MIPublinx Team Play Rules

Amended 2.26.19

1. Each team will be comprised of a minimum of six (6) players and a maximum of
(10). Two additional players may be added to a team, making the maximum of
(12), if the two additional players are age 23 or less by the first match date (4-28-
2019) of the respective year. Each player (not counting the 2 players under the
age of 24) must be a paid MI Publinx member, as either a Full or a Team Play
member. Each player must be of good amateur standing. It is the responsibility
of the team captain to assure that these guidelines are satisfied.

2. All players must submit an application for membership to the MIPublinx.

i. Full members (those playing in the one-day tournaments) have the
option of submitting a hard-copy application or an on-line
application. These members are eligible to compete in Team Play
without submitting an additional application.
ii. Team Play members (not competing in the one-day tournaments)
must submit an on-line application.

3. The team roster and $1250 team fee are to be submitted to the Team Play Director
no later than April 3rd for the upcoming season.

4. Roster modifications after the April 3rd deadline are only permitted in the
following cases:
a. A team can replace a player throughout the season in the event of his
passing or in the event that the player moves more than 100 miles from
their current residence, they can be replaced through July 1st. The
replacement player needs no current affiliation with the organization;
however, they are required to submit a Team Play Application, pay their
fee and the application must be approved by the MIPublinx Membership
Committee.
b. In cases where a team did not submit a full 10-man roster by April 1st,
additions can be made up to the April 15th membership deadline. All
additions must be communicated to and approved by the Team Play
Director. While it is not mandatory to have a 10-man roster, it is
recommended.

5. The team captains are responsible for their team members adhering to the MPGA
Code-of-Conduct, including, but not limited to, adhering to the Pace-of-Play
Policy, wearing only soft spikes and all local golf course requirements.

6. Golf and the Team Play specifically is a gentlemen’s sport. All captains are
expected to deal with one another professionally, courteously, and in a manner
preserving the dignity of this game.
 1. The schedule for each division will be based upon the
number of teams competing and the necessity for multiple
divisions. If additional teams are secured, requiring
additional divisions, the affected captains and teams will be
notified prior to the start of competition. For the 2019
season there will be 11 teams competing in one division.
ii. An effort will be made to alternate Home and Away matches from
year-to-year. If seeding, # of matches or # of teams changes, this
will impact the ability to alternate all matches.

7. Play will begin 4/28/19.

8. The matches are a combination of stroke play and match play. USGA stroke play
rules will be the default rule where questions arise. The home team captain will
fully explain any local rules prior to tee times. Any disputes concerning rules
should be resolved professionally and courteously between the two captains,
using the host pro’s guidance where necessary. If the matter remains unresolved,
it should be referred to the Team Play Director.
a. On the day of a match, players may play the course prior to the match.

9. As in all match play events, a player may give a putt or other shot to his opponent;
however, it remains the responsibility of each captain to instruct his players as to
the appropriateness of giving a shot. In counseling their players on this issue,
each captain must be mindful that medal play represents one (1) point of four (4)
in each individual match.

10. A team must field a line-up of at least four players or the match is considered a
forfeit.

11. Each team will compete against each other with the same number of players;
unless one team has less than 6 players present. Examples - If a team has 6
players and the other 7 then the match will consist of 6 on 6; if 10 players on one
team and 8 on the other then the match will be 8 on 8. The only change to this
format will be if one team has 4 or 5 players and the other team has 6 or more,
then the match will consist of the 4 or 5 players vs the 6 players from the other
team.

