Nomads Golf Club By-laws

Revised and Amended by the Board of Directors (January 2021)

I. Who Are the Nomads?

Established in 1957, the Nomads are a group of men and women committed to the enjoyment of golf and the friendships it brings. The Club name "NOMADS" has two meanings: 1) The Club is nomadic in that it travels from course to course during the year, and 2) The term "NO - MAD" is a philosophy adopted by the Club that encourages our members to conduct themselves in a manner that builds c amaraderie and discourages any displays of anger, regardless of the situation. The Nomad emphasis is on fair-play, integrity, sportsmanship, and adherence to the accepted rules of golf.

II. Membership

A. The total number of Club members will be left to the discretion of the Club Officers, based upon the number of consistently active players and the ability to meet contractual obligations with golf courses. NOMADS membership typically ranges from 60 to 80 members during a year, with Saturday turnouts of approximately 40 members and guests.

B. Men and women of all playing levels are welcome to join NOMADS, as long as they are competent enough to maintain a reasonable pace of play.

C. New members can either be sponsored by a regular member, or can apply for membership without sponsorship (i.e., completing and submitting an online membership application on the Club web site (http://nomadsgolfclub.com).

D. New fully paid members with a current verifiable SCGA handicap index are immediately eligible to play in regular Club events and compete for all prizes (see paragraph F below for exceptions) upon acceptance of their membership. Handicaps of new members who have not played with the N omads previously, are subject to review and possible adjustment by the Club Handicap Chairperson.

E. New, fully paid members without a current SCGA handicap index may play in NOMAD events, but will only be eligible for prizes that are not handicap dependent (for further detail see Bylaws Section VII. Guests, below).

F. New, fully paid members (with or without an SCGA handicap index) must play at least two rounds with the Club to be eligible to compete for prizes in any of the Club’s trophy events (e.g. Memorial Cup, President’s Cup, Mic Burin Tournament, Club Championship, Match Play, and Masters Tournament).

G. New members without a current SCGA Handicap Index or at least five (5) posted rounds will NOT be assigned a “Temporary Handicap” to make them eligible for all prizes. The member must post a minimum of five relatively recent scores in the SCGA system, three of which must be played with the Nomads during a Club event, before a Handicap Index can be assigned by the Club Handicap Chairperson. Scorecards more than six month old may not be accumulated and submitted for the purpose of establishing a handicap index. After posting the minimum number of scores, the member’s initial Handicap Index will subsequently be published (made official) by the SCGA towards the end of the calendar month.

III. Membership Classifications and Fees

A. Annual membership fees shall consist of the SCGA-imposed renewal/enrollment fees plus a dditional fees to cover the expenses incurred by the Club during the coming year. Any changes in the fee structure must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Club Officers.

B. For returning members, Nomads Club fees are due and payable on the anniversary of your membership. A $10 SCGA imposed penalty will be assessed if you do not renew within two weeks of your expiration.

C. Below are fee structures for annual membership:

Full Membership

Full members, upon qualification, may play in all Nomad events, receive monetary awards and get priority playing status over guests. Full members also get full SCGA benefits (Fore magazine, handicap, etc.)

	New Full Member			Renewing Full Member
	Application Rec'd	Fee		Application Rec'd	Fee
	At Sign Up:	$100		At Renewal:	$90

IV. Club Events

A. The Club strives to contract with each course for at least 40 playing slots (10 foursomes) for each event.

B. Bi-weekly Events—The Club schedules and stages approximately 26 Saturday events a year to be played every-other-week (with occasional scheduling exceptions). All full members and guests are eligible to play in these regular events. These bi-weekly events are concurrent with the Club’s six annual “Trophy Tournaments” as described below in paragraph C.

C. Club Tournaments—The Club will typically hold the following six “Trophy” tournaments each calendar year:

1. Memorial Cup—The Memorial Cup was established in 1971 and is the first tournament of the year. This two (2) round tournament is dedicated to the memory of our deceased members. The top five players with the best total net scores after two (2) rounds are awarded prizes.

