DRESS CODE: All players must adhere to the individual dress codes of the courses where tournaments are played.

SOFT SPIKES: All players must wear alternative spikes. We are a “soft spikes” tour. No metal spikes will be allowed.

ENTRY FEES/DEADLINES: The deadline for entry into a Scratch Tour event is 5 p.m. Monday of the tournament week. This allows us to purchase weekend tee times at a reduced rate, which helps keep our fees lower. Fees must be mailed to the Scratch Tour P. O. Box before that date, or paid at a previous tournament. There is no dropoff point for entries. Getting your entry fee in by these deadlines will guarantee your entry into the upcoming event.

LATE ENTRIES/LATE FEES: A $20 late fee MUST accompany entries arriving after the established deadlines. These are NOT guaranteed to get into the tournament. These entries go on a waiting list. If there is a cancellation or withdrawal, or if an additional tee time becomes available, the players will be notified in order of their position on the waiting list (i.e., first come, first served). Players on the waiting list who do not get into the tournament will have their entry fee refunded, but NOT the late fee.

WITHDRAWALS, NO-SHOWS: The deadline for withdrawing from a tournament is 5 p.m. Thursday of the tournament week. Full refunds, minus any late fees, will be made to the player. Players who withdraw after 5 p.m. Thursday of tournament week will be charged a $25 administration fee. The remainder of the player’s entry fee will be refunded by check.

Players who withdraw from a tournament once it has begun, or who fail to show up for their appointed tee time without giving tournament officials proper notification, are subject to a two-event suspension at the discretion of Tour officials. Players who withdraw or fail to show a second time during the season are subject to having their membership revoked for that season. In other words, members who start an event are expected to complete it.

TIME OF STARTING/LATE TO TEE: Players must report to the starting tee 10 minutes prior to their starting time, or be subject to a two-stroke penalty. The starter or tournament official on the tee has the official time. This allows tournament officials to dispense scorecards, update rules situations, etc. Players who are late to the tee box repeatedly will be subject to disqualification and suspension of playing privileges.

Some venues have public address systems to call groups to the tee, others don’t. Remember, it is the player’s responsibility to be at the tee at the appointed time, even if there has been a delay and tee times are running behind.

If a player is late to the tee, and all members of his group have hit their tee balls, the late player is automatically disqualified.

PACE OF PLAY: A player has 45 seconds to strike the ball once it becomes his turn. Be prepared to play when it is your turn. You do not have to wait until it is your turn provided you announce to the other players that you are ready. In other words, play “ready golf.”

The group marshal is responsible for keeping his group within sight of the group ahead. It doesn’t matter that the group in back of you falls behind, and you are not being pushed. The idea is to keep pace with the group ahead of you.

Violators will receive one warning and given time to catch up. If the problem persists after that, the player(s) will be disqualified. Repeat offenders are subject to immediate disqualification, and even revocation of tour privileges.

WALKING: The entry fee includes greens fees and cart fees for the two tournament rounds. Players have the option of walking and carrying their bags, or employing caddies. Walkers must be able to stay up with their group and ensure that pace of play is not interrupted. There are no cart fee refunds for walkers.

CADDIES: Players may designate one person as a caddie. The caddie may ride in the same golf cart with his player, but must pay an additional cart fee in the pro shop. The designated caddie must remain with the player at all times. He or she may not go forward, ahead of the group, to search for lost balls, or act as a forecaddie. The player is responsible for the actions of his caddie. Any violations of tour rules by the caddie will subject the player to penalties, which could include disqualification.

SPECTATORS: Players may have friends and family follow their play, but those persons must not interfere with the pace of play, nor are they to give advice to the player during the course of play. If a player designates one of the spectators as a caddie, that person must then adhere to the caddie guidelines. Spectators may use golf carts by paying additional cart fees. Spectators must stay with their group. Like the caddie guidelines, players are responsible for ensuring their spectators don't distract other players in the tournament. Spectators violating these rules will be asked to leave the course and could subject the player to disqualification. 

