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All USGA rules apply with following exceptions:
- Loose impediments (grass, dirt etc) cannot be used to mark golf balls on the green. A one shot penalty will be assessed for a breach of this rule
- All golfers will play to their DOST index. We will not use slope adjustment for tournament handicap calculation. (2020)
- Any golfer found breaking a rule intentionally will be DQ’ed for the tournament. A second such incident will result in suspension for the season.(2020)
- Each golfer’s ball must be identified with a distinct marking by their opponent prior to the beginning of the round, examples are initials, smiley faces etc
- Men play from the selected tees (roughly 6300-6450 yards). Women play approximately 800 to 1000 yards less
- Winners will be decided based on the net score (Gross Score – Handicap). Every Golfer’s handicap will be published prior to the event.
- Every hole must be putted out, It’s a two stroke penalty if you pick up a ball instead of holing it out
Pace of Play
- Any group not finishing within course time announced (usually 4:30) or 20 minutes after the group in front will get penalized 2 strokes, each.
- Search of golf calls should be limited to only 3 minutes.
- If a new player (first 3 tournaments) scores Net under par then he/she will be adjusted to ‘E’ven Par
- If you do not play at all in two calendar years in a DOST tournament then you will be subject to New Player Rule. You have the option of providing your new handicap before your first tournament, otherwise we will use whatever we have in our database. e.g., If you do not play in 2013 and 2014, starting 2015 season you will be a “New” Player
Handicap
- Injury exception has been eliminated
- Rounds that are more than 2 years old will be dropped for handicap considerations. If a player has played less than 2 rounds in the last 2 years then he will be subject to “New Player Rule”. For example for 2016, scores from 2013 and older will not be considered for handicap purposes.
- If you have played 10 or more tournaments, your handicap will not be capped.
- For a detail discussion, please refer to the Handicap section of the site
Player Conduct
The Dost Golf Tour will not tolerate player behavior that negatively impacts other players, integrity of the game or the image of the tour.Unacceptable On-Course Behavior
Under the DOST code of conduct, a strict strike-based system is utilized. Behaviors that trigger violations include:
- Equipment Abuse: Intentionally throwing or violently kicking clubs.
- Obscenity: Using audible profanity or making visible obscene gestures.
- Course & Property Abuse: Deliberately damaging playing surfaces, smashing tee markers, or damaging flags on green
- Unsportsman like Conduct: Disrespecting others competitors, failing to show honesty/integrity, and showing a lack of consideration to others
- Intent to produce a lower score and/or any competitor who knowingly aids, advises, and/or ignores such activity.
The Three Strike Penalty System
When a player violates the Code of Conduct, the standard enforcement follows a progressive path:
- First Breach: The player is issued an official warning.
- Second Breach: The player receives a two-stroke penalty added to their scorecard.
- Third Breach: The player faces disqualification from DOST tournaments for 3 tournaments