Tournament Rules and Pace of Play Policy

Tournament Rules& Pace of Play Policy

The 2026 Elite Invitational | The King & Bear Golf Club

1. Tournament Rules

The Elite Invitational abides by the USGA Competition Rules of Golf. A local rules sheet will be provided on the 1st tee.

To enhance the competitive atmosphere, the Committee will have a minimum of five Rules Officials or Referees on the course during play. To protect the integrity of the course and the field against variation, the Committee will have greater input on course conditions, particularly green speeds. The Local Rules sheet will be comprehensive regarding the location of boundaries, drop zones, and areas where relief is granted.

As in previous years, each competitor will receive a complimentary yardage book that accurately represents the locations of penalty areas, waste areas, and boundaries.

2. Pace of Play Policy

Checkpoints: Greenside on holes #3, #6, #9, #12, #15, and #18.

To protect the field, the Committee has instituted the following policy:

Timed Par. The Committee will monitor Timed Par. The average amount of time per hole is approximately 15 minutes.
Conditions for a Warning. Three initial conditions are necessary for a referee to warn a group:
1. The delay in play was not due to a search for a lost ball.
2. The group falls out of position with the game ahead of it. Out of position is defined as a gap of an entire hole between two groups.
3. The group has fallen behind on Time Par by more than five minutes per three holes.
Group Warning. If a group is warned, all competitors in the group are equally warned. There will be only one warning per group, per round.
Immediate Monitoring. The official issuing the warning will immediately monitor the group. If the warning occurs during a hole in progress, the referee will have discretion to determine whether the group is attempting to catch up in good faith.
Catch-Up Time and Penalties. Where the warning occurs will affect the amount of time granted to catch up to the game ahead. The time allowance on the subsequent hole will be 12 minutes on a par 3, 14 minutes on a par 4, and 15 minutes on a par 5. Failure to close the gap will result in each competitor being assessed a penalty of one (1) additional stroke per hole until the group has caught up to the game ahead.
On the Clock. A group will remain on the clock and monitored until it has caught up to the game ahead. Penalty strokes may be incurred as stipulated during this time.
Falling Behind Again. If a group has been warned, catches up, and then falls behind once more, each player in the group will be assessed a penalty of one (1) additional stroke until the group has caught up to the game ahead.