Competition Information

You begin qualifying for prize money once you have established an Arizona Golf Guild (AZGG) Handicap.  That can be accomplished in one of two ways: we accept current USGA (e.g., AGA) sanctioned handicaps; or we will establish an AZGG handicap for you once you play in three AZGG events.  We modify the USGA Handicap System to count the best four out of last ten tournament scores to calculate your AZGG Tournament Handicap.  Once you have enough scores, only AZGG tournament scores will be used to calculate your AZGG Tournament Handicaps.

7 to 10 rounds use 4 lowest scores, 5 to 6 use 3 lowest scores, 4 uses 2 lowest scores and 3 use single lowest score. 

We may adjust individual players’ handicaps when required (i.e., Exceptional scores and other circumstances.)

Tee Box Selection - Starting at the first tournament of the year and proceeding throughout the year for all tournaments, including match play and club championship events, all men and women will play from the tees they have personally selected. When you send in your annual membership dues, please indicate your preferred tee box selection. This will apply to all tournaments; however, you may change them for an individual tournament if you notify us by the pre-pay date. If you fail to notify us in a timely manner, you may be assessed a two-stroke penalty.  

Typical Men’s tees will be:

• Regular Tees (5900-6300 yards) and/or 
• Back Tees (6300-6700 yards)

Typical Women’s tees will be:

• Forward/Red Tees (4500 to 5500 yards)

As always, your handicap for each tournament will be adjusted to the Tees you are playing. Remember your handicap will be higher from the Back Tees. This USGA approved adjustment gives our members a chance to compete from the Tees they feel most comfortable with.  The Tee Sheet shows the Tee Box that has been selected for you.  If you change your Tee Box, you must notify an AZGG officer and make a note on the Scorecard (clarified below), so your handicap can be adjusted accordingly. 

Score Cards - Turn in your “signed and attested score cards” with legible players’ last names (mandatory) and scores immediately upon completion of play. Make sure your official score card is correct… and if you have played from different tees than originally assigned to you, please correct it on the card... otherwise you may be assessed a two-stroke penalty, if you fail to do it in a timely manner.  Please record your actual starting and finishing time. 

Best Ball Score Cards can be turned in optionally.  Best Ball results are calculated automatically for all registered pairings.

Tournament Scoring - Tournament scoring is prepared in advance with flights being determined by assigning (as close as possible) an equal number of players by handicap to each flight. The scoring process can be tedious, so please notify us of your tee box selection prior to the tournament and mark your tee box selection on the official score card prior to turning it in.

Flights - The number of Flights will depend on the number of players at each tournament. On average, each Flight (A flight, B flight, C flight, etc.) will have 11-16 players with similar handicaps. 

Estimated payouts in Flight: 

• 1st = $65 
• 2nd = $40 
• 3rd = $30 
• (Ties split equally)  

Low Gross - Awarded to the low gross score from the back tees (prize equivalent to 1st place in flights).  If the low gross winner is also the low net winner, the prize money will be redistributed, eliminating low gross prize money. The low gross player normally must play from the back tees (or tee box designated by the committee). In case of ties, a player playing from the back tees will win over a player from shorter tees, from the same back tees, the award will go to the player with the highest handicap. All things being equal, the Low Gross prize will be split equally.

Skins - Skins is $5 side pot included in every tournament... the $5 entry covers both Gross & Net Skins.  You will automatically be entered in skins. To determine the winner’s share (Skin), the Skins’ Pot is divided by the total number of Gross and Net Skins. Non-members or members without a handicap may participate in both Gross and Skins but must play with a “0” handicap.  

Closest to the Pin - Members who are successful in getting their tee shot closest to the flagstick and on the green on a Par 3 will be awarded $25. Your membership dues fund this prize for all Par 3s in all tournaments. Guests are not included in the closest to the pin competition.  Please remember to print your name and approximate distance from the hole on the marker in case the sign is misplaced on the green.

Every player may play in Match Play. To qualify for Match Play preferred seeding; the top 8 players with the lowest net average based on the best three (3) rounds out of the first four (4) tournaments of the year will qualify for preferred seeding which will place you in the top eight positions. You must be an AZGG member with an established handicap and play in at least three (3) of the first four tournaments of the year to qualify.  If you play in all four tournaments, your highest score will be thrown out.  

