BID

Bidding takes place four (4) years proceeding to hosting the SEDGA tournaments. Any affiliated organization to sponsor the tournaments may bid. There must be at least three (3) members of the bidding organization present at the time of bidding. The winning organization shall pay the one hundred-fifty dollars ($150.00) security deposit to SEDGA Treasurer after winning the bid.

CHAIRPERSON

This is a very important position in which this person must devote most of his/her time in setting up the committees, preparing all the details, and execute the plans set by the guidelines. This person is a part of the executive committee during the tournament week that his/her organization is hosting. Tournament Chairperson and committee shall keep the SEDGA officers updated on the progress of the planning of the tournament on a regular basis.

TOURNAMENT HOST

1. Any group wishing to sponsor a tournament shall submit their bid at least four (4) years preceding their tournament date. Bidders must verify their intent by officially presenting a letter from the sponsor. There must be at least (3) residents of the bidding state participating in the tournament at which the bid is presented. After winning the bid, successful bidders must pay one-hundred-fifty-dollars ($150.00) for security deposit on the spot. The deposit shall be refunded to the same organization providing that all the requirements as stipulated in TOURNAMENT HOST 2 of the guideline have been satisfied.

Each affiliated organization shall host the SEDGA event in its own state. An exception can be make for a hosting organization to ask another organization for permission to host the event in its state.


2. The host must send at least three (3) representatives that are residents of the host state to the SEDGA events during three-year period, which is the year before hosting, year of hosting and year after hosting the SEDGA event to obtain the security deposit back as well.


3. The tournament shall be held three consecutive days in which the event would begin on Tuesday after the third Sunday of June. Executive Committee can approve changes in dates if needed.


4. Merchandise and prizes must be totaled at least $2,000 in addition to the total prize fees.


5. The inspection of the golf course and facilities by the inspection committee for next year’s tournament shall take place preceding the upcoming event.


6. The inspection committee shall be made up of three (3) members; at least one (1) member of current SEDGA officers, one (1) former SEDGA officer who has played in SEDGA tournament(s) in the past 2 of 4 years and if needed, an at-large member can be selected by president with Executive Committee’s approval. The committee members could not be part of the host committee, too.


7. Signing of the contract with the golf course personnel shall take place at the end of the inspection with the inspection committee present provided that the golf course and facilities passed the inspection.


8. A copy of the signed contracts shall be sent to SEDGA secretary for his/her records.


9. Each member of the inspection committee shall be reimbursed for his/her expenses by SEDGA at reasonable cost due to inflation.


10. The chairman of the host committee shall report to SEDGA President, Treasurer and Secretary how much purse will be for the tournament. If the host needs some guidance with final prize breakdown of all three or four divisions, Secretary have the formula and the chart. This report shall be audited by two members serving on the host committee.


11. The host shall report the final tournament results to the Secretary of the SEDGA. It shall also turn over all official scorecards to the Secretary on the last day of the tournament.


12. If there is no bid from a group to host the annual tournament, the Executive Committee of the SEDGA shall be responsible for hosting the tournament at a site determined by this committee.


13. The name of each golf tournament divisional shall read as “Southeastern Deaf Open” (SE Deaf Open), “Southeastern Deaf Senior Open” (SE Deaf Senior Open), “Southeastern Deaf Super Senior Open” (SE Deaf Super Senior Open), and “Southeastern Deaf Women Open” (SE Deaf Women Open).

TOURNAMENT TREASURER

This is another position not to be overlooked by the chairperson. This position calls for this person to handle fundraising to cover prizes. The SEDGA Treasurer will handle the entry fees, flight prizes, banquet, and green fees. This person shall be able to have the skills in managing the financial of the tournaments and work with the SEDGA Treasurer in making sure every expense is covered. And that the prizes shall be given out in cash, not checks, in individual envelope to be passed out at the end of the banquet. SEDGA Treasurer shall send e-mail or mail a note confirming that the golfer’s fees have been received and that he/she is entered for the tournament.

COMMITTEES

Committees are the foundation to successful tournament. The following group of committees are needed for the SEDGA Tournament; Lodging, Registration, Scoring, Program Book (optional), Banquet, and Special Prizes.

DATE

The tournament shall be held on week after Father’s Day and that the event shall be concluded on Thursday of that week. Practice round could be on Monday and the three-day tournament begins on Tuesday. The host will present reasons why they need to move to different week rather than after Father’s Day week to the Executive Board for their approval as necessary two years prior to the hosting tournament.

