Rules and Constitution

1. League Name

2. Objectives of the RDICL the "League"

3. Ownership

4. Organisation of the League

5. Election of Officers

1. The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected at the AGM and normally serve a three year term but can be re-elected to serve for further terms. The President and committee will put forward nominations for the post of President, Secretary and Treasurer for ratification at the AGM. The President and Secretary would normally be an experienced past team Captain or player and who has a good understanding of the league.
2. The four elected committee representatives serve for one year but can be re-elected each year.
3. Nominations for the elected representatives shall be balloted by the team Captains or Club representative at the AGM.
4. Nominations are to be forwarded to the Secretary with name of proposer & seconder no later than 7 days prior to the AGM
5. In the event of a tie the President has the casting vote.

6. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

7. Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)

8. Annual Dinner

9. Other Events

10. League Funds

11. The Treasurer

12. Co-opted Organisers

13. Committee Meetings

14. League Members \Clubs

1. All member clubs, as a condition of membership of the League shall agree and comply with the constitution, rules and traditions of the league insofar as they do not infringe on their own club rules.
2. Pay annual membership fees by the date set by the committee but in any event no later than 14 days prior to the first meeting of the year. The Committee shall set the fee at the AGM each year.
3. Late fees; any fees not paid in accordance with (2) above the club maybe suspended or removed from the current year's competition until fees are paid at the committees discretion.
4. Provide the name and full contact details and any update of the club members' official contact to the league Secretary i.e. Club Manager or Secretary and Team Captain.
5. Team Captains are representatives of a club therefore ensure they are informed of your expectations and the league rules.
6. When and if applicable keep the League website updated with fixture results and contact details.
7. Match dates; provide and cooperate on a timely basis the dates for their home club fixtures each year, these are normally required early November for following year. Clubs to submit a minimum of 3 Saturday dates between April and end of June and 3 Saturday dates from late July to early October for play (see (9) & (12) below) to assist in the league scheduling of only 2 of these dates.
8. The league Secretary shall notify each host club of the dates selected in December each year and the host club shall notify the secretary of agreement of fixtures and if any changes required at the soonest but in any event after 31st January each year the fixtures will stand.
9. Dates to be avoided (if possible) are a minimum of 2 weeks outside planned course greens maintenance work, Easter and Bank holiday weekends.
10. Fixtures of host club dates, once agreed as prescribed in (vi) cannot be cancelled with less than 8 weeks' notice is given to the Secretary other than for reasons listed under rule 24 Postponement of a fixture.
11. For match dates at host venues ensure the visiting teams are greeted by a formal starter which is normally the host club team captain and this should include monitoring league players' speed of play.
12. The tee reservation will include a minimum of 30 minutes prior to commencement of play as foursomes are much quicker than other playing formats. Tee time preferred is 2pm (from 1st tee unless instructed otherwise) but can be if deemed absolutely necessary by host club, the start of play to be between 1pm and 2.00pm.
13. Team Shirts are encouraged to be worn by players at all matches.

15. Club Exit of the league

1. In the event a club no longer wishes to continue membership of the League the club must give formal notice in writing to the league Secretary outlining reasons for exit. Exit can only be allowed by giving formal notice in writing by a club at the end of a season after the last game has been played or no later than 14 days after the AGM.
2. Clubs that membership has ceased if they wish to rejoin shall to go through the Application procedure as outline in clause 16 below.

16. Membership Application

1. Clubs wishing to join the league should apply to the league Secretary in writing stating their reasons for joining and subject to availability they will be asked to complete an application form. The application form shall refer to the Leagues enclosed "Constitution and Rules" the current fees and be signed by an official of the club, Secretary, Captain or Director agreeing to comply and meet the leagues membership criteria.
2. Any club applying to join to be discussed at a Committee meeting and too be accepted will require a 75% majority vote.
3. Criteria of accepting a new club member to the league; a) the format can accommodate another club or have a vacancy expected within a year. b) The club is situated within the area and not more than a travelling distance of 45 minutes of any other member club. c) The course is of good standard and has no less than full 18 separate holes. d) The club has a minimum of 10 members playing off handicaps of 5 or less.
4. All new clubs joining will be at commencement from the next season and they will be allocated to the lowest division.
5. The Committees decision is final.

17. Team Captains Responsibilities

1. It is the Team Captains responsibility to ensure a team is available to attend every match with a full complement of players and ready to play at appointed club and time. Refer to rules clause 22 for late on the tee and no shows
2. Present to the host Captain or starter a completed team sheet in order of play 10 minutes before tee time.
3. The team sheets to be collected back by the Captains and the losing team hand the sheet to the winning Captain who's is responsible for entering the match results on the league website no later than 9pm the next day. Failure to enter scores on more than one occasion and or incomplete information may result in points being deducted at the discretion of the committee.
4. To ensure all players are aware of the rules of the league and expected conduct, dress code and no mobile phones
5. To instruct players to follow prescribe foursomes play of walking ahead when not teeing off, to speed up play.
6. To update the website with changes of contact information mobile number and email address and notify the Secretary in order changes can be circulated.
7. To notify host club immediately if any player is going to be late or less than the prescribed number of players.
8. To ensure that players conduct is in the spirit of league and to encourage his team players to have a drink after play, this is considered common etiquette to club and opposition.

