Match Play

• The match play signup procedure is shown on the inside of the front cover of the EMGA handbook. The entry fee is $10. Prizes are paid from the entry fee. Bob Hayes is the Match Play Manager. Dan Cook is the Assistant Match Play Manager.
• The Match Play Season will consist of one single elimination match play tournament. The tournament will comprise a 64-man field divided into four flights, each flight with players of similar handicaps. Match play pairing trees will be generated shortly after the end of the sign up period and play can commence immediately thereafter. The match play trees will be placed on the EMGA bulletin board in the men’s locker room and copies will be e-mailed to the match play contestants. Individual matches may be scheduled by the participants any day of the week within the time constraints established by the Tournament Committee. Use of carts is optional.
• There are significant differences in the rules governing medal play and match play. Participants in the match play tournaments may play their matches on Thursdays during open play events but may not participate in the medal (OPC) event when playing a match.
• The winner of each match is required to post the match results on the match play bulletin board in the men’s locker room. A medal (stroke) score should also be entered in the GHIN handicap system by each player after the match. The winner of the match is responsible for contacting his next opponent to schedule their match. Matches may be played as soon as the next opponent is known but must be completed by the required completion dates shown on the match play tree. Handicaps current at the time of each match will be used to determine differentials, if any.
• The USGA Rules of Golf for match play will govern play. The EMGA match play champion will be determined by matches from the winners of the individual flights.
• Participants may play their matches from different sets of tees when playing in the Match Play Tournament. Handicap adjustments must be made to adjust for the course ratings difference between sets of tees.
• Step 1: Determine each player’s handicap for the course and set of tees you and your opponent will play in your match. If playing from the same set of tees, strokes equal to the difference between handicaps if any will be awarded the higher handicap player by the lower handicap player. This value will be applied to the holes from hardest to easiest according to the hole difficulty shown on the score card.
• Step 2:If playing from a different set of tees, compute the difference between the numerical course ratings for the set of tees being played from by each competitor. (Ex: Blue Course; White-68.1 minus Yellow-65.1 = 3). If the difference has a decimal value of .5 or higher, you would round up to the next full value (Ex: Silver Course: White-68.4 minus Yellow-65.9 = 2.5, rounded to 3).This value is added to the handicap of the player playing the more difficult course. The adjusted handicap will then be used to compute the difference between player’s handicaps to award strokes appropriately and applied as they fall on the card.