Mile High A League

League Rules

Revision 01/21/17

MILE HIGH “A” LEAGUE RULES

  1. The following six country clubs have agreed to form the Mile High “A” League for the purpose of conducting a women’s amateur team competition with emphasis on social competitive golf: Cherry Creek CC, Cherry Hills CC, Columbine CC, The Club at Rolling Hills, Lakewood CC, & Denver CC. Each club compiles one team. It is the intention of all member teams to allow only six teams in this League, as all teams prefer to play a home and away Match against each team each year. If a country club withdraws from the League, the League will open the position up to other country clubs and the selection of the replacement club will be made by a Team Captains’ vote, one vote per club. The definitions utilized in this document are described by the USGA and/or the CWGA.
  1. Matches will consist of playing each club twice during a calendar year: once at home and once away from home. The first half of the matches will be scheduled for April, May, and June while the second half will be scheduled for August, September, and October. All matches will be scheduled on Thursday mornings with a shotgun start at 8:30am (balls in the air at 8:30 am). Due to course availability, some Matches may need to be played on other days of the week. This scheduling will be done at the discretion of the respective Team Captains.
  1. For each Match, a club will be represented by a team of 12 women amateur* players. A Match* will be played between the teams of 2 clubs, playing six (6) four-ball matches. Each match will be scored by points. Each hole is worth one (1) gross point and one (1) net point. One point will be given for a win, ½ point for a tie, and 0 for a loss. Players in each four-ball match* play all 18 holes. At the end of 18 holes, the points are totaled separately for both gross and net points and each team is credited with the number of points won.

* Amateur status – Must be an amateur golfer to compete in the Mile High “A” League, or a former professional golfer that has relinquished her “perks” of being a professional golfer and has applied for and gotten her amateur status back (Reinstated Amateur), in accordance to CWGA & USGA Rules.

*The word “Match” is used when referring to competition between 2 clubs; “match” is used when referring to a four-ball match.

  1. Traveling plaques will be awarded on an annual basis honoring the League winners. Each team will contribute equally towards the purchase of plaques and engraving. Championship plaques will be awarded to the team with the highest gross points and to the team with the highest net points. One team cannot win both the Gross and Net Championships. If this is the case, the winning team takes the Gross Championship and the team with the second highest net points wins the Net Championship. In the event that there is a tie (either for the Gross or Net Championship Title), follow the rules below:
    1. Head to Head – The two teams that tied (for either gross or net points) would total the corresponding points from their head to head four-ball matches from the Spring and Fall. The team that has the most points (gross or net), wins the Championship Title. If there is still a tie, then proceed onto B.
    2. The two teams will figure the total number of Team Matches won (either gross or net depending upon which title that they are in contention for) for the Spring and Fall, counting a win as 1 point, a tie as ½ point, and a loss of 0 points. A Team Match constitutes the total team, not the individual 6 matches within a Team Match. There are 10 total possible points that can be generated for the Team Matches. The team with the most points is awarded the Championship Title. If there is still a tie, then proceed onto C.
    3. The two teams will figure the total number of Individual matches won within each Team Match (either gross or net depending upon which title that they are in contention for) for the Spring and Fall, counting a win as 1 point, a tie as ½ point, and a loss of 0 points. There are 6 Individual matches for a single Team Match. There are 60 total possible points that can be generated for the Individual matches for an entire season. It is important for the captains to retain their spreadsheets for each Match for the entire season, until the winner is determined. The team with the most points is awarded the Championship Title.
  1. There will be twelve (12) ladies per team paired together playing in six four-ball matches.
  1. To be eligible, a team player and any substitute player must be an amateur female golfer, must be a member of her club’s ladies group, and must be over 25 years of age unless she is a club member’s spouse. A player must have an established USGA Handicap Index and a minimum of five (5) 18-hole scores posted on her club’s course during the prior 12 months, exceptions may be made for new club members with regard to the number of scores posted at her club’s course. All players must play to a Handicap Index not exceeding 24.9. If a player’s Handicap Index is higher she may play, but must use the Handicap Index of 24.9. If a Team Captain is unable to fill all twelve positions for a club Match, she must notify the other Team Captain as a soon as possible. A player will play alone in the case of last minute partner unavailability or “no shows”. Score cards will be redone to accommodate changes according to our League Rules (Refer to #8) before 10pm the night prior to a match. Any changes beyond this time will be up to the discretion of the host team’s pro shop and captain. If time permits and both the host team’s pro shop and captain are able to create a lineup in accordance with Rule #8, they can do so but they also have the right to do the cards resulting in the fewest number of card and player changes, in order to limit disruption.

