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2024 LONG BEACH OPEN

Terms of Competition

Play is governed by the USGA Rules of Golf, Effective January 2024, the Local Rules as described in the Notice to Players distributed at the tournament site, and these Terms of Competition. Unless otherwise noted, the penalty for breach of a Local Rule or Condition is the General Penalty.

THE COMPETITION: The tournament is a 72-hole gross competition, with a cut after 36 holes to the lowest 50 professionals and ties and lowest 3 amateurs and ties. The amateurs do not count in the professional cut and all amateurs that make the cut will advance to the weekend. If the 36-hole cut includes more than 70 professionals, there will also be a 54-hole cut to 50 professionals and ties.

CODE OF CONDUCT: By submitting an entry for the Long Beach Open, the contestant understands that he may be Disqualified by the LBGF Committee under Rule 1.2b at any time before or during the competition for unbecoming conduct, including, but not limited to:

Willful damage of the golf course or golf course property
Club throwing
Offensive, threatening, or unbecoming language or actions
Verbal abuse of LBGF staff, officials, volunteers, host club staff, or other competitors
Potential endangerment of others

The contestant also understands that all players must wear appropriate professional golf attire all times. Players may not wear shorts, tank tops, tee shirts or jeans. Caddies may wear golf shorts, but they must wear collared shirts. Model Local Rule G-7 is also in effect, prohibiting shoes with metal or traditionally designed spikes. Non-compliance with this dress code constitutes a breach of the Code of Conduct, the penalty for which is a warning for the first offense and Disqualification for a second offense.

PRACTICE: Prior to and after his round, a player may only practice on the designated practice areas. All practice is prohibited on the Practice Facility at the back of the driving range at El Dorado.

Rule 5-2b is modified in this way: Once the tournament has begun, a player must not practice on the competition course before or between rounds. Penalty for the first breach is the General Penalty, applied to the player’s first hole on their next round; penalty for the second breach is Disqualification.

TEE TIMES & PAIRINGS: Round One and Round Two starting times will be posted to the Long Beach Open portal prior to the beginning of the tournament. Round Three and Final Round starting times will be determined based upon relative player standings, and posted on the Long Beach Open portal by 8:00 PM on Friday, August 2nd and Saturday, August 3rd, respectively. The format for Round Three and Final Round starting times will be an inverted “U”, utilizing split tees from 8:00 AM to approximately 10:00 AM.

TIME OF STARTING: All players must be present at the proper tee at their scheduled time, ready to play, or if starting times fall behind, when the starter calls the first player in the group to play. Any player not present and ready to play at the time the first player in the group is called to the tee, shall be assessed the General Penalty. If the competitor arrives more than five (5) minutes late for his assigned or adjusted starting time he SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED.

TEE MARKERS & HOLE LOCATIONS: Competitors will play from the BLACK tee markers at El Dorado. Hole Location Sheets will be available at the Starter’s table for all rounds.

DISTANCE-MEASURING DEVICES: Hand-held or other devices (yardage or GPS devices) may be used, but ONLY to measure distance. Players using devices with features that gauge or measure other conditions in addition to distance (e.g. wind or gradient) must switch those features off during tournament play (Rule 4.3a). The General Penalty will be assessed for a first violation, and the player will be Disqualified for a second violation.

CONFORMING EQUIPMENT LISTS: For driver heads, Local Rule as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect (Model Local Rule G-1). For golf balls, Local Rule as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect (Model Local Rule G-3). Regarding club grooves and punch-mark specifications, Local Rule as prescribed in Section 8 of the Committee Procedures is in effect (Model Local Rule G-2).

OTHER LOCAL RULES: The following Local Rules, found in the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf, shall be in effect:

Protection Of Young Trees: Model Local Rule E-10 is in effect. Young trees identified by stakes are No PlayZones, and if a player’s ball lies anywhere on the course and it lies on or touches such a tree or its well, or such a tree or its well interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1.f

Ground Under Repair Treated as Part of Nearby Obstruction:

White lines areas and the artificially-surfaced road or path they tie into are treated as a single abnormal course condition when taking relief under Rule 16.1 (Model Local Rule F-3.1)
Where areas of damaged ground are right next to artificially-surfaced roads or paths and rutted or damaged areas adjacent to bunkers where maintenance equipment enters/exits they are treated as a single abnormal course condition when taking relief under Rule 16.1 (Model Local Rule F-3.2)

Immovable Obstructions Close to Putting Greens: Model Local Rule F-5 is in effect and is modified as follows – For a ball in the general area, relief is allowed when both the ball and the immovable obstruction lie in an area cut to fairway height or less.

