Terms of Competition – TL Warren and W Gibson Trophy

Published: May 3, 2021

Last Update: July 25, 2022

The Terms of Competition for the TL Warren Trophy and W Gibson Trophy are to be read in conjunction with the Golf NSW Terms of Competition – Pennant

Definitions
General
Entry into Pennant
Player Eligibility
Dates & Times of Play
Format of Play
Section Winners, Finals & Pennant Winner
Promotion & Relegation
Seedings for Final Contests
Transportation
Host Club Responsibilities

1. Definitions

Club – a club competing in the T.L. Warren Trophy or W. Gibson Trophy Pennant.
Contest – the competition between two Clubs.
Finals Contest – a match between two clubs in the Finals Series of a Pennant.
Final Draw – the draw first published on the Golf NSW Website as notified to participating Clubs. If an amendment is necessary to the Final Draw, any amendment(s) will be noted on the Final Draw with the date of the change.
Golf NSW – Golf NSW Limited as the governing body for amateur golf in NSW and the ACT.
Golf NSW Golf Committee – the Golf Committee of Golf NSW established by the Board of Golf NSW.
Host Club – the Club nominated in the Final Draw to host the Contest, whether at that Club or another venue.
Individual Match – the individual competition between two pairs playing Four-Ball Match Play.
Match Committee of the Host Club – the Match Committee of the Host Club in charge of a Contest during a preliminary round of the Pennant competition.
Professional Golfer – one who is not an amateur golfer. Professional Golfers include members of a professional golfers association and players who have made application to regain amateur status.
Rules of Golf and Rules and Rule – the Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status and related interpretations published and approved by the R&A Rules Limited current at the time of the pennant competition including any Local Rules published by the host club.
Standard Terms of Competition for Pennant Play – the primary terms of competition for all Pennant Play under the control of Golf NSW, available from www.golfnsw.org.au.
Team Manager – the person appointed or nominated under Term 9 of the Standard Terms of Competition for Pennant Play.
T.L. Warren Trophy or W. Gibson Trophy or Pennant – the T.L. Warren Trophy or W. Gibson Trophy.
Terms of Competition or Term – This document and the Standard Terms of Competition for Pennant Play and the terms contained within.

2. General

2.1. The T.L. Warren Trophy or W. Gibson Trophy Pennant competition is a Four-Ball team scratch match play competition played annually between Metropolitan Clubs who are members of Golf NSW. The Pennant is usually played in the months of July to September.

2.2. The Clubs participating in the Pennant are divided into Sections.

2.3. The Pennant competition consists of a number of preliminary rounds (Contests) between Metropolitan Clubs in Sections, followed by a Finals Series between the winners of each Section and a Final to determine the Winner of each Pennant.

2.4. The preliminary rounds are played as “Home and Away” Contests unless otherwise agreed to by the Golf NSW Golf Committee to accommodate special circumstances (e.g. major course renovations) or where the number of Clubs participating warrant an alternative format.

2.5. All Finals Contests are played at neutral venues determined by the Golf NSW Golf Committee.

2.6. The winner of each Pennant is presented with a Pennant Flag.

3. Entry into the Pennant

3.1. The Pennant is open to all Sydney Metropolitan Golf Clubs who are members of Golf NSW and where positions in the Final Draw are available.

3.2. Priority entry is given to Clubs that enter both the T.L. Warren Trophy or W. Gibson Trophy competitions. Entry may be provided to Clubs wishing to enter only one competition, however, only if the draw allows.

4. Player Eligibility

4.1. A player is eligible for T.L. Warren Trophy or W. Gibson Trophy Pennant if he:

a. Is a male amateur golfer; and

b. Is 18 years of age and above on the first round of the competition; and

c. Is a financial member of the club they are representing in a category of membership that allows them to maintain a Golf Australia handicap for the club. The player must remain a financial member throughout the entire competition; and

d. Satisfies the handicap eligibility requirements outlined in Term 4.2 of these Terms of Competition.

