Participants in SCGA competitions must read the following information and are responsible for knowing the rules and regulations for participation in SCGA events.
PACE OF PLAY POLICY | SCGA HARD CARD
ENTRIES, WITHDRAWALS & REFUNDS
Entries
The Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) reserves the right to accept, decline or withdraw any entry at any time. Any person whose entry is accepted shall be subject to the rules and conditions of play set forth by the SCGA. The reason for rejection of entry may include, but is not limited to, unbecoming conduct. By entering a SCGA-administered event, all participants agree that there are certain risks inherent in the game of golf and accept personal and sole liability for all such risks, including, but not limited to, any health-related risks. All participants also understand that there is currently a risk of contracting COVID-19 at an SCGA-administered event and accept personal responsibility and sole liability for that risk.
Entry fees cover various costs, including green fees for the event. Refer to the specific event’s information to determine what is covered by the entry fee. Any costs not covered by the entry fee will be the responsibility of the player. Registration confirmations, event information, and starting times will be sent to players via email. If a player does not receive this information within seven days of the event, it is the player’s responsibility to contact the SCGA. The SCGA is not responsible for any errors in transmission. In most cases, event information, including the pairings and starting times, will be published on scga.org after the close of entries.
Late Entries
The SCGA accepts late entries, assuming there is still space available at the given event. Late entries will be subject to an additional $20 fee and can only be processed over the phone or through email.
Withdrawal Prior to a SCGA Competition or Member Outing
To withdraw for any reason prior to the start of a SCGA competition or Member Outing, a player must notify the SCGA Championships & Golf Operations Department at champs@scga.org or by calling (818) 980-3630. The player may also withdraw through his/her online player profile until entries close. If a player needs to withdraw on the morning of the event, he/she must notify the SCGA staff in charge. Failure to notify the SCGA may subject the player to suspension from future SCGA events.
Withdrawal During a SCGA Competition
All players are expected to complete the competition which they start. Acceptable reasons for withdrawal during a competition are physical injury, illness, or an emergency. Poor play is not an acceptable reason for withdrawal. A player who withdraws without an acceptable reason or without notifying SCGA personnel may be subject to suspension from future SCGA competitions. Players who withdraw must certify that the hole-by-hole scores are correct for the player whom they were keeping score. Arrangements must be made for another player in the group to take over the marker responsibilities of the player who withdraws.
Substitutions
For team competitions, or any other competition for which players are submitted on behalf of a club, the SCGA allows substitutions to be made up to two business days prior to the competition. If a substitution request is made less than two business days prior to the competition, the SCGA cannot guarantee that the substitution will be granted. For team competitions that utilize qualifiers, once a player or team has gone through the qualifying process, no substitutions may be made for the championship proper.
Refund Policy - SCGA Competitions & Member Outings
Requests for refunds prior to the entry closing date will be honored less a $20 administrative fee. Requests received after the entry closing date and 48 hours prior to the event will be honored less 50% of the entry fee. No refunds will be honored within 48 hours of the event.
Refund Policy - SCGA Rules of Golf Seminars
Requests for refunds prior to the entry closing date will be honored less a $10 administrative fee. No refunds will be honored after the entry closing date. Pending availability, participants may transfer to a different SCGA Rules of Golf Seminar prior to the closing dates of both the seminar they originally registered for and the seminar they wish to transfer to. Once the closing date of the seminar originally registered for passes, no refunds will be issued, nor can participants use that entry fee toward a different seminar.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
SCGA Competitions
All players must be amateurs and members of a current SCGA member club and meet any stated Handicap Index and age requirements (unless otherwise noted). It is the player’s responsibility to ensure that all eligibility requirements are met. The SCGA will attempt to notify players failing to meet any eligibility requirements prior to the close of entry. Nevertheless, any player failing to meet any one of the eligibility requirements will not be allowed to participate in the competition. Players with questions regarding their eligibility should contact their club and/or the SCGA prior to the entry closing date.
SCGA Net Competitions
In an effort to continually ensure that SCGA-sponsored net competitions are conducted on a level playing field, all participants in SCGA net competitions, including SCGA Team Play and Women’s Team Play, must be members of a club that has a certified Handicap Chair who has successfully completed the SCGA’s World Handicap System (WHS) training. For more information on the SCGA’s WHS training, please visit scga.org.
The revision date used to calculate players’ Handicap Indexes will be listed on the event information document published prior to each event. The SCGA reserves the right to adjust a player’s handicap prior to or during any net competition.
USGA Competitions
Refer to usga.org for eligibility requirements for USGA qualifiers and championships.
COMPETITION POLICIES
Alternates / Waiting List
Alternates or players listed on the waiting list prior to a competition may show up as a “standby” at the qualifying or championship site on the morning of the first round. All standbys should arrive and check in with SCGA staff 30 minutes prior to the first starting time. In the event that an active participant does not show up or withdraws prior to the start of their round, alternates will be selected based on the SCGA’s procedure for selecting alternates. Alternates do not have access to practice rounds at championship sites until they are officially notified by SCGA staff that they are in the championship field.
Incomplete Round Policy
To review the SCGA’s Incomplete Round Policy, click here.
Rules of Play
- The Rules of Golf as approved by the USGA and The R&A govern play.
- Local Rules and Terms of the Competition can be found on the SCGA Hard Card and the Notice to Players that will be emailed to players the day prior to the qualifier.
- Review the specific event’s portal for details on the pace of play policy that will be in effect.
Code of Conduct
By submitting an entry for any SCGA-administered event, the contestant understands that his/her participation is at the sole discretion of the SCGA. A contestant may be removed from an event either before or during the event at the sole discretion of the SCGA. Incidents of unbecoming conduct or actions deemed to be detrimental to the image of the SCGA or the “Spirit of the Game” are grounds for such removal and suspension from future SCGA-administered events. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Willful damage of the golf course or golf course property
- Club throwing or unnecessary club tossing
- Offensive or unbecoming language
- Public criticism of golf course or verbal abuse of SCGA staff, officials, volunteers, host club staff or other contestants
- Potential endangerment of others
- Conduct deemed unbecoming
- Failure to post scores for handicapping purposes
- Manipulation of scores posted for handicapping purposes
Penalty for breach of Code of Conduct:
- First offense: Warning
- Second offense: Disqualification
The committee may disqualify a player for serious misconduct in failing to meet the Code’s standards.
Score Posting
All scores shot in SCGA competitions will be posted as “C” scores (competition scores) by SCGA Staff. Players should not post their own scores.
Photography
The SCGA reserves the right to use our participants’ images on communications and marketing material including FORE magazine and scga.org.