Chapter Policies

LPGA Amateur Golf Association Code of Conduct

It is the shared privilege of LPGA Amateur Golf Association, members and tournament competitors to be welcomed by private clubs and courses for social events and tournament play. As guests, all members share the responsibility of demonstrating exemplary conduct, sportsmanship, and courtesy at all times. Further, members are reminded that we represent the LPGA, it’s tour players, teachers, girls golf members and fellow amateurs’ members. The game of golf is centered around integrity and proper etiquette. Behavior contrary to this is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Any breach to the code of conduct related to the following:

  • Fellow member
  • Competitor
  • TOPS Team Member
  • Official
  • Spectators
  • Employees of the host facility
  • LPG Amateur Golf Association staff
  • Other persons conducting or attending an LPGA Amateur Golf Association event

If a breach occurs it can be grounds for a warning, penalty, disqualification, suspension or termination of membership based off the severity of the situation. Such abuse may be verbal or physical or threat thereof and includes but is not limited to; the use of obscene language, extreme disrespect to a fellow member or physical damage to property or equipment including that of the LPGA Amateur Golf Association or the host facility.

Examples of a breach in the Code of Conduct directed at entity and may result in consequence include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Use of profanity, either in frustration or directed toward another individual
  • Inappropriate, derogatory, or abusive language/gestures
  • Disruptive or distracting behavior
  • Throwing of equipment
  • Intentionally causing damage to the golf course or objects on course property
  • Use of cell phone / electronic device for purposes other than those permitted by the Rules
  • Other unbecoming or inappropriate conduct as determined by the LPGA Amateur Golf Association

Code of Conduct Steps at Chapter Level:

  • First breach = Verbal warning by the Chapter President
  • Second breach = Written warning from Chapter President (Notify National office that a written warning has been given)
  • Third breach = Member is put on probation for a 3-month period
  • Fourth breach or any serious misconduct = Suspension of membership for 6 months (no participation at social or golf events allowed at Local or National level)
    Note: Members record will be reset to first level after 6 months with no further breach
  • Fifth breach = Termination of membership

Code of Conduct Steps at Events:

  • First breach = warning
  • Second breach = one-stroke penalty
  • Third breach = general penalty (two penalty strokes or loss of hole in match play)
  • Fourth breach or any serious misconduct = disqualification

*The LPGA Amateur Golf Association™ has the authority to revoke a membership at anytime if any serious misconduct occurs.


Handicap Management

Date Approved:  January 2021

Policy Statement:  Per the LPGA standards, members in Amateur Golf Association Chapters will maintain a handicap using a system consistent with the World Handicap System (please see additional information in the References section regarding handicap system options).  The Manatee Chapter will support that requirement and will assure that members post scores in a timely manner for all events sponsored by this chapter (weekend golf, golf events, leagues).

Background and Position Statement:  A Handicap Index is a measure of a player’s demonstrated playing ability based on the most recent scores.  This index is portable from course to course and is used to determine the number of strokes a player receives on a given course.   A Handicap makes it possible for a fair game between players of different ability whether it’s in weekly league games, competitive matches, a friendly wager between friends, a charity scramble, or a skins game with money on the line just like the Pros!  A Handicap can be used to determine a target score for a round or it can be used to track a player’s progress.  Maintaining an accurate handicap is part of the integrity and ethics of the game of golf, showing respect to team members and other players.

There are 3 major handicapping systems:  GHIN, GolfNet and BlueGolf.  Each of these systems follow the same calculation methods for handicapping.  In the Manatee/Sarasota area, most golf clubs and competitive events use GHIN.  Therefore, this is the recommended handicap system for the Manatee Chapter, however, players may make their own choice based on the focus and goals of their game (such as whether you will play in any competitions or even in chapter competitive activities like leagues or special events).

Procedure (if applicable):

  1. When individuals become members of the chapter, the Membership Director will assure that the individual already has a qualifying handicap or guides the new member to the options available.
  2. For existing members, it is expected that scores will be posted to the chosen handicap system within a reasonable timeframe after each event, preferably within 48 hours.
  3. The Handicap Chairperson and the Leagues Director will audit a sample of member handicaps on a regular basis to assure that members are meeting the intent of this policy.
  4. If it is noted that a member is not posting scores regularly and timely, the Handicap Chairperson, Golf Events Director or Leagues Director will contact that member to discuss the expectations of the chapter.   The member may be given notice that they will be restricted from playing upcoming chapter sponsored events until their handicap is brought up to date.


