1. Purpose:  The MDT Golf League gives Medtronic male employees the opportunity to enjoy an outdoor physical activity and to get to know others outside of their departments.

2. Objectives:  To provide fun, relaxation, exercise, self-improvement, challenge, and healthy competition while achieving the purpose of the MDT Golf League.

3. Place, Day, and Time:  Victory Links Golf Course, Mondays 5:30pm (shotgun start)

4. Schedule, Teams, and Fee
1. Player Fees due 1 week prior to the 1st week of play and shall be paid directly to MDT Golf Venmo
2. Cancellations will be pushed to the following week
3. Each Team is required to field 4 players for its scheduled matches. Each team consists of at least 6 players to allow ‘off weeks’ for travel and vacation. Up to 3 no-shows or injuries are allowed. See section 7d for scoring. See section 7f if the entire team is missing
4. Finishing prior to darkness is an issue later in the season (August & September), and slow play is very much discouraged - all year. Captains (or acting team captain) are responsible to ensure teams are ready on the tee and that play moves quickly. If a player comes late, he may join their foursome at the beginning of the subsequent hole and will incur scoring penalties as defined in section 7d.
5. Competition pairings will be made according to handicaps. The low handicap player will be matched with the opposing team’s low handicap player, the second lowest with the second lowest, etc. The home team captain shall be responsible to set the pairings properly. Use the MDT Golf Website Lineup tool.
6. If the team Captain is not present, the member of that team with the lowest handicap shall be the acting team captain. Each team is responsible for communicating to each other

5. Rules of Play
1. The league matches shall be played in accordance with the rules of golf as established by the United States Golf Association (USGA). Exceptions to the USGA rules shall consist of those established and posted by the golf course, and of those established by the league in the interest of promoting fast play and enjoyment by all participants.
2. The time limit for looking for lost balls is three minutes. Have a member of the foursome time it. All members of the foursome should assist in the search
3. All puts within a putter length are considered a gimme to speed up pace of play.  Eagle, Birdie & Par putts can be putted if the player chooses. That putt is then counted no matter the outcome
4. All native grass shin height or longer (play as red staked lateral hazard): Lateral relief allows you to drop a ball into a relief area measured from where your ball last crossed the edge of red penalty area. From that reference point, you are allowed to drop outside the penalty area and anywhere within two club-lengths of that spot, no nearer to the hole with a 1 stroke penalty
5. #12, #16, Natural Preserve free drops (White Stake Green Top). FREE DROP WITHOUT PENELTY STROKE WHERE BALL ENTERED HAZARD, NOT a lateral Drop from where it landed. You take your drop within 2 clubs lengths, no closer to the hole from the ball’s entry point into the Natural Reserve. This rule DOES NOT apply to #17. See rule 5f for how to handle a ball out of play on #17.



6. All Par 3s Ball hit OB or in hazard, take your next shot from green tee box with one penalty stroke (DO NOT tee up the ball)
7. On holes 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, and 18: If your drive goes into any hazard directly in front of the tee-boxes and before the fairway, you should take a stroke, drop the ball 2 club lengths in front of the hazard and play the ball from there
8. It is permissible to improve your lie in the fairway (limited to moving your ball using the club head no more than 4 inches from the original ball position). You may not improve your lie if your ball is not in the fairway
9. In the event temporary greens are encountered during league play, they will be played in the following manner: Any ball that comes to rest within one club length (driver) of the cup shall be deemed a “gimme”. No player shall be required to take more than two actual strokes on a temporary green regardless of how far the ball comes to rest from the cup
10. All White or Red stakes, use Lateral relief  

6. Regular Handicaps
1. Players with 10 rounds or more: Handicaps will be calculated using the best six rounds of the last twelve rounds played. (94% of the difference between the average of the best six rounds and par).
2. Players with 9 rounds or less: Handicaps will be calculated using all rounds played. (80% of the difference between the average adjusted score and par).
3. Players with 2 rounds or less: Handicaps will be calculated from the following:
1. USGA handicap index + adjustment for Victory Links – if available.
2. Handicap from last years’ league at another course + adjustment for Victory Links – if available.
3. Otherwise, scoring for that night will be computed per 7d.
4. Maximum number of strokes given per 9 holes = 20.
5. Maximum score allowed on any given hole (for handicap purposes only) is Quadruple Bogey aka +4. Players can pickup ball & take a Quad to speed up pace of play.
6. If switching from one tee box to a different tee box, previous scores shall be adjusted per the following table for the purposes of handicap calculations:

7. Regular Season Team Scoring:  Each pairing will consist of:
1. Medal play - 3 points will be awarded to the player with the lowest net score. Points are split equally in the case of a tie.
2. Match play - 1 point for lowest net score on a hole (9 points total). Points are split equally in case of a tie.
3. Team play - 2 points for the team with the lowest total net score. Points are split equally in the case of a tie. Total Possible Team Points per Week = 50 (3+9=12 x 4 matches = 48 + 2 team points = 50).
4. Golfing un-opposed. In the event an opponent is absent at tee time, the player will play against their handicap for each hole they play unopposed. For each net score of Birdie (or better), the player will receive 1.33 points. For each net Par, the player will receive 0.83 points. For each net bogey (or worse), the player will receive 0.33 points. The total Match play points will be rounded to the nearest half point (capped at 9 points) and the absent player will receive the remainder of the points available (9 minus points scored by the player). If the absent player plays at least 5 holes, the 3 additional points for lowest net score will be awarded to the player with the lowest net score on the contested holes only. If the absent player plays 4 holes or fewer, all 3 points will be awarded to the player non-absent player.

The following table shows total points earned for various total net scores when playing un-opposed, or against a non-handicaped opponent. Table values assume no eagles (or better) and no double bogeys (or worse):

5. The only condition that will constitute a forfeit is when an entire team is missing. In this case the opposing team will receive 12 points for each opposing player who plays the round plus 2 points for the team (50 points maximum). The opposing team will be required to turn in their scorecard, as usual, but the scores will not be counted for handicap purposes.
6. In the event that a player cannot complete the 9 holes (injury, etc.) scoring will be assigned per 7d.
7. The maximum allowable score to be recorded for any hole is a quadruple bogey (+4). Players may pick up their ball at any point and score Quadruple Bogey.

8. Reporting Match Results
1. Each team validates the scorecard. The home team captain will be responsible for inputting the scores at MDTGolf.com.
2. If no scores are submitted by Thursday at Noon, the visiting team will receive 25 points, the home team will receive 0 points.

9. Rainouts
1. The League President will attempt to notify the Pro Shop before 4:00 P.M. if the league has been cancelled. Players should contact Victory Links Golf Course Pro Shop (763) 717-3240 to see if the league has been cancelled.
2. Rain or threat of storm at the course at tee time: The league president, or his designee, will poll the captains (or active captains) for a decision on whether to play. If 4 or more captains vote to "NOT PLAY", then league is cancelled for the week. If the matches are cancelled, they will be played the following week. The entire schedule will be moved back.

10. Scramble Events
1. Scramble events may be held during the year, based on schedule. Up to 6 players per team can play, but only 4 players will play any given hole. Captains will decide which team members play each hole. Teams are allowed to consist of less than 6 players (1-5) may play in the scramble if team members are not available. However, this is an end of the year event where everyone in the league is encouraged to play on the same night (and stay for a beverage).
2. If the team has 6 players, each player must play 6 holes (and sit out 3 holes). If the team has 5 players, each player must play at least 7 holes (and sit out at least 1 hole). If the team has 4 players, each player will play all 9 holes. If the team has less than 4 players, the team must play the scramble with less shots to choose from. The event will be handicapped and prize money for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place will be awarded.
3. Each team will be given a scramble handicap, computed as the sum of the following:
• 20% of the lowest participating handicap
• 15% of the 2nd lowest participating handicap
• 10% of the 3rd lowest participating handicap
• 5% of the 4th lowest participating handicap

11. Other League Information
1. League Officers
• President & Communications: Tuan Syonesa Schneider
• VP: Eric Collins
• VP: Jim Dawson
• VP: Tyler Johnson
• VP: Mitchell Held
2. Regular Season Format
• The season will consist of two 7-week halves
• Typically, Kickoff & Year End Scramble
• 3 week League Championship single-elimination tournament
3. Green Fees and Membership Fees
• Green fees for the whole season are paid prior to the start of the season.
• Players will be responsible to arrange for a sub if they cannot play.
• Fees will be calculated based on the amount Victory Links charges, and a pool of prize money.
4. Sub guidelines:
• There is a published sub list on the web site, under the Teams dropdown
• You can click on the link for the DL to send to the sub list group.
• Send to a specific sub by clicking next to their name
• If you cannot find a sub, have your captain reach out to the other captains
5. Team Formation:  All participants must be current Medtronic employees
6. End of Year Prizes: Prizes will be awarded at the end of the year as follows:
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in the League Championship - Team
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in the 1st and 2nd halves - Teams
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for the scramble events (if it can be arranged) – Teams
• Weekly Proxies