Membership Information Handbook
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Costa Mesa Men’s Club
Membership Information Handbook
Welcome to the Men’s Club of the Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club. The Men’s Club has been in existence since 1967 as a
1.0 Board of Directors
The Costa Mesa Men’s Club is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the members at a general meeting in November. Any actions taken by the Board must follow the Club Bylaws, which can by downloaded from our website. A member in good standing for a minimum of two consecutive years is encouraged to run for the Board of Directors. Directors are elected for two year terms and are limited to two terms in any five years.
In early December, the newly elected Board meets to elect its officers: President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. Each officer has certain responsibilities, such as:
President - Makes the agenda for and chairs both the general and Board meetings; is chief liaison between the Club and Mesa Verde Partners, the managers of Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club, as well as the public; troubleshoots Club problems; oversees and works with all members of the Board
Vice President - Supervises the Saturday Sweeps, the monthly
Treasurer - Maintains a check register, detailing all funds received from members and bank deposit slips, all invoices paid and a check book; prepares tax returns for the previous year; prepares the monthly financial statement to be included in the Newsletter, maintains the Hole-in-One insurance list.
Secretary - Keep the minutes for the monthly Board meeting; publishes monthly Newsletter; archives pertinent Club information, maintains the Member’s Rewards points list. The Secretary is also responsible for the yearly elections to the Board.
Once elected, the President appoints the balance of the Board of Directors to the positions of Tournament Director, Membership Director, Handicap Director, Social Director and Rules and Greens Director. Each Director may appoint a committee to assist him with his responsibilities. The President may decide to combine the responsibilities of these Directors. Recently, a new position of Communications Director has been added to maintain the Club Website.
The following are some of the responsibilities of these Directors:
Tournament - Determines the type of play for each monthly tournament; provides a written copy of the rules of play to the players; maintains the tournament budget, collecting all fees, paying expenses and providing prizes for winners; arranges for workers to assist in collecting fees, preparing scorecards for players and verifying the scores; manages the tournament; coordinates efforts with the treasurer and the rules and greens chairman; presents prizes and awards to the winners
Membership - Receives applications and annual dues for all members; reinstates current members in December; enrolls new members to the Club and SCGA; maintains a current Club roster with name, address, phone, SCGA # and record of dues paid; communicates with new members via phone, email and/or welcome letter
Handicap - Becomes certified by the SCGA as handicap chairman; collects and monitors scorecards for correctness; updates the Club computer on a monthly basis; establishes temporary handicaps for new members; notifies and sets penalties for players with incorrect scorecards
Social - Arranges dinners and guest speakers for dinner meetings, supervises the dinner meeting and raffle; arranges and hosts any dinner, barbeque or luncheon for Member-Guest and Member-Member tournaments; communicates with members regarding members health issues.
Rules and Greens - Oversees decisions concerning the rules of golf; assists the tournament chairman with golf rules; works with the course management on the local rules; assists the vice president with the sweeps and derby, if asked. Note: The Rules and Greens Board position is sometimes combined with the Social position
Communications - Maintains the club website by posting tee times, tournament descriptions, pairings and results; posts news items, and all other pertinent issues that need to be communicated to members in a timely manner.
Board members are not paid for their services to the Club, but realize some benefits such as reduced entry fees for all tournaments.
2.0 Membership
Membership in the Men’s Club has various benefits mentioned throughout this booklet, including enrollment in the SCGA. The basic membership lasts from January through December, but prorated adjustments in annual dues are made by the Board throughout the year. The Board of Directors may encourage new members to sign up early with a special rate covering the remainder of the year plus a renewal for the following year.
Qualification for membership is determined by the membership director. However, the Bylaws give any Board member the right to question the membership of an applicant. In such case, the membership will be given at the discretion of the Board of Directors as a whole, who should abide by the discipline procedures found in the Bylaws.
2.1 Membership Renewal
Maintaining a current membership requires that renewals be completed before the first of December of the previous year. Early membership renewals begin in October and fees are increased each month as determined by the Board. Since the deadline for reinstatement into the SCGA is currently November 30th, it is important to renew your membership before that date. If not, your name will be deleted from the SCGA roster.
3.0 Club Activities
Membership in the Costa Mesa Men’s Club allows one to participate in a variety of activities: the Saturday Sweeps, a monthly tournament, SCGA Team Play in January, the Presidents Cup, a
3.1 Saturday Sweeps
The Saturday Sweeps has 16 tee times early Saturday morning for anywhere from 64 players, playing as foursomes, up to 80 players, playing as fivesomes. The responsibility of the Sweeps table operation belongs to the Vice President. Each week the Vice President and his committee decide the playing format and decide the pairings for each tee time available from the list of those you have signed up to play that week. Club tournaments take precedence over the Sweeps.
