ITINERARY, FORMAT and TOURNAMENT LOCAL RULES – Pattaya Songkran Tournament April 2018

ITINERARY, FORMAT and TOURNAMENT LOCAL RULES
– Pattaya Songkran Tournament April 2018

Welcome to the Inaugural Pattaya Songkran 3 day tournament, your golfing escape from the
water festival in Pattaya. Being the first event of this kind, and with many people leaving
Pattaya at this time of year, we currently expect between 60 and 80 players, and we highly
appreciate your support for this tournament.

This information pack is provided so that you have the Itinerary, understand the format of how
we play, and for you to be aware of the tournament local rules. Please take a few minutes to
read it, understand where to be when, etc. and advise others who may not like reading or who
haven’t received this, about the contents of this document.

TEE TIMES ARE HERE : https://birdie.in.th/tournaments/showplayers/79?format=1

PLEASE NOTE that these times are subject to change slightly over the next few days as more players sign up 

Any changes please let Andre know on 092-617-4951

Section A: Itinerary:

Mon 16 April: Tee times at Burapha A&B courses from 9am onwards.
Tue 17 April: Tee times at Pattana A&B courses from 9am onwards.
Thu 19 April: Tee times at Khao Keow A&B courses from 10:30am onwards.
Thu 19 April: Prize presentation and buffet at Outback Retox (Soi Siam Country Club Road)
after golf.

Notes: We have several minibuses available for pick ups in town and return afterwards. On the
19th however, buses will not return to drop passengers off in Pattaya until about 9pm.
All start sheets and results from previous day’s will be available for public viewing through the
links shared to the Birdie tournament app.

Section B: Tournament Format and Procedures

1. Tee’s: 

Due to the lower than expected demand for players on the blue tees (and attendance
lower than 80 players), we will not be having a separate blue tee tournament division. All
play will be from the White tee’s, except Khao Keow, where play will be from the Yellow
tee’s. Any player that would like to play from the Blue tee’s are allowed to do so, and the
appropriate Handicap adjustment for the slope and course rating will be made according to
Section 3.5 of the USGA handicapping rules.

2. Handicaps:

2.1.Maximum: The maximum handicap index and playing handicap for this club competition
will be 36. Any player with a higher slope handicap than 36 will be assessed as a 36
playing handicap.
2.2.Handicap Indexes: Each player is responsible for ensuring that the organizer is given
the correct and most recent handicap index information. The tournament organizer will
facilitate players by collecting their hcp indexes ahead of time, working out the correct
playing handicap etc, but under Rule 6-2b/3.5, the onus remains ultimately on the player
to indicate the correct handicap index. Should a player’s handicap index differ from that
provided by the tournament organizer on the competition day, the onus is on the player
to provide the correct handicap index.
2.3.Playing Handicap: Slope and course rating adjustments will be made as appropriate for
players who’s indexes are based on a Slope handicap system like USGA or GA. For
none Slope handicap systems such as CONGU, the Handicap index will be rounded as per the CONGU rules. Players having a CONGU handicap may provide a record of play
for the last 20 rounds and a Birdie handicap can be constructed for that player in which
case he/she does qualify for a slope adjusted handicap.
2.3.1. Note that the Tournament Organizer reserves the right to adjust the handicaps of
foreign handicap players on merit before or after every round played, based on the
Organizers sole discretion.

3. Competition Format:

Stableford points will be calculated for each hole in the competition and
the players with the most stableford points will be declared the winner. Strokeplay rules are
to be used at all times, no gimmies etc. To speed up play, players should pick up their ball
and proceed to the next hole where stableford points cannot be accumulated (net double
bogies or worse).

4. Scorecard procedures:

4.1.All Players must exchange cards. Cards must be properly completed using the first line
for Gross Scores and the second line for Stableford Points. The Marker should record
his own ‘scores’ on the player’s card in a manner that is clearly distinguishable from the
player’s scores. Gross hole scores are used by the tournament organizer to determine
stableford points, and holes where no stableford points can be scored must be marked
with a “X”, “/”, “-“ or left blank. Incorrect gross hole scores may lead to disqualification
even if stableford points are correct.
4.2.Cards must be signed by the Player AND the Marker, and Caddies may not be used to
mark a card. Members of the same family should not mark each other’s cards and
friends should avoid repeatedly marking each other’s cards.
4.3.Although useful, players are not responsible for allocating correct stableford points nor
for the correct addition of stableford points. This task is the responsibility of the
organizer as per competition regulations.

