Amateur Event Player Agreement
In addition to agreeing to abide by USGA rules that govern the competition itself, all players registering to play in a Long Beach Golf Festival event which has been created for amateur play must acknowledge and agree to abide by the following policies:
ELIGIBILITY
The Festival considers an amateur to be any golfer who plays the game as a non-remunerative and non-profit making sport and does not receive remuneration for teaching golf or other activities based upon golf skill or reputation. Individuals who have played on any tour as a "non-amateur/professional handicap golfer for cash", are NOT eligible to play in any amateur Festival event unless they can provide proof, if requested, that they have successfully petitioned the USGA for the restoration of their amateur status. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to deny entry to those whom it feels do not meet these criteria.
Other event-specific eligibility requirements are listed in the information page linked to each individual tournament on this site. Tournament information sheets can also be obtained by contacting the Festival office.
DEADLINE DATES
The event description page for each individual Long Beach Golf Festival tournament contains a "Registration Process & Key Dates" section for that specific event. In general, the deadline to enter an event will be 8 days prior to the first day of the tournament, or when the tournament field is full, whichever comes first. When applicable, a Late Registration process will begin once Preliminary Pairings have been posted, and will be open until either 3 or 4 days prior to the first day of the tournament, or when the tournament field is full, whichever comes first.
PAYMENT
All standard entry fees may be paid by MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, cash, check, cashier's check, or money order. Credit Cards are the preferred method of payment. All Late Registrations will be subject to an additional fee that is delineated on the event description page for each event. Late Registrations can only be paid with credit card, cashier's check, or cash – no personal checks will be accepted.
All returned checks will be turned over to a collection agency and are subject to a $25 handling charge in addition to any collection costs.
WITHDRAWALS & REFUNDS
Players who withdraw from a tournament before the close of regular Registration (typically 8 days prior to the first round of the event) will receive a full refund, minus a service charge of $12. Players who withdraw after Preliminary Pairings have been posted, but before the posting of Final Pairings (which is typically 3 days prior to the first round of the event) will receive a full refund, minus a service charge of $25. Players who withdraw after the posting of Final Pairings but prior to the first official tee time of the event will receive a full refund, minus a service charge of $50. Players that do not show up for their tee time, are disqualified, or who otherwise withdraw on the first day of the tournament will not receive a refund. In cases of sickness, injury, or family emergency causing a DNS (Did Not Start), a player may petition for a full refund, minus a $50 service charge. No refunds will be granted for injury or illness sustained at the course during the days of the tournament.
ALL withdrawals must be received via email (lbgolffestival@americangolf.com) in order to qualify for a refund. The time stamp of the email will be used to determine the amount of refund due, if any, per the policy delineated in the previous paragraph. Withdrawals attempted by text, or by calling the Long Beach Golf Festival office and leaving a voicemail will not be considered valid.
ESTABLISHED INDEXES
Most amateur Festival tournaments require participants to have an 18-hole World Handicap System (WHS) Index which was established through membership in an organization that meets the USGA definition of an authorized golf club.
In all circumstances in which Indexes are used to determine eligibility, and subsequently to create course and/or playing handicaps for flighting and scoring purposes, a player's Lowest Handicap Index for the previous 6-month period will be used. "As of" dates are published on the tournament information page of each relevant tournament, and will typically be defined as the date on which registration for that event closes. Golfers wishing to compete for net-based prizes with an established Index of less than 1 year may do so only with permission from the Tournament Director(s).
Misrepresentation of ability level could result in a reassignment of playing division or flight, or in extreme situations, disqualification with no refund, at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.
TOURNAMENT FORMATS AND TEE TIMES
At the discretion of the Festival Director, all tournament formats and tee times are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances related to the availability of courses, weather, a material change in the number of tournament entries, etc. In the event of any such changes, all registered players will be notified by email as soon as practically possible.
GOLF CARTS
With the exception of the Long Beach Junior Golf Championships, players are allowed to use golf carts during all tournament rounds. The golf cart rental terms and conditions are governed by the golf courses themselves, and not by the Long Beach Golf Festival, and are as follows:
Cart Fee: $32.50 per cart
Cost per person (2 people in cart): $ 16.25 per rider
Maximum of 2 people and 2 sets of clubs per cart
Players may invite a caddie, friend or family member to ride along in their cart, but must pay the full $32.50 cart fee in order to do so.
Carts populated solely by spectators will not be allowed during tournaments, with exceptions made only in relation to carts requested due to physical handicaps. In those instances, proof of disability (e.g. a handicapped driver hangtag, placard, DMV form, etc.) must be presented to a tournament staff member, who will then provide the handicapped spectator with a golf cart placard to bring to the golf shop when paying for their cart rental.
CADDIES
With the exception of the Long Beach Junior Golf Championships, caddies are allowed in all tournaments, under the following conditions:
- Caddies must not hold up play or challenge Rules Committee or Tournament Officials' directions.
- Caddies may not give a "playing lesson" during the tournament or hold up play in any manner. Caddies may be asked to leave by the Rules Committee or Tournament Director if a delay occurs due to their actions.
- Individuals designated as Caddies are therefore subject to the USGA Rules of Golf. Specifically, a rules violation by a caddie is the same as a rules violation by their player.
DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICES
Hand-held or other devices (yardage or GPS devices) may be used, but ONLY to measure distance. Players that use a distance-measuring device to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect their play will be in breach of the rules as stipulated in the Conditions of Competition published in advance of each Festival tournament.
PRACTICE ROUNDS
Practice rounds are not included as part of any tournament's entry fee. Players that wish to schedule a practice tee time must contact the golf course directly to do so.
In tournaments where competition takes place at two or more golf courses, players may NOT practice by playing upon an upcoming competition course between rounds of a tournament. The sole exception to this policy is the Match Play Championship, in which competitors may play practice rounds on the tournament course during the days intervening between the first and second weekend of competition.
DRESS CODE
Proper golf attire is required. Players may not wear short-shorts, tank tops, halter-tops, tee shirts or jeans. Players are strongly encouraged to direct their caddies to also adhere to this dress code.
CONDUCT
Unsportsmanlike conduct (i.e. vulgar, threatening or abusive language, club throwing, etc.) will not be tolerated and may result in disqualification from the tournament and/or future tournaments.
Cellular phones must be silenced during the play of all rounds of any Long Beach Golf Festival tournament.
SPECTATORS
Spectators are permitted at all Long Beach Golf Festival events. Spectators must not interfere with play or cause slow play in the group they are following or any other group on the course. During the Long Beach Junior Championships, spectators may not talk with players or interfere with their play.
PRIZES
The Festival will not issue cash prizes to players that earn awards. Instead, the Festival will issue prize vouchers whose retail market value will not exceed the maximum allowable, as specified in Rule 3-2a of the Rules of Amateur Status (currently $1,000). Prizes that are issued in the form of American Golf gift cards are redeemable at any American Golf facility. No duplicate gift cards will be issued if the original is lost by recipient.
RIGHT TO USE IMAGE
By taking part in a Long Beach Golf Festival event, players (and by extension their caddies) agree to the following:
“I grant to the Long Beach Golf Festival and American Golf Corporation (collectively “AGC”), the right to take photographs or videos of me in connection with Festival events for which I have registered. I authorize AGC, its assigns and representative to copyright, use, edit, and publish the same in print and/or electronically.
“I agree that AGC may use such photographs or videos of me without payment or any other consideration for any lawful purpose, including, but not limited to for purposes such as publicity, illustration, advertising, and Web content. I understand and agree that the photographs or videos will become the property of AGC.”