FORE!

Welcome to the 2026 edition of our EMGA rules refresher series.  I'm Tom McKernan, your EMGA Rules & Handicap Committee Chair.  Winter is the perfect time to refresh yourself on golf rules and handicapping.  

No, the subject line is not a typo. Our Rules & Rules contest will not only cover the R&A USGA Rules of Golf but will also encompass the Rules of Handicapping.  Excited?  I know you are because I am.

Why?  Our competition is based on fair play and that means playing by the rules of the game and carrying a Handicap Index that accurately reflects a player’s demonstrated capability.  One of the requirements for an accurate Handicap Index is to post scores when you play. 

The Eisenhower Club is placing more emphasis on handicap management and they have plans to use a new tool, Cap Patrol, that will allow a deeper analytical review of a player’s score history and it also integrates with the club tee sheet software to compare a member’s rounds played to the rounds posted.

Let me be the first to say, “Should all rounds be posted?  No.  But should a majority of rounds be posted?  Yes.”

So, my intent with the Rules & Rules contest is to help you keep the sand out of your bag.  

The contest will span 10 weeks with semi-final prizes for week periods 1-3, 4-6, 7-10 and a final grand prize covering all weeks.  First period prize is a magnetic accessory for your golf bag (see attached). Each winner will be drawn randomly from those with the most correct answers.  As you can see, I’ve upped the ante on the prizes so let’s play!

First question is from the Rules of Handicapping, Rule 1.3.

Question #1

A player is expected to:

1. Act with integrity
2. Submit all acceptable scores to provide reasonable evidence of their demonstrated ability 
3. Submit acceptable scores for handicap purposes as soon as possible after the round is completed and before midnight local time
4. Play by the Rules of Golf
5. All of the above

Tom McKernan

Rules & Handicaps

Sent by Eisenhower Golf Club. Unsubscribe

Attachments:

IMG_7406.jpeg

Dear EMGA,

It's with a deep sadness we have learned of the passing of Don Carbaugh, a long time member of the Eisenhower Mens' Golf Association, veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars who played golf as part of the EMGA well into his 90's.  Services have not yet been announced, but we did want you all to know and to be praying for his daughter and son-in-law as they deal with his affairs.

At this time we do not have information on where to send cards or condolences.

Warm regards,

Geo Roberts

Hospitality Director EMGA

Members,

We’re excited to share a few of the key updates being introduced for the 2026 season. Full details are available on the EMGA website (emgacolorado.org) under the Competitions tab, within each of the individual Terms of Competition.

1. Cashless System:  All dues and fees will now be paid up front and deducted from your EMGA account as you play. Weekly account balances will be posted, and you can review the full details on this process in the 2026 Information posting in the Featured section on the EMGA website.  Checks are due by 1 March 2026. 
 

2. OPCs

a. The first flight will be Gross-only for stroke play and skins. Players wanting to be in the first flight must opt-in on the day of play, with flexibility to change week to week.

b. All other flights will be Net-only for stroke play, with both gross and net skins available within those flights. 
 

3. Ike Cup:  Qualifying now requires 6 rounds (previously 4). 
 

4. Match Play:  Forfeits within flight play will no longer be awarded. Any forfeited match within flight play will be recorded as zero points for both players. 
 

5.  Ringers:  No changes. 
 

6. Tournaments:  We will be hosting 11 tournaments, covered by your annual dues, with a mix of individual, two-man, and four-man tournaments with different formats. Some tournaments will have optional $5 skin games. 
 

7. Home and Aways:  The Home and Away chair, Mark Dalzell, is working with perspective clubs over the winter and will have a schedule around March 2026. 
 

8.  Meals:  No Changes.  We will be hosting three meals (covered by your annual dues) throughout the season.

9.  EMGA Website:  We're excited about upcoming enhancements being made to the EMGA Website, emgacolorado.org.  These changes should make the site more interactive and beneficial for your use.  Stay tuned for an email coming out later, explaining it all in more detail. 
 

As we move forward, we hope that you find these changes acceptable as we continue to strive to make the EMGA enjoyable for all levels of players. As always, please let me know if you have any questions.  

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Larry Walker, President EMGA

Members,

Please read all material, there’s a lot of information being passed out.  The season-long tournament Terms of Competitions are provided for reference.  Thanks.

