Boys League Rules

MIDLAND BOYS LEAGUE PLAYING RULES & CONDITIONS

1: - Objectives:

                To promote Boys League Golf within the ten counties forming the M.G.U.

2: - Match format:     

The match shall consist of 15 games each over a maximum of 36 holes.  The morning format shall be 4 foursomes and in the afternoon, there will be 8 singles.  All matches will play off scratch.  Singles will finish as soon as a result is obtained but players may wish to play out the foursomes rounds for the benefit of experiencing the course.  Matches being all square after 18 holes will be declared a half.

2a: - Matches shall be played in accordance with R. & A. rules and the local rules of the host club

2b: - Team members shall not be allowed to ride on or in buggy cars during a match.   PENALTY PLAYER IS DISQUALIFIED.  (In an exceptional case of disability, allowance may be made, subject to approval of Team Managers and the Chairman of Junior Golf) (See England Golf Transport Policy)

2c: - No team member is to have a caddy.  Except in cases of disability and subject to approval as above.

2d: - Team members shall play R. & A. approved clubs and balls.

PENALTY FOR A BREACH OF THE TWO RULES ABOVE – LOSS OF HOLE FOR EACH HOLE AT WHICH BREACH OCCURRED.  MAXIMUM PENALTY TWO HOLES.  FURTHER BREACH OF THIS RULE INCURS DISQUALIFICATION.

3: -Players’ Eligibility:

Each player must be eligible to play in the current year’s Boy’s League/Championship of the County for which he is selected.

He must be under the age of 18 at 00:00 hours on 1st January, under the age of sixteen for the under sixteen league in the year of the league/championship.

He must be a member of an affiliated golf club in the County Union he is representing.

He must not have played for another County in representative matches, including friendly matches, during the calendar year as this league/championship.

Players moving from one County to another will be subject to the above conditions unless there is an agreement between the County from which the players is moving and the County to which the player is moving, the player may play for his “new” County with immediate effect.

Such agreement must be notified to the M.G.U. Championship Committee.

In cases of disagreement, disputes or doubt or in the absence of agreement over eligibility to play for the County, a County, Counties or group may seek a decision from the M.G.U. Championship Committee, whose decision shall be final.

There shall be two leagues East and West:

The East shall comprise of: Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Rutland,Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire.

The West shall comprise of: Derbyshire,Shropshire and Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Each league shall play for its own trophy:

The winners of each league shall compete in a final and become the Midlands Golf Boy’s League Champions for that year.

East Midlands:  Pepper Pot Trophy

West Midlands:  Carol Motors Trophy.

East and West Final:  M.G.U. Boy’s League Salver.

The winning county shall be responsible for the safe keeping of the trophies, its engraving and its return for presentation in the following season. 

Team selection:

a)      international boys may be selected

b)      teams shall consist of eight players

c)      team members selected shall comply with the Rules of Amateur Status

d)      team members shall comply with the C.O.N.G.U. Unified Handicapping System

4: - The winning county is the one with the greatest number of match points at the completion of the league.  Points shall be awarded as 2 to a winning team and 1 each for a drawn match.  Each game will be awarded one point for a win and half a point for a draw.

5: -The detailed Foursomes and Singles Match Points will be recorded so that in the event of a tie for league points, the county obtaining more Foursomes and Single match points totalling all matches shall be placed ahead.  If a tie still exists, the county obtaining more Foursomes and Singles match points in the match between the tied counties will be placed ahead.  If a tie still exists the county obtaining more single match points in the match between the tied counties, will be placed ahead.  Finally, if a tie still exists the away team of the tied counties will be placed ahead.   Matches shall be played bi-annually on a home and away basis. 

If the opposing county team fail to arrive on the designated date, the offending county will forfeit the match and have two points deducted for non-appearance.  Two match points will be awarded to the opposing county for a win.  Individual game points will be awarded as a 10.5 to 1.5 loss proportioned as foursomes (3.5 to 0.5) and singles (7 to 1) allowing a 9-game differential. 

For the under sixteen league matches individual game points will be awarded as above.

6: -Mobile Phones (including pagers and similar devices):  May not be used on the course (including on practice days) by players or caddies for making /sending or receiving calls or texts except in cases of emergency.   The penalty for use of a mobile phone on the course, other than in an emergency, is disqualification.  

7: - Distance – Measuring Devices:

            In all M.G.U. Championships, a player may obtain distance information by use of a distance-measuring device. If, during a  stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g. elevation changes, wind speed, etc.), the player is in breach of  Rule 14-3.” See Rules of Golf p153 and p181.

Penalty for breach of Local Rule: Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes. Penalty for any subsequent offence: Disqualification.

8:-Dress Code:Normal golfing attire, Competitors are not allowed to wear shorts. The dress code of the host club must also be observed.

