Tournament Player's Information
CONDITIONS OF PLAY: The Minnesota Golf Association reserves the right to decline or reject an entry with just cause at any time, including after the competition has closed. Any person whose entry is accepted shall be subject to the rules and conditions of play set forth by the MGA. The MGA reserves the right to shorten any competition due to weather or other conditions warranting such action. Any breach of the Code of Conduct, as written in the MGA Conduct Policy stated below, will be cause for removal from a tournament. NOTE: The MGA will not make any provisions for a player asking for special consideration due to other commitments.
MGA CONDUCT POLICY: By submitting an entry, or by participating in any MGA competition, the player understands that his/her participation is at the sole discretion of the MGA. In addition to incurring penalties under Rule 1.2 of the Rules of Golf (including disqualification) for a breach of the MGA Code of Conduct Policy, the player’s entry may be rejected for any event, at the discretion of the Committee with just cause, at any time including after the competition has closed.
Serious misconduct or actions at any MGA event, or state, national, or international event, or conduct or action deemed detrimental to the MGA, the spirit of the game or to the host facilities are grounds for such rejection and/or additional sanctions.
These include, but are not limited to:
1. Cheating
2. Willful destruction of golf course or MGA property
3. Abusive language or conduct towards MGA and/or host
facility, staff, volunteers or other players
4. Abusive or derogatory criticism of the MGA and/or host
facility staff, volunteers or other players
5. Club throwing and/or physical endangerment of others
6. Offensive or excessively loud behavior
7. Alcohol and/or substance impaired behavior
8. Repeated withdrawals or no cards during or after completion of a round
9. Inappropriate golf attire
10. Failure to follow a request of the Committee pertaining to the use of a telecommunications device or the like
11. Other conduct treated as serious misconduct
Should an incident occur, the Official-in-Charge will submit a report to the Rules and Competitions Committee. If the Committee deems further action may be necessary, a Sub-Committee will be convened for the purpose of reviewing the incident and interviewing all involved individuals. The Sub-Committee will be made up of the MGA President, MGA Rules and Competitions Committee Chair, MGA Executive Director, MGA Director of Rules and Competitions (unless involved in the incident) and three (3) at-large members who are the peers of the player under review. The Sub-Committee will render a ruling that may include sanctions ranging from probation to suspension from future MGA events, to not being eligible for MGA team competitions and/or player awards. This also may include losing exempt status for future year(s). If sanctions are imposed, the player has the right to appeal the decision to the MGA Executive Committee, whose decision is final.
Please refer to the specific Player Conduct Policy for the relevant year.
TOURNAMENT ELIGIBILITY: Entries are open to amateur golfers who are current Associate Members of the MGA at the club from which they are playing, whose club is a current member club of the MGA, and whose Handicap Index® for 18 holes does not exceed the limit set forth on the tournament eligibility. Entry for the two State Junior Championships is also open to non-MGA members who are residents of Minnesota.
TRANSGENDER ATHLETES: The MGA follows the policy established by the USGA regarding transgender athletes.
ONLINE REGISTRATION: Online registration is the ONLY method of entry available for all events. All MGA tournaments may be entered at any time starting 8:30 am, Central Time, Monday, March 3, 2025, provided the entry is submitted on or before the entry closing date and the field is not full. The entry deadlines are located on each championship website. The following credit cards are accepted: Visa®, MasterCard®, Discover® and American Express®.
Anyone submitting an entry will receive an email confirming their registration. A player failing to receive the confirmation email should contact the MGA Rules and Competitions Department as soon as possible as it is likely there was an error in the registration process.
TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEES: Entry fees for all tournaments include the course fees, prizes, food & beverages and tee gifts and range (when applicable). Golf carts, when permitted, are at the player’s expense.
REFUNDS: Entry fees will be refunded in full regardless of the reason for any withdrawal up to and including the deadline. A withdrawal after the deadline but up to one day before the event will receive a full refund, less a $25 administrative fee. A withdrawal after such time, or a no show, will not be eligible for any refund. The participant must submit a written request or email within 30 days of the event to obtain a refund.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION: Important information concerning the competition will be posted on the championship webpage prior to the event. An e-mail and text message confirming that such information has been posted will be sent to all registered players with an email and/or cell phone on file. It is the player’s responsibility to get the information from the championship website and should check the webpage often.
E-MAIL: All Tournament Players with an active e-mail address on file will receive tournament correspondence via e-mail. You will be directed to the appropriate website to view pertinent information.
QUALIFYING: The number of spots available at each qualifying site will be determined proportionately based on the number of entries received for a specific site relative to the total number of entries received at the entry deadline. The final number of spots will be available on the championship webpage, Notice to Competitors and/or Local Rules sheet and at each qualifying site.
