Rules

RULES OF THE MANCHESTER AND DISTRICT SENIORS LEAGUE

Respect

The League is about helping Seniors to have fun playing competitive golf against other Seniors according to the Rules of Golf. In the Rules. The Section on Etiquette is an integral part of the game – it describes the manner in which the game of golf should be played to ensure all players gain maximum enjoyment. In short, it’s about ‘respect’: respect for the course and for your fellow players. It is expected that all Clubs and Players will deal with each other with respect.

The League

1. The League shall be known as ‘The Manchester and District Seniors League’ (MDSL).

2. The League shall be open to Seniors Sections of all Golf Clubs within 25 miles of Manchester City Centre.

3. To minimise travel, the League is divided into geographical Zones.

4. The League is run by a Committee of ongoing appointees, subject to approval by the
    Annual General Meeting (AGM) each year:
- Chairman (3 year appointment
– subject to re-election)
- Treasurer
- League Secretary
- General Committee Members.

The AGM cycles between the Zones. It is an open forum for the discussion and agreement of any major changes to the League operation. All Clubs are expected to send a representative.

Membership

5. Clubs joining the League must agree to abide by these Rules.

6. Each Club will be required to pay an annual fee at the start of the year to cover the administration costs etc of the League. This amount to be decided by the Committee and agreed at the AGM each year.

7. The minimum age for players will be 55 on the day of the match.

Fixtures

8. Each Club will agree home and away fixtures with Clubs in their Zone and make every effort to complete those League Fixtures at least a week before Finals Day which is scheduled for the 3rd week in September. Failure to do so may result in loss of the complimentary round for Finalists.

9. Each Club will submit a list of its Seniors' fixtures against other Clubs with the relevant dates to the League Secretary before the end of January.

10. Each Fixture will normally be formed of a League Match (4 Games) and Social Match (4 Games).
Where Clubs are unable to field a team for all 8 Games, the Social Games may be reduced.
As a minimum, the League Match (4 Games) should be played.

11. Each Club will nominate four pairs, designated pairs 1 2 3 & 4, to represent their Club in that League Match. Social Match results will not be included in the Match result for League purposes.

12. A blank result sheet is available on the website. A copy signed by both Clubs representatives should be emailed, texted, or posted to the League Secretary immediately after each Fixture.
Results and League Tables will be regularly updated on the website.

Matches

13. Each League Match comprises 4 Games and points are on offer for each Game (2 for a win, 1 for a tie) giving a total of 8 points per Match. All Matches should be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf as regards Match Play. Unless instructed differently by the Golf Professional/Course Manager, Gentlemen should play off the ‘yellow’ tees, and Ladies should play off the ‘red’ tees.

14. WHS handicaps must be used to a maximum Handicap Index of 28.0. Players with Handicap Indexes over 28.0 may play using 28.0 as their Handicap Index. It is accepted that some players may well then have a Course Handicap on the day of over 28. A player without a WHS handicap may not play in a League Match. Handicaps for the corresponding Social Match components played at the same time is a matter for the Clubs to agree on up to a maximum Handicap Index of 54.

15. For guidance:
Handicap Index – ensure that each player has their Handicap Index on the day that you are playing.
Course Handicap – calculate the Course Handicap of each player based on the course and tees that you are playing. (NB Course Handicap is an integer.)
Playing Handicap – if you are playing 4BBB Matchplay then the Handicap Allowance is 90%; apply that to each Course Handicap to calculate the full Playing Handicap of each player. Once that you have established the Playing Handicap of each player, the lowest handicap plays off scratch and the rest calculate their shots from him/her at 100% of difference. Note that any scores not previously input electronically, may not have been included in the handicap calculations and should be disregarded for the Match. Use the Handicap Index shown in the England Golf app on Match Day.

16. Clubs may now bring in a Local Rule that allows golfers the option of dropping the ball in the vicinity of where the ball is lost or out of bounds (including the nearest fairway area), under a two-stroke penalty.
Please note that this Local Rule cannot be used for MDSL League Matches.

