Welcome letter

WELCOME TO THE 2024 NIHGL 9-HOLE GOLF LEAGUE!

I want to personally welcome all new members and returning members to the NIH 9-Hole Golf League!  You could have chosen the PGA Tour, the European Tour, or even the Korn Ferry Tour!  But you chose us, and we appreciate it!  This league is a casual, fun way to play golf after work. 

Tee times are between 4pm and 5pm, and we play Tuesdays at Needwood (Rockville) and Thursdays at Falls Road (Bethesda.)  Greens fees are $30 per round for both courses, and cart fees change every year (for reasons I will never understand.)  This year I’m told they are $10 per person ($6 for seniors.)

For the A and B flights our league utilizes the match-play format.  Two players from each team will be scheduled to play each other (2 vs. 2,) and the lowest net score for each hole gets a point (using handicaps.)  If there is a tie, each team gets a half point.   The winning team gets bragging rights, wild applause from the gallery, and smug golfing satisfaction.

SCHEDULING YOUR ROUNDS:

You will soon get an email from your team captain.  The A flight will have two teams (Golden Bears and Silver Tigers,) and the B Flight will have two teams (Green Hornets and Blue Birdies.)  The Non-competitive flight will have a team captain too, although there are no matches.  Once you are contacted by your team captains you need to promptly send them your desired tee times for the upcoming month.  Please try to be as flexible as possible to make life easier for your team captain (it can be tough trying to accommodate everyone’s schedule.)  So saying “I want the earliest tee time possible on Thursdays next month” is better than demanding a 4:00 tee time every Thursday.

VERY IMPORTANT:  If you are scheduled for a round and later find out you cannot make it, YOU are responsible to find a replacement.  You can ask someone on your team (or flight) – do NOT send an email to the entire league until after you have asked your own team for a sub.  You can either ask the sub to pay you or just give them a free round (most popular option.)

PAYING FOR ROUNDS:

To pay for your rounds (and your registration fee of $35) you can write a check payable to “NIHGL” and send it to our league treasurer:

Elaine Gillen

17613 Country View Way

Ashton, MD 20861

You can also utilize Zelle (using “nihgolf9@gmail.com”) and send the completed registration/liability forms to gillengolf@gmail.com (forms are electronically fillable).

Please send enough for 10 rounds with your first check so that we have a healthy treasury for the upcoming year.  If you do not schedule yourself for 10 rounds for some outlandish reason (abducted by aliens?) then your money carries over to the next year or can be refunded to you.  You will not lose it.

Once you get close to using all the funds you have sent in, it’s time to send another check.  Please try not to pay late.  Anyone who gets behind on their payments will be locked in a room and forced to listen to bad 70’s music (surely not EVERYBODY was Kung Fu Fighting!)

MPORTANT DATES:

April Mixed Scrambles:  We start each year with mixed-flight scrambles so you can socialize with the rest of the league who you may not play with during the year.  “Best ball” scrambles are a great way to tune up your game and drink copious amounts of beer on the course.  This league focuses on the social aspect of golf, so please don’t whack anyone over the head with your 8-iron (at least until you sign the league waiver!)  Nobody wants to see a “golf-tantrum” out there – so no club throwing, clothes ripping, or cart abuse.  It’s not a “good look” – and you’re better than that!

SPRING MIXED SCRAMBLES:  Start Tuesday, April 16 (and then 18, 23, & 25)

LEAGUE MATCH PLAY:  Starts Tuesday, April 30 and runs through Thursday, September 26.

IF IT RAINS ON THE DAY YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO PLAY:

(First of all, you must have done something wrong to make it rain)

- Our courses let us make our own rain call, so if we decide to cancel everyone scheduled for that day will get a full credit.  (We usually cancel in rain even without lightning, since nobody wants to play in pouring rain.)  If we decide to get rain checks, everyone scheduled for that day will get a credited round at that same course for future league play.  If we decide to cancel but someone still wants to play (assuming the course is still open,) that person will not get a rain check.  We will send an email to let everyone know what we have decided.  Course status on website will reflect the decision for that day.

- EVEN IF YOU PLAY A FEW HOLES, THE COURSES USUALLY REFUND OUR MONEY IF THEY DECIDE TO CLOSE.  (If there is lightning present, and the course hasn't closed, you should speak with a course representative.)  We will attempt to get credit for rounds that were not completed due to safety concerns even when the course is open, but we cannot guarantee it.  If 5 holes are completed, this constitutes a full match for our league (so whichever team is ahead will win the match.)

ABOVE ALL, WE WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE A GREAT TIME IN THIS LEAGUE.  STOPPING BY THE CLUBHOUSE AFTER YOUR ROUND IS ENCOURAGED.  HOPEFULLY YOU WILL MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND CONTACTS THIS YEAR WHILE PLAYING A GAME WE ALL ENJOY!

Brian Spillman (NIHGL President)