UNDUE DELAY AND PACE OF PLAY
The Rules of Golf state “The player must play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guidelines that the Committee may establish.” The following pace of play guidelines have been adopted by the NSGA to help in the interpretation of Rule 6-7
The Committee will determine the time allotted to play each hole (“time par”) and a “time par” card/sheet will be made available to all competitors.
A player is subject to being timed if his group is out of position.
OUT OF POSITION
The first group on the course is out of position if the elapsed time for the round on a per hole basis exceeds the allotted time in which all groups are expected to play.
Any following group is out of position when both of the following occur:
i) The group arrives at the teeing ground of a par 3 or a par 4 hole when the preceding group has completed play of the hole or at a par 5 hole, when all players of the preceding group are on the putting green or have completed play of such hole.
AND
ii) The elapsed time for the round on a per hole basis exceeds the allotted time in which all groups are expected to play.
WARNING
When a group is out of position, all players in the group will be given a warning. The warning is deemed to have been issued when all players in the group have been informed by a Rules Official that:
a) the group is out of position, and
b) each player in the group is subject to being timed.
ONE warning only will be given to a group that is out of position and that warning shall remain in effect until the completion of the round. Therefore, even if the group regains position and loses it again subsequently, no further warning will be given to the group.
TIMING
A player shall be subject to penalty for undue delay if he incurs two (2) delay times during the round.
A delay time occurs when it is the player’s turn to play and he takes 45 seconds or more to play any one stroke. It is the player’s turn to play when there has been reasonable opportunity to reach the ball, there is no interference from another person or ball, and the player has the honor. Players will not be advised by an Official when they incur one delay time but should the player inquire, the Official may give him the information.
An additional 10 seconds will be allowed to the player who is first to play on or near the putting green, and first to play from the teeing ground on a par three hole.
The Committee reserves the right to time any group that the Committee deems is out of position, whether or not the group has been so warned.
PENALTIES
Match Play:
First Offence: Loss of Hole at the hole where the second delay time is recorded.
Second Offence: The player will be disqualified when the fourth delay time is recorded.
Stroke Play:
First Offence: One (1) stroke at the hole where the second delay time is recorded.
Second Offence: Two (2) strokes at the hole where the fourth delay time is recorded
Subsequent Offence: The player will be disqualified when the sixth delay time is recorded.
If a player incurs a penalty for a Pace of Play infraction he must be advised immediately in Match Play and after finishing the hole where the penalty is assessed in Stroke Play and before playing from the next teeing ground.