2. President's Cup—The Presidents Cup Tournament was established in 1972 and is played over two (2) rounds. The top five players with the best total net scores after two (2) rounds are awarded prizes.

3. Mic Burin Tournament—The Mic Burin Tournament, previously called the Vice President's Cup, was established in 1982 and was renamed in 2003 to honor long-time member Mic Burin. It is a two (2) round tournament. The top five players with the best total net scores after two (2) rounds are awarded prizes.

4. Club Championship—The Club Championship Tournament was established in 1983 and is played over three (3) rounds. The top five players with the best total net scores after three (3) rounds are awarded prizes.

5. Match Play Tournament—The Match Play Tournament was established in 1977 and is played over five (5) or six (6) rounds depending on the depth of field. USGA/SCGA Match Play rules apply. The first round is a qualifier if the number of players signed up is not exactly 32 or 16. The low 32 or 16 players from the qualifier will advance to match play format for the final five rounds(32 qualifiers) or final four rounds (16 qualifiers).

6. The Masters Tournament—The Masters Tournament was established in 2003 and is played over two rounds. It is the final trophy tournament played each calendar year. The top five players with the best total net scores after two (2) rounds are awarded prizes. To qualify as a participant in the Masters Tournament, a member must meet one of the following criteria:

• Members must be in the top 20 on the NOMADS current year Money List, or

• Must have finished 1st - 3rd in any of the current year's tournaments, or

• Must have played at least (10) NOMADS rounds during the current year.

V. Event Prizes

A. The prize fund for regular Saturday rounds of golf will be funded by adding a surcharge of approximately $5 to the course fees for the day, payable by every participant. That money is returned as prize money to the winning participants in each round. If the surcharge is not sufficient to cover the prizes, the Club treasury will make up the difference. The Club will typically award prizes for the following bi-weekly event winners:

• Low gross score, two places—$15 and $10 for front/middle tee players

• Low gross score, two places—$15 and $10 for back tee players

• Low net score, two places—$20 and $10 for front/middle tee players

• Low net score, two places—$20 and $10 for back tee players

• Closest to the pin (two flights), every par 3 hole— Payouts are $15/1-putt, $10/2-putt, $5/3-putt.

• Optional gross and net skins competitions. Skins competitions are divided in to two fields: front/middle tee players and back tee players. Golfers have the option of entering $5 net, $5 gross, or $20 gross skins

• Eagles and Aces—$10 and $50 respectively

• Special team games, as arranged by Club Event Coordinator—$5 per person

B. Prizes for multiple-round Trophy Tournaments (e.g. Memorial Cup, President's Cup, Mic Burin Tournament, Club Championship, and Masters Tournament) come from the Club Treasury and are paid out to the five top aggregate net scores as follows: 1st=$75, 2nd=$50, 3rd=$35, 4th=$25 and 5th=$15.

C. The annual Match Play Tournament is a separate trophy tournament, and the prize fund is created by collecting a $10 per person entry fee. The prizes are not subsidized by the Club Treasury. The Tournament participants are restricted to the golfers signed up for the match play qualifier.

D. The Club will, at its discretion, establish and maintain a “Hole-In-One Pot”, which will be funded by a $20 non-refundable entry fee paid by any Full Member wishing to participate. Participation in this Pot is strictly voluntary and funded solely by the participants. To win the “Hole-In-One Pot”, a member must make a hole-in-one during a Nomads event, and it must be witnessed by another member.

E. In addition to the “Hole-In-One Pot” referenced in item “D” above, the Club will pay $50 from its Treasury to any Full Member making a Hole-In-One during a NOMAD round of play.

VI. Club Rules

A. General—Unless otherwise specified below, United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A) and Southern California Golf Association (S.C.G.A) Rules shall apply to all Nomad events and will be the final determinant whenever a rules conflict arises. Any other situations not covered by the USGA or SCGA will be resolved by the President, if present, or the next senior Club Officer on-site.