· Note: Every attempt will be made to accommodate the request of members to play with certain other members and/or requests for an early or late tee time. However, this may not always be possible and the understanding of the members is requested and appreciated.
Usually on the Wednesday preceding the Saturday of play, a list of players and tee times is posted in the men’s locker room. These tee times are also posted on our website: www.costamesamensclub.com
You must check in at least 30 minutes before your tee time. The table closes one hour after the first tee time or 45 minutes before the last tee time, whichever comes first. Important time is needed for the committee to do the accounting, pay the green fees and be ready for their tee time. The entrance fee to play in the Saturday Sweeps consists of the green fee plus a prize fee for the individual and/or team competition of the day. Sweeps results are posted on the locker room bulletin board following completion of the paperwork involved.
Members who are unable to play or may be late but still want to play should call the Sweeps table, at the number below, not the Pro Shop.
3.1.1 Sweeps Signup
· The preferred way to sign up for the following Saturday Sweeps is when you check in at the table (currently in the coffee shop) the previous Saturday. There is a sheet for the next Saturday Sweeps event at the table.
o You can also call the Sweeps table at (714) 745-8661 and have one of the table workers sign you up for the Sweeps next Saturday.
· The second way to sign up, if you failed to sign up the previous week, is to sign up via the website by 12:00 PM (noon) the Tuesday before. The website is: www.costamesamensclub.com
· If you failed to sign up or missed the deadline, you can put your name on the waiting list at the Sweeps table in person or call the Sweeps table Saturday morning to see if there is room available to play that day.
3.1.2 Guest Policy
We allow members to occasionally bring a guest to play in the Sweeps for the purpose of exposing the guest to the club and potentially having the guest join the club. A member is limited to bringing the same guest twice a year and is limited to no more than 6 guests a year. The member and their guest will be placed towards the end of the Sweeps tee times as space permits. The guest pays only for their green fee and is not eligible for the prize fund.
3.2 Tournaments
A list of the tournaments for the year can be found on the bulletin board in the locker room, on the club website and on a business card available to each member. A brief description of each upcoming tournament is also given in the club newsletter and club website.
Additionally, the Tournament Chairman and his committee are responsible for variation in play of each tournament. He establishes the format for each tournament and provides a written copy of that format at the beginning of play. A description of the format is also provided on the signup book available before each tournament.
The signup book for the monthly tournament is usually available at the previous dinner meeting. It can also be found on the counter in the locker room. Look for it at the Sweeps table each Saturday. Sign up and pay the entry fee early to assure yourself a place in the tournament. You may also sign up by phoning or e-mailing the Tournament Chairman. (Important: To really help the Tournament Chairman have tee times and scorecards ready in a timely fashion, you need to sign up by the deadline, usually the weekend before the tournament). There is a separate prize fee for skins and closest to the pins. Green fees are included but not carts.
The Board has now established a tournament protest procedure, and all protests must be provided to the Tournament Committee before the score to be protested is posted on the tournament results sheet.
The Board has also established progressive penalties for those players that sign up for tournaments and do not show for the event.
Prizes for tournaments are usually awarded at the dinner meeting on Wednesday evening following the tournament. Results for the tournament are posted and become final at that time. Any disputes must be settled then. Prizes may include scrip that is redeemable in the Pro Shop.
3.2.1 Tournament Eligibility
Eligibility for Major Tournaments requires that you include at least five (5) Men’s Club events during the past twelve months. For all other tournaments and the Sweeps, a temporary handicap gives you eligibility. A temporary handicap is established by a new member turning in five or more completed scorecards with full name, course, tees played/slope and date. The scorecards should be dropped in the handicap chairman’s box in the locker room. The handicap chairman will determine the temporary index. Players with current established SCGA indexes are also eligible to play in these other minor tournaments and Sweeps.
3.2.2 Major Tournaments
The following tournaments are considered major tournaments: Member-Guest in May, Club Championship in July, Member-Member in September, Senior Championship in October and President’s Cup played over several months. The months these tournaments are played can vary at the discretion of the Board of Directors. All other monthly tournaments are minor tournaments.
Member-Guest and Member-Member tournaments follow similar formats as determined by the Tournament Chairman. Both involve one or two days of play and scoring is gross and net.
The Club Championship played over three days awards both low gross and low net winners. The field is broken into two to four flights depending upon participation. A player’s flight is based on his handicap or index. The low gross winner, regardless of flight, becomes the Club Champion.
