Updated October 2022

Note--Except in the case of emergencies or approval by the conference office, changes to sport regulations by sport committees must be proposed no later than 30 days prior to in-person conference meetings, and approved by the Advisory Board meeting held prior to the start of each subsequent season--May meetings for Fall sports, October meetings for Winter sports, January meetings for Spring sports.  (Updated May 2022)

SECTION 1.0 PLAYING SEASON AND SCHEDULING

1.1 Approval of date/site – The dates, days, and site of the PacWest Golf Championship match will be declared by the Commissioner and Golf Committee Administrative Liaisons, and approved by a vote of the Advisory Board at their Spring conference meetings. (Updated May 2022)

1.2 The championship shall be conducted two weeks prior to the NCAA regionals. The Mens and Women's Golf Conference Championships Tournaments shall be held at the same time and same site. (Updated October 2013).

1.3 All member institutions shall observe the NCAA starting date for preseason practice regardless of geographic location. No geographic exceptions are allowed.

1.4 PacWest Schedule - There shall be no required regular season PacWest schedule.

SECTION 2.0 GAME MANAGEMENT/CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION

2.1 Host Institution Responsibilities and Event Finances - The host institution shall be responsible for all host responsibilities with regard to the PacWest Championship.  Host institution responsibilities are as follows:

• Furnish certified athletic trainer on site during all rounds of the tournament.
• Provide tournament officials (starters), live stats and spotters (as needed).
• Furnish a sports information director on site during the tournament.

2.2 Ball and Clubs - The type of ball and clubs in the Championship shall be decided by the team and/or student-athlete and must be acceptable under USGA rules.

2.3 Carts and Caddies - Participants may not use electronic, motorized carts or caddies to carry their clubs.  Push Carts are permissible. The only exception is if the player is permanently disabled or as dictated and necessitated by course requirements. For purposes of this regulation impairments that are transitory and minor shall not be considered permanent. (Updated May 2016)

2.4 Championship Course - The conference office shall recommend a qualified course to conduct the Conference championships.  The recommendation may receive input from the championships committee and/or golf committee, and must be approved by the Advisory Board.  (The conference office will use the following guidelines as an aid in recommending a site: adequate scoring facilities; adequate tee times to service the championship field; practice round availability on the day before the championship; a well marked and staked course.  Play will be conducted from the championship tees with a minimum of 5800 yards for the women and 6000 yards for the men. (Updated October 2022)

2.4.1 The course recommendation shall include a site located in Hawaii at least every third year, unless modified by the Advisory Board.  The final recommendation must be approved by the Advisory Board.  (Updated October 2022)

2.5 Championship Format - The PacWest Championship shall be a 54-hole event.  The tournament schedule should provide for a four-day event - a practice round on the Sunday preceding the event, an 18-hole round on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. (Updated October 2013)

2.5.1 One 18-hole practice round shall be provided to each team on the day preceding the championship.

2.5.2 Teams are prohibited from practicing on or walking the course starting 10 days prior to the championship.

2.5.3 For institutions that have a No-Sunday Play policy, a waiver of the 10 days prior practice round prohibition may be requested to permit opportunity for a practice round within that period.

2.5.4 Host golf course management shall be informed of this restriction by the conference office and/or host institution and shall be instructed to report any violations.

2.5.5 In an effort to maintain the conditions of the course and speed of play, it is required that each individual play one ball from the tee to the green during the practice round.  A time schedule of 15 minutes per hold will be followed.

2.5.6 Teams are limited to five players.  Head coaches and/or designated official institutional representative will be required to be with their team during the entire practice round and will be responsible for monitoring pace of play, misconduct and enforcement of the one-ball rule.

2.6 Inclement Weather Provisions - If inclement weather prohibits play, the local state golf officials, in consultation with the Golf Championship Committee, shall decide whether the Championship will be shortened. In the event the Championship is shortened, the winning scores shall be based on a minimum of 18 holes of play.

2.7 Stoppage of Play - If play must be stopped and all groups have played at least nine holes, scores shall be kept and play shall continue (if allowed) the following day from the same spot.  When players are notified that play has been stopped, they shall mark the spot where the ball lies and pick up, or complete the hole according to USGA procedures if desired.  If the entire field has not played at least nine holes, scores shall not be allowed and the championship shall begin anew the following day.

2.8 Resume Play - If play is resumed, all players shall return to the course simultaneously. However, in extenuating circumstances, a portion of the field may be allowed to resume play to ensure the entire field completes nine holes of play for the day. 

