Minnesota Golf Association s Junior Golf Program

Minnesota Golf Association s Junior Golf Program Standard Operating Procedures 2013

MGA JUNIOR GOLF PROGRAM Standard Operating Procedures 2013 Mission Statement of the MGA Junior Program To uphold and promote the game of golf and its values for all junior golfers in Minnesota Overview The standard operating procedures are designed to provide the organizational structure and an operational plan to assist the key people in the management of the Minnesota Golf Association s Junior Golf Program. Definitions Member Club: Any MGA Member Club in good standing that has chosen to participate in the MGA Junior Program. Roles and responsibilities will include the following: Send a team to represent the club to every District competition. Be willing to host an event at least once every 2-3 years at no charge. (Frequency depends upon the size of the District.) Host Club: Any member club hosting an MGA Junior Program district, regional, and/or state event during the current competitive year. Roles and responsibilities will include the following: Set aside the starting times necessary to conduct the competition. Have the golf course prepared for the competition. Have the club staff prepared for the competition. Junior Golfer: A junior golfer is an amateur who will not reach his/her 19 th birthday before 12 midnight on the final day of the Junior Team Championship. A junior golfer does not have to be a member of the club he/she represents but may not represent more than one club during a competitive season. A full-time college student of any age shall be ineligible to compete as a junior. Roles and responsibilities will include the following: Being respectful of one s team, Club Chair, District Site Captain(s), and the host facility by keeping the commitment to play and show up for the competition(s). Conduct oneself in a manner befitting the game of golf, the team, sponsoring club, and hosting club. The MGA asks that all Junior Golfers respect the dress code policies being utilized by each host club. Examples of attire that might not be acceptable include, but are not limited to: short shorts, athletic shorts, cut off jeans, and t-shirts. If there is a question as to whether or not something meets the standards of a specific club, please contact that host club s chairperson, or your District Site Captain. Club Chair: The person responsible for coordinating all of the activities relating to the MGA Junior Program on behalf of a participating club. Roles and responsibilities will include the following: Serve as the liaison with the MGA concerning all matters of the Junior Program.

Complete all necessary pre-season, in-season, and post-season paperwork. Schedule a date to host a district competition (if applicable). Select the players to represent the club for district play, making sure to verify eligibility. (Methods to select the players are strictly at the option of each participating club.) Provide the District Site Captain with the names of the players for the upcoming competition no later than 48 hours before the competition. Attend each weekly competition, making sure that the players show up and behave in an appropriate manner. Assist, as necessary, at competitions where the club has a team participating. Contact the District Site Captain or Host Chair to get starting times for weekly competitions. Host Chair: The Club Chair for the facility hosting a competition. Roles and responsibilities will include the following: Serve as the liaison for the host facility before and the day of the competition. Coordinate the competition with the District Site Captain. Make sure the golf course is prepared for the day. Write a local rules sheet for the competition. Prepare scorecards for the competition. Make sure the club staff is prepared for the day. Secure 2-3 volunteers/staff to assist in the conducting of the event as needed. District Site Captain: Member of the MGA Junior Committee working on behalf of the MGA to oversee the Junior Program at the District level. Roles and responsibilities will include the following: Contacting the Club Chairs within the assigned District on a regular basis. Creating the groupings and assigning the starting times (or hole assignments for a shotgun start) for the weekly competitions. Coordinating the details for the upcoming competition with the Host Chair. In conjunction with the Host Chairs, oversee the weekly competitions including the rules of golf and decisions regarding the canceling of the event due to weather conditions. Submit weekly results to the MGA office. Post current, overall standings at weekly events. Distribute the awards and MGA Junior Team Championship entry forms immediately after the close of competition on the final week of District Play. Submit final District results to the MGA office immediately following the close of the last weekly competition. Attend and assist the conducting of the State Championship competition (optional).

