JEFFERSON WOMEN'S GOLF LEAGUE
HANDBOOK & ETIQUETTE
Jefferson Women’s Golf League guiding principles and processes are provided in this section, which include the election of officers, the structure of the Board and the Executive Committee, and their roles and responsibilities.Membership privileges and dues are discussed and social events are identified and described. Also presented are the guidelines that govern our League play throughout each season, including tips on etiquette that are intended to speed play and to make the game more enjoyable for all.
I. ELECTION OF THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD
The Officers of the League are the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and each is elected to hold a term for two years. The four elected officers comprise the Board and each Officer has one vote on matters brought before the Board or before the Executive Committee. The Board provides overall leadership and management responsibility on behalf of the JWGL Membership to ensure continuity of the League and League play and conducts the business of the League with the Executive Committee. The President may call a meeting of the Board at any time and the attendance of three Officers constitute a quorum.
Every two years before the date of the Annual Awards Luncheon, the incoming President, usually the sitting Vice-President, selects three nominees to serve with her as the next slate of Board Officers and presents those nominees, along with her nomination, to the Members at the Annual Awards Luncheon. If there are no nominations from the floor, the new Officers are accepted. Also, at the Annual Awards Luncheon, the incoming President presents to the Members her selection for the remainder of the Executive Committee and Social Chairs. In making her selections, the incoming President may consult with any Member of the JWGL.
II. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A. Makeup and Responsibilities of the Executive Committee
In addition to the elected Officers of the Board, the Executive Committee consists of the Chairs of the Membership Committee, the Tournament Committee, the Rules Committee, the Systems Administration Committee, and the News and Notes Committee, as well as the Photographer and the Immediate Past-President. Each Executive Committee, usually the Chair, has one vote during Executive Committee meetings. The Executive Committee is made up of dedicated, interested, and concerned members of the League and manages the affairs of the JWGL in between meetings.
It is customary that the Executive Committee is brought together no less than twice a year to make decisions on the annual budget, schedule of League play and League social events, Membership status, computer system issues, and any other business of the JWGL. If agreement on an issue cannot be reached by the Executive Committee, usually determined by majority vote, the Board shall be charged with resolving the issue.
B. Job Descriptions of Executive Committee Members
President: Calls and presides at Board and Executive Committee meetings and appoints Standing Committee Chairs and the Photographer. Designates jobs and assists all other Officers and Committee Chairs. She is readily available to all Members. Is responsible for contacts and correspondence with county and course officials, including securing permission from Jefferson Golf Course to continue League plays, including tee time slots, for Wednesdays throughout the coming season. She can appoint outside consultants as needed. She works with the Treasurer and Committee Chairs to establish an annual budget and shares signatory responsibility with the Treasurer for the League bank account. She consults with the Membership Chair on Membership status and issues, as well as those associated with the Directory. She works with the appointed Social Committee Chairs to reserve locations for social events, to establish fees for Members at events, and to sign contracts associated with social events.
Vice-President: Assists the President and takes charge when the President is not available. Serves as the Committee Chair for the League’s Annual Barbecue (BBQ). She assists, as needed, the Tournament Committee and the Systems Administration Committee in coordinating the technical running of events and website application.
Secretary: Takes minutes at Board and Executive Committee meetings, at the March Tee, and the Annual Awards Luncheon. Transcribes and distributes minutes for review of the President and other members of the Board before distributing them to the Executive Committee Chairs. Holds as a resource all minutes taken during her two-year term to make them available to the incoming Secretary, as well as any JWGL Member who wishes to see them.
Treasurer: Collects and deposits all dues and pays all bills. She records Membership dues paid in the League database. Provides an accounting of all disbursements and presents the status of the League budget at the Annual Awards Luncheon. She provides budget analysis when the Board and/or the Executive Committee considers policy or event options that can affect the League’s annual budget. She assists the President in proposing an Annual Budget to the Executive Committee for adoption. She consults with the President and Vice-President for non-budget expenditures. She shares signatory authority with the President on the League’s bank account.
Membership Committee Chair: Maintains Membership records, including Member contact information for the Directory in the League’s database. She handles applications for Membership, maintains the Membership waitlist, contacts applicants who have been accepted to welcome them into the League. She provides new Members with information about the League and matches them with mentors. She reminds Members about dues payments and coordinates with the Treasurer regarding Membership dues. She maintains a list of Associate Members who are not able to play the required number of rounds for regular Membership. She makes recommendations to the Board and/or Executive Committee on actions necessary to maintain the viability of JWGL Membership.
