Southeastern Deaf Golfers Association
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SOUTHEASTERN DEAF GOLFERS ASSOCIATION Bylaws 1.1 The name of this organization is the Southeastern Deaf Golfers Association (SEDGA). SEDGA is a non-profit organization. 1.2 SEDGA is incorporated under the laws of the State of North Carolina. 2.1 The objectives of the organization are: A) To have an annual golf tournament in the region known as the southeastern section of the United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Western Pennsylvania). B) To provide the membership the opportunity to socialize and share their mutual interest of golf. 2.2 The following golf organizations are affiliated with SEDGA; ALDGA (Alabama), FDGA (Florida), GDGA (Georgia), KDGA (Kentucky), MDDGA (Maryland), NCDGA (North Carolina), NJDGA (New Jersey), SCDGA (South Carolina), TDGA (Tennessee), and WPDGA (Western Pennsylvania). This shall be known as the SEDGA umbrella. 3.1 Membership is open to deaf men and women providing they have reached their sixteenth (16th) birthday on the first day of the tournament. 4.1 The membership dues shall be ten dollars ($10.00) for all members payable with the entry fee as established by the host of the annual tournament. 4.2 The registration fee shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00). The surcharge of seven dollars and fifty cents ($7.50) shall go to Hall of Fame proceedings. 4.3 The registration package shall include membership dues, registration fee, greens/cart fees, and entry fee. The banquet/luncheon is optional for members to purchase. The prices in registration package and optional first should be approved by the Officers before the registration form opens online. 4.4 The registration and payment shall be collected by the SEDGA Treasurer, either by mail or online transaction. 4.5 If a member paid to participate in the annual tournament and finds that he/she is unable to attend, a refund is possible if the host is not bound by contractual agreement with golf course or caterer. The monies may be refunded except for membership dues and registration fee. 4.6 If a member withdraws or is disqualified during a tournament, he/she is ineligible to receive any prize except those, which were given prior to his/her withdrawal or disqualification. 4.7 Defending champions in all divisions are waived from paying for the greens fees. They are responsible for all other fees, though. SEDGA shall pay for each defending champion’s green fees for three (3) rounds if there were at least twelve (12) golfers, two (2) rounds if there were less than twelve (12) and at least eight (8) golfers, one (1) round if there were less than eight (8) golfers and at least four (4) golfers and none for less than four (4) golfers. This applies to all divisions. In case of ties, SEDGA will split cart/green fees evenly. 4.8 Affiliated organizations except for the host shall pay $150 (one hundred fifty dollars) to SEDGA by May 30 of each year. $125 (one hundred twenty-five dollars) will be forwarded to the host organization while $25 (twenty-five dollars) will be used to spend on miscellaneous expenses. If a club doesn’t donate, this club shall not be eligible to get any donations from the clubs when they host the next SEDGA event. 5.1 The Officers of the SEDGA shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. 5.2 Any member of the SEDGA in good standing is eligible to run for an office if he/she is present at the general meeting and he/she has played in two of the last three SEDGA tournaments. 5.3 The Officers are elected to a two-year term. Elections shall be held during even numbered year. If an Officer is newly elected, the the transition of outgoing Officer and the new Officer must happen by September 1st. 5.4 The Officers cannot be a chairman of the SEDGA event during their tenure. 5.5 The Officers must be a member of an affiliated organization and is a resident of a state under the SEDGA umbrella. 5.6 Executive Committee shall be Officers, current and next year's chairpersons of SEDGA tournaments, Ex-Officio, SEDGA Webmaster, SEDGA Scoring/Handicap Statistician, SEDGA Social Media Chairperson and have representatives from the following: one (1) member from each affiliated association; participant in the Open division, participant in the Senior Open division, participant in the Super Senior division, and participant in the Women division. Executive committee shall have at least seven (7) members. Executive Committee shall be part of the Law Committee. A) Executive Committee shall play an early morning practice round on Monday of the tournament week together. 5.7 An Ex-Officio, SEDGA Webmaster, SEDGA Scoring/Handicap Statistician and SEDGA Social Media Chairperson are on standing committee. 5.8 The Officers shall be reimbursed from the SEDGA fund for any meetings or activities that occur between the annual tournaments. 5.9 For every Officer, SEDGA shall cover the costs of one (1) practice round of golf and the admissions to banquet/luncheon awards including their guests. 5.10 Each Officer of the SEDGA is mandated to attend the tournament unless there is any reason like a death in the family, is seriously ill or is in school. 6.1 The President shall preside at all meetings; appoint committees; approve all SEDGA expenses; and make decisions with the consultation of the Executive Committee when necessary. 6.2 The Vice President shall take the place of the President when he/she is not available; chair the law committee; maintain an updated version of the bylaws; serve on the Hall of Fame committee; and perform other duties as requested by the Executive Committee. 6.3 The Secretary shall keep an up-to-date list of all members; shall keep minutes of meetings (he/she may ask a member for assistance); take care of correspondences related to the affairs of the SEDGA; and serve on the Hall of Fame committee. 