1. General

a. Governance: The ESPN National Golf Challenge will be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Golf as approved by the United States Golf Association (USGA) effective January 1, 2007.

b. The Host Professional: The event will be conducted under the direction of the host Golf Professional at each facility. The host professional will be responsible for all interpretations and rulings on the conduct of the event and such rulings shall be final.

c. Scoring: Each qualifying team shall be issued an official scorecard for the event and shall return same to Scorer upon completion of their round. Each player must enter an actual or estimated score on each hole as per USGA guidelines. Scoring will be based on low NET score by either player on each hole. All scores must be attested by a fellow competitor team and/or the Golf Professional Staff at the qualifying facility. (All players are required to post their scores promptly as tournament rounds for handicap purposes). The top scoring teams, based on participation at each site, may be eligible to advance to the Regional Qualifying Site in their area and compete as either a Gross or Net Team. Regional events will be held in late August and a minimum of two (2) teams from each Regional Site (one team from each division) may be eligible to advance to the National Finals in Las Vegas.

d. Handicaps: The maximum allowable handicap is 24 for each player in the NET Division. Gross Division participants will use no handicap. Each participant will be required to have a valid verifiable USGA (or other recognized handicap, issued by a regional or state handicap organization and following USGA guidelines). Official handicaps for the event will be determined using the player's lowest current Index and the slope rating of the course being played as outlined in the USGA Handicap Manual, Section 10-4. All participants will receive 90% of adjusted course handicaps. Strokes will be allocated based on tees played (men will receive strokes as they are allocated from the men's tees and women as allocated from the forward tees). In the Regional and the National Finals events, Net Division participants shall compete with THE LOWER OF a) 65% their current Index at that time, b) the Index used in the Local or Regional Qualifying event, or c) the index assigned by the ESPN National Golf Challenge Handicap Committee. The ESPN National Golf Challenge reserves the right to adjust a participants handicap at any time.

e. Tie-breaker: In the event that a Local event ends in a tie, the teams tying for the last advancing spot shall commence a "sudden death" play-off beginning at the first tee with strokes being allocated as in the original round (if tie is in the NET division). The team or teams with a higher score shall be eliminated on a hole-by-hole basis and the winner shall be the team with the lowest score on the hole or holes. If a “sudden death” playoff is not possible (as determined by the Local Host Site Tournament Director), the Local event may use a “score card” playoff to determine the winner. The “score card” playoff should commence on the number 1 handicap hole and continue on the scorecard from that hole until a winner is determined.

In the event that a Regional Finals event ends in a tie, all teams tying for the last advancing spot may be invited to advance to the National Finals, subject to validation by the ESPN National Golf Challenge.

f. Disqualification: Participants found violating USGA rules, tournament rules, falsifying or neglecting handicaps or otherwise engaging in conduct inconsistent with the tournament standards or spirit of fair play may be disqualified without claim or recourse of any type.

g. Substitution: Each team is allowed to substitute one player at each level of the competition. A team member or the Local Qualifying Site Tournament Director must notify the ESPN National Golf Challenge committee if a substitution is necessary for the Regional or National Finals. One member of the original team must continue to participate at each event. Substitute players are required to meet all USGA handicap and National Golf Challenge guidelines.

2. Amateur Status:

a. Amateurs Only: The ESPN National Golf Challenge is open ONLY to amateur golfers as defined by the United States Golf Association (USGA).

 
Golf Courses

1. Set-Up

a. Length: Qualifying golf courses for the ESPN National Golf Challenge will naturally vary in difficulty and length. The host Golf Professional will make the final decisions regarding golf course set-up at each qualifying facility. It is anticipated that male contestants will play a golf course of approximately 6,600 yards and that female contestants will play from approximately 5,900 yards, but these lengths are guidelines only and will vary from site to site. Please check with your local qualifying site for additional information regarding course set-up and length.

 
Miscellaneous Rules

1. Entry Fees:

a. Initial Entry: The suggested entry fee is $120 for each two-person team ($60 per player). Each player's entry fee includes a participation gift for playing in the event. Players will also be responsible for payment of the appropriate green fee and cart fee (if applicable) at the qualifying sites. Additional entry fees of $350 per team ($175 per player) will be required for those teams qualifying for the Regional Tournaments unless otherwise indicated by the Local Qualifying Host Site. Entry fees for the Regional Tournaments are non-refundable and include all greens/cart fees, range balls, tournament management and hosting at the Regional Site. All players in the Regional event will also receive participation gifts at registration. An additional entry fee may be required for the National Finals.

b. Refunds: Refunds will not be made after the start of Local Qualifying play. In the event that a qualifying round is interrupted by weather or other conditions beyond the control of the contestants, the Host Professional shall determine if the round shall be resumed where interrupted or from the start. That decision shall be final.

2. Team Composition

a. Teams: Teams in the ESPN National Golf Challenge may be formed by any combination of male and female participants (two men, one man and one woman, two women). All play will be in a single division.

b. Eligibility: Net division players employed with the following companies may participate in the ESPN National Golf Challenge at the Local level only, but are ineligible to advance to the Regional Finals or National Finals: an employee, officer, director or agent of ESPN, Inc., The Walt Disney Company, the Hearst Corporation, the applicable Host Site, or any of their respective licensees, assigns, parents, affiliated or subsidiary companies, nor an immediate family member or a member of the same household of any such individual.