COGA TOURNAMENTS
Policies & Procedures

Event Descriptions / Divisions:
All events are 36-hole stroke play. 

Players are grouped into a division based on their age as of August 1st of the current year. The divisions are as follows including the approximate yardages for each group.  Players are eligible prior to entering their freshman year of college in the fall, and have not yet started practice with their respective schools. (Anyone under the age of 13 who would like to participate in the COGA Junior Tournament event will be considered on an individual basis.  Please email cogatour@gmail.com to request consideration).  

Approximate Yardages:

Boys 13-156500-7000Girls 13-155400-5800
Boys 16-196500-7000Girls 16-195400-5800


Rules of Golf 
Play will be governed by the Rules of Golf approved by the United States Golf Association. All questions will be settled by the Central Ohio Golf Tour Committee, whose decisions will be final.

http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/rules.html

Pace of Play
  • - The COGA Tour tournament committee will set the pace of play to expected rounds equal to or less than but not exceeding 4 hours and 30 minutes, 15 minute maximum per hole.
  • - If the tournament committee warns a group for being “out of position,” the group has no more than three holes to resume proper position. 
  • - If the “out of position” situation persists, a stroke penalty may be incurred for failure to reach proper position. 
  • - Gross negligence of the pace of play may result in a disqualification. 
  • - The COGA Tour tournament committee will, at its discretion, take into account any time-altering factors such as host course problems, weather conditions and any unforeseeable time obstacles.

Tee Times
  • - Tee times will be established 1 week prior to the first round of the event and made available to you on the Blue Golf website
  • - It is the players responsibility to know the conditions under which the competition is to be played and that includes being at the tee and ready to play 10 minutes before your starting time. 
  • - Please arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled tee time to check in at the Registration table.  
  • - If you arrive within 5 minutes after your designated starting time you may play with a two stroke penalty. -
  • - Arriving more than 5 minutes after your established time will result in disqualification. 
  • - The Central Ohio Golf Tournament Committee reserves the right to adjust your tee time by 20 minutes without notification, any more than 20 minutes and you will be notified.

Entry Fees
Entry fees must be paid before the players spot will be secured in the tournament field and for a player to be eligible to participate.  Players names will not appear on the list of participants (link to list found on each event into page) until entry fee has been received. Payment for the events will be accepted on the Blue Golf registration page.  


Golf Carts or Caddies
The use of powered golf carts or caddies are prohibited by all players. There are no exceptions to this rule. Pull/Push carts may be used but are the sole responsibility of the competitor.

Rangefinders
  • - The use of rangefinders or any other yardage measuring device are permissible by the rules of golf.  
  • - Any device that measures other aspects other than yardage such as but not limited to slope or wind conditions, are PROHIBITED. 

Parent & Spectator Guidelines
  • - Parents and spectators are welcome at all events.
  • - However, contestants and spectators (which include parents) are reminded of Rule 8 concerning advice that carries with it a 2 stroke penalty. For this reason, all spectators are required to stay at least 30 yards from the contestants at all times. 
  • - We ask that you please follow in front of the players so that you are not in range of the group behind you and can help spot balls for the group you are following. However, while helping to look for lost balls the no communication policy is still in affect. 
  • - Talking with the contestant is NOT permitted on the course at any time. 
  • - First offense is a two stroke penalty; second offense is disqualification.
  • - There is no warning; the warning is this Spectators’ Notice that you agreed to by clicking on your COGA Tour Membership form that you had read, understand, and will follow the COGA Tour Policies.  
  • - Please refrain from using cellular phones while on the golf course.

Deadlines and Full Field
Entry deadlines for events will be at Midnight one-week prior to the event.  Full field will be defined by the capacity of the host facility, or the number of participants entered into an event at the close of entry. Please note: Events fill quickly and may be full many days before the event deadline.

Waitlist Policy
  • - Juniors on the waitlist will gain a spot in a tournament in the event of a player withdrawing prior to their Day 1 tee time.
  • - Registration and Entry Fee must be received prior to a player being placed on a waitlist. 
  • - Players on the waitlist will be notified as soon as possible when a spot becomes available for them.  This could happen all the way up to the day before Round 1 of an event.  
  • - The spot in the field will be filled according to the age division of other members in the open tee time on a first come, first serve basis off the waitlist. Ex. If a spot opens in a 13-15 Age Division tee time, the first participant on the waitlist in that division will be eligible for the spot. A junior in the 16-19 Age Division would not be eligible to fill the opening.
  • - Waitlisted players who do not get a spot in an event field are more than welcome to show up at the beginning of Round 1 and fill spots of players who do not show or withdraw the day of.  Please check in upon arrival to be placed on the new "day of" waitlist.  This "day of" waitlist is first come first serve.
  • - Note: Anyone who is placed on the waitlist will receive a full refund if they DO NOT get into the event field.

Withdrawal Policy
A player can withdraw from a COGA event and receive a full refund if it is done before 1 week prior to the event starting.  Within a week of the event starting and there is no refund unless the spot can be filled by someone on the wait list.  All refunds are subject to the credit card processing fee of $5.  

Player Travel, Lodging and Meals:
Tour players will be responsible for their own travel, lodging, meals and any other expenses not directly covered by tour membership and tournament fees. 

