Rules
Windy City Golf League, like the game of golf itself, expects its players to maintain the highest standards of honesty, integrity and respect. WCGL will always strive to conduct matters in a proper and professional manner, and expects each of its members to do the same. Honesty is one of the most basic principles of golf and each member is expected to play matches honestly and treat his or her opponent with respect. In addition to obeying the basic principles of honesty, integrity and respect, each WCGL member is also expected to abide by the following rules:
Your Commitment to Windy City Golf League
WCGL expects all league members to uphold their commitments to Windy City Golf League, and to their opponents. Completing registration signifies your commitment to schedule and play matches and to enter the match scores in a timely manner into the WCGL website. We treat our league play seriously and expect the same from our members.
Back to Top?
Registration
When registering for Windy City Golf League, members choose their username and password. Members can then access their individual Player Page, which serves as the hub of the WCGL experience. Members can upload their picture to customize their Player Page. The Player Page displays all of your league information including your picture, playing preferences, match schedule for the current season and your stats. Your Player Page also shows your current season match results and statistics. It will allow you to see historical results and break down how you fare on par 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s. You can track the number of birdies, pars, bogeys, etc. you make per round.
Windy City Golf League will group you into a flight, based on your scoring ability and skill level (handicap, or average score, course difficulty and desired level of competition are all considered). Once flighted, you will be bracketed with 6 other golfers based on Chicago metro region, and preferred playing time (weeknights, weekends, etc). Each player or team in your bracket represents a potential match for you during the season. You will have 12 weeks each season to complete as many matches as you desire.
Back to Top?
Divisions
WCGL offers different Divisions, based on the number of participants. Divisions can include any of the following - Men's, Women's, Senior Men’s, & Senior Women’s. With respect to the 2-person Team Scramble format, WCGL may also include a separate co-ed league. If there are not enough participants to determine separate divisions, members may be grouped together by skill level, regardless of age or gender.
Back to Top?
Flights
WCGL will flight all members before the start of each season's start date. Flights will be determined by playing preferences (time availability and region) and playing ability (handicap, adjusted scoring average, etc). In order to ensure a player’s honesty while entering his or her average score information during registration, WCGL members’ performance will be monitored during the season. Each member will also be given a player rating during the season. The player rating relates your points earned to your adjusted scoring average, compared to your competition. When you register for next season, you will be flighted based on your previous season's rating. In order to eliminate sandbagging, a player whose regular season performance, or final player rating is substantially higher than those of other flight members will be forced to play in a more competitive flight in the Arghe Isle Cup Tournament, and in his or her next registered season.
WCGL’s unique player rating formula is meant to ensures that all matches are competitive and that members are in the proper flight
Back to Top?
Brackets
Windy City Golf League strives to provide its members with the most convenient experience possible. WCGL will bracket all members before the start of each season's start date. Each player or team within the bracket represents a potential match you will play during the regular season. The brackets will be determined by several criteria. Members will be placed into brackets based on information provided during registration, including his or her preferred region of metro Chicago to play golf, and preferred playing time (weekdays, weeknights, weekends etc). This helps ensure that all matches can be played close to home or work, and that members are more likely to agree on playing times. In the event of a large number of members in each flight, WCGL will use the preferred course chosen and to further determine a flight's brackets.
Back to Top?
Scheduling
Windy City Golf League offers 2 seasons each year – Spring and Summer. Each season is twelve (12) weeks long and allows members to play unlimited matches during that period. Members create their own schedules by contacting other members of their flight to set-up matches. A list of flight members can be found on your Player Page. You can play any other member of your flight, and can even play them multiple times throughout the season.
Members have the choice of playing a 9 or 18-hole match. This affords all WCGL members the flexibility needed to complete as many matches they can during the season.
Although the number of matches you can play is unlimited, we’re going to use the twelve (12) best 18-hole match results for our leaderboards. This is equal to the twenty-four (24) best 9-hole matches, or any combination of the two. This means that you can continue playing matches until your point total is maxed out at 6,000 regular-season points. This system encourages die-hard golfers to continue playing, while also ensuring a fair structure for those members who can’t play quite as often.
The 9-hole option and choice of opponent provide WCGL members the most scheduling flexibility of any other Chicago Golf Organization
Back to Top?
Course Selection
WCGL allows members to play their matches at any golf course they want. For each match, players are expected to agree upon which course to play, taking into account each opponent’s needs and limitations.
When entering scores after the match, just select the course from our dropdown menu. If the course you played is not listed, our system allows you to send us an email with the course’s information. After we receive the email, we enter the course’s information in the database, and then send an email to you, notifying you that you can return to the website to enter the match scores.
Back to Top?
Tees Played
Players must play from the same tees during matches. Although the tees you play from may change from one match to the next, a player should always play from the same tees as his or her opponent during each match. Since WCGL members will be paired with opponents of similar ability, players should play from the tees that correspond to their level of ability. In the event that a match includes both men and women, the men should play from the appropriate tees for their ability level, and the women should do the same, although they may be from different sets of tees. Many courses display this information prominently throughout the facility. If you should have any questions regarding which tees are appropriate, seek the advice of the local golf professional, or clubhouse staff.
WCGL prides itself on being the most flexible amateur league in the Midwest, and players should be able to choose which tees to play from, as long as they agree on the issue. If opponents, cannot agree on which tees to play, then both players/teams will play from the shorter of the two tees discussed. When entering scores on the WCGL website, the tees played from must be selected. WCGL uses the USGA determined course rating to calculate an adjusted scoring average for each player during each season, creating a level playing field across all flights!
Back to Top?
Play Multiple Matches Simultaneously
WCGL allows you to play any opponent within your flight. The easiest way to do so is to determine when and where you want to play, and then send an email to all members of your flight. Whoever responds to your email, stating that they can play at that time and place, could be your opponent for that match. In the event that multiple members respond to your email, you could all actually play matches against each other during the same round of golf. However, this needs to be stated by all opponents before the round.
While a win against all opponents could generate a large number of points for one day’s effort, keep in mind that if you lose to all opponents, each loss will be reflected on your schedule and in your season stats! The safer decision is to schedule a foursome with two separate matches, each between two opponents.
Back to Top?
Head-to-Head League Rules
Players within each flight are grouped according to their skill level. WCGL obtains this information from each player during registration, and can be in the form of an official handicap, estimated handicap, calculation of handicap based on the reporting of recent scores, or other method. Once flighted, all matches are played “straight-up”, with neither player receiving strokes during a match, regardless of whether a range of handicaps exists. WCGL will do its best to group players of similar skill levels to minimize the range or handicaps within each flight. Our “straight-up” match system eliminates any bothersome handicap psychology that typically enters a player’s mind during a round, and simply lets him compete head-to-head against another player.
All rules and penalties for the Head-to-Head League will be in accordance with the USGA rules of golf, with the following exception: If there is a question or discrepancy during a hole, the player in question should play two balls on that hole. Upon completion of the round, players should consult the club professional for a ruling. If the club professional cannot resolve a ruling issue, please contact
scoring@windycitygolfleague.com for a final and official ruling. Each player should keep both players’ scores during the round on the course scorecard. WCGL advises each member to review each hole and sign the scorecard at the completion of a round to assure the utmost accuracy. Once a scorecard is reviewed and signed, either player can enter the score online, where the other player will then have an opportunity to review and confirm the score entered.
Back to Top?
2-Person Team Scramble League Rules
Since 2 players of similar handicaps can have vastly different strengths when it comes to their golf games, unless a large number of high-handicap teams register and request their own flight, all teams are assumed to play at or near scratch!
In the Team Scramble league, all matches will be played as a 2-person scramble, but will still be played in stroke-play format. Participants will play a 2 person scramble format. Each player will hit his or her tee ball to begin each hole. The team will choose the best shot and from that spot each player will hit his or her second shot. This format will continue until completion of the hole and a single score is recorded. Upon completion of the round, the 18-hole total will be the team’s overall score. After the match, team scores are entered for each hole on the WCGL website.
Improving your lie in a scramble:
Each participating team must mark the spot of each selected shot with either a golf tee or divot repair tool. At that time both members of the team may lift, clean and place their golf ball according to the stipulations listed below.
Fairway:
The ball may be placed one club length from the spot of the selected ball no nearer the hole. When placed, the ball must remain in the fairway.
Rough:
The ball may be placed one club length from the spot of the selected ball no nearer the hole. The placement of the ball may improve the team’s stance, swing and line of sight but must not be placed outside the one club length limit. When placed, the ball must remain in the same cut of rough that the selected ball came to rest in.
Hazard:
The ball may be placed one club length from the spot of the selected ball no nearer the hole. The placement of the ball may improve the team’s stance, swing and line of flight but must remain within the one club length limit and remain in the same hazard the selected ball came to rest in. In regards to sand traps, the trap may be raked before placement of the ball.
On the Green:
The selected ball may be placed one putter-head length from the spot of the selected ball no nearer the hole.
Additional Scramble rules are as follows:
- There are no rules governing how many drives of each player a team must select. It is expected that over the course of play, selection of each player’s drives will occur naturally.
- On the green, gimmees are allowed. However, if no member of the opposing team offers the putt as “good,” the putt must be made. In the event that a putt is picked up without being conceded by at least one member of the opposing team, USGA rules apply for a putt being “picked up.”
- If both golfers hit out of bounds, drop the ball at the point of exit. There will be a penalty of one stroke. In order to speed up play, do not play “stroke and distance” for an out of bounds penalty.
- If both golfers hit into a water hazard, drop the ball behind the water hazard. There will be a penalty of one stroke.
- If both players declare their ball lost, drop the ball nearest the point of the selected “lost” shot. There will be a penalty of one stroke. In order to speed up play, do not play a “stroke and distance” penalty for a lost ball.
- In the event that course management requires teams to skip a hole due to slow play, both teams will recieve a score of par for the skipped hole. When entering scores after the match, make sure par is entered for both teams
Back to Top?
Maximum Score
WCGL has adopted a quadruple bogey limit on all holes played, in order to maintain a convenient pace of play. Therefore, the maximum score you can have on a par 3 is 7; a par 4, an 8; & a par 5, a 9. To maintain pace of play, a player should pick up and move to the next hole if he or she has not holed out before reaching a quadruple bogey for that hole. The scoring entry system will not allow members to enter a score higher than the maximum on any single hole.
Back to Top?
Reporting Scores
Either player can report their match scores on the WCGL website. To report match scores, go to your Player Page, and select the “Enter Match” button. At the match entry screen, select your opponent, then elect the remaining information to enter scores into an electronic scorecard for the course and tees from which you played. Once scores have been entered, the other player/team will have the ability to verify them before they are finalized and submitted. In the event of a scoring dispute, please contact the WCGL Scoring Support Center at
scoring@windycitygolfleague.com.
Back to Top?
Incomplete Matches
Incomplete Match Policy – Unless both players agree to reschedule and conclude a match: If players complete at least 9 holes, players must take their 9-hole score and enter scores as a 9-hole match. If fewer than 9 holes are completed, players can either reschedule or record an agreed upon 9-hole tie. If a tie is agreed upon, do not enter untrue scores for the unfinished holes. Email
scoring@windycitygolfleague.com with the details surrounding the incomplete match and agreed upon tie.
If a tie is recorded due to an unfinished match, neither player’s score will count towards their adjusted scoring averages.
Back to Top?
Inclement Weather
Unless both players agree to reschedule and conclude a match: If players complete at least 9 holes, players must take their 9-hole score and enter scores as a 9-hole match. If fewer than 9 holes are completed, players can either reschedule or record an agreed upon 9-hole tie. If a tie is agreed upon, do not enter untrue scores for the unfinished holes. Email
scoring@windycitygolfleague.com with the details surrounding the incomplete match and agreed upon tie.
If a tie is recorded due to a rain-shortened match, neither player’s score will count towards their adjusted scoring averages.
WCGL reserves the right to extend season start and end dates should weather unduly affect the entire league.
Back to Top?
Forfeits
The main action that can result in a player forfeiting a match is if one player does not show up for an agreed-upon match. In the event of a forfeit, the winning player will receive 400 points (equivalent to a 2-stroke 18-hole match victory) and the forfeiting player will receive 0 points. Neither player will receive a score towards their adjusted scoring averages.
Opponent “No-shows”: An opponent who does not appear for an agreed upon match, or who arrives at a scheduled match more than (30) minutes late without contacting his or her opponent is considered a "No-show." It is then the decision of the player who showed up whether or not the match will be rescheduled or forfeited. If neither opponent shows, both players have the option of rescheduling and completing the match. If the match is not rescheduled and completed, the player who wins by forfeit should email WCGL administration and notify us of the situation. We will then enter the appropriate match information and award the forfeit points to the winner.
If another situation arises that could result in a forfeit, please contact WCGL administration at
admin@windycitygolfleague.com
Windy City Golf League encourages you to keep track of your email chain of communications, and make notes of any phone calls with opponents, as this is typically what WCGL will use to determine the winner by forfeit. WCGL will view each instance on a case-by-case basis, but will strictly enforce its forfeit policy in order to ensure a competitive and exciting league.
Back to Top?
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
WCGL will always strive to conduct matters in a proper and professional manner, and expects each of its members to do the same. Unsportsmanlike behavior can make players uncomfortable and feel unsafe. Examples of such conduct include verbal or physical abuse, cheating, etc. Penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct vary and can range from penalty strokes or point deductions, up to and including suspension or expulsion from the league. Please report all acts of poor sportsmanship to the league office so we can take the appropriate action. We are unable to do anything about unreported behavior.
Back to Top?
Arghe Isle Cup Tournament
A player must qualify for the tournament by winning their bracket, or by accumulating enough points on the flight leaderboard. Players can also earn wildcard spots in the Arghe Isle Cup Tournament by achieving a high player rating or a low adjusted scoring average relative to others within their flight. The Arghe Isle Cup Tournament will be held at a top semi-private or public golf course in the metro Chicago area. The fee for the Arghe Isle Cup Tournament will include greens fees, cart, range balls, lunch and an awards ceremony following the tournament. Each overall flight winner will be awarded the coveted Arghe Isle Cup trophy.
Back to Top?
Course and Retailer Discounts
Windy City Golf League will continue to work to provide all members attractive discounts at local golf courses and retailers. To ensure discounts are given at participating courses and retailers, WCGL members may be required to present a printed coupon from the WCGL website at the time of paying for their purchases and greens fees. WCGL is not responsible for discounts not received if the printed coupon is not presented at the time of paying for the round.
Back to Top?
Canceling Membership and Refunds
WCGL understands that life events happen and things change. In the event that you notify the league administration within the registration period, a full refund will be given (minus any applicable credit card processing or other fees). Once the registration period closes, however, any refund given will be reasonably determined on a case-by-case basis. Due to the complexity of flighting and bracketing players, WCGL expects members to honor their commitments to the league. In the event that you need to cancel or withdraw your membership due to an injury, job transfer, etc, please contact the league administration office at
admin@windycitygolfleague.com. Any member who withdraws from league play without notifying the league administration could be subject to permanent removal or ban from WCGL.
Back to Top?
Thank you for your commitment to the Windy City Golf League! We hope you enjoy your experience and we welcome your feedback, advice, or comments. Feel free to email us at
info@windycitygolfleague.com and tell us what you think!