18. Team Captain Hosting Fixture

1. Visiting team captains to hand in completed team sheet in order of play, 10 minutes prior to their allocated tee
2. Team sheets to be handed back to opposing Captains to assist in identifying players and reporting results under 15 (3) above.
3. Ensure teams are started in the correct order of play and on time.
4. To advise all players of local rules on the day
5. To be available during duration of play to ensure speed of play and make any necessary rulings or disputes that are not resolved between team captains. Any dispute should be dealt with in conjunction with the league rules or rules of golf as laid down by the R & A.
6. After play has commenced it is the host captains' decision if play should be suspended or abandoned owing to adverse weather conditions, see rule 23.

19. Players

1. To participate in League matches a player must be an amateur male playing member or employee of the club. A player may not represent more than one Club during any League season. In the event of one club having more than one team in the League; a player cannot represent the team in the lower division after he has played more than once for a team in a higher division in any season.
2. When a player fully resigns his membership and joins another league club he may play for the new club
3. Conduct of players: must conduct themselves at league matches in a manner not likely to bring the good name of the league into disrepute. Bad and loud language, unsuitable dress, inconsiderate parking, non-compliance of the rules of the golf club, use of mobile phones etc. The Committee are empowered to expel or temporarily suspend any player from future games.

20. League format and rules of play

1. The League will consist of two or more divisions each ideally each containing seven clubs. The exact format will be decided each year by the committee depending upon participating teams.
2. Clubs will play each other twice in a season, once during April - June, and once during the period late July to early October, but subject to format agreed in (1) above.
3. Matches will be on Saturday afternoons, on neutral courses, on dates and times agreed with the Host Club normally between 1 & 2pm, who will ensure that the tee is reserved for a suitable period prior to the start of play.
4. The Host Club will not play matches on their own course.
5. The teams will play at the Host Club as stated in the match programme: a) The starting time of the first match, b) and thereafter matches will continue at 6 minute intervals, c) the team order of play.
6. Each match will be between 2 teams comprising 3 pairs playing scratch foursomes, the result being determined by holes up or down in each match over 18 holes.
7. League matches are to be played from back medal tees subject to being made available by host club
8. Matches to start from first tee unless instructed otherwise by host club.

21. Scoring & Winners

1. Points for each team shall be awarded as follows: a) Two points for each winning pair, b) One point for any halved individual match, c) One point for the team with the highest aggregate of holes up taking all three individual matches into account, d) If the aggregate total is tied each team will be awarded a half-point.
2. The winners of the League Trophy shall be the team with the highest number of points over the whole series.
3. In the event of a tie for first place, in any division, a play-off will take place on neutral ground by 31st October.
4. The format for a play-off will be 3 scratch foursomes matches all played to a finish - net holes up do not count.
5. In the event of a tie for second or a lower place, then any prize will go to the team with the highest number of 'net holes up' over the whole series. If the 'net holes up' measure fails to determine the winner then the games between the teams which are still equal shall be taken to ascertain the winner of second or lower place using firstly the points gained by each team and then, if still equal, the 'net holes up'.
6. Teams that fail to send a representative to the annual dinner to collect prize monies will forfeit their right to receive the prize and the monies, will be returned to the leagues fund.

22. Team, players late or fail to show

1. It is the responsibility of Captains of competing teams to ensure their readiness to start play at the appropriate time. Refer to Team Captains responsibilities clause 17.
2. The match programme shall be adhered to, as shall the team pairings and order of play of individual matches once details are in the hands of the starter.
3. Any team pair which is incomplete, or any pair unable to comply with the order of play shall forfeit their match, the margin being one hole up or such number of holes as is sufficient to enable the opposing team to win the aggregate point by the margin of one hole.
4. If a team as a whole is not ready to play at the agreed time, the opposing team shall be awarded the relevant winning points deemed to have won each individual match by one hole.
5. An unjustified no show will result in the offending teams being removed from the league.

23. Abandonment of match or individual matches for weather or illness etc

1. If after play has started in the first game of the first match, because of adverse weather, a course becomes unfit to play, the play shall be temporarily suspended, but if it is clear that the course will not become playable while waiting on the course, then the match shall be abandoned and the result decided by reference to the position of each individual match after the finish of its last completed hole.
2. Play shall not be suspended unless absolutely necessary and the decision to abandon the match shall be taken by the Host Team Captain, when it is clear there is no realistic chance of the course becoming fit to play in the immediate future.
3. If a player is taken ill or meets with an accident after a match has started, the opposing pair shall be deemed to win each of the remaining holes to determine the result of the individual match, provided that the holes awarded after a player has ceased to play shall be no more than are sufficient to win both the individual match and the aggregate point by a margin of one hole.

24. Fixture Postponement

25. Promotion & Relegation

26. Rules of Golf

27. Disputes

28. Prizes

1. The League Trophies will be awarded at the Annual Dinner to the winners of each Division with other team and individual prizes and the amounts being awarded to as set by the committee at the Annual General Meeting.
2. Any prizes will be awarded in accordance with placement in each division regardless of promotion.
3. Teams that fail to send a representative to the annual dinner to collect prize monies will forfeit their right to receive the prize and the monies, will be returned to the leagues fund.