HANDICAP INDEX®: Unless otherwise stated, the current index as of one week prior to the Championship date is used to determine the player’s course handicap for relevant tournaments. The MGA reserves the right to adjust a player’s Handicap Index® prior to the start of the competition entered.
FOOTWEAR POLICY: The MGA prohibits the use of metal spikes for all MGA events.
WITHDRAWALS/NO SHOWS: Players who have applied to participate in an MGA event and wish to withdraw for any reason MUST do so prior to the event. If withdrawing on the day of the event, you must call the course you are assigned to play. Players who fail to follow this procedure will be listed as a NO SHOW. Repeated no shows by a player may result in the player’s entry for future events being rejected. You may withdraw through the online registration system, or by sending an email to tournaments@mngolf.org.
SCORE POSTING: According to WHS handicap policies, tournament scores recorded in any individual MGA stroke play competition and the Net Team Championship will be posted for handicapping purposes. Players should not post these scores individually. However, scores from match play or any Four-Ball event will not be posted by the MGA. Players are responsible for posting those scores.
15-STROKE RULE: The MGA expects all contestants in championship play to exhibit playing skills that are comparable with their peers. Thus, if a player repeatedly returns scores that are not within 15 strokes of the course rating, the MGA may reject the player’s entry into future events. (Note: This is applicable to the following events: Qualifying for the Amateur, Players’, Mid-Players’, and Senior Players’ Championships as well as the Senior and Mid-Amateur Championships proper.) The player will be notified in writing of his status and expected to prove his playing ability is consistent with the requirements of the MGA by submitting supporting evidence.
A player who withdraws during a round MUST report to the Committee; otherwise, the player will be listed as a NO CARD. Repeated NO CARDS may result in rejection of future applications.
PHOTOGRAPHIC/VIDEO: By submitting any application, the player agrees to allow the MGA to use the player’s photographic/video image for any MGA media related use(s). If you do not wish to have your image used, you must notify the MGA in writing prior to the event(s) you are entering.
MGA DRESS CODE: For all MGA tournaments, players and caddies must be neat in appearance with respect to clothing. All entrants are required to wear appropriate and normally accepted golf attire. For men, this includes slacks, Bermuda-length shorts and collared golf shirts with sleeves. For women, this includes pants (slacks, Capris), golf shorts/skirts/skorts, or golf dresses that are of the appropriate length, and golf tops (sleeveless tops are permitted for women).
Examples of attire NOT ACCEPTABLE include the following: Short shorts, athletic shorts, tennis shorts, cut-offs, jeans, jean shorts, tank tops, t-shirts, sweats.
A player who arrives inappropriately dressed may be required to change or to wear items that cover up the inappropriate items, such as a rain suit. The Committee in charge shall decide whether this requirement has been met and will withdraw the entry of any player who does not comply. Host club dress codes will supersede the MGA dress code.
SPECTATOR CARTS: When golf carts are permitted in an MGA/USGA event, their use is limited to transporting players and their clubs. Walking spectators are always welcome at MGA conducted events. Spectators are prohibited from using golf carts unless they have been issued a Handicap Parking permit by a local authority. Use of a cart must be requested through the lead MGA Staff member or Official-in-Charge onsite.
WEATHER DELAYS: The MGA will make every effort to complete an event in its entirety. However, the MGA reserves the right to shorten an event or make a cut to the field as necessary to complete the event if weather-related circumstances require such action. In the event this occurs, no refunds will be issued.
In the case of a qualifying event, the MGA will make every effort to complete the event on the day scheduled. In the unlikely event that eighteen holes cannot be completed, the MGA reserves the right to shorten the event to nine holes. If the event is not able to be completed on the day scheduled, the event will be concluded on the following day or on the earliest agreeable day, pending the agreement with the host facility. If the course is unplayable on a particular day, the MGA reserves the right to reschedule the event on a mutually agreeable day with the facility. If one is not available, the MGA will attempt to relocate to another facility. If this is the case, players will be given the additional option to withdraw and receive a full refund.
MGA NET TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP KNUTH POINTS: All players’ course handicaps for the Net Team Championship will be reviewed and may be reduced based upon past performances in the Championship by using a modified “Knuth Points” system.
Players on teams finishing in the top 5 places will be assigned points based on their finish (see Table A). A player accumulating more than the allowable points for any time period listed in Table B below will have his/her course handicap reduced by the number of strokes according to Table C below. If a player exceeds the allowable points in two or more of the four time periods in Table B, he/she will receive the greater (greatest) of the reductions.
Table A: Maximum Points Allowed
1st Place: 5 points per player
2nd Place: 4 points per player
3rd Place: 3 points per player
4th Place: 2 points per player
5th Place: 1 point per player
Table B
Point Allocations
7 points in 2 most previous events
8 points in 3 most previous events
9 points in 4 most previous events
10 points in 5 most previous events
Table C
Reductions
1 stroke = 1-2 points over maximum
1 stroke for every additional point over maximum