12. Match Format:

a. The captains will exchange line-ups at least 15 minutes prior to the
scheduled tee times.
b. The price the course may charge is $25 or $30 with range balls included.
c. Once the line-ups have been exchanged, no changes are permitted. The
captains are responsible to see that their line-up is secured 15 minutes
prior to tee times.
 d. Each captain will seed his top players by numbering them #1 – #10. The
#1 seed player from each team will match the other #1 seed, as will he #2 -
#10 seeded player match accordingly the respective #2 - #10 player.
e. New for 2018. Team play will count all players in the line-up for the
matches. Full point awarded in all matches.
f. Each individual match for players #1 - #10 will be for a total of four
points: one (1) point for the front nine, one (1) point for the back nine, one
(1) point for the 18 hole match and one (1) point for the 18 hole stroke
play.
g. There will be a total of 4 points x the number of players for each team in
the match for the individual match points.
h. For the Best Ball element of the match, the #1/#2 players will team to
match the #1/#2 players from the opposing team. Similarly #3/#4 and
#5/#6 will match their respective counterparts from the opposing team.
i. Each Best Ball match will be for a total of three (3) points: one (1) point
for the front nine, one (1) point for the back nine and one (1) point for the
18-hole match.
j. There will be a total of nine (9) points for the first three Best Ball matches
and up to three (6) more points should both teams have all 10 players; (9)
more if both teams have 12 players.
k. There are a minimum of 33 points available in the match.
l. When individuals or Best Ball teams tie a front, back, total or medal, then
the point is split in half with each receiving ½ a point.
m. In the event of a tie, the match will be finished and scored as a tie. No tie
breaker for matches.
n. The home captain will complete a score sheet clearly printing the first and
last names of the players, their scores, points won and the match total.
The home captain is responsible for electronically forwarding the results
to the Team Play Director – on a timely basis.
i. ONLY use the electronic form provided by the Director or
available on the website – www.mipublinx.com.
ii. For 2019 send emails to jerry@acatrack.net
iii. When available, submit results via the website option.

13. General Protocols:

a. The home team captain must notify the visiting captain of the tee times at
least one week prior to the scheduled match; however, this notification
should come weeks in advance, as the home team captain will have
discussed the match dates with the golf course months in advance.
b. Rescheduling Matches: Captains have committed to making all
reasonable efforts to play the match on the scheduled dates.
i. If the home course is not available on the scheduled date and/or the
home captain requests a re-schedule at least three (3) weeks prior
to the date of the match, the visiting captain should be gentlemanly
and agree to re-schedule the match.
 1. However, if the request is made within three weeks of the
scheduled date, the visiting captain has the right to request
the match be played on the scheduled date at the visiting
team’s home course.
a. Please remember to be gentlemanly and use
common sense.
ii. In the situation where a captain makes a request to reschedule a
match due to player availability, the other captain has the
discretion whether to accommodate or not unless the request is
made at least three (3) weeks prior. If a timely request, the captain
must work to find a suitable re-schedule date.
1. Again, be gentlemanly and use common sense. The further
in advance the request is made, the more reasonable the
request and the more consideration it should be given.
iii. When captains are attempting to find an accommodative
reschedule date, the new match date should be decided upon prior
to the originally scheduled date.
iv. The team asking for the re-schedule has the burden of finding an
accommodative date and that team will also get the forfeiture
should the match never be played.
v. Once a new date is committed to and finalized it will be treated as
a regularly scheduled match for forfeiture purposes.
vi. All scheduling alterations must be communicated to the Team Play
Director via e-mail in order to ensure their teams rights under this
rule.
c. Postponed matches must be played no later than one week following the
regular season end date. The Team Play Director must expressly approve
any modification to this deadline. Failure to adhere to this deadline can
result in forfeiture.
d. A forfeiture of a match will impact the forfeiting team only as it relates to
the playoffs. The forfeiting team will lose the tiebreaker with any other
team eligible for the playoffs, and the team will be seeded accordingly.
i. 3.8.14 Captains voted to keep this rule 13.d as is.
e. Teams forfeited against will not be harmed.

14. Slow-Play is an issue almost anywhere competitive golf is played and every
organization has policies to deal with it. Slow play is unnecessary to compete
well at any level. Pace-of-play is a choice made by each and every player. Slow
players have just chosen to play slowly. It is the responsibility of every Team
Player to ensure that we do not create problems with our Host Golf Courses by
playing at an unacceptably slow pace. (3.8.14: Captains voted to keep the rule, as
some courses are enforcing it: all agree that slow play needs to stop).
a. When groups are out of position, play ready golf regardless of the match
play rules.

