• All new applicants must meet the following requirement before being eligible for membership.
• Membership shall be available to all people 18 years of age or older.
• Membership fee during HVGA regular golf season is $150.
• New members must have at 2 HVGA Tournament scores to establish an HVGA index before they can win NET Trophy. however, new members are qualified to win GROSS trophy at any given time.
• Membership agreement: I voluntarily agree to assume all of the foregoing risks and accept sole responsibility for any injury to myself (including, but not limited to, personal injury, disability, and death), illness, damage, loss, claim, liability, or expense, of any kind, that I may experience or incur during my presence with a HVGA event.
• I hereby release, covenant not to sue, discharge, and hold harmless to HVGA , its officers, other volunteers, of and from the Claims, including all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs or expenses of any kind arising out of or relating thereto.

HVGA Index (Monthly-Computerized Indexes)

• Each member automatically receives a monthly-computerized index on or before the first of each month. This index is used to calculate the player's handicap at any course on the Slope system (nearly all courses in the U.S. now use Slope and the system is being adopted worldwide). HVGA members may view their index files by clicking on your handicap.
• To calculate your index, do the following:
  • 1. Take your adjusted gross and subtract the course rating of the tees you played. The course rating has a decimal, e.g., 71.3. The result is called a "differential".
  • 2. Divide the result of No. 1 by the Slope of the tees you played and multiply by 113. The result is an "adjusted differential".
  • 3. Take the low 10 of your last 20 adjusted differentials, add them together and multiply by 96%. 4. Divide the result of No. 3 by 10. Drop everything after the tenths.
  • The result is your index.
• We will use our monthly tournament score as three rounds in your stats. We have two different ways to calculate the index, which depends on how many scores we have from you. If we don't have more than 4 of your rounds then we use the following formula:
  • (Lowest Score)* .96
  • If we have 5 or more rounds than we use the following formula:
  • 5 or 6 - Lowest score
  • 7 or 8 - Lowest two scores
  • 9 or 10 - Lowest three scores
  • 11 or 12 - Lowest four scores
  • 13 or 14 - Lowest five scores
  • 15 or 16 - Lowest six scores
  • 17 - Lowest seven scores
  • 18 - Lowest eight scores
  • 19 - Lowest nine scores
  • 20 - Lowest ten

Equitable Stroke Control

Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) is the downward adjustment of individual hole scores for handicap purposes in order to make handicaps more representative of a player's potential ability. ESC sets a maximum number that a player can post on any hole depending on the player's Course Handicap. ESC is used only when a player's actual or most likely score exceeds his maximum number based on the table below but is applied to all scores for handicap purposes, including tournament scores. There is no limit to the number of holes on which a player may adjust his score. A Handicap Index determined from scores to which ESC has not been applied may not be termed a USGA Handicap Index.

• Example: A player with a Course Handicap of 13 has a maximum number of 7 for any hole regardless of par. A player with a Course Handicap of 42 has a maximum number of 10 for any hole. A player without an established USGA Handicap Index shall use the maximum Handicap Index of 36.4 for men, or 40.4 for women, converted to a Course Handicap to determine his maximum number. When conditions of a competition reduce a player's USGA Handicap Index or Course Handicap, he uses the Course Handicap derived from his actual USGA Handicap Index for ESC purposes, rather than the reduced Handicap Index that he uses for the competition.
• Example 1: A player with an Handicap Index of 35.4 and a Course Handicap of 39 might enter a competition in which the conditions of the competition establish a maximum Handicap Index limit of 25.4, which would give a Course Handicap of 28. When applying ESC that player uses the Course Handicap of 39.
• Example 2: A player with a Course Handicap of 30 might play in a four-ball stroke play competition in which he is allowed only 90% of his handicap, which is 27 strokes. When applying ESC, he uses the Course Handicap of 30. When conditions of a competition increase a player's Course Handicap, the player uses the Course Handicap derived from his actual USGA Handicap Index for ESC purposes.
• Example 3: A player with an Handicap Index of 25.4 and a Course Handicap of 28 might enter a competition in which players are competing from different tees with Course Ratings of 71.2 and 73.0 (73.0 - 71.2 = 1.8 or 2 strokes). If the player plays the course with the Course Rating of 73.0, he should receive two additional strokes (difference between the two Course Ratings), which would give him a Course Handicap of 30. However, when applying ESC he uses a Course Handicap of 28. Under no circumstances shall the procedures of this section be used by a player to manipulate his Handicap Index. If a player uses this section for such purposes, his Handicap Index shall be adjusted or revoked by the Handicap Committee under Section 8-4. Handicap Index Adjustment and Withdrawal The Handicap Committee shall reduce or withdraw the Handicap Indexes of players who do not return all their acceptable scores, or otherwise do not observe the spirit of the USGA Handicap System. The Handicap Committee has the authority to increase the Handicap Indexes of players who, because of exceptional circumstances, have Handicap Indexes that are too low. The Committee shall review all USGA Handicap Index adjustments.

