Indian Golf League

Scoring and Rules

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League is for all level of players, from Skilled to New to Game. Either you want to compete or just play with your fellow golfers, League welcomes you.

League follows standard USGA Rules

Flights:

  • Flight A: 0.0 – 9.9 Handicap
  • Flight B: 10.0 – 15.9 Handicap
  • Flight C: 16.0 – 20.9 Handicap
  • Flight D: 21.0 + Handicap

Scoring:

League uses Gross Scores (and/or) Stableford Format.

Stableford Points Awarded

  • Albatross: 5
  • Eagle: 4
  • Birdie: 3
  • Par: 2
  • Bogey: 1
  • Double Bogie or Worse: 0

Awards

  • Players must participate in a minimum of 3 outings for Championship Cup
  • Team Prize: Total Combined Lowest Score at each game.
  • Championship Cup: For Each Flight, Player with Total Lowest Gross Score (Sum of 3 lowest gross scores) will win the trophy.

League Specific Rules:

  • Scoring:
    • Maintain Pace of Play: Approx. 4hrs 30mins (Par 3’s should take about 10 minutes, par 4’s 13 minutes, and par 5’s 15 minutes).
    • Max Score: Triple Bogie, pick the ball after double bogie and move to the next hole (Maintain Pace of Play)
      • At any point of time (Fairway, Bunker, Greens….), for each hole, if you are over double bogie, score it as triple bogie, pick the ball and move to the next hole.
    • Enter Your GROSS Score (not +1, +2 etc) for each hole and SUM for each 9. TOTAL at the END.
    • Count Every Stroke, Enter your GROSS score.
    • Score Card: All Foursome need a mandatory turn-in signed scorecard.
    • TWO Score cards need to be maintained during play at all times. Cross verified at each hole and summed up at the 9th and 18th holes. TOTAL Score must tallied by all players, Card signed & handed over to IGL at the end.
    • Disputes: Foursome should settle score differences within themselves at the same hole and before moving to the next hole. IGL Committee won’t interfere once the score card is signed & turned in.
  • USGA Rules Shall Govern All Play, take note of following important IGL points
    • Tee time & Punctuality – Must arrive at Tee Box, 15 mins early. In case of missed tee time & foursome, you need to join your foursome at the hole they are currently at. Register Max Score (Triple Bogey) for missed holes.
    • Play as it lies
    • NO MULLIGANS: Every Stroke Counts (Can’t take, Can’t Give it to fellow player)
    • PUTTING: No Gimmies, Putt IN all the way.
    • LOST BALL: Max Search time is 3 minutes. 1 stroke penalty if placed at point of entry in rough,       2 Strokes Penalty ball placed on the fairway no closer to the Hole
    • BALL IN THE WATER: 1 Stroke Penalty, Drop your ball within two club lengths of the point of entry into water, no nearer the hole.
    • HAZARD/OB area: 1 Stroke Penalty.  Drop ball 2 club lengths from point of Entry. Maintain your safety at all times.
    • Boundary Fence: 1 Stroke Penalty if declared Unplayable.  Drop within 2 club lengths, no closer to the hole.
    • Check Scorecard for Local OB and GUR Holes listing
    • Man Made Artificial Obstructions: No Penalty, If the ball is on a Cart Path or you need to stand on cart path, Shed, Sprinkler head, Flower Bed (GUR) or other man-made obstructions, you are allowed to move the Ball 2 Club length without penalty and place it no closer to the hole.
    • Unplayable (Natural Obstruction): 1 Penalty Stroke, If you see your ball and you think you can’t play it because it’s under a bush, fence or stuck in a tree, safety concerns, you can deem it unplayable. Move it within 1 club length
    • BUNKER:  You are allowed to lift, rake/clean the spot if the ball is in a footmark/non raked area. Place ball at same spot.