General Information Club Eligibility Any MGA Member Club in good standing is eligible to participate in the MGA Junior Program. Clubs are expected to host a competition at least once every two three years to remain eligible. A club unwilling to host a competition within the specified time frame (depending upon the size of the district) may not be invited to participate unless it agrees to do so during the next season. Junior Eligibility A junior golfer is eligible to participate by meeting the following criteria: The junior golfer is an amateur. A junior golfer is an amateur who will not reach his/her 19 th birthday before 12 Midnight on the final day of the Junior Team Championship. The junior golfer cannot represent more than one club during a competitive season. A full-time college student of any age shall be ineligible to compete as a junior. Divisions There are two different divisions: GIRLS and OPEN. Girls may compete in either division, while boys compete only in the OPEN division. Teams A participating club is entitled to enter a team in either division or one in each division. A team is comprised of up to four (4) juniors. A GIRLS division team must have a minimum of two (2) members while an OPEN division team must have a minimum of three (3) members in order to constitute a team. Juniors may play as individuals in the event there are not enough members to create a team. Cost The cost for a club to participate in the MGA Junior Program is $75 per team and includes five (5) 2012-2013 USGA Rules of Golf books (one for the Club Chair and one for each of the four players) and five (5) official MGA Junior Program bag tags. A club may enter a team in both the GIRLS and OPEN Divisions or in just one of them. There are no additional costs to either the club or player(s) until the MGA Junior Team Championship. The entry fee for the MGA Junior Team Championship is $25 per player. (NOTE: Additional rules books and bag tags may be purchased from the MGA for only $1 each.) Please Note: Late enrollment (Between May 1 st & May 15 th ) will result in an additional $25/Team late fee. No entries will be accepted after May 15 th. Season For 2013, the season runs from June 17 August 3, culminating in the MGA Junior Team Championship. Listed are the approximate dates for each level of play: District Competition Week 1-3 June 17-July 5 District Competition Week 4 July 15-29 State Championship August 2-3

Format District Each district is made up of 12-16 clubs, aligned geographically. District play consists of four (4) weekly 18-hole stroke play competitions, with all teams in the district playing at a different host club once each week. The top two teams and the top individual not part of the top two teams will advance to the MGA Junior team Championship at the beginning of August. NOTE: The individuals in the Open and Girls divisions with the lowest scores will receive medals for their achievements at the final round of the District competition even if they are on the advancing teams. Team In the GIRLS division, the top eight teams will be awarded points using the best two (2) 18-hole total scores for the round. In the event of a tie for any place, the points for the respective places will be split evenly (see page 7 for point distribution). In the OPEN division, the top eight teams will be awarded points using the best three (3) 18-hole total scores for the round. In the event of a tie for any place, the points for the respective places will be split evenly (see page 7 for point distribution). In the event of a tie for an advancing spot, the score from the final round of District competition will be used under the following procedure: (1) the lowest team score for the final round (2) the lowest team score for Holes 10-18, (3) the lowest team score for Holes 13-18, (4) the lowest team score for Holes 16-18, (5) the lowest team score for Hole 18, then (6) by lot. NOTE: Teams must compete in at least 2 out of 4 District competitions to be eligible to participate in the State Championship competition. Individual In the INDIVIDUAL competition, the top eight players will be awarded points each week based on their 18-hole score. In the event of a tie for any place, the points for the respective places will be split evenly (see page 7 for point distribution). In the event of a tie for the final advancing position(s), if possible, a hole by hole playoff will be used to determine who advances to the MGA Junior Team Championship. If a playoff is not possible, the tie will be broken under the following procedure by a matching of the score cards of the last District competition: (1) the lowest score for the final round, (2) the lowest score for Holes 10-18, (3) the lowest score for Holes 13-18, (4) the lowest score for Holes 16-18, (5) the lowest score for Hole 18, then (6) by lot. NOTE: Individuals must compete in at least TWO District events to be eligible to participate in the MGA Junior team Championship. *Players may not use caddies or motorized carts during any stage of the Program. All players must either carry their own clubs or use a pull/push cart.

