Midland Golf Union
2024 EG BOYS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS - Midland Qualifying (RD1) Rules
Terms of the Competition (draft)
1. Rules of Golf
All Championships shall be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf and such Local Rules and Terms of the Competition as shall be approved by England Golf.
In the case of entry by a golfer with disability, he/she can apply to England Golf for adoption of the Modification of the Rules for Golfers with Disability.
2. Player Eligibility
2.1. All players must be of Amateur Status as defined by The Rules of Amateur Status.
2.2. Each player must:
i. be male and under the age of 18 at 00:00 hours on 1st January in the year of this Championship, and;
ii. be a member of an affiliated golf club in the County Union or born in the County and be a member of an affiliated club in another County, and;
iii. not have played for another County in representative matches, including friendly matches, during the same calendar year as this Championship.
2.3. Players moving from one County to another:
i. Subject to the above Terms for this Championship and, therefore, with the exception of this Championship, if there is agreement between the County from which the player is moving and the County to which the player is moving, the player may play for his “new” County with immediate effect.
ii. Disagreements/disputes. In case of doubt or in the absence of agreement over eligibility to play for a County in this Championship or in any other County representative match, a County, Counties or Group may seek a decision from the England Golf Championship Committee, whose decision shall be final. Regarding this Championship, the Championship Committee may, of its own volition, make a final decision on eligibility.
3. Caddies
Players may use caddies, who must be under the age of 18 at 00:00hrs on 1st January of the year in which the Championship is to be played. Penalty for breach of Local Rule: The player gets the general penalty for each hole during which any breach occurred. If the breach happens or continues between two holes, the player gets the general penalty for the next hole.
4. Qualifying Competition
4.1. Format. A qualifying competition of 36 holes scratch medal play shall be played in each of the England Golf’s four Groups.
4.2. Group Committee. England Golf shall appoint a member of its Championship Panel to each of the four Group Committees organising the qualifying competitions. All disputes shall be settled by the Group Committee, three to form a quorum, whose decision shall be final.
4.3. Venues for the qualifying competitions shall be decided by the respective Group Committees.
4.4. Teams
i. Each County shall enter a team of six players.
ii. Group Committees shall decide when team lists should be submitted for the qualifying competition.
iii. A team may not replace a player for any reason once the sixth player has teed off in the first round.
4.5. The winning County in each of the four Groups shall qualify for the Championship Finals. The five best scores will count in each round. The County returning the lowest aggregate score for both rounds will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the winner will be the County returning the lowest aggregate score from its sixth player(s) in each round. If there is still a tie, the winner will be the County returning the lowest aggregate score (all six scores for both rounds to count) in accordance with point 4.6 below.
4.6. Ties shall be decided on the 2nd round and then the 1st round. Should that fail to produce a result, ties shall be decided on the last 9, 6, 3 or 1 holes of the last completed round. If a tie still arises it shall be decided on the last 9, 6, 3 or 1 holes of the first nine holes of the last completed round. If a tie still arises, the 1st round played shall be treated in the same way until a decision is reached.
4.7. Suspension of play. If play is suspended because of adverse weather conditions and it is impracticable to complete 36 holes as scheduled, the winning County shall be decided over 18 holes. If 18 holes have not been completed, play shall be abandoned and another date arranged when play may be over 18 or 36 holes at the discretion of the Group Committee.
5. The Championship Finals
5.1. The venue for the Championship Finals shall be determined by the Championship Committee and, when possible, shall be selected in rotation:
• South-Eastern Group
• Northern Group
• Midland Group
• South-Western Group.
5.2. Dates for the Championship Finals shall be decided by the Championship Committee.
6. Teams
6.1. The County representing each Group shall enter a provisional team of up to seven players (minimum six). A list of those players must be notified to the Championship Department 3 weeks before the Championship. The order in which the names are submitted is not of any significance at this stage. The final seven players from which players will be selected must be submitted by the conclusion of the Team Captains meeting on the day proceeding the first days play.
6.2. From the players selected, any six may play in the foursomes and any six in the singles of each match.
6.3. Team sheets and the order of play for the foursomes matches must be completed and handed into the England Golf staff member as follows:
Day 1: by the conclusion of the Team Captains’ meeting on the day preceding the first day’s play.
Days 2 & 3: not later than half an hour after the completion of the final game of that County’s match on day 1 or day 2, as appropriate.
The order of play for the singles shall be handed in not less than 30 minutes before they are due to start, or as soon as possible after the conclusion of the last foursome. Failure to submit the order of play for the singles by the required deadline will result in the players named playing in alphabetical order.
6.4. No change in the composition or playing order may be made after the team sheet for the following day’s play has been handed in, except in the case of sudden illness, injury, accident or such other emergency as the Championship Committee shall (in its absolute discretion) consider to constitute sufficient justification.
6.5. In the event of sudden illness, injury, accident or other emergency reducing a team to less than six players, the Championship Committee may (in its absolute discretion) allow a reserve to be substituted in the team originally selected.
6.6. Any player allowed to play as a substitute after the team sheet has been handed in shall be placed in the same position in the playing order, in foursomes and singles play, as the player who is unable to play.
