2007 PACE OF PLAY POLICY (Revised 11/3/06)

Tips to Improve Pace of Play

PACE OF PLAY PROCESS
The AJGA Tournament Committee will designate a minimum of six (6) holes on the course as timing checkpoints. A volunteer will be stationed at each timing checkpoint and signal each group with a color-coded card (green or red) indicating a group's position on the course. Penalties will be confirmed with groups by an AJGA Tournament Committee member and verified in the scoring tent. It is the responsibility of the player to know which color cards they receive at all checkpoint holes.

OVERALL TIME PAR
Overall time par is the amount of time in which the AJGA Tournament Committee expects all players to complete a round. This will be expressed on a per hole basis and an overall time for 18 holes. In part, time par is established with the understanding that 45 or more seconds is excessive to play a shot without distractions.
• A group's time begins when a member of the group has played a stroke from his starting teeing groung.
• Checkpoint times are measured when the flagstick is replaced in the hole after all players in the group have holed out.
• The AJGA Tournament Committee may adjust time par between tournament rounds.

OUT OF POSITION
“Out of position” is defined as:
• Failure to complete the hole being played before the group immediately ahead has completed the hole which follows the timing checkpoint.
• When a checkpoint hole precedes a par 5, failure to complete the checkpoint hole before the group immediately ahead has made a stroke from the putting green.
• When a checkpoint hole is followed by a par 3, failure to complete the checkpoint hole before the group immediately ahead has completed the par 3 and teed off and walked forward of the teeing ground of the next tee.
* The first group(s) of the day is judged only against time par.

TIMING CARDS
Volunteers stationed at each checkpoint hole will signal the group according to their position on the course.
• Green card (No Penalty): The group is in position AND/OR within overall time par throughout that checkpoint.
• Red card (Warning): The group is out of position AND behind overall time par through that checkpoint.

PENALTIES/BAD TIMES
• Bad times: A player has recorded a bad time when he has taken in excess of 45 seconds to play a shot once it is his turn to play and there are no distractions. Players will be notified of the number of bad times they have committed when they receive their first red card.
• Multiple red cards: A one-stroke penalty per card may be assessed to each member in the group if the group receives back-to-back red cards. The one stroke penalty will be assessed to any player with multiple bad times (minimum of three).
• * A penalty stroke is added to the hole where the infraction is incurred. Penalties will be confirmed with the group by an AJGA Rules Official and verified in the scoring area.

UNDUE DELAY

• If a player records five (5) bad times during the round, they will receive a one-stroke penalty for undue delay.
• The player will receive another penalty stroke if they record two (2) or more additional bad times.

RESCINDING A RED CARD
A red card can be rescinded in three ways:
1. Group is in position with the group immediately ahead through next checkpoint.
2. Group is on or below overall time par through next checkpoint.
3. Group gains one minute on time par from red card checkpoint to following checkpoint or final hole.

• A group will be presented with a green and a red card if they play checkpoint to checkpoint or to final hole gaining one minute on time par, but are still "Out of Position" AND behind overall time par through that checkpoint.
• Timing will begin when the flagstick has been replaced in the hole of the checkpoint hole.

FACTORS IN DETERMINING TIME PAR
Listed are factors the AJGA takes into consideration in creating a fair time par at each event:
• Difficulty and length of course
• Walks between holes
• Conditions of competition
• Pace of play history for course

The AJGA reserves the right to adjust the Pace of Play Policy.

PACE OF PLAY TIPS

The following tips will enhance your tournament experience and can keep your group from receiving a red card during your round.

• Show identifying marks on your golf ball to fellow competitors.
• Get your yardage before it is your turn to play.
• Read your putt before it is your turn to play.
• Recognize when someone will need the flag tended or your ball marked.
• Get to your next shot without delay. It is more important what you do between shots than during.
• Be aware of who is away. If you're not sure, ask.
• Know where your group is in relation to the group in front of you.
• Anyone can search for a lost ball. Have your parents and spectators one shot ahead of your group to spot errant shots.
• If a ball is not found after a brief search, the fellow competitors should go forward and play their shots to the green and let the player and spectators continue the search.
• If your ball might be lost outside a water hazard or out of bounds, play a Provisional Ball (Rule 27-2).
• If a situation arises and you do not know how to proceed, play a second ball under Rule 3-3 and continue play (stroke play only). You must report the facts to the AJGA staff afterwards regardless of score.
• Place golf bag off the putting green near the next teeing ground. This avoids holding up the following group to hit while a player retrieves their golf bag from the front of the green.