Rules of the Association

RULES OF THE ASSOCIATION

1. NAME AND OBJECT

The Association shall be called the Devon Men Veteran Golfers Association (DMVGA) and the object shall be to promote, maintain and increase the interest of members in golf and other social activities.

2. MEMBERS

Members of the Association shall be aged 60 or over and shall be members of Devon Golf Clubs affiliated to Devon Golf Limited.

3. OFFICERS

The Officers of the Association shall be the President, Captain, Vice-Captain, Secretary, Competitions Administrator, Treasurer, Assistant Secretary, IT Officer and Rules Officer. The Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) taking office immediately and shall serve for three years except the Captain and Vice-Captain who shall serve for one year.

4. MANAGEMENT

(a)The affairs of the Association shall be managed by an Executive Committee (hereinafter called the Committee) consisting of the Officers and up to four Elected Members. Seven members of the Committee shall form a quorum. The Committee may fill any vacancies occurring during the year with co-opted members, until those temporary arrangements can be ratified or otherwise at the next AGM.

(b) The Elected Members shall be elected at the AGM taking office immediately. The Officers and Elected Members who have served for a period of three years immediately prior to such an AGM shall retire in rotation but shall be eligible for re-election along with any other nominated candidates.

(c) Working Parties may be formed from the Committee for an agreed purpose and should restrict their deliberations to the purpose for which the Working Party was set up. The Secretary may attend any Working Party. The Committee or Working Parties may co-opt members. Any Working Party must report on their deliberations to the Committee and may not implement any action on their own accord; this may be done only by the Committee.

(d) Each Member Club shall elect a Representative who shall be responsible for the DMVGA administration and correspondence relating to his Club. He may be invited to attend meetings as and when necessary.

(e) The Secretary shall keep full minutes of all meetings of the Association and produce them at every meeting. The Treasurer shall prepare the annual accounts to the 31st December which shall be audited and presented at the following AGM.

5. MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION

All meetings of the Association and the dates and times thereof shall be decided by the Committee.

6. MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE

Meetings of the Committee shall be held as decided by the Committee each year. The President shall take the Chair and have the casting vote if necessary. If the President is unable to attend the Captain shall take the Chair; if neither is able to attend a Chairman will be elected for that meeting and shall have a casting vote.

7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

(a) The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held at the Captain’s Invitation Meeting unless decided otherwise by the Committee. Extraordinary General Meetings may be called at any time by the Committee or by the Secretary on receipt of a written application to him by any twenty Association Members stating the purpose of the meeting. The President shall take the Chair at these meetings and have the casting vote if necessary. If the President is unable to attend the Captain will take the chair and have a casting vote. Twenty Members shall form a quorum.

(b)The Secretary shall give notice of an AGM to the members of the Association at least 21 days prior to that AGM.

(b) Clubs or members wishing to bring matters for discussion or proposals to the AGM should submit details in writing, to be received by the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM.

8. LIFE MEMBERSHIP

On the recommendation of the Committee a member who has given valuable service to the Association may be elected to Life Membership at the AGM. Election requires a two-thirds majority of those present and voting. A Life Member shall be entitled to all the privileges of full membership but shall not be required to pay an annual subscription.

9. SUBSCRIPTIONS

The annual subscription shall be payable from 1st January each year, the amount being decided by the Committee. It shall be collected by the Club Representative and forwarded to the Treasurer before 1st March when the Membership list shall be finalised for qualification for the DMVGA Emerton-Court Trophy competition. Those members who may wish to join at a later date would be eligible to play in the other events offered by this Association.

10. CONSTRUCTION OF RULES

No Rules of the Association shall be repealed or altered unless approved by two-thirds of the Members present and voting thereon at the AGM. All doubts regarding the meaning and construction of the Rules shall be referred to the Committee whose decision shall be final.

11. AUDITORS

Two Auditors shall be elected at each AGM.

12. COMPETITION REGULATIONS

(a) Starting Times – any player late on the tee shall be dealt with in accordance with the Rules of Golf (Rule 5.3). If a player is disqualified under this Rule, he may play later if there are places available but only as a non-competitor.

(b) Competition entry fees shall not be returned to entrants who withdraw unless there are exceptional circumstances. Entry fees should be paid promptly on receipt of the start sheet and no later than seven days prior to the event; otherwise the player(s) may not be permitted to take part in the event.

(c) Only fully paid-up Members or Life members shall be eligible to play in competitions. Members who belong to more than one Devon Club may enter only from their Home Club.

(d) All players participating in DMVGA events must possess a World Handicap System Handicap Index and must play by the Rules of Golf published by the R&A and the USGA, which include expected standards of player conduct (Rule 1.2).

(e) Suspension and Resumption of Play eg in the event of lightning. Rule of Golf 5.7 and signals as recommended in the Rules of Golf Committee Procedures 8 J-1 shall apply.

(f) For the event to be deemed to be ‘a competition’ a minimum of two thirds of the field must complete their round of golf.

13. DISCIPLINARY MATTERS

The DMVGA Executive Committee will take appropriate action in any disciplinary matter concerning a Member whose conduct is considered detrimental to the Association or the playing of golf. This may include suspension of membership, or expulsion, if deemed necessary.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE RULES APPLY FROM NOVEMBER 1st 2022