Tournament Committee Chair: Annually develops and presents the Weekly Events Schedule to the Executive Committee for adoption. Posts a copy of the Schedule on the JWGL website. Identifies and provides leadership to the volunteers for opening and closing weekly play. She reviews the League’s computer determination of winners, points, and handicap calculations, and posts tournament information. The Tournament Committee makes the final determination of calculations and winners. She is responsible for distributing prize money, as adopted in the annual budget, which includes securing supplies necessary to distribute all prize money. She secures and distributes birdie pins. She coordinates with the Jefferson Golf Course staff to be aware of upcoming ground maintenance, as well as other events or actions taken by the Golf Course that could impact League plays. This Committee is responsible for securing Members from the first or second tee-time slot to display materials at the League display table in the clubhouse and someone to put these materials away at end of day. These materials are stored in the League lockers at Jefferson Golf Course. Lastly the TC works with the treasurer and SAC to secure end of theyear stats for individual payouts to bedistributed at the FallLuncheon.
Rules Committee Chair: As the League authority on JWGL rules, she assists the Executive Committee in clarifying and approving rules governing League play and settles all rules disputes occurring during League play. She familiarizes Members with the local course rules of the Jefferson Golf Course.
Systems Administration Committee Chair: Guides the Board and/or Executive Committee decisions regarding the JWGL website and interfaces with JWGL vendors providing services to develop, maintain and manage web applications and JWGL databases and their functionality. Consistent with the League’s annual budget and contractual obligations, she oversees the testing of and improvements or updates made to the JWGL website to provide the League with mobile access to sign up for tee times, to post scores, and to allow the Tournament Committee to close weekly events remotely. Maintains security provisions to safeguard Member contact information stored in JWGL databases. Trains Members on the use of JWGL website features, including serving as contacts available to answer questions on the League’s systems and their use. She reviews annual contracts with relevant vendors and makes recommendations to the Executive Committee regarding the contracts necessary to ensure the continuity of software and web application services. She works with the Tournament Committee to make recommendations on policy changes and/or purchases necessary to maintain consistency between League play and system requirements.
News and Notes Committee Chair: Prepares and distributes monthly news reports on current events within and affecting the League. She acknowledges Member birthdays, golf tips, golf stories, and other news requested by the Executive Committee to help inform Members of upcoming events and news. As requested by a Member, she may report on news of Members’ life events (e.g., births, deaths, weddings, health). She works closely with the Membership Chair and within the established budget.
Photographer: Takes pictures of Members at play and during social events. She keeps photos posted on the JWGL website current, including pictures used in the Member Directory. She works within the established budget.
Note: All Chairs on the Executive Committee have the option of picking a Co-chair and/or other Committee Members to assist with fulfilling their responsibilities; however, at Executive Committee meetings, each Committee may cast only one vote.
III. SOCIAL COMMITTEE MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES
March Tee Committee: Works with the Executive Committee to identify and reserve a place for the morning coffee/tea and to set the agenda for the event. The Committee works within the approved budget to arrange for food and coffee/tea and set-up and clean-up. The Committee may secure as many volunteers from the Membership that is deemed necessary to fulfill their responsibilities.
BBQ Committee: The Vice-President leads this Committee and works with the Tournament Committee for events on the day of League play. Coordinates with and secures the approval of holding the BBQ at Jefferson Golf Course and secures catering services for the lunch. Sends out the invitation to and collects fees from the Membership and oversees the event to its completion.
Annual Awards Luncheon Committee: Works within the budget set by the Executive Committee to identify and reserve a place for the luncheon (always held on the first Wednesday in November). The Committee charges a fee to cover all lunch expenses, including raffles, games, mailings, stationery, programs, and centerpieces. The Committee makes all arrangements for the menu, door prize donations, for sending out invitations to the event and recording the names of attendees and their food choices, collecting fees from attendees, as well as providing maps to the restaurant. Works with the Tournament Committee for recognizing winners and distributing prize money for the season, as budgeted by the Executive Committee. The Committee may secure as many volunteers from the Membership that is deemed necessary to fulfill their responsibilities.
