Updated: 09/01/2019

The JGTA Pace of Play guidelines and penalties for slow play are in effect for all sanctioned JGTA tournaments and enforceable by the Tournament Rules Committee. In administering the Pace of Play, the JGTA is acting to improve the general pace of play for all JGTA tournaments and to prepare members for playing in AJGA tournaments. The JGTA strictly enforces 4:30 pace of play per each 18-hole tournament round unless otherwise specified by the on-site tournament director.

Guidelines

There are several guidelines that can help improve Pace of Play. The JGTA will recommend and, in some cases, enforce the following tactics during tournaments for groups who fail to keep up with the established Pace of Play. Players should take responsibility to ensure every member in the group follows the JGTA Pace of Play guidelines listed below throughout the entire round:

  • Play “Ready Golf”
    • When the area surrounding the player is clear, he/she may proceed to hit their shot regardless of whether or not it is his/her turn to hit.
    • When spotters or parents are present to search for a lost ball, players should continue playing and hold the group’s position on the golf course
  • Players have 45 seconds to play a shot once it is their turn to play and there are no distractions.
  • The first player to hole out should go forward to the next tee and be the first to tee off. The second player should replace the flagstick.
  • Walk with a purpose
Definitions

“Overall Time Par” is defined as:

  • A group’s time begins when a member of the group has played a stroke from his starting teeing ground;
  • Checkpoint times are measured when the flagstick is replaced in the hole after all players in the group have holed out;

*The JGTA Tournament Committee may adjust time par between tournament rounds.

“Out of position” is defined as:

  • Failure to complete the hole being played in less than the time established by the Committee after the group immediately ahead put the flagstick in on that hole (i.e. 14 minutes is defined as 00:14:00:00).

*The first group(s) of the day is judged only against time par until they get into position with any group ahead of them.

Penalty Structure

A player is subject to penalty if they unduly delay play under the provisions of this Pace of Play Policy. All players are required to finish their rounds within the allotted total time par round duration posted on the first tee. Time par for each competition will be placed on all scorecards with each host club’s pace of play policy taken into consideration. A group is also deemed to be out of position if at least one member of the group is not on a tee box before the group in front puts the flag in for that same hole.

The individual(s) will be assessed a two-stroke penalty based on the warning guidelines below:

1st Warning Rules Official warns entire group that they are out of position
2nd Warning Rules Official must warn one or more individuals who are the cause of the group being out of position and commence timing the individual(s)
3rd Warning Rules Official to assess a two- stroke penalty to each individual in the group who takes more than 40 seconds to make a stroke when it is clearly their turn to play
4th Warning Rules Official to assess a penalty of DISQUALIFICATION to one or more individuals who have been assessed a two-stroke penalty and incur a subsequent bad time

In performance of these duties, a JGTA Rules Official shall not be subjected to abuse, oral or otherwise. Such abuse by a player is conduct unbecoming of a JGTA member and is subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the Code of Conduct.