5. Prizes:

Prizes are awarded in cash according to the following formula’s:
5.1.Daily – Best Stableford: The number of divisions to be determined based on the number
of players. Countback is based on the last 9 holes, then 6 holes, then 3 holes then the
last hole then the lowest handicap. The “back nine” is determined by scorecard not
necessarily the playing order.
5.2.Near pins and novelty prizes: Selected holes will have near pins, long drives, etc. –
please refer to the notice on the tee box to see which novelty prizes (if any) are
available on a particular hole.
5.3.Overall Prizes: The winners for the 3 day tournament are determined by the combined
Stableford scores of the three rounds. There are no divisions for overall prizes and all
players qualify. The maximum point count used in adding up the three day scores is 42
per day. 1st to 3rd places are rewarded for overall prizes.
6. Competition Formalities: After each day’s play, it is the Players responsibility to hand in
scorecards to the Organizer before leaving the golf course. There will be designated desks
for sign in, score card collection and drop off at each of the golf course venues. Failure to
hand a scorecard in as stipulated in sections 4 and 6 may lead to disqualification or non
counting of the scores of that day.
7. Prize Presentations: There will be no formal Prize Presentation on Monday or Tuesday.
Prize presentation will be done following the conclusion of Day 3 – Thursday 19 April at
Retox Outback at approximately 7:30pm.

Section C: Tournament Local Rules

1. The USGA RULES of GOLF, including Definitions, Decisions, Etiquette and Rules on
Amateur Status apply at all times, supplemented by TOURNAMENT LOCAL RULES and Golf
Club Local Rules. In the event of conflict between TOURNAMENT LOCAL RULES and Golf
Club Local Rules, TOURNAMENT LOCAL RULES shall prevail.
It is the Players responsibility to know and be aware of all the above.

2. The SPIRIT of the GAME of GOLF: All players should conduct themselves in disciplined
manner demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times. Players should always show
consideration for other players on the course and should not disturb their play by moving,
talking or making any unnecessary noise. Players should not stand close to or directly behind
the ball or directly behind the hole, when a player is about to play. Caddies should be
encouraged to be similarly aware.

SLOW PLAY: If a group loses more than one clear hole on the players in front, they should
invite the following group to play through. Caddies should be encouraged NOT to ‘mark’ balls
on the green until requested to do so.

4. Golf Club LOCAL RULES as laid down by the Golf Club are usually posted in the club house
or on the scorecard.

5. DROP ZONES – Drop Zones will NOT be used.

6. CALL HOLES: there shall be no calling up of players or groups during a competition except
when other players or members not participating in the competition request this courtesy.

7. FLOWER BEDS: Check Golf Club Local Rules.

8. RED ANTS: Relief may be taken from red ants if they constitute a ‘Dangerous Situation’
(Rule 1-4/10), but agreement must be obtained from a marker or a fellow competitor. A player
may NOT obtain relief if INTERFERENCE by anything other than the ‘Dangerous Situation’
making the stroke impracticable. In that case, the only option is to proceed under the
‘Unplayable’ Rule. Ants attacking in groups near a nest is deemed as a Dangerous Situation
under this definition.

9. OBSTRUCTIONS: Relief must be taken from STAKED TREES and YOUNG TREES (not
bushes) less than two metres in height. They are to be treated as Immovable Obstructions.
YARDAGE MARKERS – All manmade yardage markers should to be treated as Immovable
Obstructions.

11. A CONCRETE DITCH (not marked as a water hazard) should be treated as an Immovable
Obstruction.

12. STONES in bunkers should be treated as Movable Obstructions.

13. ABNORMAL GROUND CONDITIONS: It can be difficult for all areas of GUR to be properly
marked, if the ground conditions appear to be GUR, then it should be treated as GUR subject to
the agreement of a marker or fellow competitor.

14. EDGING GROOVES around the fringes of Greens may be treated as GUR.

15. EMBEDDED BALL: A ball embedded in its own pitch mark, through the green, may be
Lifted, Cleaned and Dropped without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay.

16. WASHED OUT AREAS and damage caused by excessive drainage of flood waters may be
treated as GUR. If applicable in a BUNKER, the ball must be dropped in the same bunker.

17. When GOLF CARTS are NOT allowed on fairways and wet conditions prevail, a player may
Lift, Clean and Place the ball ONLY on FAIRWAYS and on GRASS cut to fairway height or
lower. The ball must be marked and replaced within six inches of where it lay. For avoidance of
doubt since carts are not allowed on some courses by default, this rule only applies if
specifically announced by the organizer at the start of play, otherwise play the ball as it lies.

18. The Tournament Organiser may, should the Golf Course conditions merit it, apply additional
rules on the day. Example:- Lift, Clean and Drop Through the Green. By default, if nothing is
announced prior to the day’s competition start, all balls should be played as is.

19. WATER HAZARDS: If hazards are unmarked or insufficiently marked, the line defining the
margin of the hazard is where the ground breaks down to form the depression. If a water
hazard is completely unmarked it should be treated as a Lateral Water Hazard. Exceptions:-
Unmarked Concrete Ditches should be treated as Immovable Obstructions.

20. MEASURING DEVICES: In all tournaments a player may obtain distance information by
using a device function that measures DISTANCE ONLY, provided that it does not
unnecessarily disrupt the pace of play.