Rules Update - Late Arrival 

Rule Update - Late Start

Recently there’s been several matches that have had late starts and to avoid annoyance these rules have been updated to reflect the evolution of the league.

Official R&A/USGA Rule (Match Play – Late to Tee Time)
   •    Rule 5.3a: A player must start at their scheduled time.
   •    If a player arrives within 5 minutes late, the penalty is loss of the first hole.
   •    If a player arrives more than 5 minutes late, they are disqualified (unless exceptional circumstances apply).

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HKIGL League Rule on Late Arrival (Effective Immediately)
   1.    Grace Period – Up to 10 minutes late
   •    No penalty.
   •    The on-time player may use this period for warm-up.
   •    If extra simulator time is required beyond the scheduled booking, the late player should cover any additional cost.
   2.    Penalty for Further Delay – After 10 minutes
   •    For each additional 10 minutes late, the player begins the match 1 hole down (starting from hole 1).
   •    Example: If a player is 22 minutes late, they will start the match 2 down on hole 1.
   •    This penalty is capped at 3 down maximum.
   3.    Two Matches in One Booking
   •    If both team matches are scheduled in the same 2-hour slot:
   •    To avoid wasted time, it is advised that one pairing starts immediately while waiting for the late player.
   •    However, the late arrival penalty still applies unless both captains agreed to a staggered play style at least 1 hour before the scheduled start time.

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⚠️ This ruling comes into effect immediately from today’s date.