GOLF COURSE

1. The golf course shall be loose, not tight, and friendly. The rough shall not be higher than 2 inches in length.


2. The length of the golf course from the Men Tees shall be between 6,000 yards to 6,500 yards. The Seniors Tess shall between 5,500 yards to 6,100. The Super Seniors Tees shall between 5,000 yards and 5,600 yards. As for the ladies, the length shall be between 4,600 yards to 5,300 yards.


3. In working with the golf course superintendent by making sure that the pin placements are placed mostly in middle of the greens and are at least 7 paces from the edge of the collars. As for the placements for tee markers, they shall be set up within 10 yards of the distance maker on each tee. Also, that the tee markers shall be at least one (1) club from the front edge of the tee box and that the tee markers shall be at least 3 clubs from the back edge of the tee box.


4. The clubhouse shall have a large room for scoring center with scoreboards. This room will be a great place for golfers to relax after the round, eat lunch in, and watch the activities of posting the scores on the scoreboards.


5. The inspection of the golf course and facilities by the SEDGA officers shall take place prior to the upcoming tournament. Signing of the contract with the golf course personnel shall take place at the end of the inspection with the SEDGA officers present provided that the golf course and facilities passed the inspection. The SEDGA officers shall be reimbursed of fifty-dollars ($50.00) for their duties. A copy of the signed contracts shall be sent to the SEDGA secretary for records.

Standing SEDGA Tournament
Rules and Regulations

1. Administration of play during the annual three (3) day stroke play tournament shall be the responsibility of the SEDGA Executive Committee (EC) and a member of the host committee. Any decision made by this body shall be final.


2. There shall be three or four divisions in the tournament. They are Open, Senior, Super Senior and Women. The age for each division shall be at least sixteen (16) for Open, fifty-five (55) for Senior and seventy (70) for Super Senior. Golfers shall reach their age on the first day of the tournament in which they participate providing valid identification (i.e. driver license, state issue id, etc.)


1. There shall be at least four (4) or more women to have Women Division. If there are not enough women to form a division, they will compete in Super Senior division due to the fact they play from forward tee.


2. Golfer who wishes to play in a different division than the one selected on the registration form must inform of his/her intentions to tournament chairperson/SEDGA EC officer in which division he/she will compete in by Monday night preceding the first day of the tournament.

3. In general, the latest USGA rules apply to all SEDGA sponsored tournaments with the following exceptions:


1. Winter rules are in effect at all tournaments.


2. Instead of dropping the ball from knee high as required by USGA, we place the ball on the ground.


3. The procedure for the following additional option for hitting the golf ball into penalty areas call for the golfer to, with the understanding that a penalty of one (1) stroke shall be assessed to the score of the hole:


1. From the tee box, if the ball lands in a penalty area before the start of the fairway, go around the penalty area and place ball in the rough before the start of the fairway,


2. If a Drop Area has been established by either golf club or SEDGA’s EC, place and play your next ball from this area.


3. If the ball is lost or went out-of-bounds, please adhere to USGA guidelines on placing ball from the spot where the ball is believed to be lost or went out-of-bounds however re-teeing the ball is not permitted.

4. If a golfer uses profanity or shows disrespect for a marshal, a local committee member, or an officer of the SEDGA who attempts to give advice to the golfer on the course, the penalty is two (2) strokes.


5. Any complaint(s) or protest(s) regarding the conduct of any SEDGA member on the course must be submitted to the secretary in writing with signatures of two (2) witnesses. The Secretary shall notify those members of the EC who are nearest to the situation. If the problem is not solved immediately, the EC shall investigate and take whatever action it deems necessary.


6. Any violation(s) of USGA rules that calls for disqualification of a golfer shall instead be penalized four (4) strokes for each violation with an exception that if a golfer is found to purposely lower the score on a hole, he/she shall be disqualified from the tournament as written in USGA Rules Book. EC has the right to modify penalties it deems necessary.


7. The maximum strokes for Par 3, 4, and 5 are to be 7, 8, and 9, for the whole tournament (1st, 2nd, and final round).

HOTEL

Hotel shall be considered the headquarters of the annual tournament/lodging and that its location shall be less than ten (10) miles from the golf course. And that it has a meeting room that can hold at least 100 people.

TOURNAMENT PUBLICATION INFORMATION

1. SEDGA webmaster need the date, entry fees, information on the golf course and hotel, tentative schedule of the tournaments week, and information of the attractions in the area(optional) by first week of November.
2. The SEDGA website shall be ready before New Year begins.
3. SEDGA Secretary will send out the flyer publication thru email by February.