Competitions Preliminary Planning In preparation for a weekly competition, the District Site Captain is responsible for coordinating the activities in advance of the competition. The most important is the creation of starting times or hole assignments (in the event of a shotgun start) and providing these to the host club and chair. In order for the Site Captain to do this, the Club Chairs are responsible for submitting the names of the players who will be representing their respective clubs no later than 48 hours in advance of the competition. Starting Times Generally speaking, starting times should occur in the morning with the first time being between 7:30 a.m. 8:00 a.m. Out-state clubs that require participating teams to travel longer distances might want to consider a later starting time to accommodate the travel times. While starting times (off #1, #10, or both) are preferred, shotgun starts are also encouraged when feasible. Players are expected to check in with the Starter at least 10 minutes prior to their starting times. It is the responsibility of the Club Chair to get the starting times from the District Site Captain or Host Chair in advance. Groupings (Pairings) Players should be grouped in groups of 3 or 4, with all #1 players playing together, all #2 players together, and so on, if possible. To make the starting times more efficient, it is permitted to group players across player type (#2 with #1). However, players from the same team should not be grouped together unless completely unavoidable. Also, an effort should be made to vary the groups so that players do not play with the same people on a weekly basis. Finally, groupings in the final weekly competition should reflect the current standings. (For example, teams ranked 1-4 should be grouped together.) Weekly Competition Days The District Site Captain and Host Chair are jointly responsible for the conducting of a District competition. They should work together to make sure the following items are available to ensure the success of the event: A scorecard for every player with name on it A scoreboard with teams and players names on it Starting times or hole assignment sheets Local Rules Sheets Starter Scoring Area and scorer Rules officials, if available Both the Site Captain and Chair are expected to be in attendance throughout the competition to address any issues that might arise. Both should arrive at the host club no later than one (1) hour in advance of the first starting time to go over the final preparations and address any last minute changes. Immediately after the close of the competition, the Site Captain will be responsible for submitting the final results to the MGA office.

Golf Course Set-up The junior golfers participating will be of various ages and abilities, and the MGA wants each one to have fun and to feel good about participating in the Junior Program. A significant part to this is having a golf course the players will enjoy playing. Two of the main factors to enjoyment include course set-up and condition. While the MGA cannot control the condition of the course, they can assist in the set-up process. Ultimately, the Host Chair is responsible for the set-up of the golf course, but the MGA has created the following recommendations to assist the Host Chair in this area. Any specific questions regarding set-up should be directed to the MGA office for clarification (952)345-3972. Length: It is recommended the GIRLS Division play from the set of tees normally used by the female members of the course ( Forward Tees ), with the length being between 5,300 and 5,700 yards. The OPEN Division should play from the set of tees normally used by the majority of the male golfers ( Regular Tees ), with the length being between 6,000 and 6,500 yards. Hole Locations: Hole locations should not be set either too difficult or too easy, but should be mixed to offer a challenging course yet one the players can enjoy playing. However, the oft-used concept of 6 hard, 6 medium, and 6 easy isn t necessarily the best to use as this doesn t consider left v. right or front v. back locations. Ultimately, if one were to rank the hole locations on a scale from 1-10, with 1 being the easiest, the overall ranking should be in the 5-6 range. In addition, there should be an equal balance of holes on the left side versus holes on the right. It will take some planning to create a good set-up. Condition: The MGA realizes that every course takes pride in its overall conditioning, and, thus, is confident each course will do everything necessary to prepare for hosting a competition. However, the basic minimum procedures that should be done in preparation include mowing the putting greens and raking bunkers the day of the competition, mowing the fairways and teeing grounds within 24 hours in advance of the competition, and having the golf course properly marked so that all markings are clearly visible (boundary and hazard stakes and/or lines). Also, in order to ensure fair and equitable playing conditions, it is necessary to keep all maintenance equipment ahead of play. Water: It is very important the Host Chair make the necessary arrangements to provide ample fresh drinking water on the course for the players.

2013 JUNIOR PROGRAM Teams/Individuals will be awarded points based on their finish as follows: 1 st Place 12 Points 2 nd Place 10 Points 3 rd Place 8 Points 4 th Place 6 Points 5 th Place 5 Points 6 th Place 3 Points 7 th Place 2 Points 8 th Place 1 Point Note: In the event of a tie for any place (team or individual), the points for the respective places will be split evenly. In the case of a tie for an advancing position, see page 4.