6.7. Practice on the course: Team members not playing in a series of matches at county finals may practise on the competition course.
6.8. Appointment of Advice Giver in Team Competitions: (Rule 24)
i) Each team may name one advice giver (in addition to the persons from whom advice may be asked under Rule 10), whom players on the team may ask for advice and receive advice from during the round. The team must identify each advice giver to the Committee before any player on the team begins his round.
ii) The team may change its advice giver during the round but must tell the Committee when doing so.
iii) The advice giver may not:
a) deliberately stand in a location on or close to an extension of the line of play in order to assist the player.
b) point out a line of play or intentionally walk on the putting green when the ball of a team player lies on the putting green.
Penalty for breach of Local Rule 6.8iii: General Penalty
7. Format
7.1. The Championship shall be played by match play on a “Round Robin” basis over 3 days.
7.2. Each day’s play shall have 2 matches each consisting of 3 games of 18 hole foursomes in the morning and 6 games of 18 hole singles in the afternoon.
7.3. The order of play shall be as follows:
Day 1: As drawn by the President of England Golf.
Day 2: 1st Match, Match 1 winners from day 1 v Match 2 losers from day 1.
2nd Match, Match 2 winners from day 1 v Match 1 losers from day 1.
In the event of a tied match, the order of play shall be decided by lot.
Day 3: Complete "Round Robin". The order of play shall be that the team with most match points shall play in Match 2.
In the event of equality the order shall be decided by lot.
7.4. No individual game shall continue beyond 18 holes and no further play will be permitted once a game has been decided.
7.5. Subject to a player’s right to concede a match (“game”) (Rule 3.2b), all matches and games shall be played to a conclusion.
8. Method of Scoring
8.1. Match Points
Winning County 2 match points
Tied Match 1 match point for each County
Losing County 0 match points
Game Points (each game in each match)
Winning County 1 game points
Tied Match ½ game point for each County
Losing County 0 game points
8.2. The winning County shall be the County with the highest number of match points. In the event of a tie on match points, the result will be determined by total game points won. If still tied, the result will be determined by the result of the match between the tied Counties. Should there still not be a clear winner, the title shall be shared.
9. Procedure if Course Unplayable / Inclement Weather
If, in the opinion of England Golf, it becomes impossible to complete the schedule in accordance with the Terms of the Competition because of adverse weather or other circumstances, England Golf, may vary the format to the extent necessary to achieve a result within the time available.
10. Winners and Prizes
The winning County will be responsible for the Trophy and the champion county pennant from the time they are presented with it until it is relinquished. That County will also ensure the Trophy, suitably engraved, is returned to England Golf together with the pennant in readiness for the following year’s Championship.
11. Safeguarding of Children
Each County shall ensure all appropriate protections/procedures are in place for its team members.
12. Policies & Procedures
All England Golf policies apply, as appropriate, to England Golf Championships. They include but are not limited to:
• Anti-Doping Regulations
• Code of Conduct
• Equality Policy
• Gender Policy
• Pace of Play Policy
• Safeguarding Adults Policy
• Children and Young People Safeguarding Policy
• Transportation Policy (including provisions for people with disabilities)
All relevant policies are available to be viewed at www.englandgolf.org/competitions
13. Photography Consent
England Golf seeks media coverage and publicity for the above Championship around and during the Championship via both the written press and via broadcast and audiovisual media. Each competitor by entering the Championship and by agreeing to these Terms of Competition assigns to England Golf and its assignees and licensees the right in perpetuity throughout the world to make, use, edit, exhibit and reproduce (and to authorise others to do so) in any and all media (whether Press, radio, television, internet or otherwise), whether now known or hereafter devised for commercial and/or other purposes from time to time and at their discretion, any and all pictures, coverage, recordings and any other reproductions of any description of the competitor made during or in connection with the Championship (including, without limitation, during practice and play) without compensation for the competitor or the heirs, successors, executors, administrators or assignees of the competitor. The competitor also assigns the right to use and reproduce their name, voice, likeness and biographical material in any way now known or hereafter devised by England Golf for the purpose of promoting the Championship, any subsequent Championships and the activities of England Golf, without compensation for the competitor or the heirs, successors, executors, administrators or assignees of the competitor including in circumstances where it may include the logo of a third party or of a sponsor or patron of the Championship or any subsequent Championship. Competitors shall be responsible for ensuring that their caddies (if applicable) will assign to England Golf and its successors and licensees equivalent rights in relation to the caddie. Notwithstanding the foregoing grant of rights, England Golf and its assignees and licensees agree that, other than as permitted above, they will not authorise any company contractually associated with England Golf to use the competitor’s name, voice, likeness and biographical material in a way which constitutes the endorsement of a product or service, without first requiring such associated company to obtain the competitor’s authorisation.
Please contact the Championship department at championships@englandgolf.org if you have any queries.
14. Liability
Neither the Club nor England Golf can be held responsible for the loss of or damage to, equipment or personal possessions.
The contact for this competition is Malcolm Eustace (MGU)
Created by intelligentgolf version 10.1.2.