2.9 Pairings- Pairings for round one, shall be decided based on the Sport regulation 2.9.1 (seeding). For round two, pairings/seedings shall be accordance with place finish after the first round. For round three, pairings/seedings shall be in accordance with place finish after the first two rounds. in the case of a tie between teammates, the lower-seeded player shall tee off first. In case of team ties, for starting purposes only, the fifth player's score shall be used to break the ties. If a tie remains, the ties shall be broken by draw, conducted by the Golf Tournament Championship Committee at the site (Updated May 2016)

2.9.1 - Seedings -- Seedings for conference championships must be based on overall Golfstat rankings of all participating teams according to the GolfStat rankings published on the Wednesday immediately preceding the golf championships. When a team who cannot be ranked by Golfstat due to provisional status or lack of meeting minimum rounds for GolfStat rankings, Conference office must seek a conference ranking from GolfStat to ensure proper seeding of those unranked teams.  In these instances, seeds of unranked teams may not supercede the seedings of teams based on overall Golfstat rankings.  In instances of a team tie, the Tournament Committee shall use an objective, arbitrary method to break such tie(s). (Updated May 2016)

2.10 Tee Times - Tee times shall be determined by the Tournament Committee.  Play will be in foursomes or threesomes unless approved in advance by the Tournament Committee.  Once the team pairings have been determined, individual playing order will be assigned with number five players teeing first, number fours second, number threes third, number twos fourth and number one players fifth.  No two players from the same team shall play in the same foursome or threesome.  (Updated May 2022)

2.11 Pin Placement Sheets - Pin placement sheets shall be provided before the practice round for the championship to each participant and head coach.  The depth of pin placements shall be identified in paces. The head golf professional of the championship site will determine the pin placements at the PacWest championship.

2.12 Playing Rule Modifications - All rules related to PacWest Championship play shall be consistent with those of the NCAA Division II Golf Championships for men and women and according to the U.S. Golf Association Rules, except as modified by local ground rules or PacWest policy.

2.13 Scorecard Submission - Scorecards are official and final upon their submission to the scorer's table.

2.14 Practice Round – One 18-hole practice round shall be provided to each team on the day preceding the Championship.  In an effort to maintain the conditions of the course and speed of play, it is required that each individual play one ball from the tee to the green during the practice round.  A time schedule of 15 minutes per hole will be followed.  Teams are limited to five players and head coaches or designated official institutional representative will be required to be with their team during the entire practice round and will be responsible for monitoring pace of play, misconduct and enforcement of the one-ball rule. Teams not permitting practice or play on Sunday, may arrange for a practice round (based upon course availability) at another time prior to the beginning of the championship. Other than the host, teams may not play more than one practice round at the site of the championship. 

2.15 Scorecards of each round must be kept until the NCAA Championship selection is complete. (Updated May 2022)

SECTION 3.0 CHAMPIONSHIPS

3.1 PacWest Team Champion – The conference team champion shall be decided at a PacWest Championship tournament. The winner of the championship shall earn the PacWest's Automatic Qualifier (AQ) to the NCAA Championships.

3.1.1 In the case a non-post season eligible team wins the championship, the AQ shall go to the highest finishing NCAA-qualifying team in the conference championship tournament. (Updated June 2012)

3.2 Tournament Site and Hosting - The rotation for helping host the conference tournament championships shall rotate between the members of the three regional pods (i.e. Hawai'i, NorCal, SoCal), unless an exception is granted by the Advisory Board.  Recommendations for host institutions shall be made by the Commissioner (or his/her designee), with input from the championships committee, and approval by the Advisory Board. (Updated October 2022)

3.2.1 The PacWest Men's and Women's Golf Championships shall be held at a site recommended by the conference office, with input from the championships committee, and approval by the Advisory Board. (Updated October 2022)

3.3 Team – At least four players are required for team scoring. The four players from each team with the lowest scores for each eighteen holes shall constitute the scoring members of the team for that round.  The team with the lowest combined score for all rounds shall be the PacWest Champion.  (Updated January 2013)

3.4 Individual – All individual places shall be determined by the lowest aggregate medal score at the completion of 54 holes of play.  The individual having the lowest aggregate score shall be declared the PacWest individual Champion.

3.5 Squad size – for the PacWest Championship, teams shall be limited to five student-athletes. A team must have five players to start participation in the tournament.  An exception to this can be granted by the approval of the PacWest Golf Tournament Committee under extraordinary circumstances. 