As discussed at our Fall Breakfast Meeting, EMGA will be transitioning to a cashless system for the 2026 season. All payments sent to our treasurer will be credited to your personal EMGA account. Throughout the season, you’ll be able to monitor your balance via our online tracker on the portal page, and presumably your own tacking system for comparison. At season’s end, any remaining funds may be:

• Rolled over to your 2027 EMGA account
• Refunded to you via check
• Transferred to your EGC account as pro-shop credit

If your account balance drops to under $20, the treasurer will notify you to determine whether you’d like to replenish it or continue with your remaining balance if you know that you only have a few rounds left to play.  For the 2026 season, any winnings from our tournaments/OPCs will still be paid as pro-shop credits.  We will monitor how things play out and make any further changes for the 2027 season.

Payment Instructions: (you can send a check anytime but please do so before 1 March 2026, the treasurer will let you know that he's received payment)

Please make checks payable to EMGA and mail them to:

John Hayes
5190 Farmingdale Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80917

**Include a note specifying which season-long tournaments you wish to participate in and are paying for.

You can also still drop off an envelope at the EGC clubhouse in our EMGA box (located in the men's locker room) with the same information. If you are paying cash, please get with John directly. There are no credit card options.

Fee Breakdown (also see attached fee sheet with draft schedule):

Annual Dues (required, non-refundable):

• $85 (pays for 11 tournaments, three meals, and administrative costs)

Season-Long Tournaments (optional, non-refundable):

• Match Play: $10
• Ike Cup: $5
• Blue Ringers: $5
• Silver Ringers: $5

Tournaments (are covered in your $85 dues, the following payments are for optional skins in the following tournaments):

• May 7 – Individual TBD: $5
• Jun 4 – Two-Man Chapman: $5
• Jun 18 – ABCD Variable Best Ball: $5
• Jul 16 – Individual Modified Stableford: $5
• Jul 30 – Two-Man Scramble: $5
• Aug 25 – Kregel Round 1: $5
• Aug 27 – Kregel Round 2: $5
• Sep 15 – Member/Member: $5

OPCs (there are 21 OPCs, pay for the number of OPCs you believe you'll play in):

• 21 rounds at $6 each = $126

Example Total (all-in):

$85 (dues) + $25 (season-long) + $40 (tournament skins) + $126 (OPCs) = $276

Example Total (partially-in):

$85 (dues) + $15 (season-long for Ike Cup, Blue Ringers, Silver Ringers) + $25 (tournament skins) + $90 (15 OPCs) = $215

The primary reason we're moving to a cashless system is to streamline check-in for tournaments and OPCs, making the process faster and reducing the staffing required for these rounds (an added plus is you’ll no longer have to stop by the ATM on your way to the course). You’ll still have full control over which rounds you choose to play and how much you wish to spend. If you don't play you don't pay.

Please note that Home and Away payments will continue to be managed separately by the Home and Away committee, just as they have been in the past.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Thanks!

Larry Walker, President EMGA

Attachments:

1. Ike Cup Terms of Competition

2. Match Play Terms of Competition

3. Ringers Terms of Competition

4. 2026 EMGA Schedule with Fees

Attachments:

2026_Match_Play_Terms_of_Competition.pdf
2026_EMGA_Schedule_with_Fees__DRAFT_.pdf
2026_Ike_Cup_Terms_of_Competition.pdf
2026_Ringers_Terms_of_Competition.pdf

All,

Please find attached our EMGA End of Year (EOY) Report for 2025.  Hopefully you all had a great time during this season and even won a few bucks.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact anyone on our EMGA board.

Sam Bryant

EMGA Secretary

Attachments:

2025_EMGA_EOY_Report_-__FINAL_6_Nov_2025.pdf

FORE!

Our handicaps are based on how well we play our selected tee and that tee's course rating and slope.  

Ever wonder how those course ratings and slopes are created?

I thought you never ask! 

Have a listen to the CGA Monthly November Rules Podcast to hear the rating discussion between Ed Mate and Aaron Guereca.

Link here: https://read.nxtbook.com/ggrw/cga_monthly/november_2025/sotg_podcast.html

Hit'em straight and not too often!

Tom McKernan

Rules & Handicaps