The Senior Championship. To qualify, you must be age fifty or older. Three flights, Gold, Silver and Platinum are determined by age range. The low gross winner, regardless of flight, becomes the seniors Champion.
The Men’s Club may reimburse or otherwise assist in paying the Club Champion’s entry fees for the SCGA Club Champions Tournament, as long as he adheres to SCGA rules. Both the Club Champion and Senior Champion represent the Costa Mesa Men’s Club at the annual SCGA Invitational Two Best Ball Tournament.
The President’s Cup is a match play tournament with at least three flights. Play continues until only one player in each flight remains undefeated. These players are the President’s Cup winners of their flight and shall receive a trophy. Also, there could be a match between the flight winners using handicaps to determine a President’s Cup champion.
Major tournaments are sometimes governed by certain rules not used in minor tournaments. Handicaps for the Member-Guest, Member-Member tournaments and Club Championship are based upon the sum of the current index and the low index divided by two. (That amount is rounded down by dropping the five in the hundredths place.)
Also, a differential to be determined by the Tournament Director is used in the Member-Member Tournament. So, if the differential is 8 strokes and a 25 handicapper wants to play with a 7 handicapper, he has to play with a 15 handicap.
Prizes awarded in major tournaments include trophies for first place gross and net winners. Names will also be inscribed on the plaque or trophy in the trophy case in the Clubhouse lobby. Ties for first place are played off at the end of regulation play.
4.0 Special Events
4.1 The Derby
This is a 9-hole event that takes place on Wednesday afternoon as established by the Board and during Daylight Savings Time. Often, it is played on the day of the dinner meeting. You must check in before 3:00 PM and the
Once official play begins, the low handicapper leads off followed by the high handicapper alternating shots throughout the competition. Elimination of one or more teams occurs at each hole, depending upon the number of teams and holes scheduled to play. If two or more teams tie for high score on a hole, a blind chip-off is used to eliminate teams. In effect, four teams are to be left at the final hole. Prizes are awarded to the top three or four teams, depending upon the number of participants.
Rules for the
4.2 Team Play-Thursday and Saturday Teams
The SCGA conducts annual inter-club, match-play, team competitions starting each January. The honor of winning holds much esteem. Each team may consist of as many players as the Board of Directors and team captain has agreed upon. However, only eighteen players, including two alternates, compete in each event. They compete in match play against other Men’s Clubs in the
Play covers six weeks beginning in January. Divisional winners continue into quarter-finals, etc. Play alternates between the home course and the visiting team course. The home team covers the cost of practice and competition rounds, plus lunch on the day of the match. Each year, the Board of Directors appoints a captain for each team.˜ The Club has traditionally fielded a Thursday and Saturday team. The cost of fielding these teams is partially subsidized by the Club.
4.3 Hole-In-One
Our Men’s Club also has a Hole-in-One Insurance pool with a current entry fee of $3. To qualify for a pay out, a player making a hole-in-one must be in the Insurance pool and make the hole-in-one during the Saturday Sweeps or a monthly tournament of the Men’s Club, on either Los Lagos or Mesa Linda.
Among the events excluded from the pool are The Friends for
The club subsidizes the Hole-In-One pool by providing the first $100, and the pool is increased by $3 for each player who buys insurance. If multiple players make a hole-in-one during the same event, we will not attempt to determine who was first, even if it is obvious. Instead, the Club will add an additional $100 to the pool for each additional hole-in-one and the total pool will be shared equally by the players. Remember, you cannot collect the premium if you get a hole-in-one before you pay the insurance fee.
4.4 Members Rewards Tournament
We hold a low or no entrance fee Members Rewards Tournament each year, typically in December, to recognize the 60 players (plus ties) that participated in the most Men’s Club Events. Point values vary according to yearly Board decisions. Points are awarded for:
· Playing in a tournament
· Playing or participating as an alternate in a team play event
· Playing in a Saturday Sweeps
· Playing in a
· Attending a Dinner Meeting
· Referring a new member
The entrance fee for the Members Tournament comes from an assessment of $1 or $2 per player in each Men’s Club Tournament or Sweeps event. This assessment is deducted from the total amount of money collected for each event and is therefore included in the entry fee paid to play in the event. Point standings will be posted monthly in the men’s locker room and on our website. Good luck! Those who participate in the most Club events will play.
5.0 Handicaps-SCGA Index
The Handicap Director appoints a committee to assist him in auditing score cards to verify correct posting on the computer. The committee also helps him find members who post false scores to alter their handicap.
The Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) implemented the current INDEX system in 1990. The SCGA devised a SLOPE system for rating each golf course by tee location, thus establishing a given course variable handicap base. Your monthly index is then used as a base to find the handicap for a specific tee location. Check the INDEX listing posted at each course that you play to find the handicap you must use when playing that course.
Our Handicap Director or a member of his committee posts the monthly Index Sheet on the bulletin board in the men’s locker room. This INDEX Sheet shows your CURRENT INDEX (CI), the number of games played in the month, and your LOW INDEX (LI) for the year. The LI is the lowest index that you attained during the prior 12 months. Additionally, there is an away listing recording all of the games played away from
If you are a new member without a handicap, you must aggregate a minimum of five (5) rounds to establish a temporary handicap. If the five rounds are all posted at the home course, the computer will immediately assign a temporary handicap index. This temporary handicap gives you eligibility to play in our minor tournaments or Saturday Sweeps.
Until you receive an SCGA number, you should keep your score cards. Once your SCGA number is entered into the SCGA system, you will be able to enter your scores directly into the computer. When entering these scores, you will have to change the date in the computer to the date you played. If you have score cards from courses other than
Upon completion of any home or away game, sign your score card and have it attested by your fellow players. Post your score in the computer in the pro shop if you have an assigned SCGA number. Place your score card in the Handicap Director’s box in the men’s locker room.
Once you receive an index, you must adjust your score on the card before entering it into the computer. Adjusting to SCGA standards means Equitable Stroke Control (ESC). Upon completion of a round, adjust your score according to the following table:
Course Handicap Maximum Score Posted
| Index |
Par 3 |
Par 4 |
Par 5 |
| 9 or less |
5 |
6 |
7 |
| 10 to 19 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
| 20 to 29 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
| 30 to 39 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
| 40+ |
10 |
10 |
10 |
Record your scores on the computer according to the course and tee location played-Los
6.0 Costa Mesa
Standing Rules are expedient actions taken by the Board of Directors that apply to the membership, supplementing or altering rules itemized in the Club Bylaws The actions are in effect until amended, changed, or deleted by action of the existing or succeeding Board of Directors. Current standing rules are posted in the men’s locker room.
6.1 Local Rules
The SCGA does not endorse preferred lies and winter rules and recommends that the rules of golf be observed uniformly. However, if the conditions are so general throughout a course that the Committee believes preferred lies or winter rules would promote fair play or protect the course, the Committee shall adopt a local rule and notify the players. Prior to teeing off in any Men’s Club Event, it is your responsibility to ask if any additional or special rules are in effect that day.
Winter Rules: The ball may be picked and cleaned, through the green, placed within one club length of the original position of the ball, no nearer the hole.
Aeration Holes: If a ball comes to rest in an aeration hole, the player may, without penalty, lift the ball and clean it. The player shall drop as near as possible to where it lay, but not nearer to the hole. If a question exists whether the ball has come to rest in an aeration hole, marking and lifting for inspection is permissible. If no hole is found, replace the ball in the exact position previously occupied.
For more information, refer to the latest edition of The Rules of Golf, available from the USGA. A list of Local Rules for the Men’s Club is found on pages to follow.
6.2 Slow Play
The rules of slow play apply to all Men’s Club events, i.e. Saturday Sweeps, Derbies, and Tournaments. Upon receipt of a second warning, a member or members warned to speed up play become subject to a two stroke penalty.
When teeing off in sequence in Men’s Club events and you allow a hole to become open in front, you are guilty of slow play, even if there is a hole open behind you. When the hole in front is open and the group behind is waiting, the etiquette of golf demands that you allow the group behind to play through. During tournaments where Men’s Club members occupy the position of the first groups off, we expect no group to take longer than 4 ½ hours.
7.0 Social-Dinner Meetings
Men’s Club dinner meetings are intended to be held each month, but may be changed at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Such dinner meetings are usually held on the Wednesday following the monthly tournament. In November, due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the meeting is held on Tuesday. At the beginning of the year, the newly elected Board of Directors determines the dates for the monthly tournaments and dinner meetings.
These dinner meetings are open to all members, even though they did not play in the last tournament. Currently, the dinner is free to all members. These meetings may have a speaker, usually associated with golf in some capacity. During the meeting, the Directors will inform the membership of any situations which may affect the Club in the future. The meeting is concluded with a raffle. The time frame for the meeting is from 6:30 to 9:00 PM, which includes the cocktail hour, dinner, speaker and raffle.
