General Information
The 2022 UNMC Golf League will conduct play on the Elmwood Park Golf Course.
· The starting date is scheduled for Thursday, May 12, 2022.
· The first tee time that a team may be scheduled is 5:00 PM with subsequent tee times scheduled at 7.5-minute intervals (i.e., 5:07, 5:15, 5:22, 5:30, 5:37, 5:45, 5:52, and 6:00 PM).
· A match will consist of nine holes.
· League play will be conducted concurrently on both the front and back nine.
Each team registering in the UNMC Golf League will be required to pay a $60.00 entry fee.
The following pay table is based on the number of teams in the league.
| Number of Teams | Weeks of League Play | Weeks of Scramble | Green Fee (per person per week) | Total Green Fees | Registration Fee | Total
Fee |
| 10 | 9 | 2 | $18 | $792 | $60 | $852 |
Teams may enter more than one team for the tournament scramble and pay the additional green fees.
At the discretion of the Campus Recreation Coordinator, rule disputes may be submitted a three-member AD-HOC committee. The members of the committee will be appointed by the Campus Recreation Coordinator, none of whom will be from either team involved in the dispute.
League Rules
1. United States Golf Association rules for medal play and local Elmwood Rules will govern play.
2. Winter rules will be observed on the entire course – You may only use the head of your club to improve your lie, however, you may not move your ball more than six inches or closer to the hole. The penalty for breach of Rule 2 is a two-stroke penalty and the loss of hole.
i. If you are in the rough, you must stay in the rough.
ii. You may not improve your lie in a hazard.
3. Sand Traps – You may not touch the sand with your club head before your descending blow to the ball. This includes practice swings. The penalty is one stroke!
4. Fence Rule – If the ball is next to a fence, you may drop the ball two club-lengths away from the fence (but no closer to the green) with no penalty.
5. Out of Bounds Rule (two options) –
i. Option 1 – You may play stroke and distance. Play your next stroke from where you hit the ball last and take a one-stroke penalty.
ii. Option 2 – You may drop your ball two club-lengths away from the point where your ball crossed out-of-bounds and take a one-stroke penalty.
· The “Line-of-Flight” rule does not apply here as it does for a lateral hazard.
6. Lost Ball Rule (two options) – Your ball is deemed lost if it cannot be found after two (2) minutes of searching. You must consult your opponent before selecting a drop area.
i. Option 1 – You may drop a ball in the area where your original ball is thought to be and take a one-stroke penalty.
ii. Option 2 – You may go back along the line-of-flight to drop your new ball and take a one-stroke penalty.
7. Hole #2 at Elmwood Park GC – A ruling on this hole is necessary due to the water hazard and the conflicts that have resulted in taking strokes.
i. You must attempt to hit your ball from the tee.
ii. After one stroke, if your ball is either a). short of the water or b). in the water, then you may move the ball to the designated drop-zone and take a one-stroke penalty. You will then be lying two (2) and hitting three (3).
· There is a designated drop-zone to the left of the green, just off the paved cart path, where you must drop your ball and resume playing.
8. Nine Stroke Maximum – The maximum number of strokes earned on any hole in this league is nine (9).
i. If you have not reached the green after seven (7) strokes, then you must pick up your ball and take nine (9) strokes for that hole.
ii. If you have not reached the hole after eight (8) strokes, you must pick up your ball and take nine (9) strokes on that hole.
iii. You will be disqualified from match play for the week if you intentionally take nine (9) strokes to raise your handicap.
9. Bad Weather – If the course is open, we play!
i. Both teams will meet at the designated tee time and plan to play unless the course superintendent determines that conditions are unplayable (Call Elmwood Golf Course, 402-444-4683). However, we do have a little leeway here. They have been letting us cancel if the weather is too cold and rainy.
ii. If both teams agree to discontinue play in bad weather after 5 holes, scores can be calculated from the number of holes played. If both teams agree to discontinue play before completing five holes, the match will be replayed in its entirety at a later date. Both captains must agree upon the time and date.
iii. If both teams do not agree to discontinue play in bad weather after 5 holes (i.e., if one team wants to play & the other team wants to quit), then the match will end at that hole. All scores will remain the same on the completed holes. Play will resume on the next hole at a later date which must be agreed upon by both captains.
iv. Rainouts – Scoring & Handicaps – If a rainout occurs and a round cannot be finished, calculate your adjusted handicap by multiplying your handicap by the number of holes completed and dividing by 9.
These adjusted handicaps are to be used for scoring of that round only. You must finish 9 holes to be eligible to earn points for low individual net.
10. Disputes – If any dispute arises (e.g., on lie of the ball, a ruling, number of strokes taken, etc.), try to resolve the problem before teeing off at the next hole.
11. Short putts – A short putt (i.e., a putt with a distance that is less than the length of the club’s shaft) may only be given to a golfer by their opponent. This rule will speed up play.
i. DO NOT ASSUME ANY PUTT IS GIVEN!
ii. If it is accepted, then it should not be putted.
iii. If it is putted and missed, then all strokes must be counted.
