Australian Golf Digest
Order of Merit
Terms & Conditions

• By registering for the Australian Golf Digest Order of Merit, each participant is responsible for familiarising themselves with, complying with and agrees to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.
• AGD stands for Australian Golf Digest.
• AGDE stands for Australian Golf Digest Events Pty Ltd.
• CMMA stands for CMMA Digital and Print Pty Ltd.
• 3LG stands for 3 Links Golf Pty Ltd.
• OOM stands for Order of Merit.
• Qualifying period(s) refers to competition rounds recorded on Golf Link between each of the dates as set out below.
• Qualifying period 1: 1 December 2019 to February 29 2020
• Qualifying period 2: 1 March 2020 to May 31 2020
• Qualifying period 3: 1 June 2020 to 31 August 2020
• Qualifying period 4: 1 September 2020 to 30 November 2020
• Qualifying rounds refers to rounds recorded on a registered players official golf handicap record through Golf Australia
• Qualifying Final refers to the round of golf to be held at the conclusion of each Qualifying Period
• The AGD OOM is currently only open to Amateur golfers who hold a current handicap in Australia
• The personal details requested from playing participants are for the purpose of:
• Registering players into the AGD OOM program as described on the website
• Listing players’ names into the AGD OOM standings and publishing the standings in the media and/or on the website (or any other medium) as appropriate. Details may be used for promotional purposes.
• Recording an AGD OOM playing participants details on the Australian Golf Digest Events Pty Ltd database for the purpose of communicating information and entry forms for future Events, Tournaments or promotions, including use by Sponsors.
• By providing their personal details, playing participants give their consent to the use of their personal information by both CMMA and 3LG
• Australian Golf Digest Events Pty Ltd may arrange media promotion and publicity before, during and after the AGDE OOM. Players give approval for references to them and photos of them appearing and being used for marketing purposes. If this is unacceptable, the player must advise in writing at the time of registration
• AGDE reserves the right at any time to cancel, modify, suspend or supersede the AGD OOM in its absolute discretion if it considers the AGD OOM is not capable of being conducted as specified, or if required to do so by law.
• AGDE reserves the right to alter the cost of the AGD OOM through the qualifying period. Players already registered will not pay any increased registration cost
• AGDE, CMMA and 3LG shall be held harmless and not be liable for any losses incurred by a participant as a result of the cancellation of the AGD OOM or a change to the date, time or venue of the qualifying final
• Payment is required at the time of registration through the online booking system. Payment by credit card will not incur an additional fee.  Payments will continue to be deducted from the participants nominated account on a monthly basis until such time as the Participant notifies AGDE that they wish to discontinue the deduction.
• Once paid, there is no refund or cancellation available
• Each participant is responsible for ensuring that all necessary personal insurance policies are obtained prior to participating in the AGD OOM qualifying events or final (if successful). AGDE strongly recommends that a comprehensive Travel Insurance policy is taken out
• By registering for the AGD OOM, participants agree to do so at their own risk. AGDE, CMMA, 3LG, golf clubs and other suppliers of goods and services accept no liability for any death, injury, property loss or damage incurred during or arising out of any aspect of the conduct of the AGD OOM
• Play will be conducted in accordance with the Royal & Ancient and USGA Rules of Golf and any local rules applicable at the course of play. Players are also expected to comply with any dress code requirements at the course of play
• For all play in the AGD OOM a player may obtain distance information provided that the club where the AGD OOM round is being played permits such use. However, the device must measure distance only. If a player uses a distance measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his or her play (e.g. gradient, windspeed, temperature, etc.) the player is in breach of rule 14-3, for which the penalty is disqualification, regardless of whether any such additional function is used
• To be eligible to win any of the prizes on offer for the AGD OOM, a playing participant must be able to provide proof of their official handicap at the time of registration. Failure to do so will result in an inability to participate in the AGD OOM until such time as the handicap is official
• Prizes are non-transferable

QUALIFYING ROUNDS FORMAT

• Each individual player must have at least 5 individual competition rounds recorded within their official handicap record to qualify. There is no maximum number of rounds.  The top 5 rounds only count towards the AGD OOM
• For clarity, only Competition rounds recorded on a players Golf Australia handicap record will be counted and there must be a minimum of 7 competitors in that competition for the gender applicable.
• AGD OOM points are calculated by establishing the Z-score for each Stableford score returned in a club competition. The mean (average) score for each competition is used to then calculate the standard deviation.  The Z-score is the number of standard deviations a given score is away from the mean in a relevant competition. This number will then be multiplied by 10,000.  By way of example, a player scores 5 Stableford points better than the average of a competition with a standard deviation of 3.18. That Players OOM score will be calculated by dividing 5 by 3.18 and then multiplying by 10,000 for a score of 15,723 points. On the other hand, if another golfer has 4 Stableford points less than the mean in the same competition with the same standard deviation, they will score (minus) -12,578 points (-4 / 3.18 x 10000). This is the fairest way to compare scores from different competitions played at different courses.  Note – there must be at least 7 competitors in the relevant competition.
• Scores are the total of the best 5 rounds over the qualifying period.
• The AGD OOM is divided into both Male and Female participants with 3 Grades in each based on official listed handicaps at the commencement of the qualifying period as follows:

• The purpose of the Grades is to ensure (as much as possible) an even distribution of competitor numbers per grade.  AGDE will monitor the number of players in each grade and may, in its absolute discretion, alter the numerical range that applies to each grade.
• There will be one (1) qualifier from each category per region
• Players will be grouped per region based on their Golf Link numbers, namely Queensland, New South Wales & ACT, Victoria, South Australia & Northern Territory, Western Australia, Tasmania.
• Players will start and stay in the relevant Grade according to their official handicap at time of registration.
• In the event of a tie for the qualifying places for the AGD OOM Grade, the winner will be determined by reference to the top 5 cumulative qualifying OOM points scores based on a countback methodology as follows:
• The top 4 points scores cumulatively, then
• The top 3 points scores cumulatively, then
• The best points score, then
• Round by round working in order from the best score through the top 5 scores until a single winner is identified
• If after following this methodology there is no clear winner, AGDE will continue to compare qualifying round scores based on the most recent date of the next best points round to determine a winner
• AGDE may, in its sole discretion, choose to award multiple qualifying winners
• The decision of AGDE to accept or refuse a player’s round from AGD OOM results lies solely with AGDE and is final. AGDE will have the sole management and control of the AGD OOM, with full power at any time to alter or vary any of the Conditions. All decisions taken by AGDE will be final.

FORMAT OF THE FINAL ROUND

• The final round of golf to be played at the conclusion of each qualifying period (venue to be advised) will be played as an individual stableford event, as outlined below.
• The player with the most points in their grade of competition will be declared the winner for that Grade.
• Qualifiers will receive what however all costs associated with attending the qualifying final such as flights, accommodation, transfers etc are the responsibility of the Participant and not AGDE, CMMA or 3LG.
• In the event of a tie between two or more golfers in the final, a countback methodology is used based on matching cards. When matching cards for the 18-hole final competition, the winner will be determined based on the best accumulated stableford score for the last nine holes (holes 10 to 18) irrespective of the starting hole or order of holes played.  If the tying players have the same score for the last nine, determine the winner will be based on the last six holes, last three holes, and finally hole-by-hole from the 18th hole until 1 individual winner is determined.