Relief From Seams of Cut Turf: Model Local Rule F-7 is in effect and is modified as follows – Relief is for lie of ball only.

Damage by Animals: Model Local Rule F-10 is in effect and is modified as follows – Relief is only granted from fresh holes or burrows, and for lie of ball only.

All Roads and Paths Treated as Obstructions: Model Local Rule F-17 is in effect. Except for the maintenance road on holes 7, 11, 12 and 18 at el Dorado, which is deemed an integral object.

Replacement of Club that is Broken or Significantly Damaged: Model Local Rule G-9 as prescribed in the Clarifications to the 2019 Rules of Golf is in effect.

SECOND BALL: Rule 20.1c(3), which authorizes play of a second ball when doubtful of your rights or procedure. The competitor’s decision to invoke this rule must be announced to their marker BEFORE the second ball is put into play and before any stroke is played with the original ball. The player must announce which ball will count if the Rules allow. The player must report the facts to the Committee immediately upon completing play. The penalty for failure to do so is Disqualification.

CADDIES: Caddies are allowed, under the following conditions:

Caddies may drive or ride in the cart of the player for whom they are caddying. They may not, however, drive a cart if the player for whom they are caddying has chosen to walk the round.
Caddies must not hold up play or challenge Rules Committee or Tournament Officials' directions, and may be asked to leave by the Rules Committee or Tournament Director if a delay occurs due to their actions.
No spectators will be allowed to ride in carts with players at any time during tournament play. Consequently, any non-competing individual riding in a cart with a player is thereby designated as a Caddie, and therefore subject to the provision of Rule 10.3c for any breach of the Rules of Golf. Please note that because of this policy, anyone (other than another player) that rides in a player’s cart immediately becomes, by definition, that player’s caddie—potentially placing the player in breach of the Rules pertaining to multiple caddies.

SPECTATOR CARTS: Spectator carts will not be allowed during the tournament, with the sole exception being that of carts requested due to physical handicaps or medical conditions. In those instances, proof of disability (doctor’s note, handicapped driver hangtag, placard, etc.) must be presented to a Festival staff member at Tournament Headquarters onsite. The handicapped spectator will then be given a golf cart placard to bring to the golf shop. The cart rental fee is $17 per person per day.

PROMPT PACE OF PLAY: Rule 5.6b states "A round of golf is meant to be played at a prompt pace.” Accordingly, the Committee has established the following Local Rules: A group is deemed out of position when starting the play of any par 4 or par 5, which is clear of all players, and the elapsed time for the round averages 15 minutes or more for the holes completed. In such case, all players in the group shall be notified that they are being observed and timed. A player is subject to penalty if his group is out of position, has been informed that they will be timed, and takes more than 40 seconds to play ANY stroke. In addition, if a group is out of position as described above, the entire group may be given a warning that they must be back in position within an announced time or by a specific location on the course; failure to accomplish this may result in the following slow play penalties for the entire group or for one or more players deemed not to be playing at an appropriate pace: First offense – warning; second offense – one stroke; third offense – two additional strokes; fourth offense – Disqualification.

SCORECARDS: Signed and attested scorecards shall be returned, without delay, to the designated scoring area following the stipulated round. Once the player has exited the designated scoring area the card is deemed officially submitted.

WHEN COMPETITION IS FINAL: The Competition is closed when the Trophy has been presented at the Awards Ceremony.

PLAYOFF: In case of a tie for first place, there will be a sudden death playoff to decide the winner. The playoff will start on a tee designated by the Committee, and will begin within five minutes of the Committee’s approval of final scores and determination that a tie exists.

PLAYER EARNINGS AND DISTRIBUTION: The purse paid by the 2024 Long Beach Open will equal 73% of the total entry fees paid. The winner will receive up to $25,000. All players who successfully complete 72 holes will be allotted a percentage of the purse assigned by the committee. All players who successfully complete 54 holes but do not complete 72 holes, due to injury or illness, or as a result of missing the secondary cut, will receive $250. All players who successfully complete 36 holes and make the cut, but do not successfully complete 54 holes due to injury or illness will receive $250.