To Players in the 2009 Golf Capital of TN Women’s Open

PACE OF PLAY POLICY
Rule 6-7 states, in part, “The player must play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guidelines that the Committee may establish” and thereafter prescribes penalties for slow play.  In order to prevent any such penalty we suggest that, as a contestant in a Tennessee Golf Association event, you review carefully the following guidelines.

ALLOTTED TIME
When play is in groups of three or four groups will be required to play at no more than a 4 hour and 30 minute pace for eighteen holes.  Please see time chart above.

DEFINITION OF “OUT OF POSITION”
The first group to start will be considered out of position if, at any time during the round, the group is behind the prescribed schedule as detailed on the attached Pace of Play Time Chart.

Any following group will be considered out of position if it is (a) taking more than the allotted time to play AND (b) reaches the tee of a par 3 hole and the preceding groups has cleared the next tee, fails to clear the tee of a par 4 hole before the preceding group clears the putting green, OR arrives at the teeing ground of a par 5 hole when the preceding group is on the putting green.  Both (a) and (b) must apply for a group to be out of position.

GROUP OUT OF POSITION
If a group is out of position, the players in that group may be monitored and timed.  Anytime a group is to be monitored and timed a Rules Rover will notify them of such timing.  The notification by the Rules Rover will be made immediately after all players complete their tee shots on the hole where the monitoring will begin.

TIMING
A group may be monitored and timed for compliance with this pace of play guideline if it is “out of position.”  When a group is “out of position,” a player in the group isexpected to play any stroke within 40 seconds.The timing of a player’s stroke will begin when they have had reasonable opportunity to reach their ball, it is their turn to play and they can play without interference or distraction.

Except on the putting green, if a player has reached their ball, it is their turn to play and there are no distractions, timing will begin after than have had reasonable time to select their club.  Time spent walking backward or forward for determining yardages will count as part of the time taken for the next stroke.

On the putting green, the timing will begin after a player has been allowed a reasonable amount of time to lift, clean, and replace their ball, repair their ball mark and other ball marks on their line of putt and remove loose impediments on their line of putt.  Time spent looking at the line from beyond the hole and/or behind the ball will count as part of the time taken for the next stroke.

 PACE OF PLAY PENALTIES

The following are the penalties, in sequence, for any player in a group out of position who takes more than 40 seconds to play a stroke when it is their turn to play.

One bad timing of more than 40 seconds- Warning
A second bad timing- 1 penalty stroke
A third bad timing- 2-stroke penalty
A fourth bad timing- Disqualification

Note: If the group in question regains its proper position, any previous timings of more than 40 seconds will be carried over for the remainder of that round in the event that group requires additional monitoring.

RULINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTS

If a ruling or some other legitimate delay occurs which causes the group in question to lose its position, that group is expected to regain its position within a reasonable time.