2018 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Rules
1) About Us: The Greater Cleveland Skins Game (GCSG) is a weekly amateur-only 9-hole ‘skins and pins’ season-long event series covering 27 weeks. The GCSG started in 1990, originating at Fairway Pines Golf Course. Amateur golfers compete for winnings based on the number of golfers and paid entry fees each week. At the end of the season, the golfer with the highest total winnings is declared the Greater Cleveland Skins Game Champion and be awarded the coveted Thompson Cup.
2) Entry Fees: The weekly entry fee is $25 paid upon completion of the round. Green fees are set by the courses played and are a separate charge.
Entry fee breakdown:
Skins Pot: $20
Pin Shots Pot: $3
Mulligan’s Cup: $2
3) Skins and Pins: The $20 per player skins portion of the entry fee is collected and totaled each night, then paid out based on the number of skins won that night. If no skins are won on a night of play, the skins pot portion will be refunded to players that paid the entry fee that night. The $3 pin shot portion of the entry fee is collected and totaled each night, then paid to the two pin shots won on the par-3 holes that night. Pin shots are paid $2 per player for the Mulligan’s pin (the lowest handicap par-3) and $1 per player for the other par-3. If there are more than two par-3s on the night of play, the pin shots will be placed on the two par-3 holes with the lowest handicap. All pin shot entry fees collected the night of play will be paid out, even if only one pin shot is won. If there is no pin shot won, the pin shot portion of the entry fee will be refunded to players that paid the entry fee that night.
4) Double Down Events: Three nights will be featured as “Double Down Thursday” nights where the $25 entry is doubled to $50. These special events will occur near the 1/3rd mark of the season, 2/3rd mark of the season and at the final night of the season. To encourage greater attendance, there are no participation requirements to enter the Double Down events.
5) Greater Cleveland Amateur Qualification and Exemption: The ‘Top Five’ players on the GCSG winnings list as of 12 JUL 2018 may be eligible for exemption into the finals of the Greater Cleveland Amateur held in August. Only the ‘Top Five’ will be considered regardless of exemption through other means. The ultimate decision to accept GCSG exemption nominations are made by the Cleveland MetroParks (CMP) Golf Committee. Players are responsible for all CMP entry forms and fees by the appropriate deadlines.
6) Day of Play Rules: Conditions on the night of play will dictate which set of tees are used and if other rules (summer, winter, lift-clean-place, cart rule) are invoked. The decision will be made before play begins that night by a consensus of players at the course. Final decisions will be made by the GCSG Director.
7) Tee Box Rules: To promote greater attendance and fair competition, players can take advantage of playing ALL holes from tees based on their handicap or age. Handicaps for a players tee box choice will be calculated using the player’s official handicap index and course rating/slope from the BACK TEES.
Tee Box Played by Handicap:
0+ – 3 hcp or no official handicap: Back tees
4 – 8 hcp or Seniors age 55 and older: 2nd up tee box
9 hcp+ or Seniors age 70 and older: 3rd up tee box
8) Pro Rule: Professionals cannot participate in the GCSG. A Pro is defined as either a player who has declared as a professional or any player that has entered a golf tournament as a professional (pro division) over the past 2 years. Players playing in such events as scrambles and other cash events deemed to be “amateur events” are not considered professionals for the GCSG. The only exceptions are the handful of players that have been “grandfathered” for helping establish the GCSG in the early 1990’s at Fairway Pines. These names are available upon request by asking the Skins Game Director.
9) Rain-Out Rule: Skins will be paid on a pro-rated basis on any weather-shortened evening. The entry would be reduced and total skins paid are based on the following rules:
a. Skins and pins are paid out based on the hole that the last group has completely finished playing that night. In such an instance, the skins pot is worth $2.22 per player for each hole that the last group played. For example, if the last group finished six holes when the night ended due to weather, it then becomes a six hole skins game and the normal $20.00 per player skins pot will be reduced to $13.32 ($2.22 x 6 holes) per player. Pin shots get paid the same way. For pin shots, the entire field must play the Par-3 for the winner to be paid. In the case where the entire field does not finish one or more of the Par-3’s, then there is no payout of the pin shot pot. Players will be refunded this portion of their entry fee.
b. A determination of what constitutes a weather shortened night is made by a consensus vote of players participating that night. Final decisions will be made by the GCSG Director. A player is responsible for paying their entry fee even if they decide to leave the course early due to their own personal perception of the weather or course conditions.
10) Greater Cleveland Skins Game Champion – Thompson Cup: At the end of the 27 week season, the player with the highest total winnings will be declared the GCSG Champion and be awarded the “Thompson Cup” on the last night of play. The winning player is responsible for engraving their name and season’s winnings on the “Cup”. They are to preserve the “Cup” over the winter for safe keeping and ensure its availability for the first night of play the following year. The winner will have the honor of hitting the first tee shot to begin play the following season. If the final night (or nights) is cancelled, the player leading at that time is declared the Champion. Cancelled nights are not made up.
11) Mulligan’s Cup: The Mulligan’s Tavern in Highland Heights has been a long time sponsor of the GCSG. In honor of their sponsorship, a season long event was established where points are earned for participation, skins and pin shots. Points are tallied throughout the year and totaled at the end of the season. The Mulligan’s Cup is awarded to the points winner at the end of the season. Mulligan’s Tavern normally donates $500 to the Mulligan’s Cup pot and an additional $2 entry fee is collected by each player on each night of play. The Mulligan’s Cup pot is then distributed based on ranking to the top 10 players at the Mulligan’s Tavern on the last night of the season (11 OCT 2018).
MULLIGAN’S CUP POINTS BREAKDOWN
Participation:
Normal Night: 5pts
Double Down Night: 10 pts
Skin Win:
Normal Night: 3 pts
Double Down Night: 6 pts
Mulligan’s Pin Shot Win:
Normal Night: 2 pts
Double Down Night: 4 pts
Pin Shot Win:
Normal Night: 1 pt
Double Down Night: 2 pts
— Mike Angie – Director / Commissioner
