Summary of DVTP Match Play Rules
1. USGA Rules of Golf govern. Summer rules (playing the ball as it lies) prevail unless otherwise stipulated by the host club. Local rules must conform to the USGA Rules.
2. Doubt as to Procedure or Dispute
If a doubt or dispute arises between the players during the play of a hole that cannot be agreed upon, a player may make a claim under Rule 20.1b. To make a claim, a player must notify her opponent that she is making a claim, must communicate the facts of the situation and state that she wants a ruling before teeing off on the next hole. After the match, a Rules Committee, consisting of any two Steering Committee members not involved with the dispute and an NCGA rules official (if present that day) will make a ruling. In the case of difficult rulings, the NCGA must be consulted. NOTE: Playing two balls to complete the hole is not allowed in Match Play. The dispute steering committee will consist of the Meeting Chair, Scoring Chair, Webcom and the Advisor.
3. Times of Starting
All teams must arrive on time and be ready to play regardless of weather. Matches shall start at the scheduled time and continue unless called off by the Head Professional, Manager, or Greens Superintendent of the course being played. If play is temporarily suspended and then resumed on the day of play,USGA Rules 6-8b, 6-8c and 33-2d shall apply. The match shall resume where it was interrupted. If the Mach is not resumed, the points for those holes not played will be halved.
4. If a player is late to the first starting tee, her partner must tee off alone and be joined by the late player between holes, but not during play of a hole.
5. If a player fails to arrive at the first starting tee, or becomes ill during play, the match will continue.
6. If neither partner arrives at the assigned tee within five (5) minutes after the assigned tee time, the penalty for failure to start on time is loss of the first hole in match play. If one side of the match fails to show at all, the side (partners) shall be disqualified and forfeit all points in the match of the day.
7. Failure to Show: If an entire team fails to appear for a scheduled match, the team shall forfeit all the points previously won, will be disqualified for the remainder of the scheduled matches, and will not be eligible for team play the following season. All points won in previous matches played against the offending team shall be discarded for the season.
8. Playing Short: If a team is short of players, available team players must be divided in order to make up four (4) teams. Playing Short is defined as “fewer than 8 players”. If a team “plays short” one time, they will be warned. If they “play short” a second time, they will be put on probation. If they “play short” a third time within a period of three consecutive years, they will be required to resign from the League. When a team plays short, it is the captain’s responsibility to notify the Steering Committee immediately.
If a player has not joined her match prior to the beginning of the 5th hole to be played, which allows for most undue emergencies or situations, the team is deemed to be “playing short.” The player may join her match after hole 5, but the team will be charged as “playing short” for the day.
The Scoring Chair will be responsible for keeping a record of teams playing short and shall report to the Steering Committee at the Fall Captain’s meeting on teams who have played short.
9. Extreme Emergencies: Failure to Show due to an extreme emergency will be dealt with on a case by case basis. Penalties in this circumstance will not be incurred. In the event of an emergency during the playing of a match, where appropriate, the remaining competitor must continue to play. If play cannot be continued because of the “extreme emergency” situation, the remaining points will be halved.
10. "Handicapped” flags and carts will not be allowed during any match unless a) the player has a written statement from her doctor advising the steering committee of the affliction and the need for special dispensation and b) the course being played does not allows carts on the fairways.
11. Practice: On any day of a match play competition, a player may practice on the competition course before a round. During play of a hole, a player may not make a practice stroke. Between the play of two holes, a player may not make any practice stroke, except for putting and chipping on or near the putting green of the hole last played and on the teeing ground of the next hole to be played (Rule 7-2), provided a practice stroke is not made from a hazard and does not duly delay play (Rule 6-7).
12. If a player is conceded a stroke, she may pick up and post a score she most likely would have had, but not to exceed the limit of the Equitable Stroke Control formula. Or, she may leave her mark on the putting green and putt out after the players in her group complete the hole. (This does not constitute a practice stroke, Rule 7-2.)
13. If a player is conceded a stroke and she continues to play in a manner that would be of assistance to her partner, the partner shall be disqualified from the hole.
14. Slow Play: After one warning, any foursome that falls a complete one and a half holes behind will be asked to pick up, split the points for the hole, and advance to the next tee. All players are responsible for the pace of play. Repeated offenses, either that same day, or on subsequent days of play, will result in censure from the Steering Committee. Where possible, the hosting club should provide two course marshals, one for the front side and the other for the back nine, to enforce the DVTP Pace of Play rule.
Play must last no longer than 5 hours. At 5 hours, each team must finish the hole they are playing and leave the course. The points on the remaining holes not played will be split with each team receiving half of the points.
15. Cellular Phones: The use of cellular phones or similar electronic devices, except in an extreme emergency, by a player during a stipulated round is highly discouraged. Please use common courtesy and turn off or silence your cell when playing.
16. Distance Measuring Devices: USGA approved distance measuring devices are permitted for use during play.
17. Preferred Lies: When conditions dictate the use of preferred lies, it is the hosting club’s decision to make this choice. A ball lying through the green (or specify a more restricted area, e.g., at the 6th hole) may be lifted, without penalty, and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, she must place it on a spot within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green. The placed ball must remain in the same lie as it's original position. (revised 4/18)
18. Once the teams have been sent out to the starting holes, the individual matches may begin play at the official starting time or when both teams are on the tee box and agree they are ready to play which ever is earlier.
Amended 5/9/19 - Updated Rules Committee Verbiage in item 2.
Amended 4/10/18