DC Metro Tournament Rules

The maximum score per hole for players in A, B, C, and D Flights is triple bogey.

• If you are sitting at double bogey and are not holed, pick up and record a triple bogey.
• Do not continue playing past double bogey.

Heavily wooded areas, heather, prairie, or extreme long grass may be treated as a Red Penalty Area only if it is known or virtually certain the ball entered that area. Otherwise, it is a lost ball.

• Relief is taken under standard Red Penalty Area rules.
• Drop is based on where the ball first crossed into the area.
• The drop is not perpendicular to where you think the ball finished.

Lost ball search etiquette: Other players should hit their shots before helping search. The search clock begins when the golfer starts looking. If you have a minute left after hitting, you can help.

A ball embedded in its own pitch mark anywhere in the General Area may be:

• Lifted, cleaned, and dropped.
• Dropped as close as possible to the original spot, no nearer the hole.
• Played with no penalty under USGA rule.

General Area means everywhere except the teeing ground, putting green of the hole being played, all penalty areas, and out of bounds.

New member placement is not always exact, especially without an established GHIN/USGA index. To protect flight integrity:

• New members without an established index who are borderline within 1–2 strokes of a higher flight will start in the higher flight.
• Play a few rounds and the correct flight typically sorts itself out.
• Battlefield Rule: if a new member wins early in a way that indicates improper flight placement, their win may be voided and they may be moved to the higher flight.

To maintain flight integrity and manage sellouts:

• Guests are allowed to play in only one Golfweek event without becoming a member.
• Guests may register for the tour but not pay the membership fee at first.
• Guests must notify the Tour Director they are playing as a guest.
• Guests must then pay the tournament registration and tournament fee.
• Guests are not eligible for the tournament prize pot or trophy.
• Guests may compete in cash games and experience the stroke play format.

In order for the guest to garner any prize money awarded, they must immediately pay the membership fee on the tour website and show the receipt to the Tour Director before prize money is distributed. Cash games are separate and will still be paid to the guest.

Ready Golf is expected from tee to green and on the green:

• If you’re ready and it’s clear — hit.
• There should be no one waiting to play when not actively waiting on the group ahead.
• Prepare while waiting: yardage, club choice, reading putts, and more.
• Honors is an honor — not a requirement in stroke play.
• If you’re ready, announce it and play. If you’re not ready, invite others to hit.

The Live Scoring System tracks pace of play based on when scores are entered and compares your group to the group in front.

• Your status appears at the top of the main scoring page.
• If you fall an entire hole behind or more, you may receive warnings and potentially penalty strokes if you do not catch up.
• Your job is to stay caught up with the group in front.
• A group can be assessed up to 2 penalty strokes if continuously behind with no attempt to catch up.

Only USGA-approved GPS and rangefinders are permitted.

• Devices that measure slope, wind, or provide illegal advantages may result in disqualification.
• Smartphone GPS apps are allowed only for distance and score or stats.

If there is a dispute about a ruling:

• Play two balls from the point of dispute.
• Before playing either ball, announce which ball or rule you prefer if a ruling is made later.
• Record both scores for that hole and continue.
• Before signing the card, find the Tour Directors or Rules Committee for a final ruling.

• Each group must have one person keeping the paper scorecard and one person keeping Live Scoring.
• Every player is responsible for verifying their hole-by-hole scores on both systems.
• There is only one official scorecard to be signed and turned in.

• The 3-minute search clock begins when anyone starts looking.
• If multiple balls are lost, players must search for their own ball first.
• The 3 minutes is total, not per ball.
• Mark your ball distinctively and show playing partners.
• If you cannot positively identify it as yours, it is considered lost.

Spirit of the Game (Rule 1.2a)

• Act with integrity — follow rules, apply penalties, and be honest.
• Show consideration — prompt pace, safety, and no distractions.
• Take care of the course — repair ball marks, replace divots, rake bunkers, and respect course property.

Playing by the Rules (Rule 1.3a) includes Rules 1–24, definitions, and any Local Rules adopted for the competition or course.

Applying the Rules (Rule 1.3b)

• Players must apply rules and penalties to themselves.
• Deliberately failing to apply a known penalty means disqualification.
• Agreeing to ignore rules or penalties after starting the round means disqualification.

• Players must announce the brand, type, and markings of the ball they are playing on the 1st tee.
• The player must play the entire round with that brand of ball.
• The ball must be named on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls issued by the United States Golf Association.
• For example, if a player starts with a Pro V1, that player must play a Pro V1 throughout the complete round and cannot switch to an AVX or TaylorMade during play.