Policies & Procedures

Players

Our Tournaments are open to all professionals; men and women, as well as amateurs with an official handicap of 5 or less. No handicap allowance will be given to amateurs. These are scratch events.

Winnings

Open Division Guarantees

1. The West Florida Golf Tour will only take up to a maximum amount of $20 a day from every entry fee to cover administrative costs.
2. We will pay 33% of the field.
3. Last place check will always earn their entry fee back (excluding ties).
4. The maximum voucher for an amateur is $750 as allowed by the USGA.

All players earning money will have their check mailed to them the following day.

Tee Times

Players tee times will be available at 5pm the night before the tournament. They will be emailed to you or you can check the website under “Next Tournament.” They are done at random with the players location in mind.

Registration on the Day

Each player MUST present themselves at the registration desk as soon as they arrive at the tournament venue. A player must register before going to the driving range, putting green or the 1st tee.

Payment

1. Pay with cash
2. Pay using a credit/debit card
3. Pay with a check

All cost for bad checks or credit card issues will be charged to the player.

Withdrawal Policy

The West Florida Golf Tour requires at least 24 hours notice from the player if he/she decides they need to withdraw from an event they are already registered for. Any player that doesn't give 24 hours notice, will be charged an additional $20 on their next entry fee. A player can withdraw for any reason prior to the 24 hour deadline without penalty.

Conduct

Any conduct unbecoming of a professional golfer will not be tolerated and the player may lose playing privileges with the tour as well as being liable to disqualification from that event. Players are reminded to treat the employees of the host club with the up most respect. All West Florida golf tour players are expected to repair ball marks along with divots (where appropriate) and rake all bunkers. All cell phones must be in the off or silent position during play.

Dress Code

Tailored Golf shorts are permitted as long as they are Bermuda length, provided the host course allows such attire. All shirts must be collared and no denim is allowed. All shoes must be soft spikes.

Measuring Devices

Range finders will be permitted on the West Florida golf tour, however they cannot measure anything other than true yardage (no slope wind etc). Sky Caddies are permitted.

Pin Sheets

Pin sheets are not guaranteed to be provided, so we suggest you bring your rangefinder!

Playoff

If two or more competitors are tied after 18 holes, the winner will be decided in a sudden death playoff to be completed immediately after the last group completes there round.

Foreign Nationals

If a foreign national does not have a social security or tax ID number they will be subject to a 30% withholding tax. They will also need to complete a W-8 BEN form.

US Nationals

Will be required to complete an W-9 form. A 1099-misc will be mailed to competitor at the end of the year if he has won more than $600.

Rules

United States Golf Association current rules govern play with the addition of local rules where applicable.

Rule 3-3. The West Florida Golf Tour strongly urges its players to play two golf balls if they are unsure about a ruling or are uncertain of how to proceed in a specific event if a rules official is not present. Please inform the committee following your round, so that they can make the proper ruling.

Weather

Lightning

A player has the right to suspend play if he/she feels threatened by dangerous lightning conditions without penalty. If West Florida golf tour or host club should indicate suspension of play all players should cease playing immediately.

Rain Delay/Official

An 18 hole tournament is considered complete if all the field has completed at least 9 holes of play. If the final group completed say 13 holes before being called off, then the 13 hole total will decide the results. If the tournament is washed out for the day before the 9 holes are complete. The players’ entry fee shall be refunded in full ONLY if a refund is attained from the host club by the West Florida Golf Tour. If not, then the prize money will be split evenly amongst the field.

Getting to the Tee in Time!

Each player MUST be present and ready to play at least 10 minutes prior to his/her start time. Getting to the tee late disrupts the whole tournament and your playing partners. Please observe this request.

Pace of Play

The following conditions and policies shall govern regulation of the pace of play by the West Florida Golf Tour Rules Committee. In order to prevent any such penalty we strongly suggest you read the following guidelines:

Rule 6-7 states:"The player must play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guidelines that the Committee may establish. Between completion of a hole and playing from the next teeing ground, the player should not unduly delay play."

Group Out of Position

If a group is, "out of position", a WFGT Official will begin to monitor them notifying them that the group is "out of position", and they are subject to individual timing. The group in question will have one hole to regain their correct position on the golf course before individual timing of the players in the group begins.

Any players in a group which is "out of position" who takes more than 40 seconds to play a stroke when it is his turn to play is subject to penalty under Rule 6-7, Undue Delay; Slow Play as follows:

1. One bad time of more than 40 seconds – Warning.
2. A second bad time of more than 40 seconds – 1 Stroke Penalty.
3. A third bad time of more than 40 seconds – Additional 2 Stroke Penalty.
4. A forth bad time of more than 40 seconds – Disqualification.

A permanent local rule for the West Florida Golf Tour is the permitted removal of any stones from any bunkers during our events.

Disclaimer

Any lost or stolen items are the player’s responsibility and not the responsibility of the West Florida golf tour. The West Florida golf tour reserves the right to deny any player entry for any reason. West Florida golf tour participants are responsible for any damage they cause to the host golf clubs property or course. The West Florida Golf course is not responsible for any injury that occurs during one of our events.

Appeals

The Tour Director’s decision will be final.