PRIZES

The merchandise and /or cash prizes must be totaled at least two thousand dollars ($2,000.00), excluding the prizes fees. Distribution of the prizes shall be done right after the banquet. The prizes shall be in cash only in individual envelope.

MEETINGS

All meetings are to take place at the headquarters (hotel) on Monday. Executive Committee shall meet between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in a boardroom, the Law Committee shall meet in a boardroom at 6:00 p.m. and the general meeting shall take place in the large meeting room for everybody to go over a wide range of subjects and rulings at 7:00 p.m.

BANQUET

This event, preferably, be chaired by non-golfer as first-choice. The banquet shall take place on either Thursday afternoon after the tournament ends or evening in a ballroom that shall hold at least 150 people. The time of the banquet shall begin at after tournament results in for the afternoon after 3:00 pm or as for evening at 7:00 p.m. with an optional of having a “Happy Hour” one hour prior to eating time. The awards presentation shall recognition all winners of the flights and the special bonus prizes as well (prizes for the special bonus winners do not have to be given out at that moment).

PAIRING

1. We will use shotgun format unless if there are small numbers – we will go with regular tee times in the line. It is highly recommended to have threesome in each group to speed up the pace of the round.


2. For First Round, the pairing of golfers into groups can be a difficult task and that this shall take place before the tournament week begins. Late entry can be added to groups with less than 4 golfers. No two (2) golfers from same state and organization shall be paired into a group. This goes for golfers from same regional other than the Southeastern. No two (2) women are to be paired together the first round if possible. No two (2) seniors are to be paired together the first round if possible. For last two rounds of the tournament, the golfers in same division shall pair together according to the scores they shot the previous day.


3. For defending champions from the previous year shall be paired together and tee off from first hole on Tuesday.


4. For the first round, the pairing sheet shall be posted in the meeting room after the meeting. For the second and third rounds, the pairing sheets shall be posted in the prominent places at the tournament headquarters and the golf courses by 9:30 p.m. and email all players.

SCORING

1. There shall be a “Scoring Committee” set up by the host to work the scoring system. The committee shall consist of at least five (5) volunteers; two (2) calculators, one (1) feeder (laptop computer) and two (2) scorers. Calculators are the ones that receive the scorecards and make sure all scores are correct and that there are two (2) signatures on each scorecard. The feeder is the one that works the laptop computer by feeding all the scores into data and printout the results. The scorers are the ones that post the scores on the scoreboards.


2. The system calls for all scorecards to be dropped in the “IN” box with the calculators. The calculators check the scorecard, then pass it to the feeder who shall feed the score into laptop computer and then pass it to the scorer who shall post the gross score first and then fill in score of each hole on one of the scoreboards (they are sorted out by golfers’ last names and divisions, each golfer shall have three (3) lines for all three (3) rounds to be filled out with total scores posted at the end of each line). After the calculators have done checking all scorecards, they shall help the scorers post the rest of the scores on the scoreboards. The feeder shall sort the scores and enter the proper position for each golfer and printout the unofficial result (short version) and post them on the wall. The scorecards shall be returned to the feeder to complete the scoring in the computer and create reports (long version – scoring and statistics) for Executive Officers and post the official results at the headquarters in the evening.

FLIGHTS

Executive Committee shall take care of creating the flights immediately after the second round.

PRIZES BREAKDOWN

Obtain a copy of the breakdown from the secretary of SEDGA.

SPECIAL PRIZES

In additional to the prizes for golfers, there shall be some special prizes to award the golfer’s skills. The host can decide which “contest” would suit their tournaments best; Longest Drive, Straightest Drive, Closest-to-Line Drive, Closest-to-Pin, Putting Challenge, Shootout, Skins Game, and/or Par-3 Contest. Also, Door Prizes at the banquet will light up the evening for everyone there.

PROGRAM BOOK (Optional)

1. This is the key to getting a lot of revenues to cover the expenses and some more for the prizes. In the program book, there shall be History of SEDGA, Past and Present Officers, List of Tournaments with year, golf course, city and state, winners’ names, and chairpersons’ names, Program Schedule, Welcome Letters from host chairperson and officers of SEDGA, Hall of Fame with pictures of inductees, results of the previous year’s tournaments, list of boosters (patrons), and/or list of sponsors and many, many advertisements.


2. Host shall send a draft of the program book to secretary of SEDGA for proof reading (optional).

RULING

Administration of play during the annual tournament shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee. Any decision made by this body shall be final.