PURPOSE OF THE LEAGUE
The Diablo Valley Team Play League was formed by East Bay Country Clubs to provide a four-ball match play league for each club’s lowest handicap members. By limiting the league to an index of 27.0 or lower, this created an equitable playing field, where team members compete for low gross and low net scores.
MAKE-UP OF THE LEAGUE
The league is limited to a maximum of ten private clubs located in the East Bay. The current members are: Blackhawk, Castlewood, Contra Costa, Crow Canyon, Diablo, Discovery Bay, Mossmoor (Moraga & Rossmoor), Sequinda (Sequoya & Orinda), and Round Hill.
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible, a player must have a current WGANC handicap and be a participating regular full member her club’s 18-hole women’s golf group. College and Pro golfers are not eligible. She must be 18 years of age or older. If a player belongs to more than one DVTP club, she must choose by the first match the club she wishes to represent for the current team play season.
CARTS
Carts are mandatory for all Diablo Valley League matches.
SELECTION OF TEAM PLAYERS
There is no limit to the maximum number of players that make up a club's team. For each match, there will be eight (8) team members participating from each club. Clubs must field the eight lowest handicapped team players available for each play date according to the appropriate handicap revision for that play date. If a team must use a player with an index higher than 27.0 to fill out its roster, that player will play to the 27.0 index. All players must be qualified members of their club’s 18-hole women’s group.
The teams will be paired in order of their handicaps from low to high. Players with the same handicap must be played in order of index.
The Team Captain has the right to choose herself as a player in each competition regardless of her handicap/index as it relates to the other team members with lower handicap/indices.
Captains have the right not to field a player whose actions do not represent the best interest of the club or the spirit of the game. The Steering Committee will be notified.
FORMAT OF PLAY
All matches shall be four-ball match play pursuant to Rule 30-3. A four-ball match play is defined as a match in which two play their better ball against the better ball of two other players.
Each club will play one match against every other club in the league. When there is an even number of clubs, each club will play one “home and home” match against one other team. The pairings for these matches will be determined by the results of the prior year. Example: First place gross will play a “home and home” against the second place gross. When there is an odd number of teams, the host team will not play a match.
SCORING
Players will be competing in both a low gross and low net competitions. For the low net competition, the low handicapper of the foursome, who will play at scratch, shall give 100% of the difference in strokes. Strokes shall be taken as they fall on the scorecard. For the gross competition, each player will play at scratch and the low gross on each hole is the winning score. Eighteen (18) points shall be awarded in each match: 1 point to the winner of each hole, 1/2 point for a tie on each hole, and 0 points for a loss on each hole.
ORDER OF PLAY (Rule 10)
On the first hole of a match, the honor will be determined by lot. Thereafter, the side that wins the hole takes the honor at the next teeing ground. If a hole has been halved, the side that had the honor at the previous teeing ground retains it (Rule 10.1a). Thereafter, proceed under Rule 10.
The honor of the tee shall be determined by total points (gross plus net) won on the previous hole.
STARTING TIME
Effective in 2007, all host clubs are required to have morning (8:30 a.m.) shotgun starting times. Play will begin promptly at the time announced by the host club. Team Captains and team players should be at the club at least 30 minutes before the shotgun so that the Team Captain can enter her entire team and have the team ready to report to their assigned tees on time.
Regardless of the weather, a team must report to the club for play.
SCORECARDS
Two cards shall be kept for each match and, in case of dispute, should be retained by each team until a decision is made. Scoring must be completed by each team’s captain and returned to the Scoring Chair prior to lunch.
The host club will provide two score cards for each match. The cards will be printed on card stock and shall have eight lines, starting hole highlighted, pace of play times for each hole and the pro shop phone number. Pace of play will be the time for completing the hole.
END OF SEASON TIES
Gross or net ties for the season will be broken by a 9 hole play off to be held at a date specified when the play dates are set at the beginning of the season. Each team will consist of an A,B,C and D match. If there are two teams in the play off, then the winner will be determined by Match Play. If there are three or more teams in the play off, the winner will be determined by the total gross, in the event of a gross tie, or total net, in the event of a net tie, of each team (A+B+C+D). If there is still a tie at the end of 9 holes, the winner will be determined by a sudden death play off.
All teams (A,B,C and D) must remain at the 9th green until the final match is played. If there still is a tie, one of the teams will be chosen to continue the sudden death play off. The playoff team will be chosen by a drawing done by a member of the Steering Committee who is not a member of the competing teams.
In order to assure that a continued playoff will be allowed by the course, the last team to tee off will have an 18 hole reservation. The cost of the extra 9 holes will be split among the competing teams.
Any player who has played at least once during the season, is eligible to be on a playoff team.
The course for the play off will be determined after the final match. It may not be the home course of any team in the playoffs. It may be a member club course or a third party course. The Steering Committee will determine the course for the playoff.
AWARDS
Awards will be presented to the 1st place gross and 1st place net winning teams and a runner up in the league. No club can win more than one award. The teams winning overall low gross and low net are eligible to compete in the Central Bay Play-Off Tournament at the end of the season. This field is comprised of winners from team play leagues in the Central Bay Area.
Recognition will also be given to the runners up in the gross and the net competitions.
TEAM UNIFORMS
Each team player must wear a uniform representing her club. The uniform must conform to the host club’s rules. Soft spikes are mandatory.
STEERING COMMITTEE
The Steering Committee will act as “league coordinator” for the Diablo Valley League. Three people plus an advisor will constitute the Steering Committee. Each will serve a 2 year term plus a final year as Steering Committee advisor. Effective in 2012 Steering Committee membership may be a volunteer. In the event that no volunteer comes forward, each member club of Diablo Valley League will provide one of its members to serve a term on the Steering Committee. This rotation will be alphabetical beginning with Blackhawk.
Scoring Chair: Collects the match results from each team following the day’s play. Keeps the running scoring results for the DVTP. Distributes the results after each match via the league’s website. Audits the scoring twice during the season. The first audit will be done after half the matches. The second audit will be done before the final match of the season. Prepares the match pairings prior to the beginning of each new team season.
NOTE: As of 2024, Debby Grauman is responsible for procuring the Gross and Net trophies.
Meeting Chair: Organizes and plans the Spring and Fall Captains’ meetings, including the luncheon and golf for the Fall meeting. Chairs the Spring and Fall captains’ meetings. Writes the minutes for both of these meetings. Coordinates the creation of the calendar and schedules team play for the season.
Communications & Website Chair: Oversees, updates and organizes all information for Team Captains and the Steering Committee. Manages and maintains the league’s website.
The Steering Committee will meet prior to both the Spring and Fall Captains’ Meetings to create agendas for each and to monitor and conduct league business.
Revised: 4/2024