IV. MEMBERSHIP
A. Membership Categories
There two Membership categories in the JWGL are Full Member and Associate Member.
Full Member: Participates in all activities, pays full Membership dues and competes for prizes at each weekly event during the golf season. Full Member scores and points are maintained in the JWGL databases, which include records of handicap, flight, ringer, birdies, and points earned throughout each golf season. Full Members are required to play at least seven rounds of golf to remain a Full Member and those seven rounds must be completed before the Fall Classic Tournament to compete in it. Attendance only participation will be counted towards the seven rounds. Full Members who have an acute medical or physical problem that will prevent them from playing seven rounds in the current season may request a waiver of the seven-round requirement for that season to remain a Full Member and a waiver may be extended to the following season if requested. This request should be submitted in writing to the League President and/or Membership Chair before the end of the current season.
Associate Member: Available to those who have been a Full Member for five years and have a health problem preventing them from playing the required rounds during a season to maintain active, full Membership. The dues paid by an Associate Member are a portion of the amount paid by Full Members. Associate Members will be listed in the Directory and may attend all social functions after paying the same social event fees as Full Members. Associates may play non-competitive golf on League days but may play no more than seven times in the current season of their Membership.
B. Membership Dues, Directory, and the Membership Roster
Full and Associate Members are required to pay annual membership dues. The current dues for Full Membership are $35 and the current dues for Associate Membership are $10.
Dues are used to pay for the League expenses, prizes, and awards. All Membership dues are to be provided to the Treasurer by January 15 of every calendar year so new Members from the waitlist can be invited to join the League before the beginning of the golf season in April.
Receipt of the annual Membership dues is a prerequisite for gaining access to the JWGL system that contains the on-line League Directory and governs League plays and tee times. In addition to annual Membership dues, each Member pays the course fee each time she plays.
If space is available, Members may be added to the Membership Roster throughout the season paying full Membership dues. A Member may drop out of the League at any time. If she decides to drop out, she should notify the Membership Chair. The League has a no-refund policy; however, the Executive Committee may consider, upon written request, the reason(s) for dropping out and make an exception to the no-refund policy on a case-by-case basis.
V. WEEKLY LEAGUE PLAY
A. Tee Times: Tee times are required. The JWGL website allows its Members to sign-up for a tee time online, using personal devices (mobile phones, tablets, and computers). On the afternoon of the day of League play, Members may enter the JWGL website starting at 5:30 pm to book a tee time for the next Wednesday. The website booking function will remain open for changes and additional sign-ups until 5:00 am on the day of League play, at which time it will close temporarily to generate an email to the Jefferson Golf Course informing them of booked pairings for that morning.
B. Check-in at the Jefferson Golf Course: Each Member should arrive 30 minutes before she booked tee time to check in with the Jefferson Golf Course starter and pay the course fee. The staff of the Jefferson Golf Course assists our League during the season. Jefferson staff is free to make changes to the procedure for play and for sending out players in designated foursomes. Staff will generally honor the pairings received from the JWGL website on Wednesday mornings, but no-shows may require changes to submitted pairings. While waiting to tee off, Members can visit the League’s display table, pay for social events and check for the game of the day. She should also check the League bulletin boards for new League information.
C. Recording, Validating, and Submitting Scores: Two players in each group must keep score and compare the scores for an accurate stroke count for each player in the foursome. For each hole, both the total strokes and the number of putts must be recorded for each player. One card must be signed by both the scorer and the attester to the scores recorded. The signed scorecard for the foursome will be photographed and uploaded to the JWGL website. Scores on the submitted scorecard must be validated and must match scores recorded on the course during play or entered into the database on the JWGL website at the end of the play. If scores are not recorded during play, they may be entered using personal devices from any location, but must be submitted no later than 3:30 pm on the day of play.
D. Definition of a Chip-in: A chip-in occurs when the golfer’s ball has never stopped on the green, is hit from off the green, and goes into the hole. Any club may be used to hit the ball into the hole, including the putter.
E. Definition of a Putt: Once a golfer’s ball has landed on the green, every stroke taken after that to sink the ball into the hole is regarded as a putt. (Yes, even if a putt causes the ball to exit the green and come to rest off the green -- that stroke and subsequent strokes are all putts that need to be counted.)
