116th Match Play Championship
Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club
811 Rattlesnake Bridge Road
Bedminster, NJ 07921
Tuesday, June 11 – Thursday, June 13
NOTICE TO PLAYERS
June 11th – Stroke Play Qualifying | June 12th – 2 Matches | June 13th – 2 Matches
USGA RULES OF GOLF AND WMGA LOCAL RULES AND CONDITIONS ARE IN EFFECT EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING CLARIFICATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS:
Unless otherwise noted, the Penalty For Breach Of A Local Rule Or Condition is two strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play.
GENERAL & PRO SHOP
The WMGA will now be posting scores on the player’s behalf for Stroke Play Qualifying.
Pro Shop opens at 6:00 AM; Ryan Buckley, Head Golf Professional– (908) 439-2123
DRESS CODE POLICY
For Women, shirts with sleeves and collars are preferred; however, women may wear a round neck collarless shirt with sleeves or a shirt with a collar and no sleeves. Shirts must be tucked in. Shirts with finished bottoms that are designed to be left untucked may be worn out; however, no women’s clothing is allowed where the midriff is visible. Only spikeless shoes are permitted on the golf courses and practice facilities. Spikeless shoes include Softspikes, golf shoes with rubber treads, and sneakers. Caps must be worn with the bill forward, at all times. Hats and visors must be removed in the Clubhouse.
At no time are jeans, denim or cargo clothing, pool attire, cut-off shorts, jogging/sweat/warmup or yoga pants, T-shirts/tank tops/mesh shirts/athletic shirts or any undergarment type attire with or without printed slogans, strapless tops/halter tops or tube tops, any camouflage attire or shoes with metal spikes/high top sneakers/water footwear/flip flops allowed anywhere in the Clubhouse, on the outdoor patio/terraces, golf courses or practice areas. Golfers are not permitted to change attire or shoes in the parking lot.
CELL PHONE POLICY
We recognize that cell phones are an essential part of personal and business everyday life. Please use with respect. All phones should be placed on vibrate while on Club grounds. Please be respectful and discrete while in the clubhouse dining rooms and common areas.
TEE MARKERS & HOLE LOCATION SHEETS
Official WMGA Tee Markers, silver markers with blue insignia, which will be set to the yardage noted on the score card provided for the competition. Yardage is calculated to the center of the green.
Day 1 – Meadow Course: 5,709 Slope/Rating: 75.0/140
Day 2 – River Course: 5,515 Slope/Rating: 72.7/130
Day 3 – Forest Course: 5,696 Slope/Rating: 73.8/137
Hole Location Sheets will be available on the first tee.
CARTS
Match Play Championship Cart fee: $38 (cash or check) or $40 (credit card) payable to the WMGA.
FORMAT
18 holes of stroke play. Championship Flight: low 16 qualifiers. ONE BALL CONDITION IS NOT IN EFFECT. Trophy awarded for Medalist in the Championship Flight. In the event of a tie for Medalist, duplicate prizes will be awarded. For the purpose of determining places in the draw, ties in the qualifying round, other than those for the last qualifying place in either Flight, will be decided by a blind draw. A tie for last place will be decided by an immediate hole-by-hole play-off. If a player who is involved in the play-off is not present, her placement will be determined after the placement of participating players, on the basis of the best score for the last nine holes. If the tying players have the same score for the last nine, the winner will be determined on the basis of the best score for last six holes, last three holes, and finally the 18th hole. If this procedure does not break the tie, placement will be determined by blind draw.
Each match will be 18 holes. The first and second round matches of the Championship Flight will be played on the first day of match play, Wednesday, June 12th. In the event of a tied match, (a) the winner is decided by an immediate hole-by-hole playoff beginning on the first hole and (b) the round is deemed to extend to as many holes as are required for a match to be won. Trophy awarded to the winner Flight.
FOOD SERVICE
Continental breakfast will be served starting at 6:00AM. Breakfast & Lunch charges for June 11th have been included in the entry fee (not including halfway house & alcoholic beverages). Chargebacks will occur for breakfast and lunch charges on June 12th & 13th.
PACE OF PLAY
The maximum time allotted for the completion of 18 holes at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club is 3 hours and 44 minutes.
