2018 State Co-ed Golf Regulations

Co-ed Classification: If your school has a BEDs number of 350 or above, your school will compete in the Class 2A tournament at Coldwater Links in Ames. If your school has a BEDs number 349 or below, you will compete in the Class 1A tournament at American Legion Golf Course in Marshalltown.

Registration 7:30am-8:15am. Mandatory player/coach meeting 8:15am.  Meets will have a 9:00am shotgun start. *The registration fee covers the cost of lunch for all participating golfers.

All play shall be under the Official USGA Rules of Golf with the following exceptions:

All play shall be under Rule 29, Foursomes, with the following exception:  Girls will tee off from all EVEN numbered holes (red markers-Coldwater/red markers-American Legion) with the boys teeing off from all ODD numbered holes (white markers-Coldwater/white markers-American Legion), and thereafter for the play of each hole, the partners shall hit every other shot.  This will apply even when the ball is hit out-of-bounds, is lost, or lost in a hazard.  (Example:  tee shot is hit out-of-bounds by the girl.  Next shot is hit by the boy from the spot where the girl hit the original shot or vice versa).  If partners play a stroke or strokes in incorrect order, such stroke or strokes shall be canceled and the team shall incur a penalty of two strokes.  The team shall correct the error by playing a ball in correct order at the spot from which it was first played in incorrect order.  If the team plays from the next teeing ground without first correcting the error or leaves the putting green from the last hole of the round without declaring its intention to correct the error, the team shall be disqualified.

Contestants shall be allowed preferred lies anywhere on the course, except, within the confines of a hazard. The ball may be moved with the clubhead, OR may be lifted and cleaned without penalty and placed within six inches of where it originally lay, not nearer the hole, and so as to preserve as nearly as possible the stance required to play from the original lie.  A ball so lifted is back in play when the player addresses it, or if she does not address it, when she makes her next stroke at it.  (If the ball moves after address, the penalty shall be one stroke and the ball shall be replaced.  A player may not gain relief from an unplayable lie under this rule).

Any rule violation on the course must be called by the participants.  The rule violation must be brought to the attention of the entire group before the alleged team has struck its next tee shot.  After a rule violation has been called, the Rules Committee shall be consulted immediately, or the group shall finish the hole with a provisional ball, one played as if no rule violation occurred, one played as if a rule violation did occur.  The Rules Committee shall then hear the violation as soon as possible.  If the violation is not called prior to the violating team striking its tee shot on the next hole, no penalty will be assessed.

Roads, paths and bare patches of ground shall be deemed ground-under-repair, and contestants shall drop the ball without penalty on ground which avoids these conditions within one club length of the point on the margin of such areas nearest to which the ball originally lay, but not nearer the hole.

Each player may play his/her own ball.  (Example: Boy tees off with a Nike ball. The girl may replace the Nike with a Titleist through the preferred lie rule above.  The boy may then replace the Titleist with his Nike during his next shot.)

Only coaches who have the proper credentials may talk/instruct their golfers from tee to the green. Once their golfer and his/her golf ball is on the green (no delay by the golfer) there can be no more communication with the golfer until every group on the green has holed out. When providing advice, the coach must NOT enter a bunker. Coaches may not leave the grounds during the competition.  Violation will force disqualification of the team.

Exchange scorecards within the group.  Upon completion of the round, the boy and girl shall sign their own scorecard, as well as the scorer of the card, before turning it in to the official scorers.

Tie-breakers:  There will be no play-off. Ties will be broken by carding back starting with the number one handicap hole until the tie is broken. The order shall be: Coldwater - #2, 10, 6, 18, etc.  American Legion - #2, 17, 6, 11, etc.

Spectators may not converse or instruct participants anywhere on the course until their round is complete and their scorecard has been turned in (exception: spectators can offer a drink or food to their golfer). Spectators are welcome to applaud and encourage their golfers, however golf etiquette must be adhered to when doing so. Walking immediately alongside a player is deemed to be conversation. Spectators may help look for a lost ball, but may not offer advice or any rulings. Any spectator disrupting play in the opinion of the Rules Committee will be removed from the course. Competitors may be disqualified if in violation of this rule. Spectators must remain on the cart path or in the rough and be adjacent to the golfers.

Continuous putting shall be employed whenever possible.

Power carts and caddies are prohibited. Pull carts are allowed.

No practice is allowed on the course, including the putting green, after competition has begun.      

The State Co-ed Meet was established to be a fun and competitive event, enjoyed by golfers, coaches and spectators!


Lisa Brinkmeyer, IGHSAU            Chad Elsberry, IHSAA
Golf Administrator                        Golf Administrator