Standard Rules and Guidelines:

USGA Rules Shall Govern all games at all times, take note of following important IGL points:

  1. Player Conduct (Golden Rules):
    • Play by the rules and act with integrity.
    • Be considerate to other players.
    • Take good care of the course (Replace Divot, Repair Ball Marks, Rake Bunker etc.)
    • Be courteous to the staff (Proshop, Starter, Marshal, Maintenance etc.)
  2. Pace of Play:
    • Hit your ball before helping to look for someone else’s ball.
    • Don’t stand watching other golfer taking shot, use your waiting time to estimate distance, slopes, bunkers, club selection and practice swing etc.
    • Always be ready to play when it is your turn and play ready golf.
  3. Talking, Giving and asking for advice:
    • Remain Silent when other player is addressing the ball especially during tee-off and putting.
    • Never offer un-solicited advice to any player until asked. Do not continue to offer advice, if asked 1 time, advice 1 time, period.
    • However, you may ask for information on the Rules, distances or positions of hazards or the flagstick.
    • You can’t give advice to anyone who is not your partner in a competition even if they ask.
  4. Order of play:
    • The player furthest from the hole is supposed to play first. 
    • Establish who is going first when in doubt. 
  5. Safety:
    • Don’t take your shot until everyone is out of way.
    • Do not strike ball if someone is within reach of your shot or standing in line of stroke.
    • Player standing Left or Right of your stroke line, always warn them to look for incoming ball (slices and hooks).
    • You should always yell FORE… if you’re unsure where your ball will land, and it is at risk of hitting a golfer.
  6. No Mulligans:
    • Every Stroke Counts
    • No Breakfast balls.
  7. Tee Box:
    • You must tee the ball up behind the line created by the tee markers.
    • You can tee it up anywhere between the two markers and you can tee it as far back as the length of two drivers.
    • There is a 2 stroke penalty for teeing up the ball outside of them.
  8. Whiff/Ball Falling off Tee:
    • Practice Swing: If you take a practice swing while the ball is on the tee and hit the ball, you do not take a penalty, Re-Tee.
    • Intentional Swing: If you swing at the ball and miss it completely, that counts as one shot. If it falls off the tee from the wind you generate, you must play it from that position without putting it back on the tee – that was your first shot. You are now hitting number two. League allows an exception to this rule only for High Handicap players.
    • Whiff: Exception only for Flight D/HC 21+, a practice or intentional swing is not counted if player misses (whiffs) a ball while taking a shot. For others, Intentional Swing is counted as a stroke.
  9. Play as it lies:
    • Play your ball as it lies, wherever it comes to rest (including divots), unless its Unplayable (1 stroke penalty) or Artificial obstruction/GUR (no penalty) or local Rules allow you to do otherwise.
    • If you accidentally move your ball when searching for it, replace it without penalty.
  10. Search Time:
    • You have 3 minutes to find your ball before it is considered lost.
    • 1 Stroke Penalty for Lost Ball.
  11. Unplayable (Natural Obstruction):
    • 1 Penalty Stroke
    • If you see your ball and you think you can’t play it because it’s under a bush, fence or stuck in a tree, you can deem it unplayable.
    • When you decide that your ball is unplayable, you have three relief options, all for one penalty stroke. Your first option is to go back to the spot of your previous stroke and play again (stroke and distance relief). Your second option is to go back as far as you’d like and drop on the line from the hole through the spot where the ball lies (back-on-the-line relief). Your third option is to drop anywhere within two club-lengths of where your ball lies, no closer to the hole (lateral relief).
  12. Lost and then found Ball:
    • 1 Penalty Stroke if played with provisional and then found the original.
    • If you believe a shot has gone OB or into a water hazard always play a provisional and declare it.
    • If your original is subsequently found in bounds or dry within three minutes of the point of search you must continue with the original ball.
  13. Ball in the Water:
    • 1 Penalty Strokes
    • Drop your ball within two club lengths of the point of entry into water, no nearer the hole.
  14. Lost & Out of Bounds (OB):
    • 1 Penalty Strokes
    • Drop within 2 club lengths of where your ball crossed the line of the hazard and add 1 penalty strokes.