 

  1. If a club team cannot play a scheduled Match with another club during the season, all four-ball matches played and points involving that club will be eliminated from League scoring for the season.

 

  1. Before each club Match, the Team Captain will pair her available 12 players according to their Handicap Index. The player with the lowest Handicap Index must play in the first position (first four-ball match). The next 5 lowest index players must play in positions 2-6 within the first three four-ball matches (paired by the Team Captain in any order). The last 6 players with the higher Handicap Indexes must play in the last six positions within the last three four-ball matches and are paired in any order at the Team Captains’ discretion. The lowest handicap player within each four-ball match shall play at scratch and each of the other three players are allowed the full difference in course handicap, taking the strokes where they fall on the card. Home Team Captains shall make up the score cards for each match, marking the holes where strokes fall for each player. For changes in the lineup after it has been released to the other team, please refer to #6 Rule.

  1. For each club Match, the teams must use the most current CWGA Handicap Revision for players’ Handicap Indexes to determine the home course handicaps, as opposed to using home course trends. USGA Four-Ball Match Play Rules shall apply. New Handicap Revisions will only be applied to the match if they are posted greater than 2 days prior to a match. Matches scheduled within 2 days after a handicap revision will use the prior revision handicaps.
  1. The League Coordinator will be a representative from the club hosting Play Day for the following season. She does not have to be a Team Captain, but could be another team member from that club so long as she is approved by the other Team Captains. The League Coordinator will call a meeting of all Team Captains at the end of each playing season (Nov, Dec, Jan) for the purpose of scheduling Matches for the following year and to discuss any other issues.
  1. The League Coordinator is responsible for: chairing meetings, preparing meeting agendas, taking minutes during the meetings, preparing the upcoming year’s schedule, updating League Rules as agreed by Team Captains, mailings as necessary and organizing Play Day. Phyllis Emrich (phyllis.emrich@gmail.com) currently keeps a spreadsheet of weekly match points and posts team standings on the website (www.milehighaleague.com)
  2. Each team should select a Team Captain by any method of its choice. It is the responsibility of each Team Captain to find out before the Fall Team Captains’ Meeting when her course is not available for next year’s Team Matches on Thursdays between April and September. The Home Team Captain must contact the Visiting Team Captain on the Tuesday prior to each Match by 4:00 p.m. to exchange the team rosters, pairings and Handicap Indexes for that Thursday’s Match. Score cards should be made up by the Home Team Captain, marking the holes where strokes fall for each player (lowest Handicap Index player in each match plays at scratch). The Home Team Captain is also responsible for figuring the new course handicaps based on the SLOPE system. Both Home and Away Team Captains are responsible for reporting the scored points for each Match on the website (www.milehighaleague.com) under the tab, “Team Standings” in the Reply box. The results should be posted within 24 hours of the Match played or points may be forfeited by the non-reporting team. If a Match is postponed due to inclement weather, please notify Phyllis Emrich by leaving a reply on the website in the Reply box under the “Team Standings” tab.
  3. As a courtesy to the host club, it is desirable for as many players as possible to stay for lunch following matches.
  1. All four-ball matches are expected to be played in four hours. Players should pick up when they are out of the hole and record their score most likely made for that hole (not necessarily the player’s maximum).
  1. All players are expected to keep pace with the group in front of them. When players in a match fall behind, they must speed up their pace of play. If these players are not able to catch up with the group ahead of them and fall more than a hole behind, then all four players must pick-up their balls, split the points for the hole and move to the next tee box. Each hosting team’s Golf Pro Shop staff is strongly encouraged to be visible on the course to provide slow play warnings or notifications to skip and half a hole to keep pace of play within 4 hours.
  1. All clubs will provide practice balls free of charge for the visiting team.
  1. All team members will ride in carts as a courtesy to all clubs. Team members must sign for carts.
  1. If play during a Match is stopped due to weather conditions before completion of thirteen holes, the entire 18 holes shall be replayed by the two teams at a later date. If thirteen holes or more have been completed prior to play being stopped, the remaining holes shall be halved. The two Team Captains involved shall determine whether to stop play in a Match by mutual agreement. The Home Team Captain will make decisions on cancellation of a Match up to and including the evening prior to the Match, with said Captain staying in close contact with the Visiting Captain. Contact will be made by phone call or text (not e-mail). If there is inclement weather on the day of play, play will occur if the home course is open.
  1. If Matches need to be rescheduled due to course conditions, inclement weather or other circumstances, the involved Team Captains shall determine a new date for the cancelled Match at their discretion. All Matches must be played by the final Fall makeup date.
  1. Players’ four-ball match scores shall be posted by their respective Team Captains for handicap purposes and shall be posted as regular scores, not tournament scores.
  1. So that these scores may be honestly posted for the handicap purposes, the rules for posting scores for match play as determined by the CWGA shall be followed. In order to speed up play, a player shall pick-up when the hole has been decided by her partner or opponent, and the score most likely made (not necessarily the player’s maximum) should be recorded as the score for the hole.
  1. USGA Rule 30-3.a. BEST-BALL AND FOUR-BALL MATCH PLAY – Representation of Side: A side may be represented by one partner for all or part of a match; all partners need not be present. An absent partner may join a match between holes, but not during play of a hole. If a player must leave the match for any reason she may return to the match at the start of any hole (following the above stated rule), unless the player leaves the golf course property. Once a player leaves the golf course property, she can no longer return to the golf match.
  1. The dress code for all Matches shall conform to CWGA guidelines and our respective Club guidelines. No denim fabric of any color may be worn during team matches.
  1. Cellular phones will be allowed on the course during team matches, but ONLY if they are turned OFF or on SILENT mode to avoid unfair distractions to other players. If playing at a club which does not allow cellphones on the premises, players shall follow the host club’s policy.

