Open Competition Rules
Last Updated February 2026
1. The rules herein apply to all competitions which are organised by Linlithgowshire Golf Association (LGA) on an ‘open’ basis; i.e. any qualifying player may enter, with the exception of the Junior Championship.
2. Entrants must be a Gents member of a club affiliated to LGA, unless the event is described as a ‘Class 1’ event in which case Junior members may also enter.
3. Entrants must have a valid WHS HI at the time of entry AND on the day of the competition.
4. For Senior’s events, entrants must also be 55 years old or over on the day of the competition.
5. All competitions will be hosted by an LGA affiliated club. The LGA Secretary shall maintain a rota of host clubs to provide forward visibility to club officials.
6. In order to balance demand, competitions may be split into two or more classes/divisions. Each class/division will be played at a separate host club. The number of classes/divisions will be determined by the Secretary in consultation with other LGA office-bearers.
7. Handicap limits for each division will be set by the Secretary in consultation with other LGA office-bearers giving due consideration to respective demand in previous years.
8. It is entirely the responsibility of an entrant to ensure they are entered for the correct class/division, remembering that their WHS HI can change right up to the day of the competition. The LGA Secretary and host club will make every effort to accommodate entrants whose WHS HI has crossed one of the class/division thresholds between the day of entry and the day of the competition. Should a player present at the wrong class/division, in order to minimise disruption, they will be permitted to play and mark their playing companion but their own score will not be entered for competition purposes. (Such a score may, of course, be independently entered for handicap purposes).
9. Entry will be through LGA’s online booking system in the first instance. Online entries will close no later than 8pm three days prior to the competition (thus giving host clubs time to update their systems in preparation) and the Secretary will optimise the start sheet before sending it to the host club and informing entrants of their confirmed tee time. The start sheet will only be shared with the host club (and any club hosting another class/division of the same competition) for the sole purpose of administering the competition. The host club may then, at its sole discretion, accept late entries directly. LGA will collect any late entry fees from the host club.
10. Entry fees will be as per the latest decision at a meeting of the LGA AGM. The cost per player will be the same for all events.
11.The prize money for each class/division of a competition will be the same. Individual competitions will offer separate prize funds for handicap/net scores and gross scores. A player may only win one individual prize (where a player places high enough to have won a prize in more than one category, the higher value prize will be awarded. Should the prize value be equal, the prize for the higher placing within the category will be awarded.)
12. The number and value of prizes will be set by the LGA Secretary in consultation with other LGA office-bearers.
13. The first tee off time will be no earlier than 7:30am. The last tee off time will be no later than 2:30pm. Games will be staggered at 10 minute intervals.
14. Individual events will be played in 2balls or 3balls. Team/Pair events will be played in 4balls, unless the lack of an available marker for a pair/team requires the host club starter to arrange an alternative appropriate solution.
15. Playing handicaps will be capped at 28.
16. Scores must be recorded and certified by an independent marker.
17. All certified scores must be entered into the host club’s scoring system as soon as possible following the completion of a round. Where access to electronic entry is not available, the host club will provide a drop-box (or similar) where certified scorecards can be left for subsequent entry.
18. The host club will retain all scorecards for a period of three months after the publication of a competition’s results.
19. The rules of Strokeplay and Stableford events, whether individual or pairs events, will be those set out by Scottish Golf. In the case of the two-man scramble event, the Secretary will publish rules tailored to the host course. In all cases, the standard procedures and local rules of the host club will be followed.
20. Enforcement of the competition rules on the day of play, and imposition of resulting penalties and disqualifications are a matter solely for the host club as per their own open events.
21. As soon as possible after the conclusion of play, the host club will close the competition and pass the results to the LGA Secretary.
22. Should the host club determine the competition cannot be closed it will inform the LGA Secretary as soon as possible, so that a determination on whether to cancel or reschedule the competition can be made.
23. As per 19 above, suspension of play is a matter for the host club and its standard procedures and rules. A player may suspend their own game but, unless the host club has signalled a suspension in play, it is the player’s responsibility to ensure they complete their game before the competition is closed. Where play recommences following a suspension, it is the responsibility of each player to be ready to recommence their game and, should they be unable to do so, their score will be recorded as a no return..
24. The result of any competition is certified only on its publication on the LGA website. Results available on the host club’s system must not be considered final.
25. Where a team prize for aggregate scores is on offer, the teams will be considered to be the players with the best three scores from each club.
26. Prize vouchers will be distributed to the prize winners’ LGA affiliated club.
27. All entrants are expected to abide by the Code of Conduct as published by Scottish Golf. Alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct should be reported as soon as possible to the Secretary. Should it be deemed appropriate by the LGA office-bearers, the disciplinary process as published on the LGA website will be invoked.
28. The Spring Handicap, Seniors Championship, County Championship and Autumn Stableford are deemed protected events. As such member clubs shall not hold concurrent handicap counting competitions for those eligible when these are being played.
29. Each trophy applicable to the competition will be held under insurance by the trophy winner’s home club, who will have it engraved appropriately and include it in its prize-giving event at its discretion. The Secretary will advise when the trophy should be delivered to another club once the competition has been played again. Any engraving cost may be cross-charged to LGA.