Inclement Weather
Any sign of lightning should be reported to an official immediately. The official will suspend play with one long air horn blast and resume play with one long sustained blast. Mark your golf ball and take shelter. It is our intention to complete an event on the day it is scheduled, we will, therefore, do everything possible to complete a tournament, including reducing the number of holes in a stipulated round. A stipulated round, can be but does not have to be defined by COGA Tournament Committee as the last hole that everyone in the age division has completed. All players failing to restart after the delay will be disqualified.

Tournament Awards
The top two finishers in each division will receive an award immediately following the completion of their division at each event (1st – Medalist, 2nd – Runner up). 

Player of the Year: The person in each age division who accumulates the most points during a season will be deemed the COGA Tour Player of the Year. Points are awarded to the top 19 finishers at each event.  To be eligible to receive the player of the year award, you must COGA Tour member in good standing.  

Player of the Year Point Breakdown

Tournament Points
1st100 points           11th  50 points
2nd  95 points           12th  45 points
3rd  90 points            13th  40 points
4th  85 points            14th  35 points
5th  80 points            15th  30 points
6th  75 points            16th  25 points
7th  70 points            17th  20 points
8th  65 points            18th  15 points
9th  60 points            19th  5 points
10th  55 points


Code of Conduct
The Central Ohio Golf Academy would like to thank you for becoming part of its Junior Tournament Series.  COGA takes great pride in the quality of its players, its host facilities, and the sponsors and volunteers that work hard to provide a safe, positive environment for all participating members of the Tour.  The Code of Conduct helps ensure that our players grow and mature by understanding and accepting the consequences of their actions as they participate in our events and visit the host facility and its city.  It is expected that the members adhere to the Code of Conduct guidelines listed below. This Code of Conduct is intended to help our members preserve the integrity that the game of golf deserves.

Violations of the Code of Conduct include: unsportsmanlike conduct (including abusive language, cheating, club throwing, damaging greens, failing to replace divots on fairways, tees, or greens, failing to rake sand traps, disrespect to volunteers, officials or fellow competitors or abuse of golf course property); not adhering to the dress code of the host golf course; use or association with drugs or alcohol, smoking or chewing tobacco products; vandalism at host site, abusive behavior to any competitor’s family and/or property; and conduct not becoming of a COGA Tour player, such as acting in anger or creating other distractions.

Code of Conduct Violation Penalties: Any Code of Conduct violation will result in a letter written to the player and/or his/her parent/guardian.  The COGA tournament committee may enforce any or all of the following penalties based on the severity and frequency of the violation(s): a one-stroke penalty for each act of unsportsmanlike conduct on the golf course, immediate disqualification from the tournament at which the violation occurs and/or a tournament disqualification that may result in disqualification from the next tournament(s). The COGA Tournament Committee reserves the right to suspend or revoke a player’s membership for a major breach of the COGA Tournament Code of Conduct. Violation of the COGA Tournament Code of Conduct may affect a player’s eligibility for the Championship event and post-season honors.

Violation courses of action may include any or all of the following:
- Written warning to player and parent
- Written notification to player’s golf coach
- Disqualification
- One-event suspension without refund
- Termination of membership without refund

Personal Appearance
All players are expected to wear proper golf attire at all times. Collared shirts are required and must remain tucked in throughout play. Tank tops, jean pants or jean shorts and cut-offs are prohibited. If hats are worn, they should be worn in the proper manner, bill forward, at all times. You will be playing quality facilities and how you dress affects you, our sponsors, and the tour’s image, so please dress accordingly. Not adhering to this dress code is a violation of the code of conduct and may result in a two stroke penalty.
All COGA Tour events require players to wear Soft Spike® golf shoes or other golf course appropriate footwear.

No Card/Unofficial Withdrawal (NC)
Any player not turning in a scorecard, unless the player is injured during the round, or any player who withdraws after starting play, without valid reason of illness or injury, has violated the code of conduct.

No Show (DNS)
Any player not informing an official that you are withdrawing prior to your scheduled tee time has violated the code of conduct.  NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN FOR ANY TOURNAMENTS.  NO EXCEPTIONS.

Rain checks:
In the event a tournament is shortened due to adverse weather, players may receive a partial refund. The refund amount will be equal the per player costs (administration, staff, and course fees) incurred for that tournament subtracted from the entry fee paid. If there is no difference between the incurred costs and the entry fee, a refund will not be available.


Please note
In an effort to protect the field at each event, the tour officials for COGA Championship Series Golf Tour ask all players and parents to notify an official of any violations of the code of conduct.  In the event of a violation, the final decision will be made between the officials and the players involved. The COGA Tournament Committee and all of its members, supporting organizations, directors, staff, agents, facilities, escorts, owners, hosts, successors, and assignees are to be free from all liability, claim, or other forms of legal action, including cost arising there from, against any incident which results in or arises out of any loss, property or personal (death included) which may be sustained by the junior, parent, or guardian during travel to, from, or participation in any of COGA Tour events. Membership may be suspended or canceled for full disregard of the Rules of Golf, proper golf etiquette, or for dishonest, unsportsmanlike or unbecoming conduct.