4.2. A player’s GA Handicap for eligibility in a T.L. Warren Trophy or W. Gibson Trophy team is the handicap displayed on Golf Link at 8pm on the Sunday before the published date of play in the Final Draw.

This handicap must:

a. Not be lower than 17.0 (W. Gibson Trophy) or 11.0 (T.L. Warren Trophy); and

b. Have been attained prior to January 1, in the year of the competition; and

c. Have a minimum of five scorecards returned during the period 1 January – 30 June (inclusive) in the year of competition.

4.3. A player’s GA Handicap must not have Provisional status when playing in any Individual Match.

Penalty – ineligible player
The penalty for an ineligible player competing in a Contest is forfeit of the specific Individual Match to the opposing Club. If it is considered that a player is in breach, it is up to the affected Club to lodge a protest to Golf NSW (olivia.wilson@golfnsw.org.au) as outlined in Term 30 of the Golf NSW Terms of Competition – Pennant.

5. Dates and Times of Play

5.1. Contests will be played on Sundays unless prior permission has been granted by the Golf NSW Golf Committee to play on Saturdays. Clubs granted permission to play on Saturdays will be noted as such in the Final Draw.

5.2. The starting time for each preliminary round Contest must be prior to 12 noon.

6. Format of Play

6.1. In T.L. Warren Trophy or W. Gibson Trophy, a Contest consists of three (3) Individual Matches.

6.2. Individual Matches must be played as one match per time slot.

6.3. All Individual Matches will be played over 18 holes of match play without the benefit of handicap.

6.4. Teams will hit-off in order beginning with the No. 3 pairs, followed by the No. 2 pairs and No.1 pairs.

6.5. Any substitute player must be available to substitute at the required time should their presence in the team (at Position No. 1, 2 or 3) be required as provided for under Term 12.1 of the Golf NSW Terms of Competition – Pennant. If a substitute player is not ready to play as a substitute player at the appointed time in accordance with Term 12.3 of the Golf NSW Terms of Competition – Pennant, then Rule 5.3a of the Rules of Golf applies.

6.6. In accordance with Rule 23.4 of the Rules of Golf a pair may be represented by one or both partners.

7. Section Winners, Finals and Pennant Winner

7.1. At the conclusion of the preliminary rounds the Club which secures the greatest number of Contest Points will be the winner of its Section.

7.2. In the event of two or more Clubs having an equal number of Contest Points then the Countback Procedures outlined in Term 17 of the Golf NSW Terms of Competition – Pennant will apply to determine the higher, or lower, placed Club.

7.3. The winners of each Section will play in the Finals Contests. The seedings for the Finals Contests are determined in accordance with Term 18 of the Standard Terms of Competition for Pennant Play.

7.4. If a Finals Contest has not started or where resumption of play is not possible on the designated day, the Golf NSW Golf Committee will determine the action to be taken.

8. Promotion & Relegation

There is no promotion & relegation in the TL Warren or W Gibson Trophy competitions.

9. Seedings for Finals Contests

9.1. At the completion of the preliminary rounds, the Sectional winners will be seeded for the Finals Contests in accordance with the Countback Procedure described in Term 17 of the Golf NSW Terms of Competition – Pennant.

9.2. The draw for the Finals Series will be dependent upon the number of Sections in the Pennant but will be based on the draw as shown in Section 5F of the Committee Procedures within The Official Guide to the Rules of Golf (https://www.randa.org/en/rog/2019/rules/committee-procedures/5f).

NOTE: Where a Sectional Winner is in a Draw which consisted of 3 Clubs at the commencement of the season (i.e. the Draw only provides for a possible 4 Contests) their Contest Points and Individual Match Points will be multiplied by 1.5 to determine their respective seeding for the relevant Finals Contest.
Where a Section was reduced to less than 3 Clubs after the commencement of the season due to the withdrawal of Clubs, the matter shall be referred to the Golf NSW Golf Committee for a decision.