15. Slow-Play Policy: (created and accepted 2/2008 by the captains)

a. At the beginning of each match, the home captain will inform the visiting
captain of the ROUND-TIME, which is the total time within which every
group is expected to complete their rounds. Different courses may have
different timelines given the degree of difficulty. Maximum course
ROUND-TIME is 4.5 hours. Course time may be less.
i. If no time is provided, the default time will be 4.5 hours.
ii. This time applies to extras as well as players in the match.
b. Every group is expected to finish their rounds within the ROUND-TIME,
unless they are in proper position waiting on the group in front of them.
i. If a group is over the ROUND-TIME, but in position, there will be
no penalties.
1. In Position means finishing the 18th hole within 15 minutes
of the group in front (over 15 = out-of-position).
ii. If a group finishes the 18th hole over 4.5 hours and out-of-position
the entire group is in violation of the Slow-Play-Policy; however,
individual players may be identified.
1. The first group following the extras has no excuse even if
the extras are a twosome or threesome, as they will be
measure by their total ROUND-TIME, instead of proximity
to the groups in front.
c. PENALTIES FOR VIOLATORS, if a group is found to be in violation:
i. For the first violation, every member of the group will be subject
to a two-stroke (2) penalty except in the following situations:
1. Both captains agree who should be singled out and
penalized OR
2. An independent party (such as the Golf Pro, course ranger
assigned to monitor pace, Board Member independently
witnessing a match, or another granted that authority,
etc…) witnesses and can clearly identify the slow party or
parties
a. In either of the two above cases only those singled
out will be penalized; otherwise, everyone in the
group will be assessed the penalty(s).
ii. Within the same round, each additional 15 minutes that a group is
out-of-position will generate an additional two (2) stroke penalty
in the manner noted above, etc…. (There better be no etc…’s)
1. A group finishing 31 minutes out-of-position will be
penalized four (4) shots, etc….
iii. Penalty strokes should be added to the 18-hole total score and
should affect the medal game accordingly.
iv. Repeat offenders will be handled in this manner:
1. 2nd offense
a. assessed strokes at the match
b. suspended for the following match
2. 3rd offense or more
a. assessed strokes at the match
 b. suspended a minimum of two (2) matches up to and
including the balance of the season (determination
to be made by Team Play Committee and Slow-Play
Committee of the MIPublinx)
d. It is the responsibility of the home captain to report any slow-play
penalties assessed during a match when scores are reported to the Team
Play Director.
i. The visiting captain is encouraged to report offenders.
ii. The Golf Course may report offenders and their complaints will be
handled in accordance with the policy whether strokes were
properly assessed at the match or not. Their complaints are the
most serious and cause the greatest problems to our organization.
e. Captains failing to report slow-play problems are in violation of the Slow-
Play Policy and the rules governing Team Play.
f. PLAYER RESPONSIBILITY – as we are a self-policing organization each
player must make every effort to keep his group in position and every
player has the absolute right to challenge the other players in their group
or other to keep in position and to pick up the pace where necessary.
i. Even though few players enjoy confronting others, it is nonetheless
now their responsibility. Failing to do so may subject them to
potential penalties.
g. This policy will be communicated to the Host Courses to provide a second
set of eyes.

16. Rainouts:
a. In case of inclement weather, which causes a match to be temporarily
suspended, the first option is for play to continue as soon as inclement
weather has passed or the golf course is re-opened.
b. The reasonable amount of time that both teams are required to wait is 1.5
hours. If, after 1.5 hours, the weather has not passed and/or the golf
course is not open, then the match will either be called or re-scheduled.
c. It will be considered a bona-fide match once the final group has completed
the 13th hole.
i. Scoring will be done separately for each group based upon the
holes that each group completed. Every hole completed will count.
The captains will have to calculate the results of the match based
upon different finishing holes.

17. Darkness Rule – It is possible that darkness could impede a match’s start and
completion. Where darkness is a potential issue, it is the responsibility of the two
captains to discuss a reasonable “stop-time or good-light” time prior to starting
the match. Where the captains failed to discuss a “stop-time”, the default “stop-
time” will be sunset EST. (Our goal is to have players decide their matches over
the course of an 18-hole round and not a shortened event.)
a. A player can invoke the darkness rule after the “stop-time” and decline to
start another hole, which only affects their particular group.
 b. Any hole that has been started, whether before or after the “stop-time”, or
before or after invoking the darkness rule, must be completed. If players
do not realize the “stop-time” has come and gone and they continue
playing, they must finish the hole they have started before invoking the
rule.
i. Matches will not stop in the middle of a hole.
c. A Player must invoke the Darkness Rule in order to stop play during a
round. If a player does not invoke the rule, he should finish the round.
d. Once a player has properly invoked the darkness rule, play will cease in
that foursome and the matches will be considered complete.
e. It will be considered a bona-fide match under the darkness rule once the
final group has completed the 13th hole. This element of the rule and the
scoring will be the same as the Rainout Rule #16.