6.4 The Treasurer shall collect dues; keep track of expenditures and expenses; and submit a financial report, which shall be audited by two members at the Executive Committee meeting. 6.5 The previous President shall be an Ex-Officio. He/she shall be consultant to all Officers as needed. 6.6 SEDGA Webmaster is solely responsible and in charge of SEDGA website. 6.7 SEDGA Scoring/Handicap Statistician shall take care of scorecards and handicap indexes for all golfers who played in SEDGA tournaments. 6.8 SEDGA Social Media Chairperson shall update the members via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or any other media platforms about SEDGA Tournament and any golf related issues. 7.1 There shall be two (2) meetings on Monday evening of the tournament week; Executive Committee and the general meeting. Executive Committee meeting shall run from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the general meeting shall start short time after the Executive Committee meeting (7:30 p.m.). The President when necessary may call an emergency meeting. For a more urgent matter, the Executive Committee may cast vote by email. 7.2 Executive Committee will meet to discuss pressing issues, review proposals, and prepare for the general meeting. 7.3 A non-member may attend the general meeting. They shall be given privilege of the floor but cannot vote. 7.4 Local, SEDGA and USGA rules will be discussed and clarified during the general meeting. The Host Committee shall produce and distribute the copies of the local and SEDGA rules to the members. 7.5 The order of business of all SEDGA annual meetings shall be as follows: A. Call to order 7.6 The quorum for the general meeting shall be the number of members present at the time the meeting is called to order. 7.7 All elected Officers before entering upon their duties, shall subscribe to the following obligation: “I ____________, hereby pledge to perform to the best of my ability the duties of the offices to which I am elected, and to uphold the SEDGA Bylaws.” New Officers’ pledge shall be made after the awards are given out during the banquet/luncheon. 8.1 Amendments to the Bylaws shall be by two-thirds (2/3) vote of members at the general meeting. The written proposing amendment to Bylaws shall be in the Vice President’s hands by 3:00 p.m. on Monday of the event week. The proposals can be dropped off at the registration desk at the headquarters hotel. All approved changes to the Bylaws except for Article 10 take effect at the next tournament. Members may propose changes in the Bylaws during new business at the annual meeting, which shall be referred to the law committee for action at the next annual meeting. 8.2 Tournament Guidelines and Standing SEDGA Tournament Rules and Regulations can be edited with the Executive Committee approval with the changes announced at the general meeting. 8.3 A copy of the new updated SEDGA Bylaws shall be sent to each affiliated golf organization under SEDGA umbrella by September 1st. 9.1 The purpose of the SEDGA Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor those golfers and golf leaders who have established outstanding records as participants in SEDGA tournaments and/or who have contributed exceptional services to the SEDGA. 9.2 Hall of Fame Committee shall consist of Hall of Fame Chairman and Hall of Fame members. The HOF committee shall vote their choices from the list of eligible Hall of Fame inductees. A Hall of Fame member or an Officer can nominate and explain why a golfer shall be in the Hall of Fame even when he/she does not meet the points requirement. 9.3 There will be a ballot. Hall of Fame member shall vote by picking their top three choices from the list of eligible Hall of Fame candidates to Hall of Fame chairman and SEDGA Secretary via email. The top three choices from each HOF members and officers will get points. First choice will get five (5) points. Second choice will get three (3) points. Third choice will get one (1) point. The top five candidates including ties by most points from the first round will go to final round. Hall of fame committee shall vote by picking their top three choices from the list of top five candidates including ties and the golfer who accumulate the most points shall be inducted into SEDGA Hall of Fame. 9.4 SEDGA shall reimburse the Hall of Fame committee members for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. 9.5 The Hall of Fame Chairman shall report to the members of the SEDGA at the general meeting regarding activities of the Hall of Fame Committee. 9.6 A candidate for the Hall of Fame must have entered at least ten (10) tournaments, held an office in the SEDGA or served on a local tournament committee and accumulated seventy-five (75) points to be eligible for nomination to the Hall of Fame. The committee may waive this requirement for exceptional individuals whose names may be placed on the ballot by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the committee. 9.7 If the golfer accumulated one hundred (100) points, then the golfer automatically gets in the Hall of Fame with the understanding the golfer meets the requirement of the criteria mentioned in Article 9.6. 9.8 Points are awarded as follows: Each tournament participated in - 3 points 9.9 The inductee(s) shall be awarded lifetime membership in the SEDGA and receive free admission to the banquet/luncheon annually. "Dissolution of Organization” and a statement to read “If SEDGA ceases to exist, any funds left behind are to be divided equally among the affiliated organizations. In the event of no affiliated organization being in existence, the funds shall be given to a charity with strong ties to the Deaf community." |