F. Attendance Only Policy: A golfer is allowed to check the box entitled Attendance Only on the Score Entry screen only: (1) if shehas to leave the course due to emergency or illness or can’t complete the round dueto injury, (2) if she starts playing but due to weather conditions leaves before completing all 9 rounds and she does not seek a refund. If a golfer leaves the course due to weather conditions and does gets a refund, she cannot mark Attendance Only for that round. (3) On tournament days, when the league does not keep an official score, the Tournament Committee will record Attendance Only for all golfers who played.
G. Guest Policy: The JWGL guest policy is that no guests are allowed during League play as all League tee times are reserved for the use and benefit of JWGL Members only.
VI. POINTS
Each time a Member plays a round of League play, she receives points – a half-point for playing and designated points for placing in or winning a weekly event. Points are recorded and accumulated for each Member throughout each season. Points entitle a Member to prize money distributed at the Annual Awards Luncheon.
VII. BIRDIES, EAGLES and HOLES-IN-ONE
A Member who makes a birdie (one stroke under par) on any hole will receive a birdie pin. Birdie pins will be handed out at the end of the season. A handicap is not required to win a pin.
During any one season, a Member may only receive one birdie pin for any given hole. There is also a limit of three birdie pins per season awarded to each Member. If play is canceled by the Jefferson Golf Course before all Members complete their rounds, no birdie pins are awarded that week.
Members who make a hole-in-one or an eagle on any hole will receive special recognition at the Annual Awards Luncheon.
VIII. CHIP-IN (OPTIONAL PARTICIPATION)
Only those persons who have prepaid to participate in the Chip-in Pot are eligible to win Chip-In money. The Chip-In Pot is prepaid at the beginning of the season when you pay your membership dues. Participation is $7 for the season. Chip-in winnings are paid out at the end of the year luncheon.
The total money in the ChipIn Pot will be divided by the total # of chip-ins made by Pot participants to determine the amount to be paid for each chip-in. The PPC (payment per chip-in) will be multiplied by the # of chip-ins made to determine the winnings to be paid to the participant at the end of the year luncheon.
IX. HANDICAP
New Members should establish their handicaps as soon as possible to qualify as weekly winners of events. To establish a handicap, a Member must play five rounds of golf with one or more JWGL Members during League time at Jefferson Golf Course. Qualifying rounds are entered into the JWGL score database at the end of League day play and the scorecard recording the rounds must be submitted as required for League play. At the end of the fifth round, the JWGL computer system will calculate the player’s handicap, which can be found in the database as soon as it is calculated.
From the established handicap, each Member is placed in one of four flights -- A, B, C, or D. Each flight has a handicap range established so that there is approximately the same number of Members in each flight. A handicap is used for “Low Net Score” Weekly Events. Handicaps are calculated weekly and may cause a player’s flight to change from week to week. Monthly handicap Reports are printed for the Bulletin Board in the clubhouse.
X. TOURNAMENTS
A. Championship Tournament: Toward the end of each season, JWGL hosts its major tournament which is called the Fall Classic Tournament. It is a three-week event where each player’s 2 best rounds (based on gross scores) are used to determine who is the League’s Champion for the year. A Member must have played 7 League rounds of golf before the start date of the Fall Classic and must play at least 2 of the 3 tournament rounds. There will be a Overall Champion and runner up in both gross and net groups plus a overall putting champion and runner up. There will also be a gross and net champion and runner up in each of the four flights. You may ONLY win one prize. The TC will determine that. All ties are kept and handled the same way weekly contests are calculated.
B. Ringer Tournament: This tournament awards a winner based on season-long performance. It starts the first day of play and ends the last day of the season. Only the scores made in League play will count. The Ringer Tournament Report will be found on the JWGL website. At the end of the season, the Ringer score for each Member will show the best score recorded for each hole. The total will show what the player would have scored IF the player had played her best on every hole in a single round. Prizes for the lowest score and runner-up in each flight will be awarded at the Annual Awards Luncheon.
C. Flag Tournament: The Flag Tournament consists of a number of individual contests: the longest drive on a designated hole(s) and, the tee shot that lands closest to the pin on a designated hole(s). Winners will be one in each flight. Other contests might include closest to the line, as well as other designated contests by the tournament committee.
D. Putting Championship: Each flight will have a champion and runner up for the lowest putts through out the season. This will be calculated by taking that persons lowest 10 rounds and adding those scores up to determine the winner.