    • Be wise, some of OB’s are hazardous and risky (water, ditches, thick brush and may harm you), accept the loss and take a drop with penalty.
  15. Boundary Fence:
    • 1 Stroke Penalty if declared Unplayable.  Drop within 2 club lengths, no closer to the hole.
  16. Artificial Obstructions (Man Made):
    • No Penalty.
    • Man-made movable/immovable obstructions that are not part of the earth such as Sprinkler heads, cart paths, you need to stand on cart path to strike, water fountain, shelter, house, or protective screen, rakes, stakes etc. You can take a free drop from sprinklers and cart paths if your stance is interfered with.
    • You can move the movable obstructions but make sure your ball doesn’t move!
    • If your ball lies on or touches an artificial obstruction, or when an immovable obstruction within two club lengths of the ball interferes with your stance or stroke, you may without penalty pick up the ball and drop it within 2 club lengths of the original lie, but not nearer the hole.
    • If ball is next to cart path/sprinkler head etc. and obstructing your shot (i.e. you have stand on cart path or sprinkler head), you can move the ball.
  17. Ground Under Repair (GUR):
    • No Penalty.
    • You MUST drop away from areas marked GUR – Ground Under Repair. No penalty.
    • You’re allowed to drop away from burrowing animal holes. No penalty.
    • you may obtain relief without penalty Your ball may be lifted and dropped as near as possible to the original lie, but not nearer the hole.
    • If you elect to drop behind the bunker, you must count one penalty stroke
  18. Bunker Play:
    • When you’re in a bunker, always remember to NOT ground the club in the sand on practice swing.
    • Play as it lies
    • If you don’t want to or decide you can’t play your ball as it lies when your ball is in a bunker, you may decide it is unplayable. 1 penalty stroke if you drop in the within bunker within two club-lengths of where your ball lies but not nearer to the hole, 2 stroke penalty to go back on the line and drop your ball outside the bunker
  19. Wrong Ball:
    • 2 Penalty Stroke
    • Identify your ball before you play it – if you hit any other ball but yours, you will get a 2 stroke penalty. 
  20. How to Penalty drop:
    • When you drop a ball, stand up straight and drop the ball from KNEE HEIGHT.
  21. Maximum Club in Bag:
    • 2 stroke penalty if more then 14 Clubs.
    • Player is allowed to carry a maximum of 14 clubs. Failing to do so will lead to incurring 2 stroke penalty after tee-off.
    • Player to remove excess clubs from bag.
  22. Putting Line:
    • Notice where the other players balls are on the green. Do not stand or walk on the line that other players ball will roll on. 
  23. Marking the Ball on green:
    • Always mark your ball on green before lifting it (put marker right behind the ball).
    • Mark your ball if it is or may be interfering with other player putting line.
  24. Your Ball hitting other players ball (Stroke play)
    • Both balls On Green: 2 strokes penalty for person who putted/strikes, you re-putt from original location (not from where it came to rest, else 1 stroke additional general penalty), other person moves ball to estimated original location.
    • Playing onto the green: No Penalty, If you are off the green and you play your approach, and your ball strikes your playing partner’s ball, your ball will be played from where it lies, your friend’s ball will be moved back to the estimated original position.
    • On the Fairway: No Penalty, If your ball strikes a fellow player’s ball on the fairway by accident, you play your ball wherever it comes to rest, your fellow player places ball to estimated original location.
  25. Repair Divots
  26. Rain, Adverse Weather
    • If Golf Course is OPEN, Game in ON
    • In case of heavy rain during game (or thunderstorm siren), safety first, take shelter immediately and return to club house. Only continue playing after weather clears up.
    • Fairway: Standing Water/Puddle: 1 Club Length Relief (Not nearer to hole).
    • Fairway: Mud on ball – Lift, Clean & Place at same spot.
    • Bunker: Standing Water, Unplayable – Free drop behind bunker (1st attempt) only after agreement with opponent, 1 Penalty Stroke on 2nd attempt.
    • Holes Not Played Due to adverse weather conditions (heavy rain, darkness)
      • Up to 4-5 holes (hole 14-18), USGA Par+ (a.k.a Net Par, Hole Par + Strokes) rules will be used for scoring.
      • In case large number of players are interrupted, only front 9 total or most common number of holes total will be used for all player in outing.
      • If most of the players are not able to finish game, then all scores will be cancelled.