If any of the qualifiers decline entry into match play, we will go down the list until we have 24-32 players.  If we do not fill all positions, the top seeded qualifier(s) will get a first-round bye.

Individuals will play under AZGG Match Play Rules and have their handicaps based on 85% of their AZGG handicap (which is equal to their Best Ball handicap). The qualifiers will be divided into two brackets. Each bracket will pay two places. The winner of each bracket will play each other for the match play championship.

During match play, USGA Rule 6.4 allows playing out of turn in match play by agreement. This shall encourage players to play out of turn in a safe and responsible way to save time or for convenience (i.e., “ready golf”).  

Match play will begin at our Granite Falls tournament on May 6th. The event will be a USGA Match Play bracket format. THE CONTESTANTS IN MATCH PLAY WILL BE ALLOWED TO MISS ONE TOURNAMENT ONLY.   **All contestants will be allowed to miss the Antelope Hills tourney without penalty… however we encourage you to play your match, if you and your opponent are both playing.

Match play entry fee is $25. The runner-up of each bracket (3rd and 4th place) will each receive 12.5% of the pot. The second-place finisher will receive 25%. The winner – MATCH PLAY CHAMPION – will receive 50%... plus their name engraved on the traveling trophy. *These amounts may change depending on conditions. Match Play Champion will also win entry into our Club Championship at the end of the year.

Points will be awarded to the top 20 Net Scores in each tournament. Flights are not considered. The lowest net score (or scores, in case of ties) will receive 20 points (or the points will be equally divided between tied scores). Example: two players tie for first place; they both receive 19.5 points (20 points +19 points / 2); five players tie for 20th place (1 point), they all receive 0.20 points. A total of 210 points will be distributed to the best net scores for each tournament. Points from all tournaments, except the final tournament of the year, will be used for Championship qualifications (see below). Players that play in the most tournaments have a distinct advantage in the Points Competition.  

Low Net Average Champion will be determined at the end of the year (normally after the 16th tournament). The winner will be calculated by averaging the player’s Best 10 Net Tournament Scores, so you need to play and post a tournament score in at least 10 tournaments to qualify.  

The players competing for the “Club Championship” will be determined after the completion of the next to last tournament of the year (normally the 16th tournament). The Club Championship group will consist of 3-5 players as determined in the following descending order:  

1. Match Play Champion 
2. Low Net Average Leader (& ties) (minimum of 10 tournaments)
3. Points Leader (& ties)  
4. 1st Place Money Title (& ties) Money total from Flight, Skins and CTP’s.  
5. Alternates:  2nd Place Match Play, 2nd Place Low Net Average, 2nd Place Points  

** The committee will determine the final open spot(s) in the Club Championship group if needed.  

The Club Championship will be played at the final tournament of the year. The stroke play format will be based on full AZGG handicaps with all players playing from the tees of their choice. Each player will receive $50 from the AZGG to pay for their green fees. The winner will receive the traveling golf trophy with their name engraved on it for one (1) year and $100.00 in additional prize money.

Optional “friendly” wagering competition is available at every tournament. It is a two-man team best ball (net handicap) event. You may select your own partner(s), as many as you like. The cost per player $10 per player ($20 per pairing). Typically, higher handicapped players teamed with lower handicapped players have better odds. Players that team up with multiple players have the best chance of winning. This wagering is optional and between the players, play if you wish and enter at the course with the Best Ball Committee. 

Your handicap for Best Ball will be 85% of your tournament handicap.  This is not a Calcutta wager; you should share the cost of entry with of your partner(s). All winnings will be shared equally between the team players. Also make sure that each of your Best Ball partners agree to a team partnership prior to playing the tourney.  

Please visit https://trakgolf.com/azgg to register

If you have any questions, please reach out to joel.cazzell@gmail.com

All AZGG modified rules are intended to speed up play. Hit a provisional if you think it is needed, you are not allowed to go back to the original spot to re-hit and slow up play. Be courteous to all the players behind you. If you (or your group) are consistently slow and cannot keep up with the group in front of you… you will be moved to the rear of the pack in future tourneys. It is every player’s job to monitor the pace of play, so keep your group moving… and report slow players to the committee.  

