BC Amateur Championship

Cellular phones are not permitted to be used for making or receiving calls at anytime while on the Club’s properties – golf course, practice areas, Clubhouse or parking lot. Members or Guests may use their cellular phones while inside their vehicle. Members or Guests who use their cellular phones as pages may do so providing that they ensure their cellular phones are on silent mode. Members or Guests may carry their cell phones while on the course for medical emergencies only.

Canadian Entrants: Each Provincial Golf Association has been allocated a quota of applications into the Canadian Amateur Championship.  The quota system is based on a formula and is available for viewing through each Provincial Golf Association. Each Provincial Golf Association will decide on how their quota will be filled.  All quota players must complete this application and submit it to the RCGA within five business days following the completion of their provincial championship.  Unused quota spots past that date will be returned to the RCGA for use at their discretion.

To be confirmed.

A limited number of college exemptions may be available for players whose school schedule does not allow them to play in the zone qualifier. All requests for college exemptions into the BC Amateur must be received by the BCGA office by May 5th 2008. The applications will be reviewed and the applicants will be notified of their acceptance or decline by May 16th 2008.

Requests may be mailed, faxed or emailed to the attention of Susan White. Address: BCGA, 2105-21000 Westminster Hwy., Richmond, BC V6V 2S9, fax: 604-207-9535, email: susan@bcga.org.

Players must be currently eligible to participate in Club, Zone and BCGA (if from out of province, then the provincial or state golf association in which they reside) events.

126 positions are provided to players who have qualified through their Zone Championship. The number of positions available to each zone is determined by total zone membership in the BCGA, number of attempts to qualify in each zone, number of players from each zone who have made cut in previous 5 years and additional positions which are available to host zone. Each zone will receive a minimum of 4 positions.

Exemptions are available to the following:

Immediate Past Champions

Top 10 and ties from 2007

Current BC/National Champions

Special Exemption (Whitehorse)

Presidential Nominees

Collegiate Exemptions

5 positions will also be available in the Supplemental Qualifier. Any unused exemptions will also be filled by the Supplemental Qualifier.

The following players are exempt into the 2008 BC Amateur Championship.

Top ten & ties from 2007 BC Amateur Champsionship  

Mitch Gillis

Adam Hadwin
Dong Su
Michael Knight
Kevin Carrigan
Jay Snyder
Nick Taylor

Ashton Herriot

Kevin Stinson

Seon Kim

John Gallacher (2007 BC Senior Men's Champion)

Competition will be 72 holes of stroke-play. There is a cut to the low 70 and ties after the second round.

In the event of a tie for the championship or positions on the Willingdon Cup Team there will be a sudden victory play-off immediately after completion of the final round.

Competition for the zone team championship and club team championship is on July 22 and 23 only. Four person zone teams are named by each zone prior to the start of the tournament. The zone team competition uses the low 3 of 4 scores each day. Two-person club teams are selected after the first round by taking the two players with the lowest score from each club with two or more competitors.

Selection of the Willingdon Cup Team representing BC at the Canadian Men's Amateur is based, in part, on the low 4 finishers in the tournament.

The Coast Vancouver Airport Hotel is the host hotel for the BC Amateur. A variety of rooms have been blocked for players and their families, including single, double, standard and superior. You may contact the hotel directly at 604-263-1555 or by email to Tracey Fagg t.fagg@coasthotels.com - please quote room block CVA-GFC361 when making your reservations. You may also book through the central reservations line at 1-800-663-1144.

Rate: $95 for Coast comfort room; $105 for Coast Superior Room. Single or Double occupancy - taxes 15%. Release date for rooms: June 16, 2008.

There will be an emphasis on appropriate pace of play at all BCGA events.  The pace of play policy is posted on the BCGA web site, and all players are encouraged to familiarize themselves with their responsibilities under the revised policy.

Pairings will be made by the BCGA Tournament Committee after the close of entries. Players will be notified of their Starting Time by e-mail and will be available on our web site on the Investors Group BC Amateur Championship Tournament Information Page.

Players may contact the pro shop up to one week in advance to book their practice round.