3.5.1  In the case of injuries, illness or other catastrophic condition, the commissioner with approval from the golf committee, may grant a waiver to allow a team to start with four players. 

3.6 Stroke Penalties

3.6.1 Unbecoming Conduct – A two-stroke penalty may be assessed by the Championship Committee for conduct unbecoming a college player.  This policy will conform to the guidelines of the NCAA Golf Championship Handbook.  Unbecoming conduct shall include, but not limited to, throwing a club (defined as releasing the club in a manner to cause harm to any person or to the golf course); use of abusive language; willful acts which damage property or equipment on the course.

3.7 Equipment – A coach or the cart of the coach shall not be considered playing equipment in the application of stroke penalties for a ball striking a player, teammate or teammate's equipment.

3.8 Tie-Breaking Procedure - If at the conclusion of 54 holes of play, there is a tie for both team and individual championships, the team championship playoff shall be decided first. 

3.8.1 Team Championship Tie-Breaker - In case of a tie after regulation, the conference team champion will be determined by following the NCAA Championship format.

3.8.2 Individual Sudden Death Playoff - In the event of a tie for the PacWest Individual Championship, a sudden death playoff shall be conducted immediately following the conclusion of regular play. The holes in play shall be determined by the Tournament Committee.

3.9 Uniforms - All golfers shall wear uniforms identifying the institution they represent.  In the best interest of intercollegiate golf and the PacWest Championship, a coach or player should not appear at the site of the championship in cutoffs, blue jeans, tank tops, or tee shirts during competition or practice.

3.10 Tournament Committee - The Tournament Committee for the sport of Golf in the PacWest shall be comprised of the following members: A PacWest Golf Committee Administrative Liaison (or visiting AD if liaison unable to attend), the conference Commissioner (or conference office designee), the host school athletic director, and, if necessary, the golf professional at the tournament site.

3.11 Host Institution Rotation - The PacWest Championship Host rotation schedule is approved by the PacWest Advisory Board. Coordinating the dates/sites of the  PacWest Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships is the responsibility of the conference Advisory Board.

SECTION 4.0 EQUIPMENT

SECTION 5.0 OFFICIALS

SECTION 6.0 AMPLIFIERS, NOISEMAKERS AND OTHER SOUND GENERATING DEVICES

6.1 Artificial noisemakers, air horns or electronic amplifiers shall not be permitted, and such instruments shall be removed from the playing and spectator areas. 

SECTION 7.0 SPORTS INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 8.0 SPORTS MEDICINE REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 9.0 AWARDS

9.1 The PacWest Team Champion will be the team winning the PacWest Championship Tournament with the lowest aggregate total score. The winning team will receive a PacWest Golf Team Championship trophy presented by the conference Commissioner (or designee) immediately following the tournament.

9.2 The All-PacWest Team shall consist of three teams of five players each, totaling 15 honorees. The teams will be selected based on the Clippd conference player rankings following the PacWest Championship Tournament. Players ranked 1-5 on First Team, 6-10 on Second Team, 11-15 on Third Team.

9.3 The conference shall name a Player, Newcomer, Freshman and Coach of the Year. Each institution shall have the opportunity to nominate one student-athlete for each award. The awards shall be determined in a weighted voting process of the PacWest Men's and Women's Golf coaches, with the top vote recipient being named the award winner.

9.4 Other awards will be determined by the Director of Sports Communications and approved by the Golf Tournament Committee. 

9.5 The individual medalist of the PacWest Championship shall be recognized by the conference Commissioner (or designee) with an award immediately following the tournament.

SECTION 10.0 TOBACCO USAGE

10.1 Tobacco usage by athletes, coaches, officials and event staff is strictly prohibited at all PacWest athletic events, including practice rounds.

10.2 Violators are subject to contest suspension for each offense. Following a team's first offense, head coaches in addition to the violator are subject to suspension for each additional offense.

SECTION 11.0 COACHES MEETINGS

There shall be a meeting of conference golf coaches held in conjunction with the PacWest Championships.  The meeting may be in person or via Zoom (or other electronic medium).  Attendance by each head coach, or his/her designee), is mandatory.  The site, date, and time of the mandatory meeting shall be communicated to the coaches and key administrators at least two weeks prior to the meeting. (Updated October 2022)

SECTION 12.0 ITEMS NOT COVERED

Items not covered in conference regulations shall adhere to NCAA rules and regulations.  The Conference office shall have the authority to levy fines or other penalties deemed appropriate for violations of sport regulation. Such penalties shall be appealable to the Committee on Appeals.