Social Matches should be played under the Home Club’s Local Rules.

Finals Day

17. An end of season Finals Day is held to decide the League Champion. Following the completion of all Fixtures, the top Clubs in each Zone will contest the play-offs on Finals Day. (The Committee decides the number of ‘top Clubs’ in each Zone before the start of each season.)
If there is a tie in points, the total points from the head-to-head matches between the Clubs concerned will be used. If still tied, the total Away points from the head-to-head matches between the Clubs concerned will be used.
If still tied, a coin-toss will be used to determine which Club(s) qualifies.

Where Clubs did not play each other that year and head-to-head comparisons are therefore not possible, then a coin-toss will be used to determine which Club(s) qualifies.

18. To be eligible for the play offs, a player must have played in at least two League Matches during the season. Clubs should monitor their players and ensure that only Qualified Players are included in their Team for Finals Day and ensure that a sufficient number of Qualified Players have been used in the Matches to allow for reserves to be available to play on Finals Day.
NB There is now no centralised continuous monitoring of Qualified Players during the season, but MDSL may check Finalists players records from submitted Match Sheets

19. The League Champion is determined in a better-ball pairs Stableford competition with each of the qualifying Clubs having four designated pairs. The aggregate of the scores of the three best pairs will determine the play-off result for each Club. In the case of a tie, the results of the fourth pairs will be used. If still tied, the cards of the fourth pairs will be subjected to a count back.

If still tied, a coin-toss will be used to determine the result.

Clubs unable to fully complete their fixtures

20. It is expected that Clubs will make every effort to complete their agreed League Fixtures and give as much notice as possible when changes to agreed commitments are required.

21. Where a Club is unable to field a full League Team (8 players) for a particular Fixture, and agreement cannot be reached to rearrange the fixture, despite following Rule 8, the Club should field the players that it has available. The Club should aim to provide at least one player for each of the 4 Games or forfeit the individual Games. Where Clubs have reciprocal catering arrangements, Clubs are expected to recompense their opponents if they do not field the same number of players in the second Fixture as they did in the first.

22. Where a League Club finds that for some reason outside of its control, it is unable to complete its League Fixtures, then the Committee will work with the Club to nominate other matches from the Club’s fixture list that could act as surrogate fixtures. The surrogate Club will be asked to field their strongest pairings against the League Club and League documentation should be completed by both Captains.

If a League Club is still unable to play the requisite number of fixtures, the Committee shall take into account the results of any previous Matches between the Clubs, estimate the probable scores and assign these scores to the Club once all its scheduled Matches have been concluded.

Where both Clubs agree that a Match be called off due to bad weather, a rearranged date should be fixed at the earliest possible date. If agreement cannot be reached to play the Match the Committee shall take into account the results of any previous Matches between the Clubs, estimate the probable scores and assign these scores to the Clubs once all their scheduled Matches have been concluded.

In the event of a disagreement, the matter should be referred to the Committee.

Catering

23. The Committee’s default position on match catering is the provision of pre-match complimentary tea/coffee, a 2 course meal by the home side on a reciprocal basis, with meal serving commencing before completion of all games but with timing to permit the presence of all/most players at the usual inter-club speeches, and jokes? This does not preclude individual Clubs mutually agreeing alternative meal patterns, or none, for their home/away fixtures with agreed £ compensation arrangements if required.
The Committee will continue with the 2 course meal format on Finals Days.

24. Where Clubs have reciprocal catering arrangements, Clubs are expected to recompense their opponents if:
(a) they field a smaller number of players in their home Fixture as they did in the away Fixture
(b) if meals were pre-ordered and then not taken and not paid for.

Committee Decisions

24. In the event that the Committee should be called upon to make a decision on any matter, that decision shall be final.

THE MDSL COMMITTEE

March 2022