VPGA Guide - Policies and Procedures

PROFESSIONAL'S RESPONSIBILITIES & RULES

1.       All professionals must pay VPGA Chapter tournament fees to Blue Golf prior to registering for any event.

2.       All amateurs participating in a Vermont Chapter event must have a current official U.S.G.A. handicap at a Vermont Club; otherwise he/she must play at scratch. Prior to the day of the event, an amateur guest must be approved by the Tournament Chairman Zack Wyman or the Executive Director Dave Christy. Both amateur and professional may be disqualified for any violation.

3.       The professional must pay for the team online with Blue Golf via the NEPGA website. Any additional fees (carts, food, etc.) will be collected by the host professional or his staff.

4.       The professional will be required to send their team names and indexes to Dave Christy prior to the event. You may also include your team information when registering online with Blue Golf.

5.       The host professional may invite an outside PGA Member to participate in his Pro-Am. This guest professional will be eligible to win in the team pool, but will not be eligible to win in the Pro pool. This professional can only play in one event per year.

6.       The professional is responsible for his/her group's conduct, pace of play and adherence to the VPGA dress code.

7.       All players are required to use golf carts.

8.       In regular Pro-Am events Men Professionals and Men Amateurs will play the same tee markers. Lady Professionals and Lady Amateurs play the same tee markers.

9.       In Pro-1 Am and Pro-3 Am Championship events Men Professionals and Men Amateurs play from the same tees. Lady Professionals and Lady Amateurs play from the same tees. In the Pro Lady, Men Professionals play from the same tees, Lady Professionals and Lady Amateurs play from the same tees.  In major tournaments, players will play from the appropriate championship tee markers.

10.    In Pro-1 Am and Pro 3 Am Championship events all amateurs must be members of a Vermont club, and have a current U.S.G.A. handicap at that club.

top of page

STARTING TIME POLICIES

1.       Vermont Chapter Members may register for an event on line with Blue Golf.  In events where the Tournament Committee deems a preference list necessary (Pro-3 Am), the following preference list will be in effect:

a.       Host Professional and eligible staff

b.       Head PGA Professionals, hosting a VPGA event

c.       Eligible PGA Members

d.       PGA Apprentices

top of page

CANCELLATION POLICY

1.        Professional must call Dave Christy at 802-476-7007 to cancel a tee time after the Blue Golf deadline.

2.        Tee Times must be cancelled online at Blue Golf before the Sunday noon immediately preceding the event. Cancellation fees are mandatory with Blue Golf.

3.        Violations will result in:

A.       1st Offense will result in a $50.00 fine.

B.       2nd Offense will result in a $100.00 fine.

C.       The Executive Committee will deal with further offenses.

4.        Fines must be paid before the Professional is eligible to play in subsequent change chapter events.

top of page

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

1.       The professional is reminded that he/she is the GUEST of the facility being used; and that each amateur partner is his/her responsibility.  Amateurs must abide by the Host Club's dress code policies.

2.       The VPGA Dress Code is as follows:
"Male professionals must wear slacks and collared shirts.   Female professionals may wear shorts and appropriate golf attire.  Jeans are not permitted."

3.       The professional is directed to the P.G.A. Constitution, By-Laws and Regulations; Article II (Code of Ethics); Section 2; Subparagraph (a); where abusing the privileges extended to members of the Association (Vermont Chapter) or causing public embarrassment to the golf professional (host) is a violation.

4.       Members and apprentices shall be deemed to have violated the rules of conduct by:
Dispensing or consuming any alcoholic beverages on the golf course during a tournament or official practice round.  "On the course" is defined as from the tee time until the scorecard is turned in upon completion of the round.  (NEPGA Tournament Rules and Regulations - Article VII - Rules of Conduct).

5.       Professionals are subject to appropriate disciplinary action by the Vermont Chapter through the N.E. Section.

6.       Entries are subject to rejection at any time (including during an event).  The reason for rejection may include unbecoming conduct.

7.       The Tournament Committee has the right to reject, disqualify or suspend any player for rule violations, or for any reason the Committee feels would be detrimental to any of the VPGA tournaments. The decisions of the Tournament Committee shall be final.

top of page

HANDICAP VERIFICATION

1.       In Best Ball of 4 competitions, players receive 80% of their handicap. Only one player can have a handicap index of less than 5.0.  If the professional brings more than one player with an index less than 5.0, then only one of the amateurs' balls will count in the score.  The other amateur(s) may still play but their score will not be counted in the team score.

2.       Players will play at 80% of their handicap with no maximum handicap.

3.       It is the responsibility of the professional to ensure that Pro-Am scores are posted as tournament scores. Without a current handicap, the amateur plays at scratch.

top of page

TOURNAMENT SCORING PROCEDURES

1.       The Operations Manager is responsible for filling out the scorecard with the professional's name and amateur partners with their appropriate handicaps.

2.       The professional is responsible for the correct allocation of strokes on the appropriate handicap holes.

3.       Promptly upon the completion of the round, the professional shall check the scores for each hole, settle any doubtful points with the Operations Manager, sign his/her card and have the card attested.  Scorecards must be legible or will not be accepted.

4.       All scorecards are to be turned in by the professional to the Operations Manager when completed.  Any group returning their scorecards more than 20 minutes behind the group ahead may be subject to a penalty. Leading scores will be posted as soon as possible

5.       Results can be found on the Vermont PGA website at:  www.vermontpga.com as well as Blue Golf.

top of page

SLOW PLAY DEFINED

1.       A player will be subject to a penalty if he unduly delays play or contributes to causing his group to lose substantially more than its starting interval. (Rule 6-7)

2.       It is permitted to drive your cart past your ball to look at the green, provided it does not slow play.

top of page

RAIN POLICY

1.       It is advisable to call the tournament site for current conditions in case of rain.

2.       The combination of Tournament Committee, Tournament Director, Host Professional and Host Course Superintendent shall determine if play is to be suspended or cancelled.

3.       If play is cancelled and more than half the field, but not the entire field, completes their rounds, the event will be considered played with monies being distributed to the teams that finished. To teams that did not finish, entry fees will be transferred with Blue Golf to a future event. One point will be awarded to each professional that started his round.

top of page

V.P.G.A. POINT SYSTEM

4.       Points can be earned only in the professional division in all Pro-Am events. Points will double in value for the Stroke Play and Match Play Championships.   Points will also be awarded for the Vermont Open and the NEPGA Championship. The point system will determine: (a) Vermont Professional "Player of the Year"; (b) Match Play Championship Seeding. One point will be awarded to each professional that completes his round. In all events the points will be awarded as follows:

top of page

SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The Vermont Chapter established a Scholarship Fund in 1978.  Currently, the Chapter has a fund of $20,000.  Since the establishment of this fund over $50,000 has been awarded by Vermont Chapter Members towards education.