The NCAA News - News & Features

Golf committee focuses upon pace-of-play, site-selection issues

The NCAA Men's and Women's Golf Committee addressed pace-of-play concerns and recommended sites for regional and championships competition during its annual meeting June 24-27 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The committee determined that for all championships, the amount of time before a player hits the ball would be reduced from 45 to 40 seconds. The committee also voted to eliminate the 10-second allowance for the first player to play a ball on or around the green.

The committee also changed the penalty for undue delay to one stroke for the first violation, two strokes for the second violation and disqualification for the third violation.

Other actions by division subcommittees, including site recommendations for the 1997 championships, are reported below:

Division I men

The Division I men's subcommittee reviewed and revised the criteria and processes used by the district advisory committees in recommending teams for selection to the championships. In addition, the subcommittee will forward several concepts to the Golf Coaches Association of America for reaction and future consideration.

The subcommittee also determined that selections for regionals will be announced via a telephone conference call.

In other championships actions, the subcommittee determined that for the 1997 championships, 10 teams and one individual will advance from each of the three regionals to the championships. In addition, the following district allocations were made: East regional (District 1, 15; District 2, 20; District 3 North, 42; District 3 South, 43 -- 120 total); Central regional (District 4, 31; District 5, 37; District 6, 43 -- 111 total); West regional (District 7, 32; District 8, 61 -- 93 total).

The subcommittee also clarified its policy regarding team apparel, particularly caps, to stipulate that "visors, caps or stocking caps worn by a team must all be the same color, bearing the institution's trademarks and may have a manufacturer's logo on the side or back that conforms to NCAA Bylaw 12.5.4."

In other actions, the subcommittee:

* Clarified that players may not go back on the course to practice after concluding each practice round.

* Recommended upon a review of requests from coaches that future championships sites not host a college tournament during the 12 months before the championships, which will prevent selected teams from having the competitive advantage of playing the course before the championships.

* Realigned the U.S. Military Academy from District 1 to District 2 and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Hampton University from District 3 North to District 2.

* Voted that spikeless shoes be required during regional and championships competition.

Division II men

The Division II men's subcommittee will recommend that Grand Canyon University host the 1997 championships at the Legend Trail Golf Course in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The subcommittee also voted to recommend that the 1997 regionals be conducted at the following sites: University of Southern Indiana (North regional); Elon College (South regional); and Central Missouri State University (West regional).

In addition, the subcommittee recommended Rollins College and the Orlando Area Sports Commission as cohosts for the 1998 championships, which will be conducted at the Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.

In other actions, the subcommittee appointed Vince Jarrett of Abilene Christian University as chair, beginning in 1997.

Division III men

The Division III men's subcommittee will recommend to the NCAA Executive Committee that institutions hosting championships be granted an automatic berth in the championships. The subcommittee believes this will increase an institution's incentive to host the event.

The subcommittee also will recommend to the Executive Committee that institutions competing as members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as well as the NCAA be made ineligible for NCAA championships competition if they elect to participate in the NAIA championships.

In other actions, the subcommittee:

* Voted to make end-of-season performance a secondary factor in the championships selection process.

* Agreed to realign the states of Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana to District 6 and move Western Maryland College to District 2.

Division I women

The Division I women's subcommittee voted to recommend the "wave" system of tee times for the 1997 championships. Golfers will continue to tee off from the No. 1 and No. 10 tees, but one "wave" will include 60 competitors and the other will include 36.

The "wave" system will be used in the championships finals only. Regional competition will continue to employ the current tee-time format.

The subcommittee also will recommend the following regional allocations for the 1997 championships: East regional (South, 48; Midwest, 16; Middle Atlantic East, 38); West regional (West, 46; Far West, 56). Thirty-nine competitors (seven teams and four individuals) will advance from the East regional, while 57 competitors (11 teams and two individuals) will advance from the West regional.

Regarding sites for the 1997 regionals, the subcommittee will recommend to the Executive Committee that the East regional be conducted at the Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, Illinois (Illinois State University, host), and that the West regional be conducted at the Randolph Park North Golf Course in Tucson, Arizona (University of Arizona, host).

Divisions II and III women

The Divisions II and III women's subcommittee will recommend to the Executive Committee that the 1997 championships be held May 14-17 at the Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida (Rollins College and the Orlando Area Sports Commission, cohosts).

The subcommittee also will recommend that institutions (teams and individuals) play a minimum of nine 18-hole rounds (three of which must be played in the spring season) to be considered for selection to the championships.

In addition, the subcommittee stipulated that all registered tournaments must be played on courses of at least 5,800 yards in length. There will be no exceptions to this requirement.