| About The O-Tour "ONE LOW HANDICAP OR PRO SERIES PLAYER WILL EARN A PAID ENTRY INTO THE 2009 OKLAHOMA OPEN" What is the O-Tour? The O-Tour is simply, a professional golf tour open to both pro & amateur players with events being played in Oklahoma. O-Tour events are cash events meaning that entry fees are required and cash is paid out to around 30% of the field and ties. O-Tour event's are played on some of Oklahoma's best golf course's along the eastern half of the State in 2008, but our goal is to be completely statewide by 2010. We are the only "Tour" of our kind in Oklahoma offering players of all skill levels the chance to experience real tour golf using net score to determine the winners. All players must establish and maintain a legitimate handicap and will compete in every O-Tour event against their respective handicaps unless it's an all flights combined shootout. In 2009 The O-Tour will choose and pay one low handicap players way into the 2009 Oklahoma Open. The primary focus of The O-Tour is to offer affordable individual golf competition to all skill levels but also to develop local talent. It is very expensive trying to gain the experience necessary to compete at the highest levels of golf competition, so The O-Tour offers the chance to gain the same type of skills at a much more affordable cost. All O-Tour events are played under the USGA's Rules of Golf with the exception of a few modified rules to keep up pace of play. O-Tour members and non members are expected to maintain a high degree of etiquette, honesty & integrity. Click Here for the Pro Series: Warning, the Pro Series is for 5 handicaps or less and plays for a lot of money! 2009 Membership: Join Today Each O-Tour player is required to purchase a membership if they want to compete for the Points Championship. The membership fee for 2009 is $125 each. 2009 O-Tour events will offer a non member status fee of $50 per event to be paid along with each tournament entry fee. Total Non Member Entry $189 2009 Membership Regulations: Each player wishing to compete in the 2009 points championship must be a paid member of the O-Tour. 2009 Membership fees will be $125. Members are allowed to compete in all O-Tour events. Members must follow the eligibility requirements for Major Championships. Members must follow handicap requirements. The top four point leaders in each flight from 2008 will be member exempt in 2010. 2009 Non Member Regulations: Non Member Fees Are: $50 per event and are to be paid along with tournament entry fees and will earn full membership status after 3 events. Non Members Must Establish A Legitimate Handicap Before They Are Eligible For 1st or 2nd. Non Members Are Not Eligible For 1st or 2nd In Majors. All Players Must Meet Major Championship Eligibility Requirements. Non Members must abide by O-Tour & USGA rules of tournament play. Non Members will not be eligible for the $10,000 2009 points championship. Non Members will be eligible for points on their 4th event moving forward. O-Tour Handicaps: Each O-Tour player is required to establish and maintain a legitimate handicap. There are several ways to establish your handicap, please read below. The O-Tour uses Mark II Scoring Software to establish and maintain each players handicap. In 2009 the O-Tour will use each tournament course's slope for handicaps. Establishing Your Handicap: Give us your GHIN or Golf Q #. We will only take your last three scores recorded. Send us your three most recent score cards signed by you and an official from the course it was recorded on. You can play in three events to establish your handicap, but will not be eligible for 1st or 2nd in any event until after your 3 rounds. 2008 Members handicaps will carry over into 2009. Players handicap will be adjusted after every event either up or down. Handicaps will be rounded up or down, 5.6=6, 5.4=5 2009 O-Tour Format: The format for the 2009 season will be much like 2008. All members & players must establish and maintain a legitimate handicap. Minimum of 3 scores to be eligible for 1st or 2nd. 2009 the O-Tour will offer a Pro Series along with our Championship, Contender & Senior Flights. All O-Tour events except the Pro Flight will use net score to determine the winners. The USGA's rules of golf shall govern all O-Tour events with the exception of a few pace of play rules which have been modified by the O-Tour committee. You do not have to play in every event although it is recommended if you would like to compete in our points championship. $10,000 points championship eligibility requirements: You must be a paid member to compete in the points championship. Championship & Contender Flights only. One Day Event Format: Enter An Event 2009 One day tournament entry fees are $139. Payouts are determined by number of entries per flight. Sponsorships will add more money. Net score to determine winners, ex: 10 handicap shoots 82, net 72. Entry deadline is the Monday prior to the event. Entry's after the deadline will be subject to a $15 late entry fee. You can choose to pay at the event by cash, if you are a no show you will lose this privilege. Pairings & tee times will be posted no later than 8PM the Thursday prior too the event. There will be a $30 cancellation fee after Thursday Pairings & Tee Times are posted. Personal checks will not be accepted after pairings & tee times are posted. Amateurs are welcome but can only accept a gift certificate of up to $750. All bogus checks will be filed with the Muskogee County DA's office. Two Day Event Format: Enter An Event 2009 Two Day event entry fees are $269. Payouts are determined by number of entries per flight. Sponsorships will add more money. Net score each day will determine winners, ex: 10 handicap shoots 82 Saturday net 72, 80 Sunday net 70, two day total of 142 net. Entry deadline is the Monday prior to the event. Entry's after the Monday deadline will be subject to a $15 late entry fee. You can choose to pay at the event by cash. If you are a no show you will lose this privilege. Pairings & tee times will be posted no later than 8PM the Thursday prior to the event and round 2 pairings & tee times by 8PM Sat. There will be a $30 cancellation fee after Thursday Pairings & Tee Times are posted. Personal checks will not be accepted after pairings & tee times are posted. Amateurs are welcome but can only accept a gift certificate of up