Scratch Players Championship

REGIONAL POINTS EXEMPTION LIST

The Scratch Players Championship is currently the only amateur event worldwide that recognizes regional/state golf governing body player points from multiple jurisdictions for exemptions from qualifying

based on State / Region Golf Assn / Fed / Union Player Points

Any golfer with ’06 year end or ‘07 year to date GA (Fed or Union) player points that is at or above the applicable amount listed below is exempt from ’06 SPC qualifying. If a Golf Assn/Fed/Union does not have a player points program & a player is not otherwise exempt, submit a Merit Exemption Request via email to the Tournament Chairman.

In the event more than one points list per GA is applicable, points thresholds are YTD or the last ’06 year end list.

See notes and explanations below regarding others not listed or clarification.

Golf Association / Federation / Union

(click golf governing body name for link to their ’05 points list)

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Points

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Note (if applicable)

This applies where no points threshold is set if:

– no player points threshold has been established since there is no player points system and/or,

– no 2005 player point results are available or the points list is not translatable on their website in English and/or,

– no player points data for 2005 was provided upon request and/or

– the player points program includes too few events for credible recognition and/or,

– the governing body issuing the points is too small to merit a points threshold exemption.

In the event your GA has a player points system where no player point minimum threshold is stipulated above, and you are intent on obtaining a SPC exemption based on your R&A, USGA or RCGA affiliated state/regional GA player point standing, such player point data must be provided to the SPC Tournament Committee directly from such applicable golf governing body, or the specific website URL extension must be provided and accessible or English translatable, prior to considering an exemption request pertaining to such player point standing.

Explanations & Clarifications
In establishing the player points threshold for a SPC exemption, the general rule is one exemption for each million of population within the jurisdiction of the applicable regional golf assn/fed/union granting such points. As an example, the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA) covers about 15 million of population within their jurisdiction as the exclusive men’s GA authorized to issue USGA handicaps therein that conducts all men’s Northern California championships therein. The NCGA player points threshold for a SPC exemption is set where about 12 players meet or exceed such threshold. The fact that this is less than 15 players is due to the NCGA’s policy of not recognizing any non-USGA national level event conducted outside of Northern California. In the case of Wyoming, with a population of a tad over a half a million, one player therein would normally be exempt based on player points in that state if they had a points system (which they currently do not). The general rule may be skewed by the following factors:

– the quality/inclusion factors of the system,

– number of players from a governing body’s jurisdiction with distinguished performance at the national level

– the equitable allocation of points within the points program (excessive bias towards GA events increases threshold),

– whether the points program requires payment of additional membership fees for points inclusion (such as Arizona),

– overlapping programs within jurisdiction (Canada has a national Order of Merit in addition to each province’s Order of Merit),

– recognition of national level tournaments within the program (failure thereof reduces number of players exempted).

If another assn/fed/union grants the SPC their player points, more spots may be granted an exemption to their players (such as the NNGA & WSGA). Finally, since each applicable golf governing body has a different points scale, a universal points exemption threshold for regional or state golf governing bodies is not possible.

Your Golf Assn/Fed/Union is not listed above
Points list cut off generally based on following formula: 1 player per million of total population within golf governing body jurisdiction, then round to next whole number. This may be further diluted depending on quality/inclusion factors, overlapping jurisdictions, etc. Count down ’05 final point list by that number of players.

The last player’s point total down to that number of players is the threshold upon which the exemption point cut off is determined.

Example Point System
If you are not familiar with golf association player point programs, visit the NCGA Points Program. The NCGA points program is the world’s oldest, largest & most comprehensive in terms of the number of events granted player points and the number of players earning points (432 scratch men amateurs attained at least one point in ’03 with points awarded to over 115 events). However, the NCGA points program is heavily biased towards their events and only includes USGA events conducted outside the jurisdiction of the NCGA to the exclusion of all other national level events conducted outside of Northern California. It should be noted that the NCGA player points program is split into a regular and senior points situation with no regular player points awarded for any senior only event. Additionally, the previous year’s points list remains on site until after the current year becomes final.