League Rules

1. Format

1.1. Teams of seven playing singles match play.

1.2. Two members of the team may have a handicap index of up to and including 5.4 with the remaining members having a handicap index of 5.5 up to and including 18.4.

1.3. Players may be selected with a handicap index of 18.5 or higher but will only be allowed the playing handicap of a handicap index of 18.4.

1.4. Playing pairs will be matched by their exact handicap index with the lowest pairing teeing off first. The stroke allowance will be full difference of the playing handicap. Team sheets should display each player’s handicap index and subsequent playing handicap for the course being played to ensure correct shot allowance is used for each match.

1.5. Regardless of any local rules electronic or optical distance measuring devices are allowed to be used by players.

1.6. The home team will provide a suitable meal ahead of the match for both teams. Dress for the meal will be informal.

1.7. Only players with active handicaps will be eligible to play.

2. Match Dates

2.1. The season will run from March 1st to October 14th inclusive. All matches must be played within the season.

2.2. All fixture dates will be arranged by January 31st each year. Any subsequent changes after this date will only be accepted after both clubs have emailed confirmation to the secretary.

2.3. After fixtures have been submitted to the Secretary clubs will not cancel or attempt to rearrange a fixture except through adverse weather or course conditions.

2.4. Three weeks' notice must be given if any team is unable to fulfil a fixture, excluding rule 2.6. Failure to do so will forfeit the match, a 7-0 win will be awarded for the opposing team with a 1-up win for each player. Repeat offenders may also have 3 points deducted – this will be at the discretion of the committee which will be dealt with on case by case basis.

2.5. Any team containing less than 6 players is considered to have failed to fulfil the fixture. If a team fails to fulfil more than 1 fixture, and/or plays more than 2 fixtures with only 6 players, then the Committee can at their discretion delete the results from the current season and relegate the team.

2.6. In the event of adverse weather or course conditions, the match captains must agree to suspend or abandon the match. If play resumes it will be from the point at which play was suspended. If the fixture is rearranged, then the match will be re-started from the 1st tee. If a match has been abandoned a rearranged date must be agreed and played before the end of the season.

3. Tee Times

3.1. The home club is responsible for pre-booking tee times. If on arrival the away club finds this is not the case the visiting captain will have the right to claim the match 7-0.

3.2. All members of the team must be available and ready to play at the agreed time of the first match. If, due to unforeseen circumstances, a member of the team is unavailable at the arranged tee time he must be present no later than 30 minutes after the first tee time or his match may be claimed by the opposing team. If a match is claimed under this rule the score will be 1 up. If any player is likely to be late his team captain must immediately notify the opposition captain. Failure to inform the opposition captain that a team member may be late will give the opposition the right to claim his match.

3.3. If any team fails to turn up for a match at the time and date agreed and published on the website the match will be forfeited 7-0.

4. Match Results

4.1. Match results along with the individual players results will be submitted through the website results form by Sunday midnight of the weekend of the fixture being played by the home team captain or their appointed representatives using the website. Persistent failure to submit results by this deadline will result in disciplinary procedure potentially leading to the deduction of league points.

4.2. If any match is forfeited for whatever reason the opponent will be declared to have won the match 1 up for the purposes of the match result and the individual order of merit.

5. Points System

5.1. Each player will play up to 18 holes of match play golf ending in either a win or a halved game. The seven scores will be totalled to determine the winning team.

5.2. Three points will be awarded for a win. In the event of a drawn match the home team will receive 1 point and the away team will receive 2 points.

5.3. The team with the highest points total will be declared champions. If two teams share the same points total then the team with the best match difference will be placed higher.

6. Players

6.1. The league is open to Males with a current handicap certificate who are at least 18 years old.

6.2. Handicap certificates and WHS playing history can be requested by the league secretary at any time.

6.3. At any time throughout the season a player can request the interrogation of his opponent’s handicap.

6.4. A player is required to submit a minimum of 9 cards in a rolling 12 month period, of which 3 or more must be in a qualifying competition. A qualifying competition being defined as a competition that will count towards your future handicap - examples are Monthly Medals and Monthly Stablefords; for those Clubs that run Board Competitions these also attract qualifying status.

6.5. Teams that are found to have played an ineligible player will be subject to loss of that individual game, with a 1-up win awarded to the opposing player, unless the opposing player had won the match by a larger margin. Furthermore, should a single Team field multiple ineligible players they would still be regarded as having fulfilled the fixture per League Rules; the sanctions noted above would be applied to each individual tie within the overall match. Finally, any Team that had been found to have fielded ineligible players for a third occasion in a single season would forfeit that match with a result of a 7-0 loss.

6.6. A Club that enters more than one team will not be permitted to transfer players from one team to another during the league season. If a player transfers his membership from one club to another and relinquishes his membership at the original club he will be eligible to play Central Sevens for his new club even if he has already played for his previous club.

6.7. A Club fielding two teams in the same division shall play their fixtures against each other before all others.

6.8.There is no restriction placed upon the use of buggies during League or Knockout matches. Captains of individuals who plan to use a buggy should provide the opposing team Captain with notice of the intent of one of their team members to use a buggy. Ideally, this notice should occur ahead of the fixture, and not on the day, but the Committee accepts that circumstances may arise that would drive the need for a player to use a buggy at late notice. The Committee expects that the courtesy of offering the opponent a seat be extended. Individuals who wish to use a buggy are expected to make those arrangements directly with the Club and the use of the buggy is regarded as a personal expense, and not a courtesy of the Club.

6.9. There will be an Order of Merit competition within each division of the league. The winner will be the player with the most points (3 points for a win, 2 points for an away draw and 1 point for a home draw). If two players are equal on points then the player with the greatest difference in holes won will be the winner. If two players are still equal then the winner will be the player who has played the fewest games. If players are still equal then each player will be declared a joint winner.

7. Local Rules

7.1. The rules of golf shall be observed at all times.

7.2. The home team will inform the visiting team of any local rules in force on the day of the match. A copy of any local rules will be posted clearly and your opponents are to be made aware of them before play commences.

7.3. The wearing of formal dress is not required but clubs are requested to arrive and welcome teams smartly dressed.

8. Promotion

8.1. Promotion will be awarded to the top two teams in Division 2, Division 3, Division 4 and Division 5 - they will replace the bottom two teams in Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 and Division 4.

8.2. Should new teams join the league then division 1 will be the first division to have a maximum of 6 teams, followed by divisions 2, 3, 4 5 and 6. Promotion and relegation will be adjusted accordingly.

8.3. Variance to this rule can only be achieved by the Annual General Meeting.