Richmond Golf Channel Am Tour 2015 Update #5

Only 33 days before the 1st local tournament will be played in the Northeast Region.
Are you registered for the Glen Allen Open @ Hunting Hawk?

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Mary Allen
Troy Carter
PonJola Coney
Robert Nolte


REFERRAL PROGRAM
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Ends Feb. 28, 2015

HAVE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOLLOW 3 STEPS:

1.) Visit www.gcamtour.com/join and click on the "JOIN NOW" Button
2.) Complete the MEMBER REGISTRATION Form
3.) Include your Full Name and Local Tour City in the "Referred by Member" Field

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2015 MAJORS SCHEDULE
As many of you are already aware of, the MAJORS fill up VERY FAST, so don't hesitate signing up as soon as they open.
The Fords Colony Major is Full, but don't be discouraged to register for it if you want to compete in it. It has a very short waiting list and historically several players drop out before tournament day. Being near the top of the list and local, greatly enhances your chances of getting in. There are about 12 spots left for the Major in Ocean City at Glen Riddle, and these are 2 Great Courses. The Homestead Major is already about half Full in just 2 weeks of being open.
If you have any thought of playing in the Major at Pinehurst, registration opens at 12 noon 03/02/2015. Have your registration already filled out and ready to hit the Submit button the second that it opens. It sold out in 2 minutes last year..
For a Complete List of the 2015 Majors click on the Link below.

2015 MAJORS

NEW LOOK
The Tournaments will take on a NEW LOOK this season with the re-branding of New Presenting Sponsor Srixon

PACE of PLAY

Every Golfers NIGHTMARE, regardless of handicap or skill level is a 5-6 hr round of golf,
On the RICHMOND GOLF CHANNEL AM TOUR, we are very committed to maintaining a Pace of Play that is acceptable to the participants of our tournaments as well as that of the courses we play. We have experienced these Slow Rounds in the past, some due to the fact of the course being crowded and slow before our tournament began and some due to slow play on our part. We have also had the pleasure of playing Competitive Tournament rounds in under 4 hrs, which made for a much enjoyed and lower scoring tournament.
A well maintained Pace of Play Tournament can ONLY take place with the commitment and dedication of each individual player. 
 With that in mind, WE (The Members, Players and Staff) of the RICHMOND GOLF CHANNEL AM TOUR , have Developed, Formatted and put into Practice, a Guideline of Helpful Hints and Practices that hopefully will develop into habits to insure that a well maintained Pace of Play will be the Standard of ALL of our Tournaments.....................AND IT HAS!!! 

Pace of Play Helpful Hint #1
ON the TEEING GROUND

1.) Always be on time and prepared to play.

2.) Choose the teeing ground that best matches your
ability. Don’t let your ego ruin your round of golf,
lower scores are more enjoyable than BIG tee s h o t s .
Tees will be set up by the Tournament Di rector
based on handicap pairings and in no way reflect any
one's ability to play. Our Tournament results are
printed Nationally and lower scores are
much more appealing to view beside your name. Tees
are also selected in accordance with what you would
be competing from at the National Tournament.

3.)* ALL Members of the pairing go up on the tee box
 together and be prepared to hit their tee shots and 
watch each others ball

4.) Always be aware of your safety and the safety of
others, wait until the group ahead of you is out of range
of your BEST shot. Be sure you are well away, from
others before taking practice swings, and always stand
on the same side as the ball when watching someone
hit.

5.) Stay silent and still while others in your group are
teeing off.

6.) Avoid taking divots with practice swings on the teeing
ground.

7.) “Honors” should be recognized and maintained at all
times. (SEE RULE 10/2 in the USGA Rules of Golf)

8.) The “Richmond Golf Channel Am Tour” version of Ready Golf is: 
BE READY TO PLAY WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN!

