(1.1) Season Breakdown

The Defender Cup season is divided into three parts in an attempt to weight each part of the season evenly and to resemble the PGAs Fed-Ex Cup.

• Regular Season of approximately 18 weeks (50 points awarded to the winner)
• Four Major Championships at traveling venues (100 points awarded to the winner)
• Three Year-ending Playoff Matches (100 points awarded to the winner. Week 1, all points earners are eligible, week 2 field is cut down to the top 32, week 3 the top 16)
• A Championship Final (150 points awarded to the winner, field is cut to the top 8)

(2.1) Full Points Breakdown

The Defender Cup points systems is taken after the Fedex Cup system, where players are not really punished for a bad round, but good rounds are richly rewarded. The following breaks down all positions based on regular season, majors and playoffs, and the championship round. There are no ties for first place in any round. If there is a tie for the top spot, the winner of the round will be determined by rolling of a 18 sided die on the scorecard. Low gross score for the hole wins the points.

Regular Rounds:

• First: 50 points
• Second: 35 points
• Third: 25 points
• Fourth: 20 points
• Fifth: 15 points
• Sixth - Tenth: 10 points
• Eleventh - Twentieth: 7 pts
• Twenty First - Thirty: 5 pts
• Thirty First - Fortieth: 3 pts
• Forty First +: 1 point

Majors and Playoffs:

• First: 100 points
• Second: 70 points
• Third: 50 points
• Fourth: 40 points
• Fifth: 30 points
• Sixth - Tenth: 20 points
• Eleventh - Twentieth: 15 pts
• Twenty First - Thirty: 10 pts
• Thirty First - Fortieth: 7 pts
• Forty First +: 5 points

Championship:

• First: 150 points
• Second: 105 points
• Third: 75 points
• Fourth: 60 points
• Fifth: 45 points
• Sixth: 30 points
• Seventh: 25 points
• Eight: 20 points

Only top 8 are eligible in championship round

(4.1) Championship Points Reset

Going into the championship round there must be at least 4 players mathematically able to win the championship. If that is not the case, then there will be a reset of the points based on seeded position going into the championship round. The reset of points means that each player total points will be set to the following values, then points will be awarded based on their finishing position in the championship round.

• First: 300 points
• Second: 265 points
• Third: 230 points
• Fourth: 190 points
• Fifth: 165 points
• Sixth: 140 points
• Seventh: 125 points
• Eighth: 115 points

(5.1) Rules of Play - Playing the ball as it lies.

All balls will be played as they lie, no fluffing or moving of the ball, except for the following conditions:

• In your own fairway, you may move the ball out of a divot or bare spot. No closer to the hole.
• You may lift, clean and place the ball if there is obvious mud on the ball, regardless of lie. You may not use this rule to inspect for mud. If you cannot obviously see mud on the ball, play the ball down.
• You may move your ball out of a footprint or other non-natural obstruction when in a bunker.
• You may also move your ball out of water in a bunker to a dryer location in that bunker.
• USGA rules unless otherwise noted on the website. 
• For anything out of the ordinary get your group's agreement on how to handle the situation before moving on.

(6.1) Out of Bounds or Lost Ball

We have two options for a ball that went out of bounds, or is lost.

Option 1: is the DefenderCup tradition of effectively treating the play as a lateral hazard, where the ball can be placed near entry into out of bounds area (or location of lost ball) for a one stroke penalty.

Option 2: USGA optional Local Rule which provides an alternative to stroke and distance relief when it is in effect. For two penalty strokes, you can estimate the spot where your ball is lost or went out of bounds and then find the nearest fairway edge that is not nearer the hole than the estimated spot. You can drop a ball in the fairway within two club-lengths of that fairway edge point, or anywhere between there and the estimated spot where your ball is lost or went out of bounds. This Local Rule is recommended by the USGA for casual play and not for competitions involving highly-skilled players.

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/topics/out-of-bounds-lost-ball-provisional.html

(7.1) Pace of Play - Target is 4 1/2 hours

We need to help keep DefenderCup in good graces with the courses we play. Playing with a bit more urgency will help accomplish that goal.

 Please practice the following recommendations and ideas to help keep things moving along:

• Be on time for your tee time. On time means in your cart and ready to play prior to your tee time. It is possible that your time will get adjusted, be ready to play with plenty of time to spare.
• Be ready to hit when it is your turn. This means being at your ball with the right club, ready to swing. You can do your pre-shot ritual while you are waiting.
• Limit pre-shot rituals – multiple practice swings are for the driving range not the course.
• Don’t wait to be driven to your ball if it’s 15 yards away just because it isn't your turn. If you can, grab your club and walk over to your ball and be ready to hit when it is your turn.
• Watch your playing partners as they hit. It's easier to find errant shots if everyone is watching.
• Limit the time you spend looking for lost balls. USGA allows 3 minutes max.

(8.1) Tee Boxes

Men greater than 60 years in age at the beginning of the season will have their choice of Tee Box between the Senior Tees and the Standard Tees. After making the decision to change tee box the player may not switch back during that season.

(8.2) Handicaps

Handicaps are determined by the DefenderCup Handicap System, but is loosely based on GHIN. New members are able to use their Low GHIN handicap until they have established a Defender Cup handicap. In recent years we have modified the handicap formula, so for latest information on how that is calculated you may click on a player name on the Members page here.

(9.1) Gimme Putts

Gimme Putts are NOT ALLOWED.

(10.1) Max Hole Score

DefenderCup allows for a max score on a hole as double par. Example: once you reach 5 strokes on a par 3 and the ball is not holed, pick up the ball and record the score of 6. On a par 4 pick up if the ball is not holed after the 7th stroke and score an 8. Pick up after stoke 9 if the ball is not holed on a par 5 and score a 10. There should be nothing higher on a scorecard.

(11.1) Max Putts

At this time there is no limit to the maximum number of putts a person may take on a hole. If someone drives a par 5, and then 4-putts, they get a 5 for the hole. But for pace of play purposes, please see the rule regarding Max Hole Score.

(12.1) Minimum Players in a Group/Scoring

Each group (foursome) will have at least 2 regular DefenderCup players.

Online scoring is required for each group along with a paper scorecard that must be reconciled/validated online at the end of the match. Online and paper scoring may not occur in the same cart nor by the same person.

(13.1) League Dues

Each player will pay an annual league dues of $10.00. This payment will be due before any points are awarded. Each potential member is allowed one round of Defender Cup play before the dues are required. If they decide to become a member, any rounds played before payment will not earn points. In other words, it is not retroactive.

For every $10 of Dues, $5 will go to the Season Champion payouts, $4 will go to the DefenderCup administrator or LLC, and $1 will go to the Gross Season Champion payouts.

Season Champion payouts will be as follows:

1. 35%
2. 20%
3. 12%
4. 10%
5. 8%
6. 6%
7. 5%
8. 4%

Gross Season Champion payouts will be as follows:

1. 75%
2. 25%

(14.1) Mulligans

• Mulligans will cost $5, limited to just one per 18-hole round.
• Players will be allowed only one “Provisional Mulligan” per round. Note there is a difference between a “provisional mulligan” and just a “provisional”. USGA rules for a “provisional” can be found here. A “provisional mulligan” basically means that a player thinks their first ball is in a bad spot, but not sure. If it is in a bad spot, they’d want to go back and re-hit. The “provisional mulligan” allows a player to take that mulligan shot before going down-course, thereby saving all of us time. Players will only get one of these “provisional mulligans” per 18 hole round. Note, If you have already used your mulligan elsewhere on the course you do not have a "Provisional Mulligan" available for use.
• Players must announce, before their shot, if they are intending to take a “provisional mulligan”, or just a “provisional”.
• Mulligans are not allowed on Pin Prizes, Majors, Playoffs or Championship rounds.
• Mulligans will not be paid on the course but paid at the scoring table. The money will be collected by whoever is taking money that day (traditionally Scooter) or designated individual. This is mostly so we can account for the appropriate number of dollars, but also to take pressure of other people on the course.
• Use of mulligans will be marked on scorecards and online scoring app, as to which hole they were used on.
• The proceeds of mulligans will first go towards rounding out pots for the money games. Secondary will be contributions to the drink tab. And drink tab doesn’t necessarily mean beer, soda drinkers can use it as well.

(15.1) Money Games

DefenderCup usually involves a friendly wager based on play. This is very optional, no one should feel pressured to participate. It currently costs $10 to get in on the games, and it is currently all-or-nothing on getting in. The list of games, and there percentage of overall pot, is as follows:

Nassau (40%)

• Overall (50% of Nassau money)
• Front (25% of Nassau money)
• Back (25% of Nassau money)

Skins (25%)

Pins (25%)

Low Gross (10%)

Specific rules:

• Once a person has won a Nassau outright, they are not eligible for other Nassau games. This is in the interest of spreading the money. If a person splits a Nassau, they are still eligible for other Nassau games.
• If there is a tie for overall Nassau, a roll off will be done using the d18 Die. Low gross on the hole rolled wins. The winner is no longer eligible for front and back but the losing person is.
• Max strokes a person may receive for Skins on any hole is 1 stroke.
• If a players uses a mulligan (see Mulligans section) they will NOT be eligible for Skin or Pin prizes (specific shot) on that hole. They will be eligible for Nassau but if there is a tie for a Nassau, and one of those players used a mulligan within the scope of that Nassau (on the side that the mulligan was used) then the other player will win the Nassau.

(16.1) 3-Putt Poker

Another optional game is 3-putt poker. The rules are pretty simple, but how much it will cost you will depend on how many three-putts you have. Basically, you earn a card with every 1-putt but have to pay more money for every 3-putt. Each player will draw cards from a full deck. At the end, highest poker hand wins.

• BEFORE the round starts, you must declare if you are in. Getting in will cost $1 (paid at the end of the round), and will entitle you to one playing card.
• For the purposes of 3-putt-poker, a putt is defined as a stroke taken when the ball was resting on the putting surface (the green). If a players ball is in the fringe, or anywhere else than on the green and they use their putter on the shot, it does NOT count as a putt in 3-putt poker. Consequently, if a stroke is made with anything other than a putter when the ball was resting on the green it WILL count as a putt.
• Number of putts will be recorded on your DefenderCup online scoring app.
• For every 3-putt (or more) you make, you will owe another dollar. This is in addition to the dollar you paid to get in, so if you have say four 3-putts, then you will owe $5.
• For every 1-putt you make, you will be entitled to draw another card towards the final hand. So if you have 5 1-putts, then you will be allowed to draw 6 cards.
• Zero-putts (i.e. chip-ins or putt-ins from fringe) will entitle you to two cards for that hole.
• Once all money is collected we will draw cards. The player with the highest poker hand, no matter how many cards they drew, wins.
• Exact payouts will be based on how many dollars and how many people are in. In general we pay out top-3 hands. We also traditionally give $1 to the player with the worst hand as a matter of calling them out and poking good-natured fun at them.