8.0 Newsletter
The Men’s Club publishes a monthly Newsletter describing all of the past month’s activities, latest financial statement and coming events. The Newsletter is available on the Club website, will be emailed by the Secretary, and copies will be left in the locker room.
COSTA
Revised 2008
Current USGA Rules of Golf will govern all play.
OUT OF BOUNDS: Defined by white stakes and or white markings on telephone poles.
LATERAL/WATER HAZARDS: Lateral hazards are defined by red stakes. Water hazards are defined by yellow stakes. The lake in front of #8 on Los Lagos is a water hazard. The lake in front of #8 on Mesa Linda is a water hazard.
GROUND UNDER REPAIR: Defined by white lines.
SPRINKLER HEAD NEAR THE GREEN: If the ball and sprinkler head are within two club lengths of the green, the player may receive line of putt, as well as stance, and swing relief from the obstruction. Relief is one club length from the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole and not on the green.
FLOWER BEDS: Relief must be taken from flowerbeds without penalty.
MAINTENANCE ROADS: Roads that border both Mesa Linda and Los Lagos, along the perimeter of both courses that are covered with gravel and or sand. Included are all access roads and roads that cross the fairway and are perpendicular to the hole. e.g. the gravel road crossing the 14th fairway on Los Lagos. Relief may be taken, one club length no closer to the hole.
IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS: Protective fences on Mesa Linda #5, #7, #14, #16 and Los Lagos #9. Swing and stance relief may be taken, but not line of sight relief, one club length, no closer to the hole. The protective screens on the out of bound side of the gravel roads are part of the out of bounds fence and no relief may be taken. Los Lagos #9-Drainage Ditch Fence: If the fence at the drainage ditch interferes with your swing or if your ball lies in the confines of the fenced area, you shall be permitted one club length relief no closer to hole, on the left side of the fence. This includes line of sight relief. This rule applies only to sanctioned men’s club events. Adopted 3/1/07
DRAINAGE DITCHES: Relief may be taken without penalty if a ball lay in the concrete lined drainage ditches that run throughout both courses. In addition, stance and swing relief may be taken from these areas. Relief is one club length from the nearest point or relief, no closer to the hole.
EMBEDDED BALL RULE: In effect through the green.
PACE OF PLAY: First warning: basic ” pick up the pace” warning. Second warning: the player or players will be put on the clock. Third warning: a penalty will be assessed. When it is your turn, you have 40 seconds to put your ball in play. Pace of play rules will be enforced.
PLAY THE BALL DOWN: (Exception) The tournament committee will determine, “pick/clean/place” through the green, due to inclement weather.
USE OF DISTANT MEASURING DEVICES: Permitted during men’s club tournaments. Devices that measure other conditions ( e.g. wind or gradient) are not permitted.
CONDUCT: Unprofessional conduct (vulgar language, club throwing, damaging the greens, etc.) may result in removal from the course, suspension from future tournaments, and/ or expulsion from the Men’s Club.
DROPPING AND RE-DROPPING: A ball to be dropped under the rules shall be dropped by the player himself. He shall stand erect, hold the ball at shoulder length and drop it.
(USGA Rule 20-2 a, b, c)
(USGA Rule 3-3)
FOR OUR NEW MEMBERS: Since we are a competitive club with a game each week, it is important for you to become familiar with the Rules of Golf and to show signs of courtesy while playing the game, such as:
• Being quiet during another player’s turn. Avoid loud, abusive language at all times.
• Repairing divots made on the fairway. Use the sand provided on the cart.
• Keeping control of your clubs so they don’t fly out of your hands in a fit of anger.
• Raking bunkers before leaving.
• Keeping carts away from greens and tee boxes. No hand carts on greens or tee boxes.
• Not walking on another player’s line of putt.
• Repairing ball marks made by your ball hitting the green. Not having to repair marks made by your putter hitting the green in a fit of rage. (Do not tap down spike marks outside of the tournaments.)
• Completing all putts, unless specified in the format for that tournament.
• Waving up the next group on par 3s unless the next tee box is unoccupied.
• Being aware of slow play. Keeping up with the group ahead of you, not ahead of the group behind you. (Move directly to the next tee box; park your cart behind the green, not in front of it)
ADDED NOTES: The rule on tree wells has changed; there is no free drop currently.
Did your ball go into a hazard marked by red stakes? Drop your ball within two club lengths, no closer to the hole, one stroke penalty. If you choose to hit out of the hazard, be sure not to ground your club.
Did your ball land on a cart path or behind an immovable man-made obstruction? Take a free drop at the nearest point of relief, one club length no closer to the hole. (Sorry, relief is for swing and stance only).
Additional Club Documentation