to $750 Major Championship Eligibility: To qualify for 1st or 2nd in The Classic: Play in at least 1 event. To qualify for 1st or 2nd in the Oklahoma State Championship: Play in at least 3 events. To qualify for 1st or 2nd in The Tour Championship: Play in at least 5 event. To qualify for the O-Tour Invitational: Top eight from Championship & Contender Flights. Payout Policy: View Payouts 1st place checks will given out at the conclusion of each event, checks will be mailed out the Tuesday following each event for all other places. It is important that we have the correct mailing address. Payouts are made according to number of entry's for each flight. If we have sponsors the payouts will be much more. The O-Tour reserves the right to combine flights if there are not enough to make payouts bigger. Payouts will be made to the top 30% and ties. All payouts will be determined by number of entries per flight. Sponsor money will be added as it is received. Flights: Pro Series (0) Players wishing to compete in the Pro Flight must maintain a handicap of 5 or less. Championship Flight (0-9) Contender (10-18) Senior Flight (0-18) Current and Past PGA and Nationwide tour players are only eligible for the Pro Series. The O-Tour reserves the right to combine flights to make bigger payouts when there are less than 8 players in a flight. Caddies & Spectators: Caddies are allowed during O-Tour play, however players must register their caddie when filling out their entry form. Players and caddies are responsible for paying for their cart the day of the tournament. The player and caddie may ride together but the O-Tour will not pay for their cart and will be determined by availability of carts at each course. Spectators are very welcome but will have to find their own means of travel on the course. Spectators are not allowed to ride with players. There Will Be Two Side Games: Gross Skins Per Flight: $25 Payable By Cash Only 2's All Flights Combined Any 2 On The Card Pays: $25 Payable By Cash Only 2009 Cup Points: The O-Tour will have an improved points championship in 2009. Championship & Contender Flights will play for a $5,000 bonus to be awarded to the point champion at season's end. All flights competing for the bonus must maintain a 8 player per event average. Rules: This is just a brief overview. It is the responsibility of each player to read & understand the rules of golf. USGA Etiquette: All O-Tour members and non members are expected to maintain a high degree of golf etiquette and integrity while playing in O-Tour events. Dress Code: O-Tour dress code requires that all O-Tour members and non members wear collared shirts while playing in O-Tour events. No blue jean or cut shorts will be allowed. Failure to Hole Out: Failure to hole out on any hole and is not corrected before a stroke is made on the next teeing ground or putting green on the last hole, that player will be disqualified. 14 Club Max: Players are only allowed 14 clubs in their bag during a round. Penalty is 2 strokes for any hole in which the infraction occurred, max 4 strokes per round. One Ball Rule: You must finish the hole with the same ball you started from the teeing ground with, unless the ball is determined unfit for play. In which case the players ball must be marked and the player must announce to his playing partners that the ball is unfit for play and then replace the unfit ball with another ball in the same spot marked. Recording Scores: No member or non member may keep their own score for the purpose. Each player will keep the score of their assigned playing partner. No alteration of a scorecard shall be done after the score card is turned into the committee or tour officials. Each player is responsible for the correctness of his scorecard. In the event a score turned in is lower than actually taken that player will be disqualified. In the event the score is higher that score shall stand. Artificial Devices: All yardage and range finders are legal unless they indicate to the player, weather or lines of break on the putting surface. Ball Falling Off of Tee: If a ball falls off the tee or is knocked off of tee when not in play it may be re teed without penalty, however if a stroke is made at the ball under these circumstances whether the ball is moving or not the stroke counts but there is no penalty. Play The Ball As It Lies: No member or non member shall improve his lie at any point in an O-Tour event. Each player must finish the hole he is playing. Every stroke counts. The Contender & Senior Flights when applicable will have a +4 rule. The +4 rule means a 7 on a par 3, 8 on a par 4 & 9 on a par 5. Wrong Ball: If any player throughout his round plays the wrong ball it is a two stroke penalty. If the player fails to correct his mistake by changing balls before a stroke is made on the next teeing area or last hole putting surface the player will be disqualified. Out of Bounds: All members and non members must re tee with a one stroke penalty or drop from the nearest spot the ball was last played in the fairway with a one stroke penalty. If the player thinks his ball has traveled out of bounds the player must announce to his playing partners his is hitting a provisional ball. To be safe announce and hit a provisional ball if you think you might be out of bounds. If you find after reaching your provisional that the first ball did not travel out of bounds you can pick up the provisional ball and play the first without penalty. Lost Ball: Stroke and distance shall apply. For pace of play if you lose your ball drop on the line the ball last traveled no closer to the hole add one penalty stroke. Five minutes is the maximum time limit for searching for a lost ball, ball in hazard, etc. Driving Ranges: All driving ranges will be out of bounds. Cheating & Bad Behavior: WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! If a player is caught knowingly violating rules, destroys course or O-Tour property, etc; that player will be suspended for one tournament. If that player is caught a second time they will be expelled for the remainder of the season. Players are allowed to drink alcohol, but must keep their behavior in check. Excessive cursing, club throwing, etc; will not be tolerated. See above. Conforming Balls & Clubs: See the USGA's rules of golf 2007-2008 revisions. All balls and clubs shall be conforming to USGA standards. |