Provincial team travel expenses are covered, however, you must have an Aeroplan number. Please provide your Aeroplan number on the registration from where provided. If you do not have an Aeorplan number, please apply for one. You may apply on line through their website at http://www.aeroplan.com/home.do

Tee times for Round 3 and 4 will be available approximately 1 hours after completion of the prior round. The Round 3 and 4 draws will be posted on the BCGA web site and the proshop.

To be confirmed.

CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION
All BCGA tournaments are conducted using the Conditions of Competition and Local Rules adopted by the BCGA. Copies of these documents are available on the BCGA web site, the BCGA office and copies will be distributed to all players at the tournament.

ELIGIBILITY
All competitors must be a member of a recognized provincial, state or national golf association and submit with their entry form a photocopy of their official BCGA/RCGA, Zone Junior or Foreign membership card certified as to current handicap factor within 15 days of entry. The membership card must also be available for inspection at the registration table.  For tournaments which have a Handicap Factor requirement for entry, the Factor used is the one in effect on the date of entry.
 
Note: Entrants must be eligible to play in club and zone tournaments.

ENTRY PROCEDURES
All entries must be received by mail, FAX OR ON-LINE BY the entry deadline. Phone and email entries will not be accepted. Payment must accompany all entries.
It is the player's responsibility to ensure entries arrive at the BCGA offices on time. Please check the BCGA web site to ensure your entry has been received. The BCGA does not assume responsibility for entries lost in the mail or by courier or by fax.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
All information for specific tournaments, such as information regarding practice rounds, pairings and starting times will be available on the BCGA web site approximately 7 days before the tournament commences. Email notification of pairings and starting times will be sent to players who have supplied valid email addresses at that time.

AMATEUR STATUS
Competitors who have breached their amateur status as defined under the Rules laid down by the Royal Canadian Golf Association are ineligible to compete in any BCGA sponsored or sanctioned event.

WITHDRAWALS
A competitor withdrawing during the course of the event must immediately notify a tournament official of the reason for such action and fill out a Withdrawal Form. The reason must be on medical or compassionate grounds acceptable to the tournament official. Failure to do so may result in suspension from all of next years events sanctioned or conducted by the BCGA. A no-show will be deemed an unauthorized withdrawal.

REFUND POLICY
Tournament entry fees, less a $25.00 service charge, will be refunded when the BCGA is notified by phone, email or through on-line cancellation at least 7 days prior to the tournament. Refunds, less the service charge, will be given only for medical or compassionate reasons for a cancellation received less than 7 days before the tournament. Such cancellations require written confirmation. No refund for will be given for any reason once the tournament begins.

POWER CARTS
Power carts are not permitted in the Investors Group BC Amateur Championship.

BCGA DRESS CODE
Only full-length golf slacks, plus fours, tailored rugby pants, tailored golf shorts and golf shirts are acceptable. Prohibited are cut-offs, jeans, sweat pants, warm up pants and shirts with slogans, numbers and offensive illustrations. The Host Club Dress Code, if more restrictive, will apply. All hats must be worn properly and all shirts must be tucked in. No commercial logos, such as those of alcoholic beverages or of other similar products or with slogans, numbers or offensive illustrations will be accepted on hats or any other piece of clothing or equipment, except logos of golf equipment companies or golf clubs and commercial logos as being part of the team uniform.

SPIKELESS SHOES
It is a condition of all BCGA competitions (including practice rounds) that contestants must wear spikeless or “softspike” shoes; traditional steel or ceramic spikes may not be used. Contestants in non-compliance with the “spikeless” policy will not be permitted to start. In accordance with Rule 6-3, players must arrive on the tee ready to play and extra time will not be afforded for non-metal spike installation or changing shoes. Failure to comply with the “spikeless” policy at any time once play has commenced will result in immediate disqualification.

The Hamber Club Team and Zone Team Championships are held concurrently witht he first and second rounds of the BC Amateur.

Four person zone teams are named by each zone prior to the start of the tournament. The Zone Team Championship uses the low 3 of 4 scores from day one and two of the championship.

Two person club teams are selected after the first round by taking the two players with the lowest score from each club with two or more competitors. The Club Team Championship takes both scores from the club team on the first two days of the competition.