Course & Schedule

• The course for 2026 play will be UNM North Golf Course (rate: $18 walking / $33 riding). Tuesday afternoons — first foursome to the box at ~4 PM.
• League play officially begins April 21st. The calendar consists of a 20-week regular season split into two halves, followed by a 4-week playoff beginning September 15th through October 13th, concluding October 20th with a Best Ball Scramble.
• League night is Tuesday.
• Inclement weather / hazardous conditions — we are playing.

Registration & Fees

• All players must be registered and paid by May 5th. Each player must provide their full name and contact number.
• Failure to pay the registration fee by May 5th will result in a 2-point penalty the first week, and a player forfeit each subsequent week until paid.
• Registered players will be documented in the NHGL spreadsheet, which tracks handicaps and scores weekly.
• The league fee is $20 per player, which funds prizes for league nights and the championship.

Prizes & Weekly Payouts

• Each week, proxy markers will be placed on both par 3s (Closest to the Pin) and on hole #9 (Longest Putt).
• Players who wish to participate bring $5 cash each week for those payouts. This is optional and separate from the league fee.

Championship & Playoffs

• All registered players qualify for the championship.
• The championship is a single-elimination playoff. Seeding is based on total points won. Ties are broken by points won in head-to-head play.
• The winners of each season "half" will win prizes, as will the overall playoff winners.

Scoring

• Players are responsible for their own scoring. A total of 10 points is awarded per match:
  • 9 points — hole-by-hole match play (net, including handicap strokes), 1 point per hole
  • 1 point — low net score for the round (gross score minus handicap)
• No points are awarded for a no-show.
• Matches will be decided on game day. Mix up pairings — we want everyone to play as many different opponents as possible.
• 3-somes: The two lower handicap players play regular match play. The highest handicap player plays the higher of the two lower handicappers for score only.
• Odd man out: A player without an opponent receives 5.5 points, provided they are present before the last group tees off.
• Score deadline: All scores must be submitted by Monday of the following week, or the match will not be counted and neither player receives points.

Rules of Play

• All male players play the blue tees. Female players may play red tees.
• Lost balls / unplayable lies: Count a one-stroke penalty and place (don't drop) the ball in the area of the lost ball, leaving yourself a decent stance and swing.
• Maximum score per hole is Triple Bogey (3 over par): Par 3 = 6, Par 4 = 7, Par 5 = 8. Once reached, pick up — mark the score with a + (e.g., 7+). A player may also concede a putt to their opponent if the hole is already lost.
• Play Ready Golf. In the spirit of fast play, players should hit as soon as they are ready, regardless of who last won a hole.

Maximum Score Scenarios (Par 4 example):

Handicaps

• Handicaps must be documented before the start of league play. Past players default to their prior season's ending handicap for the first round. New players will estimate a handicap.
• League handicapping uses each player's two best rounds of their last five league scores. Formula: (average score over par) × 0.9 = Handicap.
• Maximum handicap: 15. Minimum: 0.
• New players must use an estimated 9-hole handicap for their first three rounds.
  Anti-sandbagging rule: For every stroke a new player shoots below net par, they are penalized 1 point and their opponent receives 1 point. A player penalized under this rule is not eligible for Low Net points that week. A player may declare a lower estimated handicap before a match but may never declare a higher one, and may not raise it for later matches.

Tie-Breakers

• Regular season: No tie-breakers. A tied match results in 4.5 points each.
• Playoff matches: Ties go to Sudden Death. Players return to Hole #1 and play until a player wins a hole outright (1.5 or 2 points). Handicap strokes from the original 9 holes remain valid for the same holes in sudden death.

Disputes

If uncertain how to proceed on a rules situation during a round, ask your opponent. If you're still unsure, play two balls — one from the original spot and one from relief — and report both scores to the League Director with the scorecard.