CSGA Pace of Play Policy

The CSGA Pace of Play policy has been implemented to make contestants aware of their position on the golf course.  The objective of this policy is to eliminate groups playing five-hour rounds.  Players understanding the policy will become aware of their groups position on the course and over time begin to fix their own problems without an official putting the group on the clock.

TIME OF STARTING

The CSGA directs that players should report to the starter  five minutes prior to their starting time to receive competition and course information.  Rule 6-3a provides: “The player must start at the time established by the Committee.”  The penalty for breach of Rule 6-3a is disqualification.  However, as a condition of the competition, the Committee has adopted the Note to Rule 6-3a, which states: “ If the player arrives at his starting point ready to play within five minutes after his starting time, in the absence of circumstances which warrant waiving the penalty of disqualification as provided in Rule 33-7, the penalty of failure to start on time is loss of the first hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play.  Penalty for lateness beyond five minutes is disqualification.”

ALLOTTED TIME

 Allotted time is the amount of time a group has to complete a measured number of holes.  All CSGA scorecards will have the pace of play identified on them. The time to complete 18 holes will be approximately 4 hours & 24 minutes for threesomes, but will vary for each course and group size.  The Official In Charge (OIC)  for each event will be responsible for determining and communicating any need for change in the basic pace of play schedule.

OUT OF POSITION

FIRST GROUP ONLY: If you are behind your allotted time at the completion of any hole.

ALL OTHER GROUPS: Subsequent groups will not be considered “out of position” if any previous group has caused the field to fall behind their allotted time.  Any subsequent groups must remain within 14 minutes of the group in front of them.  This is measured by your having the flagstick in the hole within 14 minutes of the group in front of you.

TIMING

All CSGA officials will be given a spreadsheet with every pairing group’s expected time of completion for each hole.  In the event that an official notices a group out of position or behind time they will inform the roving rules official and/or OIC of that group’s status.  At this time the roving rules official and/or OIC will inform the group of their position and that the group needs to speed up their pace.  This group is also subject to be put on the clock without further notice.

In match play events players will be allotted 12.5 minutes per hole.

ON THE CLOCK

A group may be monitored or timed for compliance with this pace of play guideline if it is “out of position”, and “behind time”.  When a group is “on the clock” a player in the group is expected to play any stroke within 40 seconds.

The timing of a player’s stroke will begin when he has had a reasonable opportunity to reach his ball, it is his turn to play and he can play without interference or distraction.

Except on the putting green, if a player has reached his ball, it is his turn to play and there are no distractions, timing will begin after he has reasonable time to select his club.  Time spent walking backward or forward for determining yardages will count as part of the time taken for the next stroke.

On the putting green, timing will begin after a player has been allowed a reasonable amount of time to lift, clean and replace his ball, repair his ball mark and other ball marks on his line of putt and remove loose impediments on his line of putt.  Time spent looking at the line from beyond the hole and/or behind the ball will count as part of the time taken for the next stroke.

NOTE:  A player is permitted 40 seconds to play a stroke.  An extra 10 seconds (for a total of 50 seconds) will be allowed for:

a) The first player to play a stroke on a par-3 hole.

b) The first player to play a second stroke on a par-4 or par-5 hole.

c) The first player to play a third stroke on a par-5 hole.

d) The first player to play a stroke around the putting green.

e) The first player to play a stroke on the putting green.

PENALTIES

Once a group has received a red card and/or been put on the clock, the following policy will go into effect for each player: 

1^st Bad Time - Warning from the official

2^nd Bad Time - 1 Stroke Penalty

3^rd Bad Time - 2 Additional Strokes Penalty

4^th Bad Time - Disqualification

Players are responsible for knowing their position on the golf course relative to their allotted time as well as the groups around them.  Players should monitor and speak to individuals causing slow play.  Players may ask for the group to be monitored without identifying an individual causing slow play.