* NOTE for #3
In operating over 200 local tournaments, working more than 50 Majors and 10 National tournaments I still see this scenario take place:
Carts pull up to the tee, the group ahead is still in the fairway and no one goes up on the tee until the fairway is clear. Finally 1 player gets out and walks up to the tee with his yardage device, then goes back and selects a club and goes back to the tee. After he has played his shot Player #2 goes through the same routine and then copied by Player #3 and #4. Their total time on the tee box (after the fairway is clear has been close to 5 minutes). If ALL players had of already gotten their yardage information and been on the tee together in order to play their shot when it was their turn, their time on the tee, when clear would have been about 2 minutes less.
Were they slow in playing their shots? NO.
But the time wasted in being ready to play is what players don't realize as a bad habit. Multiply it by 18 holes.


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WEEKLY RULES SECTION
We have covered most of the probable rules that you will encounter during not only your tournament rounds, but your open rounds as well, such as;
Water Hazards
Lateral Water Hazards
Out of Bounds
Immovable Obstructions

This week we will review one that is VERY important and will come up often.

What to do............WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!

Rule 3-3

3-3. Doubt As To Procedure

a. Procedure

In stroke play, if a competitor is doubtful of his rights or the correct procedure during the play of a hole, he may, without penalty, complete the hole with two balls.

After the doubtful situation has arisen and before taking further action, the competitor must announce to his marker or fellow-competitor that he intends to play two balls and which ball he wishes to count if the Rules permit.

The competitor must report the facts of the situation to the Committee before returning his score card. If he fails to do so, he is disqualified.

Note: If the competitor takes further action before dealing with the doubtful situation, Rule 3-3 is not applicable. The score with the original ball counts or, if the original ball is not one of the balls being played, the score with the first ball put into play counts, even if the Rules do not allow the procedure adopted for that ball. However, the competitor incurs no penalty for having played a second ball, and any penalty strokes incurred solely by playing that ball do not count in his score.

b. Determination of Score for Hole
(i) If the ball that the competitor selected in advance to count has been played in accordance with the Rules, the score with that ball is the competitor’s score for the hole. Otherwise, the score with the other ball counts if the Rules allow the procedure adopted for that ball.

(ii) If the competitor fails to announce in advance his decision to complete the hole with two balls, or which ball he wishes to count, the score with the original ball counts, provided it has been played in accordance with the Rules. If the original ball is not one of the balls being played, the first ball put into play counts, provided it has been played in accordance with the Rules. Otherwise, the score with the other ball counts if the Rules allow the procedure adopted for that ball.

Note 1: If a competitor plays a second ball under Rule 3-3, the strokes made after this Rule has been invoked with the ball ruled not to count and penalty strokes incurred solely by playing that ball are disregarded.

Note 2: A second ball played under Rule 3-3 is not a provisional ball under Rule 27-2.

Never Hesitate to invoke Rule 3-3 if you are unsure as How to Proceed.
Make sure You announce your intentions to invoke Rule 3-3.
Make sure to announce which ball you want to count as your score.
Play BOTH balls completely through the hole and record both scores.
Bring it to the attention of the Committee at the Scoring Table.


ANSWER to Last Weeks Rules Quiz


In Stroke play, a Players ball lies in a Hazard. The Ball moves as a result of his removal of a small acorn, lying in the Hazard. The Ball is replaced before a Stroke is made.
What is the Ruling?

A.) There is a One Stroke Penalty
B.) There is a Two Stroke Penalty
C.) There is a total Penalty of Three Strokes

The CORRECT ANSWER is B
There is a Two Stroke Penalty

13-4/15

Ball in Hazard Moves When Loose Impediment Removed

Q. In stroke play, a competitor's ball is in a hazard. He removes a loose impediment in the hazard that causes his ball to move. What is the ruling?

A. As a single act resulted in two Rules being breached (Rule 13-4 and Rule18-2a), in equity (Rule 1-4), a single penalty is applied. Therefore, the competitor incurs a two-stroke penalty under Rule 13-4 and the ball must be replaced (Rule 18-2a). If the ball is not replaced before the competitor makes his next stroke, the failure to replace the ball is considered a separate act and he incurs an additional penalty of two strokes under Rule 18-2a.

THIS WEEKS RULES QUIZ

A player does not remove his ball-marker when he replaces his ball on the putting green and the wind moves his ball to a new position; he must replace his ball.

TRUE or FALSE

Reply to gfrancis@gcamtour.com with your answer