B. Pace of Play—The Nomads Club is known throughout the region for its well run organization and its tireless efforts to maintain a positive image with the courses we play. One of the ways we keep that positive image is to ensure that members do everything they can to maintain a “reasonable pace of play.” All Nomads should strive to play “Ready Golf” and keep up with the group ahead of them. It is incumbent upon every member to do their part to keep the pace of play moving in their respective groups. Groups usually start in 7 or 10 minute increments, and the goal is to finish in 7 or 10 minute increments

C. Tees—During NOMAD events, women will most often play from the forward tees and the men will have a choice of playing from either the front, middle or back tees.

D. Tournament Tie Breakers—Tie breakers in all tournaments will be resolved through the application of the following USGA guidelines:

• Matching of Cards—the winner will be determined on the basis of the best net score for the last nine holes. If the tying players have the same net score for the last nine holes, the last six holes are then compared, then the last three holes, and then the 18th hole. If a tie still exists, the same process will be applied, using the first nine holes.

E. Course Conditions—Unless otherwise required by the course, all Nomad rounds will be played under USGA rules. Balls are to be played where they lie, with no penalty-free provisions for improvement of lie. "Winter Rules” are local rules typically adopted by the course when adverse conditions exist to the extent that improving the lie of the ball in a specified way would promote fair play or help protect the course. Winter Rules can also be enabled and/or modified by the Nomads Club President if he/she feels the conditions so warrant. The application of Winter Rules may vary, (e.g., lift, clean and place vs. lift, clean and drop) and will include details such as where a ball may be placed or dropped. Decisions regarding rules for the round rest with the President and will be announced prior to the start of the round.

VII. Guests

A. The Nomads Golf Club enhances its membership by allowing guests to play with the Club so that they may have an opportunity to experience Nomads golf and determine their level of interest in joining the Club, while providing Club membership an opportunity to evaluate the potential member with respect to their “fit” in the Nomads golf environment.

B. There are typically two ways in which guests get to play with the Nomads Golf Club:

1. Members may invite guests to play at a regular Nomads event, or

2. Interested golfers learning of the Nomads Golf Club (e.g., via the Club web site) may contact a Club Officer directly, requesting the opportunity to play in a Nomads event.

C. The following provisions apply to guests:

1. Nomads members may invite guests to play at any Nomads regular event. Members have priority for tournament registration. If there are enough player slots to accommodate guests, they will be registered on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests will be confirmed on the Wednesday prior to the Saturday the round is to be played via email. Once confirmed, a guest will not be dropped in order to allow a late calling Member to play.

2. Guests without an official SCGA Index/handicap will be eligible to compete for the following regular event awards: 1) Low Gross score for the day, 2) Gross Skins, 3) Closest-to-the-pin, and any other competition that is not handicap dependent.

3. Guests with a verifiable SCGA Index/Handicap will be eligible to compete for all of the same event awards as guests without an official SCGA index/handicap, plus the following regular event awards: 1) Low Net Score for the day, 2) Net Skins, 3) any other Special Games that are handicap dependent.

4. Guests with or without an SCGA handicap will not be eligible to compete in Nomads Trophy Tournaments, such as Presidents Cup, Memorial Cup, Match Play, etc.

VIII. Reservations and Cancellations

A. Reservations for upcoming tournaments is coordinated by the Nomads Pairings coordinator. Communication between the pairings coordinator and members is done via email. All tournament registration will be handled by email with the pairings coordinator.

B. Sign-ups for each round are accommodated on a “first-come, first-served” basis.

C. Members and guests are responsible for notifying the Pairings Coordinator, or, if not available, any other Club Officer, if he/she must cancel his/her commitment to play.

D. Notification should be no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday before an event. Failure to comply with this rule will require that the member reimburse the Club for any penalty fees incurred by the Club as a result of the late cancellation.

E. If a member is a “no-show” more than once, the Club officers may choose to assess a penalty (e.g., suspend the member’s participation).

IX. Election of Club Officers

A. Club operations are overseen by a group of six elected Club Officers that will be known collectively as the “Board of Directors.”