FAQ's

• Q. Can the Handicap Committee adjust a player's Handicap Index?
A. Yes. It is the Handicap Committee's responsibility to ensure that a player's Handicap Index reflects his or her potential ability. When the scheduled Handicap Index revision does not reflect potential ability, the Handicap Committee should adjust it.
• Q. What circumstances should result in an adjustment to a Handicap Index?
A. Under the following circumstances, it will be necessary for the Handicap Committee to adjust the player's Handicap Index: Improving faster than the System can react Temporary disability (local handicap only) Player manipulates round 10% reduction from the player's Handicap if the player shoots 4 or more from his NET score. (i.e. NET of 68 or lower from a par 72 course) Note: The committee is not limited to making changes in these cases only.

Tournament Rules/Info

• 1. All tournaments entry fees are green fees + $15 (prize and HVGA). Non-members are eligible for closest to pin and accurate drive contests, but not NET or GROSS trophy.
• 2. All members must notify coordinators by the deadline of their intent to play.
• 3. All members must play in at least 4 tournaments to qualify for the HVGA's Club Championship and the Texas Cup team.
• 4. All tournaments awards will be based on 2 system, NET and GROSS score.
• 5. There will be two flights for every tournament. The cutoff for A-Flight and B- Flight are as follows: Any member with a 12 HCP or lower when calculating the HCP is automatically in A-Flight. Any member with a 13 HCP thru 16 HCP when calculating the HCP has a choice to be in either A-Flight or B-Flight. Any member with a 17 HCP or higher when calculating the HCP is automatically in B-Flight. All players can tee off where they are comfortable. The course handicap will take this into consideration.
• 6. USGA Rules will apply to all tournaments. To be fair to all participants, absolutely no gimmees.
• 7. In an event of a tie, HVGA will do a score card playoff starting with the three of the hardest handicap hole. Player with the lowest sum based on the first 3 hardest holes will be determined as the winner. Any ties after that is a hole by hole playoff of the next hardest hole until a winner is determined. If the winner is not present to accept the trophy, HVGA will notify the winner.
• 8. All awards are based on NET SCORES or GROSS SCORES. NET SCORES = Player's gross score minus player's course handicap.
• 9. New members must have at least 2 HVGA Tournament scores to establish an HVGA index before they can win NET SCORE Trophy; however, new members can win GROSS SCORE trophy at any time.

HVGA Committee Responsibilities

• President:
• Communication to the club, monthly email updates
• Responsible for reviewing all club inquiries. (inputs and complaints)
• Manage all activities for Club Championship: Reserve restaurant, Ensure all trophies are ordered, Plan meeting with committee to review all activities priortourney date
• Treasurer:
• Keep track of all financial transactions for the club
• Collect green fee during HVGA tournaments
• Web Site Manager:
• Maintain HVGA website
• Update scores, member's info, and club news
• Photographer for all HVGA events
• Handicap Chairman:
• Maintain handicap for all members
• Collect all score card at end of tournaments to do Adjusted HCP
• Be informed of all USGA rules and regulations
• Update the club with new rules and regulations
• TX CUP Captain:
• Maintain TX CUP points for all players
• Plan all activities for TX CUP home year: Setup course, Reserve restaurant,
• Resolve any discrepancies with DFW
• Tournament Coordinator:
• Book courses for tournament play
• Tournament pairing listing, lowest Net tee off first (back up)
• Deal with course to ensure members get practice discount
• Collect green fee during HVGA tournament
• Trophy and prizes are at hand
• Each committee should help out other committees responsibility when needed.