18. Tiebreakers for three teams:

a. The Team Stroke Play Tournament will be the only tiebreaker.

19. There will be no tiebreaker used in individual matches: the match result is a tie.

20. The Stroke Play Tournament will serve as tiebreaker for playoff seeding. The
Stroke play format will consist of each team bringing a minimum of 6 players (the
entire team is recommended) with all team players posting stroke play scores.
The lowest 6 scores will be used to calculate the respective teams total score. In
the event of a tie with another team, then the 7th score will be used as the tie-
breaker. If one of the teams that tied has only 6 scores and the other team has 7,
the team with 7 scores will be deemed to have won that respective tie-breaker.
Any team with less than 6 scores will not count. However, if two playoff
contention teams that are only tied in regular season standing with themselves,
and each have less than 6 players, then their scores will be tabulated with the
lowest total winning that respective tie-breaker; a team with 5 scores always will
beat a team with 4 scores.
a. The playoffs will consist of the top six teams in the regular season
standings. Throughout the divisional playoffs, the team with the best seed
will be the host team (we will re-seed after each round with the top seeds
having home matches (where the highest remaining seed plays the lowest
remaining seed).
21. Playoff Dates: The playoff matches will be scheduled for Sunday’s. To help
preserve home field advantage, the match may be moved to Saturday if
a. Course is not available on Sunday (or)
b. Both captains agree to play on Saturday
i. For 2019, captains must check with their golf course for any
Sunday home conflicts by 8/4/18 and communicate them to the
Team Play Director. Additionally, they must verify that their
course is available on the preceding Saturday. For 2019, we will
use the same idea. Check with home course for conflicts by
 8/07/18 (the Tuesday after the last scheduled match). Basically, a
two-week notice.
ii. If the home course is not available on Sunday, the captain has
communicated this with the Director and their course is available
on Saturday than the match will move to Saturday.
iii. If the captain fails to communicate scheduling conflict by 8/5/18,
then the first option will be to play the match at the visiting team’s
course on the scheduled Sunday date.

iv. Playoff tie breaker will be first go to total strokes and if still tied,
each team picks two (2) players to go play sudden death. It will be
total combined strokes.

22. Team fees will be $1250 per team. The money will be used for:
a. Team Stroke Play Tournament (expenses and prizes).
b. East/West Finals, including golf and dinner.
c. Other ancillary expenses.
d. After all expenses are deducted, the remainder will be distributed and
evenly split between 1) the final regular season standings (50%) and 2) the
playoff results (50%)
e. The regular season will pay up to half of the teams, accordingly (16 or 17
teams = 8 spots, 14 or 15 teams = 7 spots, 8 or 9 teams = 4 spots, etc….).
i. The regular season payouts will utilize the following scale:
1. 16 or 17 Teams – eight (8) paid spots:
a. 1st = 22%, 2nd = 19%, 3rd = 16%, 4th = 13.5%, 5th
th th th
= 10%, 6 = 8%, 7 = 6.5% and 8 = 5%.
2. 14 or 15 Teams – seven (7) paid spots:
a. 1st = 25%, 2nd = 20%, 3rd = 17%, 4th = 14%,
5th = 10%, 6th = 8% and 7th = 6%.
3. 12 or 13 Teams – six (6) paid spots:
a. 1st = 27%, 2nd = 22%, 3rd = 18%, 4th = 15%,
5th = 10% and 6th = 8%.
4. 10 or 11 Teams – five (5) paid spots:
a. 1st = 30%, 2nd = 25%, 3rd = 20%, 4th = 15%
and 5th = 10%.
5. Eight (8) or Nine (9) Teams – five (5) paid spots:
a. 1st = 30%, 2nd = 25%, 3rd = 20%, 4th = 15%
and 5th = 10%.
f. The payouts for the playoffs will utilize the following:
i. Division champion = 40%, division finalist = 30%, division
semifinalists = 15%
1. This rule was amended 3.17.12
g. All team play monies collected will be deposited in an escrow account by
the Michigan Publinx Treasurer. An accounting will be available to all
captains at the conclusion of the season upon request.
The 2019 Team Play Committee is:

MPGA.Team.Play.Rules.2019