A) Terms of Competition

Eligibility

Unless a specific exception is made, eligibility for entry in OGC tournaments is limited to members of OGC and affiliate Club members who have a USGA GHIN handicap. The Committee reserves the right to reject any entry. In all events, those who wish to compete for the Gross prizes will have to play from the Gents White Tees.

Age

Where a tournament has age criteria, the player should have reached his/her birthday before the start of the competition. At OGC, the Senior category is for players 65 years and above.

Draw:

The draw will be on the notice board on, or before 5 p.m. the previous day of each tournament or each round in a tournament. It is the responsibility of the players to ascertain their starting time.

Handicap:

For all tournaments, eligibility is restricted to players who have a course handicap not exceeding 30 for men under seventy-five years of age and 36 for women and men over seventy-five. The Tournament Committee reserves the sole right to permit exceptions Players who’s Handicap Index has been adjusted during the duration of any multi-round event will play with the handicap as on the first day of the competition. The same Handicap (1st-day Hcp) will apply in case he participates in any concurrent tournament played along with the multi-day tournament.

USGA - GHIN Handicaps

• Players must record all golf scores played, regardless of the course, if they are to maintain a valid USGA GHIN handicap.
• All scorecards must be validated by a co-player.
• All scores shall be uploaded to the USGA GHIN by the player’s HOME CLUB ONLY.
• USGA GHIN Handicap Indexes generated by individual uploads onto the GHIN APP will be deemed invalid.
• Handicap indexes generated by any other system other than the USGA GHIN will also be deemed invalid.
• If any score is entered wrongly, it must be corrected within 48 hours from the completion of the round
• Entries not satisfying the above-mentioned criteria shall be eligible for Gross categories only.

Maximum Course Handicap for Tournament Play.

Singles:- The Maximum course handicap shall be 24 for Men and Ladies.

Doubles :- All doubles events shall be played with 40% of combined handicap subjected to a max of 24 strokes.

Entry

Entries must be received by the Club via WhatsApp / Email/ Google forms or in the Club Entry Register, within the dates specified for each tournament.

Trophies / Prizes

Singles

For 30 entries and above.
( 0 – 16) & (17-24) – Nett Winner and Runner up.
Gross Winner and Runner Up.

For less than 30 entries
(0-24) – Nett Winner and Runner up.
Gross – Winner.

Doubles

( 0 -24) – Nett Winner and Runner up
Gross – Winner and Runner up.
(Gross Runner up will be given for more than 30 entries).

For Nett events, the order of choosing shall be: -

• Nett Winner
• Gross Winner
• Nett Runner up
• Gross Runner up

For Gross events, the order of choosing shall be

• Gross Winner
• Nett Winner
• Gross Runner up
• Nett Runner up

Ties

Stableford / Bogey and other pick-up formats: -

Ties shall be determined by count back - better last round/second half, better last six holes, better last 3 holes, better last hole. If there is still a tie, then the last six holes, three holes and the final hole of the first nine holes will be considered in turn. If the Tie is not resolved, then a joint prize will be awarded.

Medal Round and Matchplay formats

Medal round: -Ties are to be resolved by a Playoff; players shall play Hole # 18 until a result is achieved.
Match play: - As per agreement by teams.

Disqualification Penalties:

This can be applied only by the Golf Captain or Rules Official or TWO members of the Tournament Committee.

Advising of Penalties after the round: By Golf Captain or Rules Official or TWO members of the Tournament Committee.

Serious Breach of Code of Conduct Rule 1-2: Penalty shall be disqualification.

Scorecard

The scorecard is considered returned when the player has dropped it in the Score Card Box at the Verandah/ club house.

Finalisation of Results

The result of the match in a match play competition is considered final once the result has been recorded on the draw in the Notice Board. Results in other formats of competition is closed when the results have been approved/signed by a Tournament Committee member.

Amendment to Terms

The Committee reserves the right to amend the terms at any time, including the right to arrange and/or alter starting times. Specific tournaments will have conditions such as handicap category limitations, minimum scores of a partner, as well as other format modifications. These will be indicated in the tournament communication sent out by the Club and are to be read along with these Terms of Competition.

The decision of the Committee is final in all matters.

Quantum of revision based on Tournament scores.

The Course Handicap (CH) will be revised as follows –
A player's Course Handicap will be revised by 80% of the quantum of the score played under.

• For CH 7.0 and below, the quantum of revision will not exceed 1.0.
• For CH 8 to 12.0, the quantum of revision will not exceed 2.0.
• For CH, 13 to 24, the quantum of revision will not exceed 4.0.
• The quantum of revision will be at the Handicap Committee’s discretion.

