The policies below govern how our events are run, how we monitor pace of play, and what members can expect when participating in club activities. Every policy on this page is the official club reference — if a question or dispute arises, this is where you'll find the answer. Questions about any policy should be directed to the contact listed in that section.
Every club event has a limited number of spots. When more members sign up than the event can accommodate, the Tournament Director uses a combination of priority tiers, signup order, and professional judgment to set the final field. The priority system provides a recommended ranking, but events are not auto-filled — the Tournament Director makes all final field decisions.
For regular (non-major) club events, members are ranked using priority tiers. Members in a higher tier are considered before members in a lower tier. Within the same tier, the member who signed up first has priority.
Within any tier, the member who signed up earliest has priority. Your signup position is locked in when you first RSVP — editing your tee time preference or pairing request later does not change your place in line.
For non-major individual events, you may request to play with another member when you sign up. When a higher-priority member requests to play with a specific partner, that request may result in the requested member being included in the field ahead of other members who would otherwise have higher priority. Pairing requests are considered but are not guaranteed. The Tournament Director decides whether honoring a request is practical given the overall field composition.
After the objective priority tiers and signup order have been applied, the Tournament Director may adjust the field to ensure the best possible event for all participants. Factors the Tournament Director may consider include:
These adjustments are made in the interest of the membership as a whole and are within the normal authority of the Tournament Director.
Major Tournaments are the club's premier competitive events and follow a different priority model. Pairing requests are not accepted for Major Tournaments — pairings are set by the Tournament Committee.
When an event opens for RSVPs, every member who signs up is placed on the signup list. Being on the signup list means you have signed up and committed to be available; it does not by itself confirm a tee time. After the RSVP deadline closes, the Tournament Director reviews the full roster and determines who is in the field and who is on the waitlist, using the priority criteria described above along with the discretionary factors for non-major events.
You will hear from us at each step. When you first sign up, you receive a confirmation that you are on the signup list. After the deadline, members who make the field receive a notice confirming they are in and expected to attend, and members placed on the waitlist receive a notice explaining their waitlist position. If a spot later opens due to a withdrawal or field adjustment, the Tournament Director sends an offer to the next eligible member on the waitlist, who can accept or pass on the spot.
Waitlist history is maintained permanently. If you are placed on the waitlist and do not get to play, you earn "Previously Waitlisted" priority for your next non-major event signup. That priority is cleared the first time you play in any subsequent event, major or non-major.
If you believe a field decision was made in error, the process is:
Balboa Park Men's Golf Club is committed to providing an enjoyable experience for all members. A key part of that experience is maintaining a reasonable pace of play during all club-sponsored events. This policy outlines how we monitor pace, communicate with members, and when necessary, enforce standards to ensure fairness for everyone.
Each round played in a club event is evaluated using our Pace of Play rating system. Rounds are classified as follows:
These ratings are tracked and recorded for each member after every club event. Only Slow Play Assessments (SL1 and SL2) count toward the notice process described below — the lower ratings are tracked for visibility but do not trigger notices.
Pace of play notices are based on a rolling window of your ten most recent rounds in club events. Only rounds within this window are considered when determining whether a notice is issued. As you play new rounds without Slow Play Assessments, older rounds and any prior notices age off the window automatically — this is the mechanism by which a member's notice status improves over time.
The SACC considers both gap score and overall round time when reviewing a member for a pace notice. A Slow Level 1 or Level 2 gap score combined with a round time over the baseline is what makes a round eligible for the notice process — one factor without the other is not enough. The standard expectation is a 4-hour round. Members who specifically request the "Before 8:00 AM" tee time preference for a weekday event are held to a 3-hour, 40-minute expectation. That window offers the best conditions on the course — an open front, no backup from groups ahead — and members who choose it are committing to take advantage of them.
The notice system uses a simple points-based trigger applied across your rolling ten-round window:
A notice is generated when your point total across the last 10 rounds reaches 3 or more. Which tier fires depends only on how many notices you have already received within that same 10-round window: zero prior notices fires Tier 1, one prior notice fires Tier 2, two prior notices fires Tier 3.