Final decisions on any disputed rulings will be made by the WMGA Competitions Committee.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR DISCONTINUANCE OF PLAY
Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club does have a lightning detection system. Although bad weather is not of itself a good reason for discontinuing play, a player is permitted to discontinue play at any time she herself believes there is a danger from lightning. The WMGA strongly endorses each individual’s attention, vigilance and care in this regard, to one’s own safety and that of one’s caddie.
“A suspension of play for a dangerous situation will be signaled by one prolonged note of the siren. All other suspensions will be signaled by two consecutive notes of the siren. In either case, resumption of play will be signaled by three short notes of siren. See Rule 5.7b.”
When play is discontinued in a dangerous situation, players should seek the nearest point of shelter.
SEEK: AVOID:
Lightning shelters Open areas
Clubhouse Water
Maintenance buildings Metal
On-course buildings Wire fences, overhead wires, power lines
Automobiles Isolated trees
Dense trees Elevated ground
Low-lying areas Maintenance machinery
Golf carts
Local Rules
Play is governed by the USGA Rules of Golf and where applicable, by the following Local Rules. Unless otherwise
provided, penalty for breach of a Local Rule is two (2) strokes in Stroke Play and loss of hole in Match Play.
1. Artificially Surfaced Roads: Artificially surfaced roads and paths are obstructions. White lined areas tying into
roads or paths have the same status as the roads or paths, and thus they are obstructions and not ground
under repair. Cart damage adjacent to paths is considered part of the obstruction. Take relief without penalty
under Rule 16.1.
2. Ground Under Repair: The newly sodded areas (defined by blue stakes, white paint, or signs) are ground under
repair. If a player’s ball lies in the area, or if it interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended
swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1.
3. Out of Bounds: White stakes, boundary and cyclone fences define Out of Bounds.
4. Relief from Seams of Cut Turf: If a player’s ball lies in or touches a seam of cut turf or a seam interferes with
the player’s area of intended swing:
a. Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b.
b. Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d.
But interference does not exist if the seam only interferes with the player’s stance.
All seams within the area of cut turf are treated as the same seam in taking relief. This means that if a player
has interference from any seam after dropping the ball, the player must proceed as required under Rule
14.3c(2) even when the ball is still within one club-length of the reference point.
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.
5. Aeration Holes: If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole:
a. Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. The player may take free relief by
dropping the original ball or another ball. The nearest point of complete relief should be identified and
a ball must be dropped in and come to rest within the relief area. The relief area is one club-length
from the reference point, is not nearer the hole than the reference point, but may be in any area of
the course. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole the player may take relief again under this
Local Rule.
b. Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d. Free relief may be taken by
placing a ball on the spot of the nearest point of complete relief. If there is no such nearest point of
compete relief, the player may take this free relief by using the point of maximum available relief as
the reference point, which must be either on the putting green or in the general area.
But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or, on the putting
green, on the player’s line of play.
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.
Meadow Course – Day 1
• Hole #3: The chain link fence on the left defines Out of Bounds
• Hole #5: The left side of the cart building serves as white stakes defining Out of Bounds. A ball that comes to
rest on any pavement other than the cart path past or to the right of the cart building is Out of Bounds.
• Hole #7: The electric fence beyond the green defines Out of Bounds.
• Hole #13: Any ball in the Ground Under Repair area right of the fairway may take relief on the fairway side at
its nearest point no nearer the hole. If the ball is not found, the player shall use the point where the ball last
crossed the margin of the Ground Under Repair as his nearest point of relief.
• Hole #18: A ball coming to rest in the grassy area in front of the grill room allows the player to take relief to
the nearest point across the cart path, not nearer the hole.
River Course – Day 2
• Hole #5: The chain link fence defines out of bounds.
• Hole #13: The chain link fence defines out of bounds.
• Hole #14: Refer to Relief from Seams of Cut Turf.
• Hole #17: The chain link fence defines out of bounds.
Forest Course – Day 3
• Hole #1: The split rail fence shall be played as an immovable obstruction. Neither the fence, nor the roadway
is Out of Bounds.
• Hole #2: The split rail fence shall be played as an immovable obstruction. Neither the fence, nor the roadway
is Out of Bounds.
• Hole #14: The fence to the left and behind the green defines Out of Bounds.