Effective February 29, 2020
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The FSGA Championship Pace of Play Policy uses a two checkpoint system.
- Players will not receive warnings
- Each group is responsible for monitoring their own pace
- To avoid penalty, groups must complete each checkpoint hole:
1. Under the allotted time, or
2. Within 15 minutes of the group ahead. - Checkpoints will be on holes #9 and #18, unless otherwise indicated.
- All players in a group in breach of the pace of play policy at any checkpoint are subject to penalty.
Penalties
First Breach of Round = 1 stroke penalty to each player in the group.
Second Breach of Round = additional 2 stroke penalty to each player in the group.
Notification
Any group that completes a checkpoint hole in breach of the pace of play policy will be notified by an Official. Generally, all players in the group will be liable for penalty, but the Committee may specify which player or players are liable for penalty.
It is the player’s responsibility to record and include any penalties assessed on their scorecards. Penalties are to be added to the checkpoint hole where the breach occurred (usually holes #9 or #18).
Position
First Group(s) off Either Tee – The first group(s) will be in breach of the pace of play policy if they take more than the allotted time to finish a checkpoint hole until they reach (within 15 minutes) any group ahead. After they reach a group ahead, both conditions must be met to be in breach of the pace of play policy.
Position with Group Ahead – To stay within 15 minutes of the group ahead, players should never have an open hole and they should be in the fairway on par 4’s and 5’s when the group ahead leaves the green.
Concerned Players and Appeals
A player concerned about slow players in his or her group should first remind that player of the pace of play policy and encourage them to play more efficiently. The concerned player may, before or after penalties are assessed, request an Official to monitor the group.
Appeals for exceptional situations will be considered by the Committee only in the scoring area, after the completion of the round and prior to the return of a player’s scorecard. Appeals may result in one or more players not receiving a penalty.
Egregious Times
In some circumstances, a player may be timed even when their group is in position or ahead of the allotted time. If a player is being timed and takes more than 90 seconds to play a stroke, the player may receive a warning for unreasonable delay. Additional egregious times will result in penalties as described in Rule 5.6
Definitions
Timing – A group’s completion time at each checkpoint is measured when all players in the group have holed out.
Allotted Time – The “allotted time” is the maximum time allowed for a group to complete play of the course at each checkpoint. The allotted time is predetermined by the Tournament Committee and may be adjusted between rounds. Time for ball searches, rulings, and walking or travel time between holes is included in the allotted time.
Rule 5.6 Unreasonable Delay; Prompt Pace of Play states: "A player must not unreasonably delay play, either when playing a hole or between holes. It is recommended that the player make a stroke in no more than 40 seconds after he or she is able to play without interference or distraction."
