entry will be permitted to compete in a contest unless accompanied by the coach or a person authorized by the Board of Education.

• Caddies — Caddies are not permitted during a contest. Participants will be disqualified if any person assists by caddying or if the participant rides in any type of vehicle. Exception: A medically authorized waiver is permitted for the use of a vehicle. A copy of the doctor’s statement and school request must be filed with the OHSAA and the OHSAA authorization shown to the referee.

• Pull Carts — Pull carts are permitted.

• Scoring — Stroke-play shall be utilized for all contests. The team score shall be determined by totaling the scores of the four players with the fewest strokes for the contest. The team with the fewest number of strokes is the winner. During regular season matches, schools may play six individuals and score four by mutual agreement of the opposing coaches, prior to the match.

• Ties in team scoring shall be resolved by comparing the scores of the 5th lowest score, and the team with the 5th lowest score shall prevail. If one team does not have a 5th score, the team with a 5th score shall prevail. If the 5th lowest score does not break the tie, schools playing six individuals shall compare the sixth lowest score to break the tie. If the tie remains, the contest shall end in a tie or tied teams may play off the tie using four players selected by the coaches of the tied teams.

• Electronic scoring is permitted; however, a waiver must be requested from the OHSAA office for contests in which the student-athletes will be responsible for inputting scores.

• Match Play Contests — Two non-league matches may be played in a match-play format mutually agreed upon by opposing coaches prior to the contest, not to exceed 36 holes.

• Exhibition Match — Schools are permitted to schedule one match anytime during the season in a format of choice, not to exceed 18 holes. This match must be played with/against individuals who are not part of an interscholastic golf team, and would not count towards a team’s match limit or against a team’s won-lost record.

• Conduct — A two stroke penalty shall be assessed for unsporting conduct. Unsporting conduct shall include but not be limited to: club throwing, willful acts which damage property or equipment on the course, use of abusive language, profanity, obscenities, and other unsporting conduct as determined by the Golf Rules Committee. Penalties imposed may include disqualification.

• The home school coach shall serve as referee, enforcing all OHSAA regulations and U.S.G.A. rules. Any coach and/or designee serving in that capacity who is giving advice pertaining to these regulations and/or rules must have the regulations and rules book with him/her to ensure the rule/regulation is administered correctly.

• Coaching — The coaching regulation permits one school board-approved coach/designee assigned to the event to speak with his/her player(s), without delay of play at any time. During the player’s stipulated round, coaches are not permitted to physically stand on any green or in any sand bunker. The player must walk off the green or stand outside the bunker should he/she wish to converse with his/her coach at these particular times. Participants will be assessed the general penalty if any other individual assists the participant by coaching and giving advice which could influence a player in determining play, the choice of a club or method of making a

• A team member is not a partner and may not give advice to or receive advice from another member.

• Distance-Measuring Devices — A player may obtain distance information by use of a distance-measuring device. If during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his or her play (e.g., elevation changes, wind speed, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 4-3.

• Golfers Who Have Competed for Their School This Season: A member of an interscholastic golf squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, or regular season/ tournament contest) sponsored by the Board of Education shall not participate in a non-interscholastic contest or competition as an individual or member of a team in the sport of golf during the school’s golf season (Sports Regulation 7.2.2).
  Note: Examples of golf contests include, but are not limited to, club or course championships, scrambles, tour- naments, leagues, charitable events and other events that are organized for the purpose of competition.
  Exception 1: Three waivers are permitted to participate in non-interscholastic events through September 27.

• Participation in “skills contests” (such as but not limited to “Drive, Chip and Putt”) is not a violation of OHSAA Non-Interscholastic Individual Sports Regulation 7.2.2 for student-athletes.

• Spectators are permitted to attend, but are NOT permitted to converse with participants. It will be the responsibility of contestants in each foursome to caution ANY spectator from talking to or interfering with contestants in their group. Failure to do so may result in a penalty of disqualification of contestants involved.