PLAY TWO: For the sake of pace of play, whenever there is doubt about a rule or situation, play a second ball and record both scores. Do not hold up the field waiting for a ruling. The rules committee will make the decision following play.

GOLF BALLS: Players are not required to play the same kind if golf ball for the entire round (i.e., the one-ball rule is out), but you cannot change balls during the play of a hole.

RANGEFINDERS AND GPS: The Gulf Coast Scratch Tour has adopted a local rule permitting the use of personal distance measuring devices as well as the on-cart GPS systems when they are available. In an effort to speed up play, players are allowed to share information from personal range finders, as well as information from the on-cart GPS systems when in use.

OUT OF BOUNDS: Where white stakes or fence posts are used, the nearest inside points at ground level define out-of-bounds. When out-of-bounds is defined by a white line on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds. If any part of the ball is resting in bounds, the ball is in bounds. Remember, the out-of-bounds line extends vertically.

GROUND UNDER REPAIR: Enclosed white lines define ground under repair. The white lines are considered ground under repair. Other areas of ground under repair, even not so marked, include: 1. French drains (trenches filled with stones or the like); 2. ALL ant beds and mounds.

MOLE CRICKET MOUNDS/HOLES: This is a Scratch Tour rule only. Players may get relief from mole cricket mounds and holes by taking a penalty-free drop within one club length of the ball's original position no nearer the hole. If the relief situation occurs on the putting green, players may lift the ball, repair the damage, and replace the ball as near as possible to its original position.

HOLES ON THE GREEN: When a ball comes to rest in a hole left by the maintenance crew when taking soil samples on the green, the ball may be moved to the nearest point of relief to the left or right of the hole, not nearer the cup. Special rules will be implemented at courses where aeration has taken place prior to a Tour event.

IMBEDDED BALL: As a local rule, the Gulf Coast Scratch Tour allows relief from an imbedded ball through the green, which means fairway and rough. There is no relief from this situation in hazards.

WATER HAZARDS: Defined by yellow lines and designated by yellow stakes. When both stakes and lines are present, the stakes identify the hazard, and the lines define the margin.

LATERAL WATER HAZARDS: Defined by red lines and designated by red stakes. When both stakes and lines are present, the stakes identify the hazard, and the lines define the margin.  

PERMANENT ELEVATED OVERHEAD POWER LINES AND CABLES: If a ball strikes such a line or cable, the stroke shall be cancelled and the shot must be replayed, without penalty, in accordance with Rule 20-5. If the ball is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted.

TREE WRAPPINGS, ELECTRICAL WIRES, CABLES: Closely attached to trees: No relief. Tree wrappings, electrical wires, cables and lightning rods closely attached to trees are not obstructions. They are integral parts of the course.

STAKED TREES: If lie of ball, stance and/or area of intended swing is interfered with by the stake attached to a tree, the stake and/or rope/wire is treated as an immovable obstruction. However, relief without penalty from the tree itself is not permitted.

BALL DROPS: Ball drop areas are designated at some courses. A ball drop area is not ground under repair. The line itself is in the ball drop area. The ball drop area is an additional option.

LIFT, CLEAN AND PLACE: When conditions warrant implementation of the lift, clean and place option, the player shall first mark his ball, and then replace it within one club length of its original position. Remember, ALWAYS mark your ball before you pick it up.

SUSPENSION OF PLAY: When play is suspended for a dangerous situation, play must cease immediately, even if the players are in the process of playing a hole. They should mark their positions and head for shelter. Play shall not resume until the Committee has ordered a resumption of play. Penalty for breach of rule: Disqualification.  

PRACTICE DURING SUSPENSION: All practice areas are closed during suspension of play. The putting green may be reopened before play resumes, but the driving range remains closed until the conclusion of play of the stipulated round. Penalty for breach of rule: Disqualification.