League Charter

Article 1: League Overview

1.1 Purpose. The Oak Glen Thursday Men's League is established to promote friendly competition and camaraderie among its members through organized golf events.

1.2 Membership. Participation is open to any male aged 21 or older, upon payment of league fees and registration with the league organizer. Members are expected to adhere to the league's rules and maintain good sportsmanship.

Article 2: League Structure

2.1 Season Format. The regular season consists of 2 halves, each lasting 9 weeks. Each half is followed by 2 weeks of playoffs.

2.2 Playoff Qualification. Four teams qualify for the playoffs. The two highest-scoring teams from each half earn a spot in the playoff semi-finals. If a team qualifies from both halves, the team(s) with the highest total points for the season fill the remaining spot(s).

2.3 Teams. The league consists of 10 four-man teams. Team rosters may be adjusted at the discretion of the league organizers.

2.4 Participation. Each team is required to have a roster of four primary golfers. Any team utilizing a substitute golfer must roster them as a substitute before the season begins. Substitutes can be used in cases of player unavailability.

Article 3: Scoring & Season-Ending Tie-Break Rules

3.1 League Scoring

Each match consists of 4 individual matchups (golfers A–D), worth 11 points total:

• Head-to-head stroke play for 1 point and match play for 1 point, per matchup — 8 points available.
• An additional 3 points for the team with the lowest net cumulative score across all 4 golfers, with handicaps applied.

3.2 Handicap Format & Calculations

Handicaps are calculated from each player's most recent 10 scores, with the highest-scoring rounds discarded according to how many scores are on file:

• Minimum 3 scores are required to establish a league handicap.
• The weekly handicap used for competition is 90% of the recorded handicap, rounded to the nearest whole number (e.g., 7.51 → 8).
• Handicaps are capped at 18.
• Weekly scores are recorded using USGA "Equitable Stroke Control" rules.

3.3 Tie-Break Rules

If teams are tied at the end of either half for the 2nd awarded playoff entry, a 3-hole playoff is conducted:

• Players use 1/3 of their league handicap for the 3-hole playoff.
• The 3-hole circuit is determined at the time of the event based on course availability.
• Scoring mirrors regular-season match scoring: each head-to-head match is worth 2 points, plus 3 points for the team with the lowest net.
• If still tied, sudden death continues hole by hole until a winner is determined. If darkness prevents continued play, the team with the lower net from the most recent playoff or match scores is the winner — by agreement of all parties.

3.4 Season Aggregate Rules

These two parameters appear in the league's scoring configuration but are not currently applied by the standings on this site (which sum every event in full, with no cap). Shown here pending confirmation with Ron on whether they should be enforced.

Article 4: Playoff Seeding Rules

4.1 Seeding. The 4 playoff teams are seeded 1–4 based on total points earned during the season.

4.2 Matchups. Seed 1 faces seed 4, and seed 2 faces seed 3.

Article 5: League & Course-Specific Rules

Standard USGA rules apply unless specified below.

5.1 Course Tees

Play is from the white tees on both the front nine and back nine.

5.2 Country Club OB League Rule

• Two club-lengths relief from the point of entry, no closer to the hole.
• No line-of-flight relief.
• No relief from the boundary fence outside of the two club-lengths.

5.3 Boundary Line & Fence

• No relief from the boundary fence for a ball in play.
• May take a one-stroke penalty for an unplayable lie per standard USGA rules.

5.4 Interior Boundary or Immovable Object

• One club-length from the nearest point of full relief (reference scorecard).
• Examples: 3rd hole fence, 4th hole rock wall, 13th hole porta-potty, and 16th hole fence.
• Any immovable man-made object within the interior boundary is subject to relief — deliberation within the group for consensus is required.

5.5 USGA Yellow & Red Penalty Areas

• Taking relief from a penalty area costs one penalty stroke.
• Yellow penalty areas: two relief options — replay from the spot of the last stroke (stroke and distance), or back-on-the-line relief.
• Red penalty areas: the same two options as yellow, plus lateral relief — drop within two club-lengths of where the ball last crossed the penalty area's edge, no nearer the hole.

Article 6: Code of Conduct

6.1 Sportsmanship. All members are expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner, respecting fellow players, course staff, and the rules of golf.

6.2 Etiquette. Players should adhere to golf etiquette, including repairing divots, fixing ball marks, and maintaining proper pace of play.

Article 7: Dispute Resolution

7.1 Disputes. Any disputes regarding rules, scoring, or conduct should be brought to the league organizers promptly for resolution.

Article 8: League Finances

8.1 Fees. Annual league fees total $3,240 per team, payable in full or in two installments before each half-season. Fees include all prize-money payouts and green/cart fees, and are subject to change based on course and league requirements.

8.2 Payout Structure (based on a 10-team league):

8.3 Substitute Winnings. Points or prize money won by a substitute are credited to that player individually, not to the team they subbed for.

See Financials for this season's running totals.

Article 9: Amendments

9.1 Changes. The league organizers reserve the right to amend these rules as necessary. Members will be notified of any changes in a timely manner.

Article 10: Conclusion

By participating in the Oak Glen Thursday Men's League, members acknowledge their understanding and acceptance of these rules.