Golf Rules and Regulations

The Golf competition will be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf approved by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) and with local rules approved by the Tournament Committee.

Questions involving the game shall be resolved in accordance with Rules of Golf and by the Decisions Committee whose decision in all matters affecting play will be final. The Tournament committee is responsible for and has full control of the technical organisation of the competition.

Disqualification of a player in any round shall not disqualify that player from any other round unless the tournament Committee otherwise determines.

Format

The Golf Tournament will be a 72-hole Stroke Event played over four rounds of 18 holes each round. The Tournament Committee reserves the right in the event of conditions or circumstances which make the playing of 72 holes impractical, to cancel any round or rounds at it's discretion.

Event Format (to be confirmed)

Men's Championship - Gross and Nett
Women's Championship - Gross and Nett
Men's Team Event - Gross
Women's Team Event - Gross

Team Format

Each team shall consist of three or four players.

In each round the total of the three lowest scores returned by the players in each team shall be the team score for that round. The total of the team scores for the four rounds shall be the team's score for the competition. The team returning the lowest score shall be the winner.

Each team is permitted to appoint one person, eg a captain or coach who may give advice to their team on the course, the person appointed shall be identified to the commit prior to the start of the competition and during play shall at all times remain outside the designated putting areas. Scores returned by all team members also count for the individual events.

Eligibility

All competitors including juniors must hold a current official handicap of twelve (12) or less for males and eighteen (18) or less for females and must receive endorsement from his/her peak body.

Decision of Ties

In the event of a tie for first place in the Individual Gross Events, a sudden death play-off will decide the winner. The Australian Standard Countback Rule shall decide all other ties in the Individual Events.

In the event of a tie for first, second or third place in the Team Events, countback will decide the positions. The Count back will be decided on the last round, if a tie still exists the second last, then the third last round and then the fourth last round. The lowest team score will decide the countback. If any ties still remain, they will be decided by lot.

Draws/Starting Times

Draws and starting times will be published on the website closer to the event. Starting times and groups for Rounds 1 and 2 shall be at the discretion of the Tournament Committee. Starting times and groups for Rounds 3 and 4 shall be seeded, based on scores returned.

There will be no halfway cut. All competitors will play in the four rounds.

Competitors are required to report to the official starter ten minutes before their starting times. If in the absence of circumstance which warrant waiving the penalty of disqualification as provided in rule 33-7, the player arrives at his/her starting point, ready to
play within five minutes after his/her starting time, the penalty for failure to start on time is two strokes instead of disqualification.

Motorised Carts

Competitors requiring the use of motorised ride on carts/buggies must produce a current medical certificate.

Competition Limit Exceeded

In the event that more than 180 nominations are received for the golf competition the Tournament Committee will have responsibility to ballot. Balloting will be done on the basis of highest handicaps of Northern Territory competitors being balloted out until a field of 180 is reached.

All international, interstate and team members will be exempt from the ballot.

Medals

Arafura Games Gold Silver & Bronze medals will be awarded for first, second and third place in each category of the both the Individual Events and the Team Event.

Team entries from the Northern Territory, Australia shall be restricted to one entry per category.