Notices are structured in three escalating tiers. Every tier asks the member to acknowledge receipt by replying to the email — we want members involved in the conversation as early as possible, not waiting until a formal warning to engage.
| Notice | Recipients | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
|
Tier 1 — Awareness Notice Issued when a member's recent rounds first cross the points threshold. Informational, meant to bring awareness and encourage self-correction. Acknowledgment requested. |
Member — SACC on Bcc | None |
|
Tier 2 — Pattern Notice Issued when the pattern of slow play persists after a prior Awareness Notice. Signals that participation in future events may be at risk if the trend continues. Acknowledgment requested. |
Member — SACC on Bcc | None |
|
Tier 3 — Formal Warning A formal written warning indicating the member is at risk of being excluded from future club events if pace does not improve. Reply required. The notice will also cite any non-acknowledgment of the prior tiers as part of the record. |
Member — SACC and Club President on visible Cc | Possible exclusion |
All notices are sent via email to the member of record from notifications@balboaparkgolf.com, with Reply-To set to sacc@balboaparkgolf.com. For Tiers 1 and 2, the SACC distribution (including the Tournament Director) is included on Bcc so the committee has the full record without putting multiple board members on visible Cc for an early-stage notice. For Tier 3, SACC and the Club President are on visible Cc to match the seriousness of a formal warning. A record is maintained of all notices sent, including the tier level, date issued, and whether the member acknowledged receipt.
Pace is measured at the group level, so a notice can land in your inbox even if another member of your group was the main contributor. If you believe that is the case, every notice gives you two non-confrontational options to make that part of the record: add the groupmate to your do-not-pair list in your account settings, and reply to the notice with any context you would like the committee to consider.
There are no financial penalties or stroke penalties associated with this policy. The ultimate consequence for a member who continues to receive notices and does not improve their pace is exclusion from club-sponsored events. This decision rests with the SACC in consultation with club leadership.
When you sign up for a club event and are confirmed as ATTENDING (or admitted from the Wait List), the Tournament Director builds the tee sheet around you. A last-minute absence or no-show doesn't just affect your day — it disrupts the entire field.
Not all absences are treated the same. The Tournament Director evaluates each situation based on two factors: whether you communicated with him, and whether your spot could be filled. The table below shows the three possible outcomes:
| Scenario | Communication | Spot Filled? | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legitimate reason, spot filled | Yes — contacted TD | Yes | None |
| No or weak reason, but spot filled | Yes — contacted TD | Yes | Fine only (no entry fee owed) |
| Spot could not be filled — or no communication at all | Late / None | No | Entry fee + fine |
Closure deadlines are published on each event page and are mandated by the Club's agreement with the City. Typically: Friday, 12 days before a Wednesday event, or Tuesday, 12 days before a Sunday event, at 10:00 AM. Once the closure deadline passes, any withdrawal or absence is subject to the policy below.
| Offense | Entry Fee | Additional Fine | Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | $20 forfeited | $10 | None |
| 2nd | $20 forfeited | $20 | None |
| 3rd | $20 forfeited | $30 | 45-day suspension |
| Offense | Entry Fee | Additional Fine | Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | $20 forfeited | $20 | None |
| 2nd | $20 forfeited | $30 | None |
| 3rd | $20 forfeited | $40 | 45-day suspension |
| Incident | Entry Fee | Additional Fine | Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late Withdrawal | Forfeited | $20 | None |
| No Show | Forfeited | $40 | Next eligible major |
Beyond the fines listed above, a no-show or late withdrawal carries these additional consequences:
The standard participation fee is $20.00 per event, paid in cash on the day of the event (exact change — a $20 bill is required). Multi-day tournaments may carry a different fee; you will be notified in advance of the amount and payment method.
ALL competition rounds played at Balboa Golf Course are posted for you — you do NOT post them yourself. Wednesday Senior Match Play rounds must be posted by end of day by that player.
All rounds played outside these two requirements must be posted by you. If you forget to post or make a mistake, contact your Handicap Director for assistance.
Each member has a Club Credits account maintained by the Finance Committee. This account is used to track prize winnings, fines, and other club-related financial transactions. The Club Credits system is the official ledger of record for all member balances.
Your balance is tracked internally and managed by the Club Treasurer. Members may request a balance summary from the Treasurer. Fines must be satisfied before a suspended member may be reinstated.
The Order of Merit (OOM) is the Club's measure of successful member engagement — a composite of participation points, volunteer points, and event performance points. Together, these reflect not just how well you play, but how actively you contribute to the club. OOM standings are used to determine eligibility for major championships, and all point allocation is at the full discretion of the Tournament Director.
Two rankings are maintained and displayed on the OOM leaderboard throughout the season:
Both rankings are used to determine eligibility for major championship events. OOM standings are updated after each event is processed.