Greater Huachuca Men’s Golf Club
2623 Sun Crest Drive
Sierra Vista, AZ 85650
Meeting: Greater Huachuca Men’s Golf Club
Date: 24 November 2015, 1610hrs.
Location: 19th Hole Mountain View Golf Course
Chairperson: Craig Engel-President
Secretary: Will Lewis
In Attendance: Joe Arsenault-Vice President
Memory Holland- Treasurer
Cliff Gray- Member
Review of Previous minutes
a. Will Lewis made a motion to accept the previous month’s minutes to the Board and the attending Members. Motion to accept was seconded by Craig Engel and unanimously approved by the Executive Board and Members in attendance.
2. Review of Agenda
a. GHMGC Tournament priorities were reviewed: 1) Pace of Play- N/A. 2) Handicap maintenance- this will continue to be monitored and addressed throughout the season. 3) Scorecard verification/validation.
3. Officer Reports
a. President- Discussions are currently taking place between the GHMGC President, Course Manager and Course Superintendent regarding the adjustment of Tee Times/Dates concerning Future GHMGC Tournaments. Results of the aforementioned discussions will be sent via email to all Members and posted on the website. Outcome- TBD.
b. Vice President- Nothing to report
c. Secretary- Nothing to report
d. Treasurer- The November Treasurer’s Report was presented to the board in draft form, discussed and recommended for approval, seconded and approved by the Executive Board. Refer to the Treasurers report. Memory Holland made a motion to bring forward approximately $250.00 in the GHMGC Treasury for CY 2016. Motion to accept was seconded by Craig Engel and unanimously approved by the GHMGC Executive Board and Members in attendance.
4. Committee Reports
a. Tournament- The 2015 Turkey Shoot Tournament was successfully conducted on 22 November at the Mountain View Golf Course. Scorecard verification/validation/recording process was strictly enforced under the current improvement plan implemented by the Tournament Committee Chairman, with Executive Board and Volunteer assistance. The next Tournament will be the Election Day Beat the Board Scramble on 5 December 2015. Further details are included in the Announcements section.
b. Handicap- The USGA has released changes to the Handicap System. The information is as follows: November 23, 2015, 8:20 pm
In addition to revising the Rules of Golf for the upcoming year to stress simplicity, the USGA also released changes to their handicap system on Monday that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2016.
The changes, which will affect approximately 10 million golfers, focus on several different aspects of the game, including the new anchoring ban and playing alone.
“The USGA handicap system is constantly evolving to ensure that the system works for the game today and tomorrow,” said Steven Edmondson, the USGA’s managing director of handicapping & course rating, in a release. “As we examine the game domestically and globally, these revisions support the integrity and reliability that millions of players around the world expect of this system. We continue to explore substantive changes as we work toward a world handicap system in the years ahead.”
According to the USGA press release, there will be six significant changes:
• Definition of a tournament score: Additional guidance is provided to Committees conducting competitions regarding the definition of a tournament score, placing greater emphasis on “significant events.” The definition excludes fundraising events and regular league play, in favor of designated competitions such as a member/guest or club championship, local amateur tournament or national qualifying and competition. (Section 2: Definitions)
• Adjusting hole scores: A revised decision provides clarity for acceptable scores in limited situations where the player has not played a hole(s) under the Rules of Golf, but his or her score would be sufficiently accurate for handicap posting purposes. Three areas covered under the examples include: 1) where the Local Rule is not in effect, but a player chooses to use a Distance Measuring Device or preferred lies; 2) where a player does not wish to cause undue delay; or 3) where the situation is outside of the player’s control, such as an incorrectly marked golf course. (Section 4: Adjusting Hole Scores)
• Posting scores when a player is disqualified: To improve alignment with the Rules of Golf, the revised Handicap System is clearer about what scores are acceptable when a player is disqualified. In general, a score is acceptable for handicap purposes even when a player fails to hole out, or apply a Rule that affects the rights of another player. If the disqualification breach is determined to provide an advantage for the player, the score is deemed unacceptable for handicap purposes. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)
• Anchoring and posting: A new reference concerns a player who anchors the club while making a stroke during a round and fails to apply the appropriate penalty or an adjusted hole score (Section 4-2). Since the score would not be reflected as playing under the Rules of Golf, it would be unacceptable for handicap purposes. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)
• Playing alone and necessary peer review: To further support the key system premise of peer review, scores made while playing alone will no longer be acceptable for handicap purposes. This change underscores the importance of providing full and accurate information regarding a player’s potential scoring ability, and the ability of other players to form a reasonable basis for supporting or disputing a posted score. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)
• Committee responsibilities: In an effort to assist the Handicap Committee with its responsibilities, this revision addresses a player with a temporary disability or permanent disability who has a Handicap Index that is no longer reflective of his/her current potential ability. In the particular instance cited, the Committee will no longer assign a local handicap (denoted with the letter “L” for local use only), but instead will issue a (temporary) modified Handicap Index (denoted by the letter “M”). This change supports the portability of a disabled player’s handicap, so that it can be used outside the player’s home club. (Section 8-4c: Handicap Index Adjustment by Handicap Committee)
c. Publicity
d. Auditing - Completed
e. Entertainment
f. Ethics
g. Rules
5. Special Orders- Nothing to Report
6. Unfinished Business
a. Nothing to Report.
7. New Business
a. If you are interested in running for a Men’s Club Executive Board position or would like to volunteer to assist with the Election Board, please contact a sitting Men’s Club Executive Board Member.
b. Tom Rogers and Tom Wiederstein have volunteered to assist with the annual GHMGC Board election procedures. The GHMGC Executive Board GREATLY appreciates the efforts of these two Gentlemen. 8. Old Business
a. AGA and GHMGC Membership Renewal procedures. Registration for AGA renewal opens 15 October 2015. An email was sent to all Members with renewal instructions and posted to the website.
9. Announcements
a. The next event will be the Election Day “Beat the Board Tournament” to be held on 5 December (Sat.), this event is a blind draw, four person scramble, shotgun start at 0900 and is open to GHMGC Members and Affiliates with an established USGA handicap. Voting in a new GHMGC Executive Board will take place PRIOR to the Tournament.
b. The next meeting will be held TBD hours in the Mountain View Golf Course 19th Hole. All Members are encouraged to attend.
10. The Meeting was adjourned at 1645 hrs.
Will Lewis
Secretary, GHMGC