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League Rules

  1. Purpose
  2. Membership
  3. League Location & Times
  4. Handicaps
  5. Attendance
  6. Match Scoring
  7. League Rules
  8. Schedule
  9. Rain Out Dates
  10. Prizes & Misc
  11. Past Champions/Results
1. Purpose. The intent is to have fun golfing with coworkers, friends, and family alongside a little friendly competition to win holes and obtain the most points. Also, drink lots.

2. Membership. Membership is open to all people. There is an initial entry fee of $80/golfer. This money will be paid by the fourth week of league. Any golfer whose dues are not paid before or during the first week will forfeit one point progressively for each week the dues are late (Week 5, lose 1 point, Week 6, lose 2 points, Week 16 lose 12 points, for a total of 78 points forfeited during the season). The money distribution is shown in Section 10.

Everyone is expected to pay for his or her own round each week

3. League Location & Times. League will be on every Tuesday evening starting the first Tuesday in May (18 golfing weeks total) The league will be playing at a variety of courses in the area. Tee times generally will be around 4:30-5:30 but the specific times will be posted to the website by Monday of each week around 4:30pm.

4. Handicaps.  If a golfer played in the league the previous year, his or her handicap will roll over for the first week. Each week thereafter, handicaps will be continually re-adjusted based upon the last 4 rounds. This will include at least one round from the previous season until a golfer has played 4 rounds in the current season. This applies to regular members and subs. Handicaps will be based on 9 holes. Handicaps will be calculated from each golfer’s score on average over par multiplied by .85, rounded to the nearest whole number. (Round up all numbers .5 and above. Round down all numbers .49 and below.) For golfers new to the league this year, handicaps are established on the first night.

For handicap calculation purposes only; Players with a handicap of 0-10 will be allowed a maximum of 3 strokes over par on any hole, and players with handicap of 11 and greater will be allowed a maximum of 4 strokes over par on any hole. There is no maximum handicap. The minimum is 0.

Playoff handicaps are calculated as the average of the best half of scores from the regular season rounds attended by each golfer (8 of 16, 7 of 14, 8 of 15, etc.). A minimum of 4 9-hole rounds are to be used to calculate a player’s handicap that is to be used for the championship round. For golfers who played fewer than 7 rounds in the regular season, his or her championship handicap will be calculated using the best half of the regular season rounds played combined with the handicap calculated from the championship round to make up a total of 4 9-hole rounds (championship round can count as 2 9-hole rounds). The championship score used for this handicap follows the same rules as scores during the regular season (3 strokes over max for 0-10 handicappers, 4 strokes max for 11 or higher handicappers). Playoff rounds are also allowed to be used for the purpose of calculating the handicap of players that played fewer than 7 regular season rounds, if necessary. For example, if a golfer has played 1 round during the regular season and their playoff handicap would be 15 (for 9 holes) based on that round, and then plays a round of 14 over for 18 holes, the new handicap would be (15+(3/2)*14)/4=9 for 9 holes, and 18 for 18 holes.

5. Attendance.  Golfers are strongly encouraged to play on the scheduled Tuesday night if possible. Therefore, as a bonus, golfers will automatically be awarded ½ point for playing their round on the scheduled Tuesday date. Golfers who employ a sub that week will not be awarded the ½ point. Also, if a golfer can make it on the scheduled Tuesday night but his opponent cannot, and a makeup round is scheduled later in the week, the golfer will still be awarded the ½ point. However, the opponent who could not make it on the scheduled Tuesday night will not receive the ½ point. Lastly, this ½ point is completely separate from the match scoring shown below. Note: Attendance points are not given during playoff or championship rounds.

Note: Playoff handicaps will be based upon your best half scores from full season (8 of 16, 7 of 14, 8 of 15, etc.)

6. Match Scoring.  Games will be individual match play with each hole worth 1 point. This point will be split on tied holes. There will also be 1 point awarded for medal play each week. This also will be split in case there is a tie. Total possible points per outing will be 10 plus the ½ attendance point if applicable. Each week a golfer doesn’t play, they will receive zero points for that week.

