Rules

Rules of the North Scottish Golfers’ Alliance
Last Updated September 2017

The AG.M. of the Scottish Alliance is held at The Scottish Alliance Committee Meeting, in Midlands area on the last Saturday in March.  Each Alliance may send four delegates.  The Scottish Alliance Championship is a 54 hole event open to any member of any of the 4 Alliances. It is held annually in October (normally on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and the venue rotates among the 4 regions.

In recent years the N.S.G.A season has commenced on the first  Saturday in October and the fixture list is drawn up by the Secretary in consultation with host clubs and circulated to all members at the first event of the season, by e mail, and on the web site.

The AG.M. of the N.S.G.A. takes place immediately after the Championship fixture and prizegiving in March.

The Committee Meeting is held in August audited accounts are presented at this time and are placed on the table at the first two fixtures. Copies are available to members on request.

The Committee consists of Captain, Vice-Captain and 10 members. The Captain and Vice-Captain are elected for two year terms. The retiring Captain is President for a two year period. The Secretary/Treasurer is elected annually.

Members wishing to propose motions at the AG.M. shall give a clear 14 days notice of same in writing to the Secretary.

Members should enter for either or both of the first two fixtures of the season by contacting the Secretary from 1st September.  Thereafter entries are made at each fixture for the next Alliance.  .

Members are ‘Members in good standing’ until after the second fixture of the season, thereafter, unless the Secretary is informed, they will cease to be members.

The Secretary will attempt to keep membership to a limit of 140 .

Members pay an annual subscription [ which includes a levy to the S. G. A.] and an entry fee at each fixture.

The maximum handicap permitted is 18. There will be three sections- Scratch, Handicap 7 and under and Handicap 8-18.

Members who enter for a fixture and then fail to play without informing the Secretary on or before the Thursday preceding the event MUST pay the relevant entry fee.

Preferred lies will be in operation at all fixtures.  If the host clubs winter rule stipulates the use of mats or the ball being taken to the side of the fairway then this will apply.

If a ball lies in a coring hole on the green it may be placed to the side not nearer the hole.

Members must play in three-balls unless otherwise directed by the Secretary.

Trophies are awarded for the best 6 round aggregates in each of the three sections ( excluding the Championship fixture)

Scratch       K.M.Cameron Trophy  (First Played for in 1950)
Handicap   Aggregate Section 1 – William H. Burnett Trophy ( First Played for in 1951)
Handicap   Aggregate Section 2 – Bill McQueen Trophy.

The following trophies will be played for on the final ( Championship) fixture of the season:

Scratch- Sir Hugh Mackenzie Trophy,
Handicap Section 1- Bank of Scotland Quaich;
Handicap Section 2- Jim Thom Quaich.
Seniors Scratch – JAB.Little Trophy;
Seniors Handicap – J.M.C.Gourlay Salver.

North Scottish Golfers’ Alliance – Season 2022/2023

Members are requested to enter for the first and/or second fixtures by contacting the Secretary from 1 September 2017.

Anyone interested in membership should contact the Secretary. There is currently a  Waiting List in operation.

Existing Members wishing to resign should do so as soon as possible in order that new members can be accommodated.

This coming season, the Alliance Handicap system will be altered for the first time since its inception. At every fixture the secretary will determine a CSS where possible. Competitors who have a nett score of two strokes or more below the CSS will have their Alliance handicap reduced by a stroke.

Anyone who is one stroke below the CSS is noted on a “Pending List” along with those who are 3 or more strokes below having already been reduced by one stroke as above. If they subsequently do not score below CSS in their next 3 fixtures, they are removed from the “Pending List”.

Players whose Alliance handicap is reduced by three or more strokes in a playing season will start the following season ONE STROKE HIGHER THAN THEIR ALLIANCE HANDICAP AT THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SEASON unless they start the following season with a handicap which is lower than the end figure of the previous season.. Any players for whom this applies will have their Alliance handicap altered at the start of the 2016/2017 season.

The maximum handicap allowed in NSGA fixtures is 18 (effective from the start of the 2014/2015 season.)