Event Registration Cancellation and Refund

Date Approved:  November 2020

Policy Statement:  Chapter Leaders have a fiduciary responsibility to properly account for all financial activities and protect Chapter assets. There may be a situation in which a member will need to cancel their event registration.  The registrant must contact the event coordinator a minimum of seven (7) days (or as noted in the event registration) in advance of the function date to be eligible to receive a refund.  The Chapter will issue a PayPal credit or check for the cost of the event less the PayPal administrative fee. If the cancellation is less than the required time, a refund will not be issued.

Procedure (if applicable):

  1. The registrant must inform the event coordinator of the cancellation via email.
  2. The event coordinator must confirm the cancellation meets the refund eligibility requirement.
  3. The event coordinator must submit the refund request along with the supporting “paid” receipt to the Financial Director using the Disbursement Request Form.
  4. The completed form, with attached paid receipts, is to be submitted to the Financial Director via email (finance.lpgaamateursmanatee@gmail.com) or, in person, at the next scheduled Board Meeting

League and Weekend Golf Cancellations

Date Approved:  March 2021

Policy Statement:  The chapter will make every effort to display ethical and respectful business practices when establishing golf outings with the clubs where we play.  As such, it is our goal to set play days and tee times that we can fill reliably.  We respect the fact that the courses give us discounted rates to play, and we are responsible to give them adequate notice of changes to our bookings that will allow them to fill the newly open tee times.  Players are responsible for attending events for which they have registered, or cancelling in a reasonable timeframe that will have the least impact on the club/venue and on the event coordinator to make adjustments.

The chapter cutoff date/time for cancellations is 48 hours prior to the event.  Notification methods for cancelling will follow the instructions in the registration (e.g. Leagues:  contact Barb Maechtle via TEXT).

We recognize that there are true emergencies that cannot be foreseen.  The event coordinator will consider this when notified by the player.  The chapter urges players to consider a variety of factors when signing up for play dates to avoid cancellations, such as looking ahead at weather forecasts, being aware of personal appointments or family activities that are pending and considering course conditions that they do not enjoy (e.g. cart path only).

The chapter supports the goal of members connecting with a variety of other members, and although we offer the option to request playing partners, we encourage players to be open to pairings that enhance relationship building.  We do not endorse cancelling because of the pairings that have been published.

Procedure (if applicable):

  1. The registrant must inform the event coordinator of the cancellation using the method outlined in the registration/invitation.
  2. If the cancellation is within less than 48 hours of the event, or if the player is a no-show and has not notified the event coordinator, they will not be eligible for participation in the next scheduled event of that type (e.g. league play, weekend play) within the next 7 days, and will be notified by the event coordinator of this determination.
  3. Players with three (3) incidences of late cancellations in an event type (league, weekend golf) within 3 months will be removed from the roster for the next 3 months, i.e. will not be invited to play in the corresponding chapter sponsored league or weekend golf outings for that duration.
  4. The Board will review the status of player violations and if persistent violations exist, the Board may take more stringent action, not excluding elimination from play eligibility in the chapter sponsored events or withdrawal of membership.


Registering for Team Events

Date Approved:  December 2020

Policy Statement:  Registration for team events will require registering for the entire team with full cost of the event paid up front.  Teams will be required to submit names of team members and associated handicap indices at the time of registration.  The intent of this policy is to assure clarity in the registration process for team events that allows the event manager to track registration maximums targeted for that event in collaboration with the venue.

Procedure (if applicable):

  1. Once the Board determines the registration fee for a team event (such as Snowbird/Sunbird, Halloween Bash, Jingle Bell Open), the Events Director or designee will collaborate with the Communications team to set up the Constant Contact registration form for teams rather than single person registrations.
  2. The Constant Contact registration will include a total number of teams allowed based on the agreement with the golf venue.
  3. The event registration will be arranged to require the names of each team member along with their respective handicap index.
  4. The registration fee will be the amount for the entire team, not for a single player.  
  5. Like other events, cancellation and refund deadlines will be established and will apply to the teams for these events.
 

Distribution of Non-LPGAA Event Information to Chapter Members

Date Approved:  12/14/21

Policy Statement:  The Manatee Chapter of the LPGA Amateur Golf Association will distribute non-LPGAA golf event information to members of the chapter using Constant Contact.

