IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR PLAYERS

[doghaus 4]

To all RideHer Cup participants

 

I have drafted the rules and the arrangements for the event. These have been sent to Ben so he may add to or change some of the details. If so, I guess he will post here.

 

The rules have been approved by the 2 captains and most players should have received a copy from me by e-mail.

 

Here is a copy of the document that was distributed.

 

[glow=red,2,300]The 2003 RideHer Cup Golf Match[/glow]

 

USA vs. Europe (including some representatives from the rest of the world)

 

Welcome to the 2003 RideHer cup – the only golf competition where having fun is more important than how you play! Here are the arrangements and rules for the event with an explanation of the handicap calculations.

 

Selecting the matches

 

All players meet up at FLB on Sunday evening 2nd November around 9 pm. Ben will collect the money and explain the travel arrangements. Ben will also issue team shirts. The captains will then select the pairings and list them in the order of play. When both Captains have made their listings, the organiser will collect the lists and announce the matches and the order of play.

 

Travel and arriving at the golf course

 

Players will meet the bus in Pattaya at a pre-arranged time – Ben will announce this at the Sunday meeting. Please don’t miss the bus, as it will not wait! We strongly recommend booking at least 2 wake-up calls to make sure that you are ready to go at the appointed hour. On arrival at the golf course, your clubs will be off-loaded and handed over to your caddies. They will load them on the buggy and will meet you near the first tee. Please identify your golf bag when it is off-loaded so that the organiser can make sure that it is placed on the same buggy as your playing partner. There are facilities to hire clubs at the course – just let Ben know in advance that you will need hire clubs. Once your clubs are sorted, go to the changing rooms and put on your golf shoes. Then, meet up on the first tee. The organiser will have sorted out the cards for each match so make sure you collect these and that you know how the handicap system will work. We will endeavour to mark the cards with the holes where each played receives shots.

 

When your match is announced, step up to the tee; toss a coin to decide which team tees off first and then hit away. Remember to get past the ladies tee – see special rules below!

 

The matches

 

Each group will play 2 matches with a point available for each match.

 

The front nine will be played as foursomes. Both players in the team hit their drives and select which drive will be used. Thereafter, the players hit alternate shots. Over the 9 holes, a minimum of 4 drives must be used from each player. The handicap allowance will be 1/2 the combined handicap of the 2 players in the team. Strokes will be according to the stroke index of the hole. So, a team comprising an 18 and a 36 handicapper will receive 27 strokes and a team with a 14 and an 18 will receive 16 strokes. In this case, the first team will receive 6 strokes for 9 holes and will get the strokes on the 9 on holes with SI 1 to 6 inclusive. The holes will be played as straight match play and the match will be determined as a win (1 point) or a half (1/2 point) for the 9 holes.

 

 

The back nine will be played as four ball better ball. Each player in the team plays every shot at the hole and the best net score for the hole wins that hole. The handicaps for the four balls will be full handicap allowance stroking off the lowest handicap player. So, in the above example, the 14 handicapper will play off scratch, his partner will get 2 strokes and the players in the other team will get 2 and 11 strokes respectively. Strokes will be allowed according to the SI off the holes on the back nine. The four balls will also be match play with the lowest net winning the hole and the match determined as a win or a half.

 

The nineteenth hole

 

At the end of the round, each team should submit two cards signed by them and their opponents with the result of the foursomes and the four balls on 2 separate cards. The organiser will collect the cards and will score the matches in conjunction with the 2 captains. The overall result will remain a secret until the evening party. You do not need to tip the caddies – caddy tips are included in your entry fee. After the competition is finished and all players are showered and refreshed, the bus will leave for Pattaya. Players will be returned to their hotels together with your golf clubs.

 

Bonus prizes

 

There will be a longest drive and nearest the pin competition on the back nine. The holes where these competitions are running will be identified on your cards. The longest drive must come to rest on the fairway and will be marked with a stake and marker card. The stakes will be carried by the first match out and should be placed by them after the respective best shots in their match. If none of the players hit the respective fairways or green, the stakes should be left on the tee for the next group. If you beat the previous best for longest drive or nearest the pin, move the stake forward to the position where the ball came to rest and add your name below the previous entry. Remember, it is only your first shot that counts for these competitions – no mulligans (see below) or provisionals! We will also have some other "fun" competitions running during the matches - these will be announced the previous evening.

 

Special rules - Mulligans

 

If you don’t understand what a Mulligan is, ask the organiser at the launch party!

 

Each player will be able to purchase up to 4 Mulligans for 100 baht each before RideHer Cup play starts. Cost per Mulligan is 100 baht each with money going into the Mulligan Baht Pool. 2 Mulligans may be used per 9 holes – 1 from the tee box and 1 from anywhere on the course excluding the tee box and green. No carryovers allowed.  If you don’t use your 2 Mulligans on the front nine you lose them on the back nine.  

 

A little twist to add some spice to the event. Opponents can use appropriate (tee box or anyplace) Mulligans to make an opponents team member (not his partner) shoot his or her shot over again if you think your opponent's shot was too good or was just a lucky one. The reverse Mulligan cannot be invoked on the green.  Obviously, you will lose that Mulligan for your own use if it is played on an opponents shot. No Mulligans can be used against opponents or for themselves when any longest drive or nearest pin prizes are being played for on the shot.

 

Other special rules

 

Any male player failing to hit his drive past the ladies tee box will have to play his next shot with his trousers round his ankles.

 

Any 36 handicapper who plays an air shot – failing to connect with the ball when attempting to play it – will be permitted to play the shot again without penalty. If he or she misses with the second attempt, this will be counted as one shot.

 

The pussy prize. The pussy prize will be awarded to the player who leaves a birdie attempt short of the hole by the longest margin. If a player has a birdie putt (only counts if the ball is on the green with the shot before the birdie putt) and leaves the birdie putt short of the hole, the opponents will be required to estimate the distance that the putt is short of the hole. The name of the player and the distance short of the hole should be reported to the organiser at the end of the round.

 

Shortest drive. This competition will run at the same hole as longest drive. A stake for shortest drive will be provided to the first group and should be placed on the fairway at the distance of the shortest drive for their group. Players failing to pass this stake with their drives should collect the stake and place it back on the fairway (or possibly the tee or even behind the tee) with their name added to the list. The last group should collect the stake

 

Furthest from the pin. This competition will run at the same hole as the nearest the pin competition. Same rules as the shortest drive competition. This stake will probably be found in some interesting places – it cannot be thrown in the water! If a shot lands in the water, the stake should be placed on the landside of the hazard at the approximate distance from the hole that the water shot landed.

 

The Jontiem Beach Trophy. This is a new trophy for this year’s competition. It will be awarded to the player who takes the most shots to escape from a bunker on the back nine. Nominations should be given to the organiser at the end of the round and should be verified by the opponents. Players name and number of bunker shots should be submitted to the organiser at the end of the competition.

 

The RideHer Cup presentation party

 

The arrangements for the party will be announced on Sunday evening by Ben. Last year, it was decided that the losing team would pay a bar fine for each member of the winning team. This bar fine may be used at FLB on the night of the party. Any player who does not want to use the money for a bar fine may exchange the credit for liquid refreshment of any ladies of his or her choice.

 

Last rule – have fun!!