12. There is NO PENALTY for accidentally moving your ball/marker – This rule applies both on and off the green. Accidentally moving includes:
i. Accidentally bumping/nudging with a foot/club/etc.
ii. Ball being moved by wind or something other than yourself
13. There is NO PENALTY for:
i. Double hits
ii. Ball accidentally striking yourself/your equipment
14. Ball drops - The ball should be dropped from knee level.
15. You may fix or remove loose soil, sand (on the green), and repair ball/spike marks
16. You may move loose impediments in bunker (e.g. sticks and leaves)
17. You may leave the flag stick in while putting!!!
League Play
1. There may be a maximum of seventeen (17) teams allowed in the League. The first 17 teams to submit the entry fee will be granted membership to the league. Any person wishing to play who is not a member of the first 17 teams should contact the Center for Healthy Living (402-559-5093 or 402-559-5254).
2. New Golf League members may be added to the roster at any time before the tournament round provided that they have not played for another team.
3. The Campus Recreation Coordinator will attempt to schedule teams to play an equal number of matches on the front nine holes and the back nine holes
4. The regular season will consist of a league-wide round-robin. If fewer than 17 teams are in the league, there may be up to two weeks of position play and/or a fun week scramble during the season.
5. A traveling trophy will be awarded to the regular season champion. The champion will be determined based on the league standings at the end of the round-robin (before tournament play).
6. In 2022, there will be a 2-week, 18-hole tournament scramble following the league-wide round robin. No new golfers (i.e., anyone who has not golfed at some point during the round-robin phase of the season) will be allowed to compete in the tournament scramble. Golfers must have played on a team to be eligible to compete in the tournament. Golfers may compete one or both weeks of the tournament scramble. Teams will golf nine holes during their first week of the tournament and the other nine holes during the second week. The winner of the scramble will be awarded the 2021 championship T-shirts.
Team Members
1. In order to be considered eligible to play for a team, an individual must be a UNMC or Nebraska Medicine staff member, faculty member, student, volunteer, retiree, OR the spouse/parent/child (aged 16 or older) of a UNMC/Nebraska Medicine staff member, faculty member, student, volunteer, or retiree. “In-laws” are not considered “eligible”.
2. Additionally, each team is allowed a maximum of three non-UNMC/Nebraska Medicine players on their roster. In other words, each team is allowed a maximum of three players that are otherwise considered ineligible (e.g. neighbors, friends, siblings).
3. Please contact Alec Carstens at the Center for Healthy Living (alec.carstens@unmc.edu or 402-559-5093) if you need any further clarification on an individual’s eligibility to play.
4. A team roster should consist of a maximum of 10 players. Non-regular players should be referred to the substitute list.
5. A roster of substitutes (players uncommitted to a single team’s roster) will be available to all teams. If a team cannot field four of their own golfers, they may reach out to golfers from this list. This will, hopefully, reduce the size of team rosters and allow non-regular players to participate more frequently.
a. An **exception** will be made for players whose teams have not made the tournament round. These golfers will be eligible as subs during the tournament round.
b. Additionally, any players on a team with a bye during the regular season may be used as substitutes on the night of that bye.
6. No golfer may compete in the tournament if they have not played a minimum of one round of play during the current regular season (i.e., prior to the start of the tournament)
7. The team captain is responsible for notifying team members of tee times and reporting scores to the CFHL.
Handicaps
1. Handicaps will be carried over from previous years (up to a five-year span). If you have not established a handicap in the last five years, you must establish a new handicap. If, for example, you missed 2 years, your most recent handicap will be used. Your handicap from any previous year is determined from the average of your gross scores across an entire season.
2. Handicaps will be calculated from a running average of your five (5) most recent outings. This running average will be calculated using the difference between the player’s gross score and the Elmwood Men's Par × 80%. Values of 0.5 or greater will be rounded up to the nearest whole number. Once you complete your sixth match, the gross score from your first match of the season will be dropped from your average. Thereafter, only the handicaps from your last five matches will be averaged.
3. The maximum handicap possible is 27. If, for example, you shoot a 75, then the previous calculation would yield a handicap of 33. However, the maximum handicap rule brings that value down to 27.
4. A gross score obtained by a golfer who is not paired with a competitor from the other team will not count toward their handicap.
5. Handicaps will not be computed when a player misses one or more holes and is forced to score a 9 on any hole. **This must be marked on the scoring worksheet so that the handicap is not altered!
6. If you are new to the league (i.e., you have not established a handicap), then you will not have an “established handicap” until your third match. You and any other golfers on your team without an established handicap will be required to golf in last position(s) for your first two matches. After each of your first two matches, you must calculate a “temporary handicap” based on your gross score from that match. Your temporary handicap is calculated by subtracting the par, thirty-four (34), from your gross score and multiplying that number by 0.8. You will have an established handicap beginning on your third match.