HVGA Tournaments

HVGA will host eight official tournaments during our regular golf season from February through October. These tournaments are opened to all golfers and are generally held on the first Saturday of every month during our golf season. You can only compete for trophy prizes if you are a member of the HVGA. We encourage all golfers to join our association. You don't have to be a good player to join. All of our tournaments are based on HVGA's handicap index. HVGA will provide all members with a Handicap Index issued by the association and are updated monthly. Trophies will be awarded to players with the lowest NET and lowest GROSS scores only.

TEXAS CUP > MAIN/CURRENT STANDINGS

The Houston Vietnamese Golf Associations (HVGA) and the Dallas Ft. Worth Vietnamese Golf Association (DFWVGA) have established the annual match play competition. This event is known as the Texas Cup.

Requirements:

Entry: This is a private event and is not open to the public. Eligibility of individual team member: Each club shall establish the requirements, qualifications and eligibility of the team. Captain: Each club shall select a captain to represent the team in the decision making process. In addition, a co-captain may be selected for each flight. Team.

Qualifying for the Texas Cup team

First 10 players from each flight with the most TX Cup points will be selected to represent HVGA Texas Cup Team. If any top 10 player(s) cannot fully participate in the Texas Cup, the next highest point earner will fill the gap until 10 players are filled. The remaining 2 spots are determined in a playoffs system.

Playoffs system

After the first 10 players have been determined, ONLY the next top 4 ranked players are invited to play for the final two spots. There will be two brackets based on seeding. 11th ranked vs. 14th ranked (winner will be the 11th Tx Cup Member) 12th ranked vs. 13th ranked (winner will be the 12th Tx Cup Member) If any 4 playoffs players cannot participate in the playoffs or the Texas cup, HVGA will re-seed the players according to the final standings in the Texas Cup with the player with the most points as the number 1 seed to the players with the least amount of points as the number 4 seed. The top seed player will match with the lowest seed player. In the event that the playoffs consist of less than 4 players, the top seed(s) shall have a bye based on the re-seeding described above..

The format is match play single elimination. One round will be played to determine the last two Texas Cup members. HVGA will coordinate the location and date for the event. Players are fully responsible for all playoffs fees. After the completion of the playoffs, if any of the 24 player cannot participate in the competition at the last minute, the Texas Cup Captain has the sole discretion to pick a replacement player..

Tournament

The Teams will compete in the following form of play First Round: Two man Scramble Match Play consists of six matches for each flight. Second Round: Four ball Match Play consists of six matches for each flight. Final Round: Individual Match Play consists of twelve matches for each flight.

Flights

There will be two flights: Flight A and Flight B. Each flight is considered to be a separate competition. Team: First 10 players from each flight with the most TX Cup points will make the team. The last two Texas Cup spot will be up for grab at the end of the season. Guidelines below: The next top 4 ranked (11th - 14th ) players can play for the final two spots. There will be two brackets with seedings. One round will be played in one day to determine the last two Texas Cup members. HVGA will coordinate the location and date for the event; however, players are responsible for the fees. Scoring 0. Each match score will be calculated pursuant to USGA rule 2 which governs Match play. The winner of each match will receive 1 point. The losing side will receive 0 point. In the event the match ends in a tie, each side will receive a half of a point. There will be two flights: Flight A and Flight B. Each flight is considered to be a separate competition.

Rules

Local and USGA Rules of Golf govern all play.