Rules & Stuff

2024 FIRESTONE FARMS THURSDAY NIGHT GOLF LEAGUE

Regular Season:

• Thursday nights beginning April 18, 2024 for 21 (regular season) weeks.  
  • Field Day is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, June 27, 2024
  • Week of July 4^th: we are arranging league play on Wednesday, July 3, 2024.
  • Regular seasons play ends on September 12, 2024* (We will evaluate how to make up some ground in the latter weeks of golf league (to explore regular season end for August 29, 2024).
  • Playoffs will begin September 19, 2024* (We will explore opportunities to begin playoffs on September 5, 2024).
• The schedule for the season matchups are posted on the Schedule page of this site.
• League play begins each Thursday with scheduled tee times starting at 4:30pm.
• ** New for 2024 ** In-Season Tournament:  We will be holding an in-season tournament through league play this year.  Refer to the email from Chad Bailey.
• Please make every effort to participate in Thursday night league play.  Participation on Thursday nights is important for league integrity and helps the league run smoothly from an administrative perspective.
• Requirements for league participation:
  • Thursday night participation:  If you are unable to play on Thursday night, it is your responsibility to contact your opponent.  Replies to league group e-mail communicating your plans are acceptable.
    • 1^st offense will result in a warning.
    • 2^nd offense will result in a $50 league fine.  Untimely (within 14 days) or unpaid league fines will result league memberships suspension upon final league committee review).
  • This is a pre-golf league:  If you know that you are going to miss, please pre-golf (e.g., if vacation is scheduled, plan to play ahead).  Let your opponent know of your pre-golf plans.
  • ** New for 2024 **:  Players who are unable to play their opponent on Thursday night, forfeit the right to earn the single match point (e.g. if opponent pre-plays early Thursday or another day prior and you play on Thursday night, your opponent cannot earn the single point for your match).
  • Forfeit rules remain in place this year:  A team that forfeits two (2) more times during the season, will not be invited back for league play the following season.
• If you cannot play Thursday night you may pre-play with another league participant to attest (other than your partner). Each league member is permitted to post-play one (1) time only, but attested scorecards need to be submitted no later than end of day Sunday (for the current week).

• For any week(s) where inclement weather prevents league play, we will evaluate the need to cancel that week’s matchups and advance to the next week’s scheduled matchups.
• We will plan to incorporate any skins money from cancelled weeks into either a future week’s skins game or put towards the league Field Day.

Playoffs/Finals:

• Each player will play off their league handicap index.  The new handicap system will remain in effect throughout the playoffs.
• There will be two (2) playoff brackets – Championship and Consolation.
  • The top 12 teams make the Championship bracket (top 4 teams earn a 1^st round bye).
  • The remaining 10 make up the Consolation bracket (top 6 consolation teams earn a 1^st round bye).
• The brackets will be ranked based on points earned over the regular season.
• Playoffs will be single elimination.
• Playoffs (9 holes) & Finals (18 Holes) will be match play.  If match is tied, the match will go to sudden death extra hole(s).
• Sudden death WLvLW and TTvTT = another extra hole. 

Handicap: 

• League handicap average will continue as last year to be more aligned to the USGA handicap index.
• The handicap will represent the average of your 8 best scores from your past 20 9-hole rounds.
• For handicap purposes, a player’s max score per hole is net double bogey.
• The maximum handicap index for league will be capped at 18.
• Any weekly score that is 7 less than your handicap index, will go to the handicap committee for a possible minus one (1) or minus two (2) from your current index.

League Play Format:

• Head-to-Head Individual Game (net with 9-hole handicap)
  • “A” Player vs. Opponent “A” Player (9 pts. available to earn, e.g. 1 pt. per hole).
  • “B” Player vs. Opponent “B” Player (9 pts. available to earn, e.g. 1 pt. per hole).
  • 1 extra point earned by individual game winner.
  • No “team total against the league” point this year.

Fees:  $23 league green fees/week (+ $250 per golfer upfront)

Games & Money Breakdown

• $250 paid (per golfer) at start of the season and includes the following:
  • League entry fee:  $82 per player
  • Net Skins ($3 x 21 weeks) $63 per player
  • Gross Skins ($3 x 21 weeks) $63 per player
  • Super Skins ($2 x 21 weeks) $42 per player
• Regular Season: $300 for 1^st place, $150 for 2^nd place
• Playoffs:  $550 for 1^st place, $250 for 2^nd place, $100 for 3^rd & 4^th place Championship
• $100 for 1^st place Consolation
• Remaining funds towards overhead + League Field Day

Miscellaneous Rules:

• Heather Campbell & Bob Beach are eligible to play from the GREEN tees this season:
  • Heather has elected to continue play from the WHITE tees and
  • Bob will continue to play from the GREEN tees. 
• Seniors (60 years old at league year begin) will play from the WHITE tees (exception noted above), everyone else will play from the BLACK tees.
• Winter rules will be imposed when necessary (based on course conditions).
• Any shot that goes out of bounds (or into a hazard), take penalty stroke and drop within 2 club lengths from where the ball crossed the OB or hazard.
  • Exceptions include: 
    • Hole #6:  see rule above or designated drop zone
    • Hole #7:  see rule above or designated drop zone
    • Hole #14:  see rule above or designated drop zone
• On holes where there are designated drop zones, take advantage of advancing to the drop zone wherever they exist. Also, on #9 in the rough just beyond the creek and #18 drop by the ladies tees.
• Bunker shots can be lift, rake and place at player’s discretion.
• Must play same ball in from tee to green to cup (e.g., no special driving/putting ball permitted).

Winter Rules
If a player’s ball lies in the fairway the player may mark, lift and clean their ball without penalty. Before lifting, the player must mark the position of the ball. The player must then place the ball on a spot within six inches of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay.

Jungle Rules
In any location a player may mark, lift and clean their ball without penalty. Before lifting, the player must mark the position of the ball. The player must then place the ball on a spot within six inches of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay.  The player may not improve their position i.e. the placed ball must stay within the same cut of grass as it was lifted from.

Boundary Reference Card: