Pace of Play Policy

USGA Rule 6-7 states that the player shall play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guidelines, which may be laid down by the Committee.  Between completion of a hole and playing from the next teeing ground, the player shall not unduly delay play.

The VSWGA Board of Directors has established the following guidelines regarding slow play out-of-position for all stroke play events:

DEFINITION OF "Out Of Position":   The first group to start will be considered out of position if, at any place during the round, the group is behind the allocated time of play.  Any following group will be considered out of position if it:

  1. Is taking mare than the allotted time to play 

  2. Falls more than one hole behind the preceding group (arriving at the tee of an open par 3  or an open par 4 or when the preceding group is on the green on a par 5).

If a group falls out of position, immediately after all players have left the teeing ground but before any subsequent strokes have been played, an official will inform the group that they are out of position and that they will be monitored and timed.

MONITORING:  Any player in a group out of position who takes more than 40 seconds to play a stroke on one occasion will be advised of that fact and notified that if she exceeds 40 seconds on one more occasion ( a total of two timings exceeding 40 seconds), she will incur a penalty of one stroke.  Any player who takes more than 40 seconds on one more occasion ( a total of three) will incur a two-stroke penalty.  Any player who takes more than 40 seconds on one more occasion ( a total of four) will be disqualified.

Note:  The timing process is continuous for the stipulated round.

TIMING: The timing of the player's stroke will begin when she has had a reasonable time to reach her ball, it is her turn to play, and she can play without interference or distractions.

Except on the putting green, if a player has reached her ball, it is her turn to play and there are no distractions, timing will begin after she has had a reasonable time to select her club.  Any time spent walking backward or forward to determine yardages will count as part of the time taken for the next stroke.

On the putting green, the timing will begin after the player has been allowed a reasonable amount of time to lift, clean, and replace her ball, repair her ball mark and other ball marks on her line of putt, and remove loose impediments on her line of putt.

RULING OR OTHER INCIDENTS: If a ruling or some other legitimate delay occurs which causes the group in question to lose position with respect to either the allotted time permitted and/or the preceding group, players are expected to make up the time and/or position.