FOURBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

 

RULES OF ELIGIBILITY and CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION

 

The Fourball Championship is governed under USGA Rule 23, which can be found in the 2023 USGA Rules of Golf.

 

This is a MATCH PLAY playoff tournament. In summation, there are two players on each team. Each member plays to 85% of their current index for the past year as established by the GHIN Handicap System. This index will be locked for the entire tournament.


This is a net best ball tournament. Player A and Player B are on one team, Player C and Player D are on the other team. All players will play off the lowest handicap player of the group in which the lowest handicapped player will play at scratch and other players will take strokes of them. In the rare case that a competitor cannot make the match and is also the low handicap, the handicaps for the group will be enforced the same as if they did make the match.  Example:
 

PLAYER

INDEX

HANDICAP

STROKES

A

3.9

4

0

B

7.2

7

3

C

7.5

8

4

D

12.1

12

8


Player B would have a stroke on each of the three lowest handicap holes, Player C on the four lowest handicap holes, and so forth. This tournament is a four-ball match play competition where two competitors play as partners, each playing their own ball. The lower score of the partners is the score for the hole. Each team will use the ball that has the best NET score for the hole. If one partner fails to complete play of a hole, there is no penalty.


A team may not have a player that receives more than one stroke per hole against any opponent.

The tournament begins with a first-round qualifier in which the top eight teams in each division will move on to compete in fourball match play competition. Match play rounds are scheduled.  Information is provided on the Fourball Championship event page on the GPGC website.


When the winners of each flight have been determined, the net flight champions may represent Griffith Park at the SCGA Four-Ball Net Championship scheduled in August/September. The Duhon Champions will represent Griffith Park in the SCGA Four-Ball Championship.
 

ELIGIBILITY


This tournament is open to GPGC Members who are (a) members in good standing when sign ups open (b) who have an established low index, and (c) who have competed in at least 5 GPGC tournaments in the current GPGC season that the event is being held. In the event you do not have a partner to team with, you may still sign up as a single in need of a partner. Players who sign up as singles will be listed on the website with handicap and contact information so that other singles may suggest a partnership. At least one week before the first round qualifying takes place, players remaining on the list will be paired by the tournament director. We reserve the right to alter any of the conditions and schedules herein. We reserve the right to reject the entry of any applicant, at any time, for any reason. Any decision that is made in any matter, shall be final.
 

HANDICAPS


Because the club deems this a major tournament, all competitors will be required to use 85% of their allowed strokes after using their established index to calculate the handicap strokes. The same index will be used during the entire tournament for purposes of establishing the player's stroke handicap and locked in at the start of the event prior to seeding. All players play off the lowest handicap among the competitors.  The MAXIMUM differential limit is five (5) strokes between the two partners in one team.  You may still partner with someone who has a handicap differential of more than 5 strokes than your own, but the player with the higher handicap will be lowered to 5 more than the low partner.
 

REGISTRATION


Entry to the tournament and payment of the individual fee will be made available online.

 

 

DEFAULT TIEBREAKERS

 

The default tie breaking methodology is described on the Fourball Championship page of the GPGC website.

 

REPORTING TO THE FIRST TEE


There may be an occasion when one team member will be late or may not be able to play at all. In that event, the lone remaining team member may play the other team by themself, but they are only allowed to play their one ball. If the player shows up after the match has started, they are allowed to proceed but no prior holes may be replayed. Any deliberate act to delay play will result in a warning, then loss of the hole, loss of another hole, and ultimately forfeit as mentioned in USGA Pace of Play - Match Play.
 

RULES OF GOLF


All play shall be in accordance with four-ball match play in the USGA Rules of Golf. It is the responsibility of each partner to know the rules of four-ball match play and how they differ from regular stroke play.

 

PACE OF PLAY


Competitors choosing to play at Griffith Park Golf Course shall be familiar with and follow the pace of play policy to avoid penalty for slow play.
 

PRIZE PAYOUTS AND CHARLIE CHAPLIN CUP POINTS


Prize payouts and Charlie Chaplin Cup points are described on the Fourball Championship page of the GPGC website.