SECTION I – DATE OF TOURNAMENT

The annual Southwest Deaf Golf Association tournament shall be held during the weekdays of week of June except falling after the week of Father’s Day. The site of the future tournament must be determined two years in advance.

2007 - Olympia Hills Golf Course, San Antonio, TX (CTDGA)

2008 - 50^th Anniversary Golf Resort, Austin, TX (ADGL)

2009 - Dallas, TX

2010 - Open

SECTION II – TOURNAMENTS

The regular tournament shall have three rounds meanwhile the senior tournament shall have two round. Any golfer can participate in the regular tournament while any golfer over fifty-five years old may participate in the senior tournament.

SECTION III – CONTRIBUTION TO TOURNAMENT PRIZES FROM FOUR LOCAL CLUBS

Four named clubs of Austin , Baton Rouge , Dallas and Central Texas Deaf Golf Association (CTDGA) are to raise an amount of five hundred dollars ($500) and give the amount directly to the SWDGA Treasurer at least sixty days prior to the coming tournament.  In case of such as delinquency of the money from any local club, the SWDGA Executive Committee shall be responsible to meet and solve the monetary situation as soon as possible after the deadline of sixty days expired.  Any SWDGA club may join to contribute five hundred dollars to the SWDGA treasury and be counted as an addition to the present four said clubs already stated above.

SECTION IV – GOLFERS PAYING DUES/FEES

The golfer shall pay five dollars to the membership due of SWDGA and pay five dollars to the registration fee of SWDGA prior to the start of 1^st round.

SECTION V – HOST COMMITTEE KEEPING FIVE DOLLARS PER GOLFER

The host tournament committee shall keep five dollars per golfer’s registration fee.

SECTION VI – HOST COMMITTEE COLLECTING FIVE DOLLARS PER GOLFER

The host tournament committee shall collect five dollars per golfer’s membership due and shall go to the SWDGA treasury.

SECTION VII – MERCHANDISE AND/OR CASH PRIZES

Merchandise and/or cash prizes shall be at least one thousand dollars annually paid by a host committee in addition to the total amount of entry / prize fees.

SECTION VIII – PRIZES

The host committee must purchase and/to solicit donations for prizes for all entrants of the tournament.  All prizes shall be distributed into categories, i.e. scratch for regular golfers and senior golfers.

SECTION IX – SPECIAL AWARDS

SWDGA shall give an award (such as medal, cash prize, or trophy to a golfer who has scored the lowest score on any given hole of all their rounds during the tournament, the most improved golfer, most proper attire golfer, hole-in-one, high score golfer, oldest golfer, eagle, most birdies, most pars, and lowest number of putts in their rounds during the tournament).

SECTION X – DISTRIBUTION OF CASH PRIZES

All of cash prizes coming from the entry/prize fees should be distributed to all the ranking golfers after the results of the tournament are produced. (The amount of cash prize should be given to the last ranking golfer and from last to top ranking golfer – the amount will increase at each climbing rankings.)

The host tournament committee must present the listing of prize giveaways to the Executive Board of SWDGA before it approves prior to the start of 1^st round tournament.

SECTION XI – PROPER ATTIRE FOR GOLFERS

All golfers are required to have proper attire collar shirts and proper slacks or shorts (not cutoff slacks) during the tournament rounds.

SECTION XII – TOTAL YARDAGE OF GOLF COURSE

The total yardage of the golf course for the regular division must be exceeded 5,999 yards or more. The total yardage of the golf course for the senior division must exceed 5,250 yards or more.  Red (forward) tees will be allowed for men with at least age 70 and they will play white (regular) tees for Par-3 holes only.

The slope rating of golf course must be 110 or better.

SECTION XIII – FINAL RESULTS OF TOURNAMENT ROUNDS

The host committee’s chairperson shall write up what to a final result of each tournament (Regular and/or Senior Division) and they shall return the official golf cards (scores) to the Secretary/Treasurer of SWDGA on the day of the tournament.

SECTION XIV – POSTING RESULTS OF EACH ROUND

The host is responsible for posting results of each round on a suitable bulletin board or placard at a tournament site.  The host shall return golf scorecards to the Secretary/Treasurer of SWDGA immediately after placing the results on the board.

SECTION XV – CONDITION OF GOLF COMPETITION

The conditions of the golf competition and the rules governing such as tournaments given by this association shall be those prescribed by the United States Golf Association (USGA).

SECTION XVI – FLIGHTS OF TOURNAMENT

Depending on the number of participating golfers, there shall be a championship flight and a minimum of two flights.  Official gross scores shall make flights on the first round subjected to the approval of the Executive Committee.

SECTION XVII – TIME AND PLACE OF NEXT YEAR’S GOLF TOURNAMENT

The site and date of the next year’s golf tournament shall be announced at least four months in advance by the host. The host shall also make a $500 deposit to SWDGA.  SWDGA shall fine the host $500 if the host drops the tournament.

SECTION XVIII – INSPECTION OF THE GOLF FACILITIES

An official representative from SWDGA who happens to live nearby to the site shall conduct is the inspection of golf facilities, arrangements and plans of the host tourney committee of the annual tournament and shall arrange a valid contract between SWDGA and the host tourney committee, all of the expenses for the representative from SWDGA will be reimbursed by the host tournament committee.

SECTION XIX – PASSING OUT GOLF RULES

The host committee of SWDGA shall pass out the local golf rules on the evening before the first day of competition.  The host shall be responsible of contacting with the local golf course manager upon the rules, condition of course and etc.

SECTION XX – SIGNING SCORE PADS

Each score must be signed by opposing pair of partners after the score are added properly and are confirmed as correct.  Failing to do so, it will lead to a penalty of two strokes.

SECTION XXI – OUTSIDE SWDGA REGION

Any deaf participating golfers outside of the Southwest Deaf Golf Association are open to SWDGA tournaments.

SECTION XXII – ETIQUETTE FOR GOLFERS DURING TOURNAMENT

A.)              Don’t write your score while you are on green.  Depart from the green as soon as your threesome or foursome is finished.

B.)              Don’t move or talk while a golfer is playing a shot.

C.)              Don’t stay too close when a golfer is playing a shot.

D.)              Wait until the players ahead of you are far enough before playing.

E.)              Prepare yourself discreetly while the other golfers are playing in order to be ready when your turn comes.

F.)               Don’t look for your ball for more than three minutes and replace the lost ball as time expires.  (Add an additional stroke for the lost ball.)

G.)              Replace all divots.  Erase (smooth out) all footprints in sand traps.  Repair ball marks on the green.

H.)              Don’t walk on the line of the putt of the other golfers.

I.)                  Don’t disturb other golfers with your shadow.

J.)                Don’t drop clubs on the putting green.

K.)              Replace the flagstick correctly when leaving the green as to an upright position.

L.)               With a card, always stay at least thirty feet from the greens.  Also, keep your cart on the cart path in most of the times.

M.)             The player whose ball is the farthest from the cup always plays first.

N.)              You must play within four and a half hours on the course or a penalty of two will be assessed to the threesome or foursome team for the slow play.

O.)              Courtesy and nice manners on the course keep everyone to have a good tournament.