Rule Changes for 2011

If you're looking for the Week 1 Pairings, they're below.

Here are the changes for the 2011 season. These were passed at last season's banquet.

Maximum Strokes: In order to help speed up play, the maximum score for any hole on the course will be 5 over par. That means that, for the par 3’s, the highest score you can record is an 8. For the par 4’s, the highest score you can record is a 9.

• The important corollary to this rule is that –once you reach the maximum for a hole – you must pick up your ball and prepare for the next hole. Teammates, Captains, and Opponents must help enforce this rule to speed up play.
• Previous scores (from last year, etc.) will be adjusted, based on this new rule, such that your handicap will be based on the new scoring system.
  

Handicap Calculation: We have slightly modified the calculation of golfer handicaps to encourage a downward trend (i.e. better golfing).

• Previously, the handicap was the difference between your average score and par 32 (i.e. if your average was 41.7, your handicap was 9.7, which is rounded to 10).
• Under the revised calculation, we will multiple that number by 95% to determine your handicap. In practice, this means that your handicap will either (a) stay the same as under the old rule or (b) decrease by one stroke.
• If you’re confused, don’t worry about it, my spreadsheet will handle the calculation!
  

Slow Play: In an attempt to define the “slow play” problem that has plagued the league and driven away some golfers, we are going implement a clubhouse “check-in” for each foursome as they come off the 9th green. I will designate a person in each foursome to check in with the clubhouse attendant when your foursome finishes its round. The attendant will mark the time. For groups 2-10 we will be able to see how much time elapsed between them and the previous group. For now, we’ll do nothing with this information other than capture and analyze it. We hope it will give us empirical evidence of any chronically slow golfers, in the hope of helping them recognize the problem so they can speed up.

Rules Committee: We will institute a “Rules Committee” to help the Commish out with any spontaneous, unprecedented issues. Dave Rieves and Lynn Paulson have volunteered to serve on this committee.