• Sign Up Procedure
• Pay "On-Time" Policy
• Golf Association Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

This page has been visited  times since April 15, 2006

Sign-up Procedure

We are experimenting with a new sign up procedure which should be less work for Pat. You will request tee times for your group for a full month of outings. When we start sign ups for a new month we will email our list. You should e-mail Pat (either here or internal) with preferred tee times and names of your group. If you don't have a foursome Pat will match up singles doubles and threesomes and reply to your e-mail.

You don't need to pay until the "PAY DATE".

Treat the "SIGN-UP BY" date as the last date you can back out. Retires who can't e-mail can still contact Pat by phone (443-479-0356w or 410-674-3828h)

Golf Association Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

1 HOW MUCH IS MEMBERSHIP?

2 WHAT IS THE COST TO PLAY GOLF?

3 HOW DO I ESTABLISH A HANDICAP WITH THE ASSOCIATION?

4 HOW IS MY HANDICAP COMPUTED FOR EACH TOURNAMENT?

5 HOW DO I SIGN-UP FOR TEE TIMES?

6 WHERE DO I SEE THE RESULTS OF THE OUTINGS IN WHICH I PARTICIPATE?

7 WHAT HAPPENS TO MY MONEY IF I CAN'T MAKE IT THE DAY OF THE OUTING?

8 CAN I BRING A GUEST?

HOW MUCH IS MEMBERSHIP?

Curent membership cost is $15 per person per year. The cost of playing golf within our association will be covered later.

WHAT IS THE COST TO PLAY GOLF?

The cost to play depends on the golf course we are visiting. All courses require us to pay for golf & cart and their fees are set.

HOW DO I ESTABLISH A HANDICAP WITH THE ASSOCIATION?

A handicap is established with the Golf Association by either having a USGA Handicap with some other authorized golf club or by playing in Golf Association events and by posting all scores from all other rounds. Until you have five eligible scores you will be placed in the Callaway flight where you will be competing against other Callawy Handicapped golfers. A button on the menu page points to a function that you can use to compute your Callaway Handicap.

The normal USGA rules of golf must be followed except for the following USGA approved exception: The maximum score for any hole is 10.

Even though we have not followed some of the USGA rules in the past, we must now follow all USGA rules.

Lost ball or ball out of bounds must be played according to USGA rules. Lift clean and place will only be implemented if the course and or Outing officials deem that it is necessary. Lift clean and place will never be allowed in a hazard except as determined by USGA rules. The handicap chairman will enter your scores and adjusted scores for Golf Association outings. You are responsible for posting all other scores and adjusting those scores in accordance with the USGA's Equitable Stroke Control table. The table is available on the web page for entering your scores. There is also a button on the menu page that can be used to determine your adjusted scores and another button that you can use to compute a course handicap.

HOW IS MY HANDICAP COMPUTED FOR EACH TOURNAMENT?

Handicaps are computed according to USGA rules. Please see the USGA online manual for more information. Important sectgions are listed below:

Section 4 - Adjusting hole scores
 This section covers:
 Unfinished Holes and Conceded Strokes
 Holes Not Played or Not Played Under the Rules of Golf
 Equitable Stroke Control
Section 5 - Scores
 This section covers:
 Acceptability of Scores
 Posting Scores
Section 10 - USGA Handicap Formula
 This section covers:
 How to Determine Handicap Differentials
 USGA Handicap Index Formula
 Reduction Of USGA Handicap Index Based on Exceptional
Tournament Scores
 Course Handicap
 Nine-Hole Handicaps-Handicap Index 

The other sections should be reviewed for your information. Also, the Golf Association follows the MSGA Revision and Seasonal schedule. The MSGA season is from March 15 to November 15. The revision schedule, i.e., the dates when new handicaps maybe posted, is March 15, the 1st of each month April through November, and November 15.

HOW DO I SIGN-UP FOR TEE TIMES?

We do tee times a minimum of two weeks in advance of the outing date, their are exceptions. You e-mail to us your desired tee times based on the first tee time available. We in-turn will try to match as close as possible your desired tee time. If you have a foursome you would provided all names at the time you request your time. If you have less than a foursome, we will take appropriate action to match you with a group to fill our consecutive tee times. If you know that you will be on leave or TDY or in school at the time of the next sign-ups, just let us know by e-mailing us with that information . Please plan to arrive at the course at least 30 minutes in advance of your tee time!

WHERE DO I SEE THE RESULTS OF THE OUTINGS IN WHICH I PARTICIPATE?

When you do participate in an outing with us, you will be placed in a flight according to your handicap. If it is your first outing with us, you will be place in Callaway flight until you obtain five scores. If you are joining the Association and have a previous handicap, you will be flighted accordingly.

All flight handicaps are based on the handicap for the course that we play that day. The number of golfers playing for the specific outing determines how we divide the flights and how many we will have.

Handicaps for that outing are based on the slope and course rating that we obtain and calculate prior to the outing. Normally, you will be able to see the posted results within two work days after the outing.

WHAT HAPPENS TO MY MONEY IF I CAN'T MAKE IT THE DAY OF THE OUTING?

If for some reason you can not make an outing, normally your money will be carried over. The reason I say normally is, that some course require us to pay for all golfers regardless if they show or not. Since we are not a money making organization, we must pass this cost on to you. Additionally, if on the day of an outing it rains, we are at the mercy of the golf course and not our desires. If the course remains open and does not want to credit us, then we must play. It is your responsibility to ensure you show for your tee time. It has worked both ways for us in the past and we do work very hard to get whatever money we can back from the course that day.

CAN I BRING A GUEST?

Guests are normally allowed to play with us. They will pay the same cost as you. The only outing guests are not eligible to play is our end-of-year outing. Also, guests would not be eligible to play if we ran out of tee times and some of our members had to go on a waiting list. If this does happen, we would call the person who invited the guest to let them know and replace that person with our members.

Pay "On-Time" Policy

In the last couple of years, courses we play have begun to state in their contracts that we must pay 10 to 7 days in advance of our outings. Courses are also requiring us to pay for "no shows" tee times. Since we do not have the money for handle some of these large sums, it has become imperative that we get all outings fees paid in a timely manner.

Retirees can always send in their payment to:

Pat Simoneau
1005 Samantha Lane #304
Odenton, MD 21113

If someone does not pay in a timely manner and has not contacted either Pat or the Treasurer, or a building representative, they will be contacted and requested to pay by a specific date. So, in order to meet our obligations to the golf courses in a timely fashion, we must hold fast to the "Pay" date with ALL members. Personnel who are TDY or have emergency situations, can be exempted from paying on the date listed. However, this exemption must be approved by the President or Treasurer only.

Side Note: We have a great reputation within the golfing community and we want to keep the high esteem intact. The requirement spelled out above may cause some of us a little inconvenience but we can all work through it. If we all work together, we can make this very pain free. Lot of us play with friends and co-workers, so lets all work together on this.

Pat's email - simsplace@hotmail.com

Home Phone - 410-874-7758