B. Club Officers will serve two year terms. Half of the Officers will be elected in even-numbered years and half will be elected in odd-numbered years.

C. The NOMADS GOLF CLUB will have a President, Handicap Chairperson, Tournament Scheduler, Pairings Coordinator, SCGA delegate, and a Treasurer. These Officers will provide club leadership and be responsible for establishing and maintaining orderly operation of the Club through application of Club rules and Bylaws.

D. Newly elected officers will assume their new duties effective January 1 of the ensuing year.

E. All six sitting Officers will have equally weighted votes when considering Club business.

F. Officer vacancies that occur other than at the scheduled election time, will be filled by Presidential appointment. The appointee will serve out the remainder of the term, and can be elected to a new two-year term.

G. There will be no term limits for Officers.

X. Officers and Their Duties

A. The President shall:

1. Act as “Event Day Coordinator.”

2. Select the various types of games to be played during any round.

3. Make the final decisions whenever a conflict arises concerning a ruling.

4. Serve as a member of, and chair the Board of Directors meetings.

B. The Handicap Chairperson shall:

1. Maintain SCGA status via required training courses and passing proficiency exams.

2. Be responsible for all postings of Nomads tournament rounds and occasionally monitor member postings outside of Nomads play.

3. Set up tournament handicaps, tee box selections, scorecards and any miscellaneous information needed in preparation for the tournament. After the round the Handicap Chairperson will collect scorecards, enter scores, and calculate awards for tournament winners.

4. Serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

C. The Pairings Coordinator shall:

1. Provide consistent and meaningful communication to the Nomads membership.

2. Organize pairings and starting times for Nomads tournaments.

3. Publish the Nomads event results after each round.

4. Maintain a tournament database with results from each tournament.

5. Manage and maintain the www.nomadsgolfclub.com website.

6. Serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

D. The Treasurer shall:

1. Collect and disburse monies obtained from any source to pay the expenses incurred by the Club (i.e., advance reservation fees at contracted courses, money prize awards, etc.).

2. Provide a written report of the Club Treasury status to the Board of Directors every six months (due January 1 and July 1 of each year).

3. Serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

E. The Tournament Scheduler shall:

1. Build a calendar of 26 varied and interesting rounds for the Nomads per year, and negotiate the lowest rate possible for each and every round, while always trying to get extra benefits included for the enjoyment of our members.

2. Be responsible for negotiating and signing contracts with the courses. Copies should be held in a binder and returned to the board for approval and deposit payments by November 1st of the prior year. The entire schedule should also be captured in a word doc for use by the board with all important details included.

3. Serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

F. The SCGA Delegate shall:

1.

2.

3. Serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

Note: The Officers’ duties as outlined above are general guidelines and the Board may opt to interchange specific duties such as “Handicap Chairperson”, “Event Day Coordinator”, “Contracting and Scheduling Rounds”, etc., as may be needed.

XI. Treasury

A. In the event the balance in the Club Treasury drops to a level of one-thousand dollars ($1,000) at any time during the Club year, the Treasurer will immediately notify the Board of Directors.

B. The Treasurer will provide the Board of Directors a full accounting of Club finances twice a year (July 1 and January 1).

C. Any funds remaining in the Club Treasury at the end of the Fiscal Year will be reported to the Board in the year-end Treasury report.

D. The Board of Directors will establish an annual carryover limit that complies with State and Federal law. Any funds remaining in the Treasury at the end of the Club year will be carried over for use by the Board of Directors for the benefit of the Club as a whole, and principally to allow the club to continue normal operations.

E. Contingent on the availability of Club funds, the Club Treasury will typically subsidize the cost of the annual Mystery Trip for members, including the cost of transportation, and food and beverages. Guests will not be eligible for subsidies.

F. The Board of Directors may, as they deem appropriate, subsidize the cost of member rounds when course fees are considered prohibitive. The subsidies will be consistent for all Full Members. Guests will not be eligible for subsidies.