SAMPLE MGA JUNIOR PROGRAM District Competition Mankato Golf Club June 20, 2013 Local Rules and Information Sheet The USGA Rules of Golf and the following local rules govern all play. TEES: Girls will play from the RED TEES. Boys will play from the WHITE TEES. OUT OF BOUNDS: Out of bounds is defined by stakes and property fences. OB stakes on the left-side of hole #18 are in effect for play of hole #18 only, not hole #9. WATER HAZARDS: Water hazards are defined by yellow stakes and/or lines. LATERAL WATER HAZARDS: Lateral water hazards are defined by red stakes and/or lines. GROUND UNDER REPAIR: All ground under repair is defined by white lines. All flowerbeds are treated as ground under repair MANDATORY RELIEF. DISTANCE MARKERS: There are red, white and blue plates in the middle of the fairway at 100, 150 and 200 yards. There are yardages on some sprinkler heads and small bushes on the sides of fairways at 150 yards. All distances are to the center of the green. HOLE LOCATIONS: Red, white and blue flags indicate front, middle and back hole locations. COMMITTEE: George Cliff, District Site Captain, and all Club Chairs

MGA Player Conduct Policy By submitting an entry, or by participating in any MGA competition, the player understands that his/her participation is at the sole discretion of the MGA. The player s entry may be rejected for any event, at the discretion of the Official in Charge, at any time before the close of the competition (as defined in the USGA Rules of Golf Book-Rule 34-1b). Likewise, the player s entry may be rejected, at the discretion of the Committee for reasons deemed necessary, at any time after the close of the competition. Unbecoming conduct or actions at any MGA event, or state, national, or international event, or conduct or action deemed detrimental to the MGA, the spirit of the game, or to the host facilities are grounds for such rejection. These include, but are not limited to: 1. Cheating 2. Willful destruction of golf course or MGA property 3. Abusive language or conduct towards MGA and/or host facility, staff, volunteers, or other players 4. Abusive or derogatory criticism of the MGA and/or host facility staff, volunteers, or other players 5. Club throwing and/or physical endangerment of others 6. Offensive or excessively loud behavior 7. Alcohol and/or substance impaired behavior 8. Repeated withdrawals or no cards during or after completion of a round 9. Inappropriate golf attire 10. Other conduct deemed to be unbecoming Should such an incident occur, the Official in Charge must submit a report to the Tournament and Rules Committee. Future sanctions may range from suspension from future MGA events to not being eligible for MGA team competitions and/or player awards. This may include losing exempt status for future year(s). The decision to reject an entry during an event by the Official in Charge is final. However, any further sanctions imposed by the Tournament and Rules Committee may be appealed to a Tournament Players Board. The decision of this board may be appealed to the MGA Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final.

***2011 Minnesota Legislature Concussion Law*** Minnesota Legislature's New "Concussion Law" Requires Online Training for All Coaches/Teachers and Officials of Junior athletics in MN. The Minnesota Legislature recently passed a "Concussion Law" which requires any municipality, business, school district or nonprofit organization that organizes a youth athletic activity and charges a fee to follow the statute's requirements, including implementing concussion training and education to improve player safety and establish safe return-to-play policies for athletes who sustain a concussion. The law mandates that: All coaches (instructors) and officials receive concussion training and education by September 1, 2011, and then at three-year intervals thereafter. Coaches must remove an athlete from activity if they exhibit signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion and/or are suspected of sustaining a concussion. The law also requires an appropriate health care professional's signature to return to play if an athlete is removed due to a concussion or is showing signs or symptoms of a concussion All Junior Club Officials are highly encouraged to access and review the concussion awareness and educational information available on the CDC's website: http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/headsup/youth.html The training process is free. It involves watching a video and then successfully completing a quiz. The entire training module can be completed in a little over a half an hour and then participants can print out a Certificate of Completion.

Junior Golf Contacts: Doug Hoffmann, Tournament Director (952) 345-3963 doug@mngolf.org Adam Loch, Tournament Manager (952) 345-3972 adam@mngolf.org Adam Bragee, PJ Boatwright, Jr. Intern (952) 345-3975 TournAA@mngolf.org For updated scheduling information, please visit http://mngolf.org/tour-junior.cfm Minnesota Golf Association 6550 York Avenue South, Suite 211 Edina, MN 55435-2333 Phone (952) 927-4643 or (800) 642-4405 Fax (952) 927-9642 www.mngolf.org SERVING GOLF IN MINNESOTA SINCE 1901