Duration of CH revision

All handicap revisions will be for a duration of 3 months.

Player Records

A player's records (Tournament and Non-Tournament) shall be maintained for the entire duration of the current active golfing season of the year in question.

The Committee will monitor scoring records, and should there be a trend of abnormal scores posted during Tournament play as opposed to regular rounds, the committee will exercise the following options:

• Call for an explanation from the player by email
• Conduct an enquiry with the player in person.
• Post a penalty score.
• Suspend the player from Tournament plays for 3 months at the Committee's discretion.
• Course Handicaps may be revised at the sole discretion of the tournament/handicap committee.
• Tournament formats subjected to revision
• All Individual Tournaments (Stroke play, Stableford, against bogey and Matchplay) will be subject to revision. Partnership formats such as Better Ball, Aggregate Stableford and Matchplay will be subject to revision

(B) Handicap policy 2025-2026

Frequency of revision

Post Tournaments - After each tournament.

Non-Tournament play - Weekly revisions as per GHIN software.

Notes

• The Handicap Index of a player or the duration of revision is at the discretion of the Handicap Committee. It may alter the same at any time.

Standards of Player Conduct (R 1.2) (Etiquettes)

• All Players must familiarize themselves with the Player conduct.
• Mobile phones shall not be put in use anywhere on the course.

Tournament play information

• To promote the pace of play, Players must pick up the ball if their scores are beyond points (Stable ford / Bogey). Scores on those holes must be recorded with an X followed by a Nett Double bogey score. Failure to adhere will result in disqualification.
• Play a provisional ball if the original ball is suspected to be lost.
• Put a second ball in play if you are uncertain of the relief rule etc.

- The Tournament Committee
Ootacamund Gymkhana Club

( C ) General Information to players

Tournament Formats - 2026

1. Scramble

1. Both the players shall Tee off together from their respective Tees.
2. After having chosen the best ball any of the partners shall play/ putt first and his co-player shall play / putt next.
   
   Through the green: - The second ball shall be placed with a handspan not nearer to the hole.
   On the Green:- The second ball shall be placed within one hand span not nearer to the hole.
3. If the best ball is in the Water Hazard, the rules of a Water Hazard must be followed. (Rule 13-4). The players also have the option to go by the Water/Lateral Hazard rule. (Rule 26-1)
4. If a player’s ball goes out of bounds, or his ball is lost, the team can choose the best ball and play without penalty. However, if both players go out of bounds or lost, Rule 27-1 applies. (Lost Ball)

2. Power Play

1. Each player / team needs to select 3 holes, a Par 3, a Par 4 and a Par 5 as their Power Play Holes. Note :-Selected Par 4 and Par 5 should be on either Nine and not on the same Nine.
2. The selected hole has to be informed to the Marker before the start of the hole. The marker shall circle the selected hole on the score card.
3. On the Power Play holes, scores of Nett Bogey and worse will result in –2 points.
4. Scores of Nett Par and better will score Double Points ie.. 4 points for Nett Par, 6 for Nett Birdie and 8 points for Nett Eagle.
5. The same principle will apply for the Gross category scores.

3. Modified Foursomes

Foursomes is known less formally as alternate shot. In this format, BOTH PLAYERS TEE OFF ON ALL TEES . After the best ball is chosen, Players alternate until holing out.

For example: If Player no 1 ball is chosen Player 2 will hit the second shot on that hole. They will alternate turns until the hole is completed.

4. Modified Stableford

Every player / Team is given points equal to 80% of their Course handicap up front. Ex. 3 HCP gets 2 points while a 20 HCP gets 16 points. You start your round with the points in your bank.

Every player / Team plays Gross after this. Highest points wins.

5. Combined Stableford

Combined Stableford or Aggregate Stableford is played by adding up the points of partners.

6. Modified Scramble with Power Play

This is a scramble format played with Stable ford points. The twist here is that holes from Stroke index 1 to 6 shall compulsorily be Power Play holes.

6 Compulsory Tee shots per partner.

Note :-

1. Handicap Limits :- All forms of doubles formats will be subjected to 40% of combined Course HCP not more than 24. The Max Course HCP in Singles will also be 24 strokes.
2. K Rajagopal – Friendship cup is open only to members of CGC and OGC.

For clarifications please contact the Tournament Committee members listed below

Satish Balagopal 98422 17575 – Golf Captain
Nitin Suresh – 97873 18181 Bharat Ram – 90470 18591
Vikas Thadani – 96294 12213 Dev Uttamchandani – 96262 62376
Prateeksh – 72044 42774. Vikram Nahar – 98436 63439

- Golf Captain , OGC.