Longest Drive on a Designated Hole: The ball must land within the fairway boundaries, not in the rough to qualify. A flag for each flight is placed on the spot where the first longest drive rests for that flight and the Member’s name is attached to the flag. The next Member in that flight to out-distance the previously identified longest drive advances the flag with her name to the spot where her drive rests. This continues for each flight flag until all players have completed play.
Closest to the Pin: A Member in the first foursome inserts a small flag on the green at the point where the one tee shot of the foursome that is closest to the pin rests. She writes her name on the card attached to the small flag. Any golfer following in subsequent foursomes who has a tee shot that rests closer to the hole will move the small flag to that point on the green and add her name to the card attached to the flag. This will continue until all players have completed play. If a player achieves a hole-in-one on Hole No.7, the flag will be placed on the frog hairs of the green stating that a hole-in-one was achieved and naming the player on the card attached to the flag. If a subsequent player achieves a hole-in-one, the name of that player will be added to the card attached to the flag. This will continue until all players have completed play.
D. Breaking Tournament Ties: Breaking of Ties differ by Tournament type as explained below:
Individual Tournament Events: All ties will remain as recorded for individual tournament events. For example, if two golfers tie for first place, the two golfers will share the first-place position and share equitably the sum of the first and second place award money split between the two of them. In this example, the Tournament Committee will therefore recognize the two first-place winners as equals and there will be no runner-up or second place winner. The Tournament Committee will recognize the first and the third-place winners.
Team Tournament Events: Ties in team events, such as the Captain’s Choice Tournament, will remain in place and will be broken by comparing scores earned backward from Hole # 9, then #8, then #7, etc. until a winning team is determined.
E. Tournament Awards: A Member may win only one prize in a Tournament. If she qualifies for more than one award (e.g., League Champion for Gross, Net, or Flight prizes), she will be awarded the highest prize. The other prize drops down to the player who finished next in that category.
Awards will be given at the Annual Awards Luncheon to the Classic Tournament League Champion and Runner-Up for the Lowest Gross and Lowest Net Score. An additional award will be given for the 18-hole score with Lowest Putts and a runner up. Also, for each flight, there will be a Winner and a Runner-Up for Gross and Net Score.
XI. SOCIAL EVENTS
March Tee: The kick-off meeting of the general Membership of the season is held on the morning of the last Wednesday in March. Time is allotted for socializing before the business is conducted. This meeting is used to adopt the minutes of the Annual Awards Luncheon taken at the Annual Awards Luncheon in November of the previous year. Also, new Members are introduced and new rules and/or procedures are discussed. Members are notified of the meeting by the League President.
BBQ: The first gathering once league play has begun is scheduled by the Executive Committee and is usually held in the spring. It provides an opportunity for Members to gather at the clubhouse after a round of golf and enjoy lunch together. Members pay a luncheon fee to cover expenses. This event is announced and organized by the Vice-President.
Annual Awards Luncheon: A day for awards, prizes, and the final business meeting of the season is always held on the first Wednesday of November. Members pay a luncheon fee to cover expenses. The committee organizing this event sends out the invitation to and collects fees from the Membership and oversees the event to its completion. Cash prizes that are not picked up at this luncheon must be claimed by the March Tee of the following season or they will be returned to the League Secretary. The Treasurer may consider extending the deadline to two weeks after the March Tee.
ETIQUETTE
Play Ready Golf: When the foursome in front of you is down the fairway far enough for you to safely hit the ball, you should tee off. Practice swings should be held to no more than two.
Flight of the Ball: Observe and follow the flight of the ball for each player in your foursome. It helps you and Members of your foursome to locate balls and speeds up play.
The pace of Play: Keep your pull cart with you through the fairways. Park pull carts and power carts on the exit side of the green (between the green and the next tee box) to speed play.
Recording Scores: Leave the green as soon as your foursome has finished putting. Record and validate scores at the next tee box.
Divots and Ball Marks: Replace all divots on the fairways and repair all ball marks on the greens.
Ball Change: You may change your ball on any tee box. Advise your playing partners that you are doing so. You may not change a ball during play except at a tee box.
Announcing the Strokes: Upon reaching the green, announce your number of shots to that point. This will help to remember the players’ strokes at each hole.
Cell Phones: During a round, players may choose to use their cell phones to record their scores during play; however, cell phones should be silenced to remain quiet while others are hitting their ball.