While the explosion of golf has been greatly beneficial to the growth of our amazing Hittin Links community, we know this doesn’t come without it’s downsides not the least of which is the net golf plague known as Sandbagging.  We are well aware with the growth of league golf and net amateur events across the country, sandbagging players have grown more and more.  Just so everyone knows, your handicap is supposed to be the general score to par players will shoot on a GOOD round of golf.  And if you continue to play good or better than good golf compared to your handicap the usga will continue to lower your handicap.  And visa-versa if you continue to score worse the usga will raise your handicap.  Where sandbaggers take advantage of this system is they will deliberately shoot poor scores in their casual rounds in relation to their handicap to keep their handicap artificially inflated so they can acquire more strokes for net events.  Sandbaggers reveal themselves by continuedly shooting low net scores in tournament play to win events and they shoot much higher in casual scores to keep the cap up.  This is a strategy we are well versed in here at Hittin Links and thus have implemented the following Zero Tolerance Policy for these actions.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure fair play and maintain the integrity of Hittin Links by preventing the manipulation of handicaps. This will help create a level playing field for all members, especially during net tournaments.  If Sandbagging is under control and all players are playing true to handicap, for net events we should see MANY different winners for all events keeping an even playing field for all members.

Definition of Sandbagging: Sandbagging is defined as the practice of deliberately underreporting scores or manipulating one’s handicap to gain an unfair advantage in competitions.

Policy Guidelines

1. **Handicap Submission**
– All members are required to submit their scores for all rounds played. Note that all Hittin Links events rounds auto post for players.
– Scores must be reported in a timely manner, no later than 24 hours after the completion of a round.

2. **Verification of Scores**
– The league will conduct periodic reviews of scores submitted by members.
– Members found consistently underreporting scores or showing a significant differential between their play and reported handicaps may be subject to review by the committee.

3. **Tournament Handicap Activation**
– For all events Players will use their current standard USGA handicap OR…
– Players will use their Tour Tournament Handicap for each event whichever number is lower will be used as the event handicap. The Tour Tournament Handicap is calculated similar to the USGA handicap calculation. We take the average differential of your best 3 of your last 7 events scores used for your points to calculate your tour tournament handicap. Must play 3 events minimum for the Tournament Handicap to be calculated. This feature is common amongst amateur net leagues and helps protect the field from sandbagging.

4. **Penalty for Sandbagging**
– Members found guilty of intentional sandbagging may face penalties, including:
– Temporary suspension from tournaments.
– Adjustment of handicaps at the discretion of the league committee. (Tournament handicap)
– Possible expulsion from the league in severe cases.

5. **Reporting Concerns**
– Members are encouraged to report any suspected instances of sandbagging confidentially to the league committee.
– All reports will be reviewed with discretion, and the identity of the reporting member will remain confidential.

## Agreement

By participating in Hittin Links, all members agree to abide by this anti-sandbagging policy and commit to upholding the integrity of the league.

—