Rules

Any playing member of Highwoods Golf Club can apply to join the Brass Balls League - irrespective of membership category.

The only requirement is to be "Proposed" and "Seconded" by current members of the Brass Balls League. A player's standing on the Waiting List is not affected should their Proposer and/or Seconder subsequently leave the Brass Balls League. However, a player will be removed from the Waiting List should they themselves cease to be a member of Highwoods Golf Club.

General:

The overriding rule of the Brass Balls League is that all members have equal standing irrespective of length of membership or playing ability. There is no hierarchy.

An Administrator is appointed to deal with general organisation, banking, arranging the Dinner etc.

Any issues are determined on a 'one man one vote' basis through emails, telephone or meeting (as deemed appropriate) with a secret ballot if regarded as necessary.

Brass Balls Season:

The Brass Balls Season commences at the start of October and finishes at the end of March. An extension to the season beyond the end of March can only be agreed by a majority of members.

Finances:

Subscription: A £35 subscription is required from all members at the start of the season. . New members joining once the season has commenced are required to pay a £35 subscription.

If you are unable to attend the dinner you are entitled to a bottle or gift of your choice. There are NO REFUNDS or CARRY OVERS  

"Funnies": Normal "Funny" rules apply to the first three par 3's played. If a "Funny" is not won on any of these holes it is carried forward to the next par 3. 

On the final par 3 played, a winner must be resolved. The winner is determined solely following tee shots. The player whose ball is nearest the pin on the green is deemed the winner. If no shot remains on the green, the winner is the player whose ball is nearest the pin. (NB A ball on the green has priority over a ball off the green even if the ball off the green is closer).

The losing pair of each "Funny" are required to pay £1 each into funds. (Thus £8 is raised from "Funnies" for each match)

Back Nine: This refers to the last nine holes played. The losing pair are required to pay £1 each into funds. Should the back nine be halved, all players pay 50p each.

Birdies: For each birdie achieved, the opposing players are required to pay 50p each into funds. An eagle represents a 'double birdie' (ie requiring £1 from each of the opposing players).

Separate arrangements: The winning team of any match receive £1 from the losing pair. On Sunday mornings, the front nine is often played "for breakfast" - however, this is not mandatory and should be agreed by all players before teeing off.

Matches:

Each team is responsible for arranging their matches during the season. It is suggested, to avoid confusion and double booking, that only one team member arranges matches.

The following has become accepted practice for playing matches:

If the course is open, the game should be played unless a majority of the players agree for the match to be postponed.

Once a game commences, it requires a majority decision, of the players within the game, to agree abandonment (unless the course is officially closed). If a game is abandoned before commencing the back nine, the game should be replayed entirely (with no scores or monies being carried forward from the abandoned game). If the game has commenced the back nine, the game should be recommenced, at a later date, from the position of the abandonment with the scores and monies from the previous game being brought forward (unless a majority of players agree to the game being replayed in its entirety).

League Table:

The winners of a match are awarded 2 points. 1 point is awarded to each team if the game is halved.

The winning result is recorded with the 'holes up' being noted (ie a 3/2 win is regarded the same as a 3/1 win with only the "3" being relevant). The 'holes up' being included as a "+" for the winning team and a "-" for the losing team.

Criteria for positions in the League table are as follows (in order):

1. Points scored.

2. Best 'Difference' between "+" and "-"  (highest numeric "+" to highest numeric"-").

3. Highest numeric in "+" column.

4. Most games won.

5. If played, the game between respective teams (the winner being placed above the loser).

6. If teams cannot be separated by the above, they are regarded as 'equal'.

Hole-In-One:

Any member scoring a hole-in-one during an official Brass Balls match will have the ensuing bar bill paid out of Brass Balls funds. Any member achieving such a feat should speak to the Bar manager (or deputy) to ensure a special card is used for the purchase of drinks. The Administrator will settle the account once an invoice is received from the Office.

Trophies and Prizes:

The winners of the League will each be presented with the Champions trophy plus an engraved memento. In addition, they will each receive a £25 voucher which has kindly been presented annually by Mr John Thacker since his year of captaincy.

The team finishing bottom of the League will receive the "Bog Seat" trophies.

Personality of the Year:

A trophy was presented to the League by Mr John Thacker. At the Dinner, each member votes for the player they regard as the "personality of the year" from within the group. The trophy is presented to the player receiving most votes (in the event of a tie, the trophy is shared during the year).

Waiting List and New Members:

A Waiting List, to join the League, is shown elsewhere on the website.

If a member leaves through injury, operation or other personal reasons, but wishes to rejoin the League at a later date, they are placed as priority at the head of the Waiting List. However, such player cannot return to the League within the same season.

When a player leaves the League, the vacant position is offered to the next player on the list in strict rotation. Should this player decline the offer, they are removed from the list unless a reasonable explanation is given.

Dinner:

The Dinner is usually arranged for late April or early May. Such date is agreed with the Office early in the season (October/November) and is shown in the Club diary. Traditionally, the Captain, Manager and Professional are invited to the Dinner as guests of the League.

Seating Plan:

The top table runs from the kitchen door to the car park window with three spurs running from the top table towards the course. Guests are seated on the top table with the Captain central flanked by the new Champions of the League (the Captain's partner is also seated on the top table should the Captain be a member of the Brass Balls).

Seating arrangements are determined by finishing positions in the final League table. The team in 2nd place are placed on the centre spur next to the top table with the team in 3rd position placed next to the top table on the spur nearest the car park and the 4th team placed next to the top table on the spur nearest the kitchen. The team in 5th position sit next to the team in 2nd position etc. The team in last position are always seated at the bottom of the spur nearest the ladies toilet (hence the "bog seats").

The lower handicapper within a team sits facing the kitchen.

Alterations are made to accommodate players whose partners are unable to attend the Dinner and those players who have left the League during the year but wish to attend.

Team Draw:

The team draw for the following season is made at the Dinner. The Champions remain together to defend their title. The remaining players are split as equal groups between low and high handicaps using exact handicaps on the day of the Dinner. If more than one player shares the same exact handicap on the cut-off point, the determination of their being a 'low' or 'high' handicapper is decided by the toss of a coin. The Captain (or Professional, if the Captain is a member) draws a 'low' handicapper and that player then draws a 'high' handicap partner (a substitute will make such a draw if the 'low' handicapper is not present).

No player, other than the Champions, may play with the same partner in consecutive seasons. In addition, no teams may be predetermined other than the Champions.

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