Procedure (if applicable):  From time to time, members of the chapter may forward information to Board members about golf events in the area that might be of interest to other members. These events may be charity or giving focused or may honor individuals or groups that may be of interest/concern to other members (e.g. Memorial tournaments, local high school events, health issue related etc.). As these requests are received the following steps will be taken to determine whether to post the event:

  1. If the event is consistent with the standards and policies of the LPGA Amateur Golf Association (related to gaming, code of conduct/integrity and other policies), the Board member receiving the notice will forward the information to other Board members for consideration.
  2. Each Board member will review the structure of the event and will respond with approval or disapproval. If the Board member disapproves of posting, the response should cite the concerns.
  3. Once all responses are obtained, the President will forward the final set of comments and concerns to the other Board members for a final decision. This decision will be communicated to the Communications Director for process (if approved).
  4. The Communications Director will distribute the information through normal Constant Contact methods within a reasonable time-frame.
  5. The Board may limit the number of distributions so as not to overload members with non-chapter related news/communications, such as 2/quarter as an example.

 

Management of Payouts and Chance Tickets at Events

Date Approved:  12/14/21

Policy Statement:  In order to assist in the planning and organization of competitive events, the chapter will maintain a standard structure for prize payouts and chance offerings.

Procedure (if applicable):

For golf event winning places, the goal will be to have payouts to approximately 30% of the playing field. The actual number of payouts will be adjusted based on the size and consistency of the field. For instance, if there are mixed or men’s team options for the game and there are not enough players in those flights, flights may be collapsed and fewer positions will be paid out. The tournament planner will make these decisions when the registrations close.

  1. In general, payouts will be for 1st, 2nd and 3rd gross and low net for each flight plus closest to the pin and closest to the line or longest drives.
  2. Chance tickets will be managed in a consistent manner in order to abide by LPGAA policies related to gaming.
  3. One free 50/50 ticket will be distributed to all players in the field. Additional 50/50 tickets may be acquired by player donations during the event.
  4. Chance tickets for gifts may be acquired by player donations when offered during the event. If “Superbags" are being offered, 20 chance tickets will be included in the bag. Two mulligan tickets will also be included and will not be available for purchase otherwise.
  5. The cost structure for all tickets will be as follows: 3 tickets - $5, 7 tickets - $10, 15 tickets - $20
  6. Chance ticket donations will be managed in a consistent manner to abide by Florida statutes.
  7. Half of the 50/50 donations will be provided to two selected ticket holders, 50% each. The payout must not exceed $500 per individual.
  8. The remaining half of the 50/50 donations will be retained by the chapter and may be used for chapter operations or added to the Giving Fund.
  9. One hundred percent to the chance ticket donations will be added to the chapter’s Giving Fund.

Use of Member Directory

Date Approved:  January 2022 (by email vote)

Policy Statement:The member directory will not be downloaded and distributed for local use by members of the LPGAA-Manatee Chapter or non-members of the LPGAA.

Procedure (if applicable)/Background:

Because it would be difficult, if not impossible, to ensure that the member information will be kept and used only by members when it is distributed outside of the LPGA Amateurs Membership Directory, the directory will not be made accessible for distribution. Members of the LPGAA can access individual member information through the on-line member directory, which includes the information the members have chosen to be public (LPGA Amateurs members). In some cases, members have opted out of being in this directory and/or limited the information available. Using this directory option also allows members to contact members in other Chapters.

The Membership Directory can be found in the Membership Clubhouse, left side tab:  https://members.lpgaamateurs.com/member-directory

LPGA References (if applicable):

Three sections in the Policy Guidelines that reference providing members directories:

  • Master Membership Database:

The official master membership database (the “Membership Database”) is kept by the Association. Chapters should use the Membership Database in lieu of maintaining a secondary database of their Chapter members to ensure they are working with the most current information.

  • Protecting the Membership Database:

The Membership Database is one of the Association’s most valuable assets and is to be carefully protected from inappropriate distribution and misuse. The Membership Database is not to be provided to outside entities and is protected from unauthorized use. It is to be used for conducting Association-related business only.

  • Providing Membership Rosters:

Association members-in-good-standing have access to a member directory at all times via the Member Clubhouse area of the Association website. Chapters are encouraged to educate members on how to use the online membership directory, reinforce the policies set forth for member use and remind members to update their personal profile as needed.

  • Member Use of the Membership Database:

The networking aspect of the Association is a one-on-one design and the Membership Database is for personal use only. Members are not to use the Membership Database for mass marketing of any kind.

 

 

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