Team Scoring
1. Total points per match (10 points).
a. 4 points individual match play (1 point each match) (for each match, a maximum of 18 strokes difference will be given; two (2) strokes per hole).
b. 4 points individual medal play (1 point each match).
c. 1 point for team low net. (Based upon the four individuals net scores from each team).
d. 1 point for individual low net. (Based upon the low individual net scores from each team).
2. In the event of a tie, points will be divided equally.
3. The official handicap hole rating on the Elmwood score cards shall be used to determine match play winners.
4. In the event that a team does not show up for a scheduled match, the opposing team shall win by forfeit and shall receive:
a. 10 points if 4 members play
b. 8 points if 3 members play
c. 6 points if 2 members play
d. 3 points if 1 member plays. (Potential points – match, medal and individual low net)
To avoid forfeiting, a team must field at least one player. To win by forfeit, the team that is present must play the scheduled round.
5. If a team has fewer golfers than its opponent, that team automatically loses low team net.
6. If any expected members of a team are absent at the assigned time, players who are present should tee off first (2-2, 4-4, etc.). If a player is still absent when the hole is open, the rest of the players must begin. If both captains agree, the first foursome of the following match may tee off instead. The next group must be from the original match; no other delay is given.
7. A late player will not be allowed to start play at the first tee if any player has teed-off behind his group. The player must join his team at the next hole of play, taking a score of 9 for all holes missed. If the late member misses 4 holes of play, the individual match will be forfeited.
Reporting Scores
1. The winning team's captain is responsible for reporting the scores of a round to the League Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator before 12:00pm on the Friday following the match. The captain is also responsible for turning in the scoring worksheets. Score cards are also necessary if there are some questions on rules or scores. The worksheets should be filled out entirely (player first and last names are recommended). A signature on the bottom of the worksheet is required from both teams. Captains may deliver the worksheets to the front desk at the CFHL, mail them to the CFHL (zip 5530), or email a clear photograph of the worksheet to the League Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator (alec.carstens@unmc.edu or john.glissmann@unmc.edu).
2. Team standings and individual handicaps will be made available to the players before the next week’s round via email or the Center for Healthy Living's website (https://www.unmc.edu/cfhl/intramural/summer/golf.html).
3. Late Cards: No cards will be accepted after 12:00 pm (noon) on the Tuesday following the match. The winning team will be penalized by forfeiting all points earned that night, as it is their captain’s responsibility to turn in the scorecards.
4. Lost Cards: Teams that have lost score cards can either:
a. Collaborate to reconstruct each team’s score, or
b. Split points, with handicaps remaining the same.
Player Positioning
1. Each captain must inform the opposing captain of the handicaps of the players who are scheduled to play the match.
2. The lowest handicap of one team shall be matched against the lowest handicap of the opposing team (2 vs. 2, 3 vs. 3, and 4 vs. 4). If both captains agree, opponents do not have to be in the same foursome.
3. If a player shows up late, he will assume his proper position (if possible). If not, the match-ups will be rearranged after the round has been completed.
4. Foursomes shall consist of two paired opponents from each team. The captains shall decide which pairs will be in each foursome.
5. A player without a handicap (including new payers before their third round) will play in the last position on his/her team for that day. If two or more players on each team are playing without a handicap, position of play between non-handicapped players will be determined after the match (although they will remain in the 3rd and 4th positions).
6. If a team plays with an ineligible player, they must inform the opposing team’s captain before the match is started. If their opponent has more players that are eligible, the team with the ineligible player automatically loses one match point, one medal point and low team net. If a team does not follow the above procedure and their ineligible player is found competing for points, then the team will forfeit all ten points.
Hints for Speedier Play
From the City of Omaha Golf Division, the Center for Healthy Living & UNO Campus Rec
- Be on time
- Wait until the group in front reaches the green. For example, Elmwood has short par 4's. The golfer must hit when the group in front reaches the green, not when they leave.
- Always have the shortest hitter tee off first and the longest hitter last.
- The putting green is where much time is spent. Have your putt lined up while others are putting. Use the continuous putting rule - twelve (12) inches or less should be putted out not marked.
- Play Ready Golf when possible OR at least be ready to hit your ball when it is your turn.
- Keys to proper play = Common sense + thinking about the group behind you. Keep up with the group ahead of you. If you have fallen back by a hole or more, pick up the pace!
- The golf course is a great place for conversation. Do it while you are walking not while it is your turn, or when someone else is ready to hit.
- Save time around the green. Place your bag/cart towards the next tee (definitely not in front of the green).
- Sand traps – Bring the rake with you into the trap.
- Keep practice swings to a minimum.
- Do not hold up play by looking for a lost ball. If you can't find it after a couple minutes, then 1). Take a penalty stroke and 2). continue golfing.
- If a player is not yet in the hole after eight strokes, then that golfer must pick up his/her ball and take a 9 for the hole.