1st Annual Critterville Cove Country Club "Reverend Sonny Boy Seymour Memorial Golf Tournament"

RULES FOR THE CRITTERVILLE COVE GOLF TOURNAMENT

1 - All USGA rules will be in effect for this tournament, except as amended by Local Rules listed below.

2 - The amendments to the USGA rules as created by the Sortagolf Association shall be in effect for this tournament. (see attachment)

3 - Appropriate course attire shall be worn while playing in tournament. Shirts shall be of the ‘Hawaiian’ style for both men and women. Shorts are allowed per individual course regulations. (1 stroke penalty)

4 - Digital pictures will be taken of players at golf course during tournament play and sent to tournament director for inclusion on the Critterville Cove website. (3 stroke penalty)

5 - The responsible use of alcohol by players of legal age is allowed where acceptable by local course rules.

6 - All rounds must be played on a course totaling a par of 72. Strokes will be added to adjust for play on courses ranked lower.

7 - Play on 9-hole courses is allowed. The second round shall be played from different tees.

8 - Handicaps shall be figured according to Sortagolf Association Rules. (see attachment) USGA Handicaps will not be in effect for this tournament.

9 - Tee selection shall be made by golfer. Please select the tee appropriate to your skill level.

10 - Tournament will occur over the 4 day period of July 31st to August 3rd, 2008. Players may play as many rounds as they would like during that time, posting all scores on the tournament website.

11 - The best score for each player, including SGA Handicap, shall be used for placement on the leaderboard.

12 - Final scores and pictures (rule 4) must be turned in to the tournament director via email or by player posting on the tournament website by midnight, August 4th.

13 - As this is a ‘virtual’ tournament, players are requested to honor the spirit of the tournament and play by the tournament rules.

---

The 7 Amendments to the USGA Rules of Golf

1. Improve Your Lie
(a) The first rule of SortaGolf is to be sure to Improve Your Lie so as to give you the best possible chance to play your best golf. Golf is challenging enough even from a good lie. There's no reason for golfers to be further penalized by poor course maintenance or the randomness of nature.
Golfers instinctively know this and have over the years developed solutions of their own, like "bumping 'em in the fairway". Now this kind of progressive thinking can be expanded to almost every shot you play. The last thing you should be asking yourself before addressing the ball is, "Could my lie be improved?"
(b) Proximity to the original location of the ball should not be an impediment to this process. As a result, if it is necessary to move your ball a full club’s length in order to accomplish the task, then you should do so. This is especially true if a little extra distance will not only provide you with the optimal lie, but will also have the added benefit of allowing you to more easily avoid an obstacle (a tree, for example)or otherwise provide you with a better approach to your target.
(c) Although, improving one's lie cannot result in moving your ball closer to the hole or result in taking the ball from the rough to the fairway. The only areas of the course where this rule does not apply is in sand traps or on the putting surface. There, you must play the ball where it lies.

2. Inside The Leather Is Good
***Not in effect for this tournament***

3. Double Bogey Is Max
(a) Simply stated, the maximum score allowed on any hole in SortaGolf is a double bogey, period.
(b) Regardless, of the number of balls lost out-of-bounds or in a water hazard. Regardless, of the number of shots taken to get out of the bunker. Regardless, of the number of putts it took to get into the cup. Double bogey is the maximum allowable score to be taken on a hole.
(c) This unprecedented level of Damage Control frees the SortaGolfer from the stress and worry of blowing up on a single hole and sacrificing an otherwise stellar round. With SortaGolf the "wheels" need never come off. And, most importantly, the dreaded "Snowman" will never again cometh.
(d) Therefore, backing up to the blue tees and swinging away is highly encouraged.

4. One-In/One-Out Principle
(a) Hit your ball into the water; it's one stroke in and one stroke (penalty) out, dropping near the hazard and no closer to the hole.
(b)Hit your ball out-of-bounds; it's one stroke in and one stroke (penalty) out, dropping near where the ball went OB.
(c)Keep in mind though to Improve Your Lie and that Double Bogey Is Max.

5. Any Found Ball Is Yours
With all that lost ball clutter is it any wonder golfers can't find their wayward shots. Nothing is more maddening than searching for a ball that you have hit in the rough, the woods or some other hazard and finding 15 balls, none of which are yours.
(a)With SortaGolf this is no longer an issue. Possession is 9/10ths of the law. So if you find a ball, then it is deemed yours, free of charge or penalty. A few tips are in order however:
(b)First, as a matter of courtesy, you should check to be sure the ball does not belong to another member of your group or another group on a parallel hole.
(c)Second, if you find multiple balls which are not yours, make sure to choose the one which is in the best position and replace it with the ball which is in the best condition.
(d)Finally, as always, remember to Improve Your Lie.

6. All Equipment Is Conforming
(a) With SortaGolf "anything goes" with respect to equipment. If some manufacturer is willing to make it, then it's okay to use it. Drivers with a "spring-like effect", "hot" balls that fly forever, non-conforming club designs, specs that exceed USGA mandates...you name it, they are all legal.
(b)Equally important, there is no limit (ie.14) on the number of clubs one may carry in their bag. Consider it amnesty for all recreational golfers.
(c)We agree with what Arnold Palmer said, "we should focus on people having fun playing golf and using the equipment they enjoy using."

7. A Mulligan Per Round
(a)In SortaGolf, the Mulligan is encouraged and seen as a vital part of the golfing experience.
(b) A Mulligan can be exercised on any hole on the course but only from the tee box.
(c) and are limited in number to one per round.

Handicaps

SortaGolf handicaps are established based on a golfer's previous best single 18 hole score, ever using USGA Rules of Golf:

Best Score (SGA Handicap)
<75 (0)
76-78 (1)
79-80 (2)
81-83 (3)
84-86 (4)
87-89 (5)
90-92 (6)
93-96 (7)
97-99 (8)
100+ (9)

With their initial handicap established, Sorta Golfer handicaps are only adjusted lower, when a player lowers his best score.