If a golfer’s opponent does not show up for the week and doesn’t employ a sub or doesn’t arrange to play a makeup round w/in 1 week, the golfer will have the opportunity to gain 9 points* in addition to the 0.5 points he gains by attending the match on the scheduled date. The golfer will play against himself that week. He will earn 9 points* if his score is at or below his average. However, for every stroke over his average, he will lose 1 point from the possible 9 points. A golfer playing against himself cannot earn less than 0.5 points (if he shoots more than 9 or more strokes over his average).

Golfers are expected to apply the correct handicap to the specific holes it’s given on and add up their own cards for the round. Example: If a golfer’s handicap is 5 and the opponent’s is 8, (3) strokes total will be given. (1) handicap stroke shall be applied to the hardest hole (according to the scorecard) first. Then the next stroke shall be applied to the 2nd hardest hole…and so on. Also in this example, the golfer with the 8 handicap would subtract 3 strokes from his overall score to determine the medal play points.

* The number of points a golfer who plays against his average can score is capped at the maximum points scored by all other golfers in regular matches. For example, if a golfer playing against himself shoots his average or better, but the most points won by one golfer in all other matches that week is 7.5 points, he receives 7.5 points. If he shoots 1 over his average and would have otherwise earned 8 points, he receives 7.5 points.

7. League Rules and Format.  Everyone is expected to use their best judgment on following typical golf rules. The other 2 people in the 4-some not playing each other will decide any dispute during the round. If there still is a problem, the USGA rulebook shall be followed. A few exceptions/clarifications to the USGA rules are as follows:
  • “Winter rules” are to be observed throughout the season. This means that any shot in the fairway may be moved out of a divot or a bad lie within 6” of the original resting spot of the ball, no closer to the hole. This movement should be done with the head of a club.
  • Any shot that is embedded (plugged) anywhere outside of a hazard may be lifted, cleaned and placed within a club length of the original resting spot of the ball, no closer to the hole. A ball is embedded if it sits in its own pitch mark, not if it's just sitting low in the grass.
  • Any shot in standing water in a sand trap may be moved but must remain in the trap unless the water extends through the entire trap.
  • Gimme putts are allowed, but any gimme putts given outside of 4 feet in length will count as an extra putt. This putt will not count against the total strokes on the hole. Ex: A golfer has taken 5 strokes to get onto the green and left his first putt (6th stroke) 8 feet away from the hole. His opponent, having already won the hole, offers a gimme and the golfer accepts. His score on the hole is a 7 with 3 putts. Had the gimme putt been 4 feet or less, the golfer’s score would have been a 7 with 2 putts.
Mulligans can be bought for the first shot on the first tee of a round for $5. Only one mulligan can be bought per round. This can only be done during the regular season. Money goes into the snake-eyes pool and needs to be paid before the next round begins.


The league is split into 2 divisions. The first 16 weeks will decide who plays in the playoffs. The top 3 golfers in each division will get into the playoffs. The division winner receives a bye while seeds 2 & 3 from each division play each other. The winner of that match will play the division winner for a chance to play in the 18 hole championship match for all the marbles! Seeds 4, 5 and 6 from each division will play each other to "win" the "Jean Van de Valde" Trophy in the Toilet Bowl (Losers in each match continue in the tournament, winners are eliminated). All playoff matches will be match play. In case of a tie at the end of the round, it will be sudden death starting on the first tee of the same 9 just played. In case of a tie for places in points earned at the end of the regular season the tie breaker will be as follows for all that are tied:
  1. Play sudden death holes if daylight allows
  2. If still tied, the golfer with the best score during position round/championship round vs his handicap going into the round wins
  3. Most eagles during match
  4. Most birdies during match
  5. Most pars during match
  6. Most alcohol consumed during match

8. Schedule.  A schedule will be given out before the first night of league. By Monday of each week, the course and specific tee times will be posted on the website (or emailed to golfers if necessary). Every effort will be made to play unless the weather doesn’t allow for it. If a golfer can’t make it a particular week, he can do 1 of 3 things:

  1. Arrange a time with his opponent to play the match before the next Tuesday league night. This way, both golfers will be playing under the same conditions. A golfer cannot make the round up by himself. If both golfers choose to play the match later, the round should be played on the same nine holes the league played on that week. Also, both golfers will still have the opportunity to obtain the full 10 points for the match. These rounds are not eligible for weekly prizes. A makeup round must be discussed and agreed upon (not necessarily scheduled) before the regularly scheduled round begins. A pair of golfers can't agree to make up the round after one golfer has already played his round.
  2. Find* a sub that will golf for him that week. However, each golfer is expected to find the sub on his own. Subs may play for more than one golfer, but for each additional golfer the sub plays for, the golfer loses a point in the match. For example: If the second golfer a sub plays for would have won 5 points in a match, he only wins 4; If the third golfer a sub plays for would have won 5 points, he only wins 3. Subs will pay for their round and have their own handicap but can only get a maximum of 9 points for the golfer.
  3. Not golf and forfeit all possible points. The opponent will then play against himself. See Match Scoring

* If a golfer attempts to find a sub but is unable to secure one, or the sub that the golfer secures is unable to golf, and another sub is playing for someone else, the sub in attendance will also play for the golfer that was unable to secure one. In the event that multiple golfers attempted to secure subs but were unable to, the sub will be assigned to the golfers in reverse order of the golfers’ league points. For example: Golfer A secured Sub A to play for him. Golfer B and Golfer C also do not have subs but both attempted to find them. Golfer B has 10 league points and Golfer C has 15 points. Golfer B will be assigned Sub A as the second person the sub plays for and Golfer C will be assigned Sub A as the third person the sub plays for. The point penalties outlined in 8.2 apply to Golfers B and C. If there are multiple subs, they will be assigned at the discretion of the golfers present at the first tee box. Note that all golfers must attempt to find their own subs, and correspondence with subs should CC the league commissioner or alert him when a sub is contacted. If a golfer simply asks the commissioner to find a sub for him, he will told to f off.

Note: Subs may not be used during playoff matches.

9. Rainout Dates.  There will be no rainout dates scheduled at the beginning of the season. If golf is cancelled due to bad weather, that week’s matches will be skipped. However, in the event that there are empty weeks at the end of the schedule, rainout makeup dates may be scheduled during these weeks. One rainout date will be left available for the playoffs.

10. Prizes.  Prizes will be awarded both for weekly and seasonal achievements. For those who wish to play, each week there will be a skins competition. The entry fee will cover all costs associated with this. Also, on the last Par 3 hole of each round, the closest to the hole in 1 shot will get $5. Please mark with a tee on the green. $5 will also be awarded for the lowest net score (gross score minus handicap) and fewest putts each week. In the case of a tie or no winners of one or more of the weekly prizes, the prize money carries over to the next round, until it is won. Carry overs at the end of the last round before the championship will be paid out in the case of ties, as to not have any carry overs going into the championship round. In the case of no golfer being eligible to win a prize for the round (i.e. no golfer hits the green for the closest to pin), the prize money will be paid evenly to all golfers playing in the round.

Prizes Each Week - Not Including Par 3 week
Closest to hole on 2nd Par 3= $5
Money for Skins Game= $20
Best NET Score= $5
Lowest Amount of Putts= $5
If a sub wins a weekly prize, he or she will receive half of the prize money awarded for the prize, and the golfer he or she is subbing for will receive the other half of the prize money.

Additional prizes are given for scratch eagles, net albatrosses from scratch birdies, division winners, league runner-up, and league champion.
Prizes Awarded
League Champion $100, The Carl Spackler Traveling Trophy, "The Green Jacket"
League Runner-up $40, Sadness
Division Winners $30/ea
Last Place The Jean Van de Velde Trophy
Eagle $20
Net Albatross* $10
*Net albatross receives a prize if the player scores a natural birdie on a hole. A natural eagle does not win an additional prize for a net albatross. A prize is not awarded for a player that gets a net albatross after scoring a par and receiving 3 strokes on the hole due to handicap.

If any golfer (including subs) makes a Hole-in-One, all golfers present during the round (including subs) will chip in $5 each so the golfer who made the hole-in-one can better afford to buy a round of drinks after the round.

Money Distribution
Trophy Plaque Engraving= $20
Division Winners (2 x $30)= $60
First Place Prize Money= $100
Second Place Prize Money= $40
Each Eagle= $20
Each Net Albatross= $10
Weekly Prizes (18 x $35)= $630
Total (w/ 1 Eagle, 1 NA)= $880
Total Dues= $960
Money left over from the season will be used for prizes at the championship or toward the championship dinner.

DBGL Rules Updated 4/11/2019