• Play Ready Golf - hit when ready and safe without interfering with another player. Disregard “honors” and who may or may not be “away” on the green or anywhere else on the hole.
• Maximum "Double Par" Shot Rule - Par Threes = Max 6, Par Fours = Max 8, Par Fives = Max 10.  At any time after taking your first shot on a given hole, you can pick up your ball and record the Maximum Score.  
• Always play out a “second ball” if a ruling may be needed by the committee at the end of the round.  
• Any loose impediments in a bunker may be removed.  Touching the sand with your club is not a penalty; intentionally testing or moving the sand with your club is a two-stroke penalty. 
• Putt out on every hole. No Gimmees!!!  Putt thru the Green whenever possible!!! 
• Never improve your lie, unless allowed by the rules!!! Add 1 stroke penalty every time you move your ball and whenever you make an intentional swing and miss (WIFF). 
• Do not provide or ask any playing partner for advice, such as which way a ball breaks on a green, "should I hit a 7 or 8 iron?", what club did you hit, etc. 
• You may ask general course questions such as, yardage, rules, is there water in front of the green, is there a sand trap behind the green, etc.  

The USGA has ruled GPS and other range finder systems legal; the Arizona Golf Guild will allow them in tournament play if information is shared among all playing partners upon request. It is legal to share the yardage as this is general course information and not advice. It is NOT OK to inform others of what club you hit or give advice such as helping another player read putts. 

Talk to the AZGG Committee if you are unsure of the rules. And remember to play a provisional ball or second ball if you are unsure of the rules at any point on the course.  We trust all our members to use their best judgment, with help from their playing partners, when determining where to drop a lost ball, OB ball or Penalty Area ball. The game of golf relies on the integrity and honesty of all players to make it fair to all participants. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding any of our rules. 

Since the AZGG plays a wide variety of courses throughout the year, sometimes course conditions are not optimal. If you and a fellow player agree mud is visible on your ball (anywhere on the course), you may mark (with a tee), clean, and replace the ball in its original position, without penalty. This does NOT mean we are playing Lift, Clean and Place. This rule applies only when MUD is visible on the ball and confirmed by a playing partner. You are NOT allowed to improve your lie in any way. Please notify a playing partner of your intentions before lifting your ball or you may be penalized.  

USGA Rule 17   - To help speed up play, this rule provides a relief option for a ball hit into a “penalty area”. Mark the spot where your ball crossed into the penalty area (you may need a playing partner’s help). Next, find the nearest grass (no closer to the hole) and drop a ball (from knee height) within two club lengths of that point. Add a one-stroke penalty to your score. Note: Be careful with your drop… you cannot re-drop once the ball is in play (just because you do not like the lie). Never go backwards and slow up play.

• DO NOT drop perpendicular to the point where you believe the ball may have landed or ended up! Ball does NOT have to be found, so DON’T waste time looking for it.       
• In the situation that the desert and, or water is all carry, drop the ball within two club lengths (in grass) over the penalty area in the furthest position possible from the hole and closest to the cart path, on all holes, including Par 3s. (WE are creating our own Drop Zone)
• Note, you may hit the ball out of the penalty area as it lies, if found in time, without penalty.

In an effort to support faster “Pace of Play” we are allowing 3 minutes to find a lost ball. If not found, you may take your drop in the estimated area that you and your playing partners agree that the ball most likely ended up in and play it as a Penalty Area Rule... see Penalty Area Rule above. Add a one-stroke penalty to your score.

Note:  If your group is behind pace, please limit your search to 1 minute.  If hole is open ahead of you proceed with urgency.

If you believe your ball may be out of bounds, you have two options. You can hit a provisional ball or use the following Local Out of Bounds Rule.  If you do not hit a provisional ball, you must follow the Local OB Rule from the location where the ball crossed out of bounds. The player receives a two-stroke penalty when using this local rule option.  Never go backwards to hit again and slow up play (see diagrams below).  The reference point for an out of bounds ball is the estimated location the ball crossed out of bounds and not where it came to rest. Please reference the attached diagrams for a better understanding of how to play under Local Rule E-5. A range finder or GPS system should be used to help determine a drop location to ensure a drop no closer to the hole from where the ball crossed into OB.