9: - Advice: Each team may appoint one person who may give advice to members of that team.  The person appointed shall be named on the team sheet and identified to both teams and the championship committee before play commences.  The person appointed may not walk on to the putting green or give advice to a player on or around the putting green when the player’s ball lies on the putting green.

10: - Disputes on the course shall be decided by the County Organisers before play continues.

11: - In the event of a county not fielding a full team a loss shall be recorded in respect of each missing player’s game.  This is to be scored as a 10 & 8 loss.

12: - Results sheet: - Both the home and away team organisers shall be responsible for returning the team and result sheets to the Chairman of Junior golf/M.G.U. Secretary.  All results and league tables will be published on the M.G.U. website based on these results.

13: - Team sheets shall be exchanged thirty minutes before teeing times.  If the nominated player(s) are not present at their appropriate starting times for the foursomes a loss will be recorded.  The same shall be the case for the singles.  Nominated player(s) not present at the foursomes may tee off in the singles with the result(s) to count. 

14: - In the event of a player not being able to complete his round through injury or illness, the game shall be decided by the injured player conceding all un-played holes to his opponent.

15: - Reserves: No reserves are permissible.

16: - Course unplayable, matches abandoned or suspended:

a)      The host club officials shall be responsible for declaring their course unfit for play but in the absence of such officials the two county junior organisers shall make the necessary decision.

b)      County organisers shall agree to suspension or abandonment of play while play

is in progress in the event of adverse weather conditions.

c)   If there is no play at all by 15:30 hours, and the match cannot be rearranged there will be an award of one point to each side in the match, with the games all being halved and a score of 6 games each being recorded on the result sheet.

d)   In the event of adverse weather conditions and no play being possible before 14:00, the singles matches shall be played with the foursomes being declared halved, all games halved with 2 points to each side                       

e)   If weather conditions are not adverse the foursomes shall be played before the singles.

f)   If a match has to be abandoned before the foursomes results are completed, the foursomes shall be declared a half with all games drawn 2 points to each team.

The match result is a draw with all the singles halved, 4 points to each team.

The final result is 6 points to each team.

g)   If the foursomes are completed but the singles cannot be completed due to the weather.  The foursomes result shall decide the match with all singles regarded has halved giving 4 points to each team.  The match result shall be the foursomes result with 4 points added to each county’s score for the unfinished singles games.

  

THE LEAGUE FINAL

17: - There shall be a final between the winners of the East andWest Midlandsleagues annually.  The final shall be played as per the Rota for Events.

The Chairman of the Junior Golf Committee shall be responsible for pre-viewing the course and arranging the final.

The match shall be played within the objectives and spirit of the Midland League, there will be an official referee, appointed by the Chairman of Junior Golf. 

In the event of a halved match there will be a sudden death play-off.  One player per county will be nominated to represent their counties in a format to be decided on the day by the Chairman of Junior Golf.  The Chairman of Junior Golf shall announce the holes of such a play off before the players are nominated.

In the event of the course being unplayable, the match shall be rearranged, if possible, at a later date.

If there is no play by 14:00 hours the match shall be abandoned.

If the foursomes cannot be played in the morning, the singles will be played in the afternoon.

If the singles cannot be completed, the foursomes result will stand.  If the foursomes are halved the number of holes up will decide.  If the foursomes have not been completed the match will be abandoned and then replayed at a later date, if possible.

The champions shall be presented with the Midland Golf Union Boy’s League Salver and a medal to each team member (eight).

It is the responsibility of the county organisers to inform the Chairman of Junior Golf Committee or his deputy of the numbers requiring meals above the team of eight and two officials.  All extra meals are to be charged to the county concerned.

18: - The expenditure for the Final shall consist of:

Meals for:

                      a) Two teams of eight                

                      b) Two officials per team

                      c) Midland Golf Union officials

                      d) Host club officials

                      c) and d) are at the discretion of the Junior Committee 

Expenditure will be:

a)      meals for the day

b)      medals for the winning team members (eight)

c)      M.G.U. official’s expenses and referees which includes mileage, meals and accommodation if required.

19: - The elected members of the M.G.U. Junior Delegates (one per county) shall be the governing body; the Chair Person shall have a casting vote.

20: - Appeals against the Committee’s decisions shall be referred to the Secretary of the M.G.U.

21: - M.G.U. Under Sixteen League:

                        For those counties involved in the newly formed under sixteen league, a team of eight is to be selected and the number of under fourteen players selected is at the discretion of the individual county.   The match format, rules and scoring are to mirror the above under eighteen rules, objectives and spirit of the league.

Revised 2006, December 2011, January, November 2012, 8th February 2018, and 5th April 2023. 

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