 

  1. Each team shall pay $125.00 annual dues to belong to the Mile High “A” League. The dues will be payed to the club hosting Play Day for that season. We are keeping the cost of Play Day between $50-$65 per person.
  1. Rangefinders: will be permitted to measure distances only, not elevation changes, wind speed, etc. The information obtained from these devices is public information and may be shared with players in the match to speed up play.
  1. The Play Day Timeline is as follows:
    • 2017 Cherry Hills CC
    • 2018 Denver CC
    • 2019 The Club @ Rolling Hills
    • 2020 Lakewood CC
    • 2021 Columbine CC
    • 2022 Cherry Creek CC
  1. Format for All Star Day:

Two teams compete from these 2 country club leagues: The Mile High “A” League (Cherry Hills, Cherry Creek, Columbine, Rolling Hills, Lakewood, and Denver) and the Challenge League (Boulder, Glenmore, Hiwan, Pinehurst, Pinery, and Valley). Each league compiles a team of 12 players. These two teams compete once a year, traditionally on the Thursday after the Mile High “A” League’s Play Day (usually the first Thursday in October … possibly playing an earlier date in the season to get more participation and not be at the mercy of the weather)

  • Ideally the 2 lowest handicap players from each club compose their league’s team of 12. This isn’t always feasible so we typically try to get 2 lower handicap players from each club to participate; or frequently, some clubs need to bring more than two players in order to have a complete team of 12 players. In the past, the Mile High “A” League has had to rely on other players from the Challenge League to complete a team. We have decided as a League that we will do whatever is necessary to use our own players (taking 4 from one club, taking 1 from another, etc.).
  • No prizes are needed. There is a travelling trophy.
  • The format is four-ball match play, a similar format that we use for our Mile High “A” League matches all season except in the All Star competition we only compete for gross points, not net points (all six four-ball matches are played at scratch). Each hole is worth 1 point and a tie is 0.5 point. All points are totaled for each team to decide the winner. See the Mile High “A” League Master Sheet for history of winnings.
  • Price for the event typically includes a continental breakfast, lunch, possibly an adult beverage, greens fee (typically waived like we do for our Matches) and cart fee (may be separately billed at the discretion of the hosting club). The venue/theme is up to the hosting club and does not need to be extravagant. This is strictly a fun event and an opportunity to play with some of the best golfers in the state. We are trying to keep this low key. Past fees were $50–$75.
  • Pairings: each League Captain submits her lineup. The players for each team are paired anyway she sees fit. The Captain shall not pair any two players from the same club together. This competition is an opportunity to play with other women from different clubs. During the All Star Day, it is fun to be paired with a former Mile High “A” League opponent and play on the same team.
  • The Captain from the Challenger League is Nancy Ziereis (nzids@aol.com). The All Star Captain for the Mile High “A” League shall be the Captain for the team hosting the Mile High “A” League Play Day for that year (2016 All Star League Captain is the Team Captain from Cherry Creek Country Club). This position is to be rotated each season in accordance with the Play Day Timeline set forth in these Rules. All right reserved.