Guidelines & Processes
Following PPGS guidelines and processes is important for a consistent and enjoyable experience throughout the PPGS calendar of events. PPGS professionals are encouraged to review the information carefully, including:
  • PPGS Committee Members & Responsibilities
  • PPGS Host Duties
  • PGA Professional Requirements
  • Player of the Year & Pocono Cup Guidelines​

Please submit questions, comments, or suggestions for changes to this information using our questions and comments page. Someone from the PPGS committee will respond as quickly as possible.
PPGS Committee
The PPGS Committee ensures that all rules and regulations of the Philadelphia Section of the PGA and the USGA are upheld and enforced, as necessary. Additional information follows:
  • The Committee will meet a minimum of three (3) times per calendar year. 
  • The committee shall have a representative from the Philadelphia Section Tournament Committee.
  • The Committee is responsible for each season's tournament schedule.
  • The committee shall resolve disputes. All decisions made by the committee are final.
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2024 Committee Members
  • Jared Cottell, PGA -- Elkview
  • Kevin Edwards, PGA -- Olde Homestead
  • Gregg Meyer, PGA -- Woodstone
  • Dustin McCormick,  PGA -- Glen Brook
  • Mike Molino, PGA -- Elmhurst
  • Mark Monahan, PGA -- Honesdale
  • Jim Muschlitz, PGA -- Southmoore
  • John Pillar, PGA -- Woodloch Springs
  • Greg Wall, PGA -- Pocono Manor
PPGS Host Duties
General Information
  • The minimum required added money is $500 per event, all going toward the amateur's purse.
  • The entry fee is $70 per player, amateur & professional.
  • The entry includes cart fees and $6 per person for the association’s charity contributions. 
  • Facilities adding to entry for charity should contact a committee member prior to the event date for approval.
  • Additional skins for professionals may be added on top of the entry ($10). 
  • Team events will include gross and net divisions. 
  • A team may accept a prize in only one division. 
  • Amateurs will also compete on an individual basis. There needs to be both a Regular and Senior division for amateurs.
  • There will be two (2) closest to the pin contest for the amateurs in every event. 
  • All ties split; we do not match cards for any position.

Secured Entries
  • Four (4) weeks prior to the event, the host professional will hold two (2) spots for each host club. 
  • From the four (4) -week point to the three (3) -week point, only host clubs and PGA members from District 4 and 5 may secure a time. 
  • Host clubs not confirming their two (2) spots by three (3) weeks prior to the tournament date will forfeit their spots.

Regular Entries
  • ​​Twenty (20) days prior to the tournament date, entries will be accepted from all categories of professionals who are eligible for PPGS tournaments and who are within Districts 4 and 5. 
  • Ten days prior to the tournament date, entries are open to all eligible professionals.

Course Set-Up Recommendations
  • The host facility should use good judgment with particular attention to course length, with regard to being too long for amateurs.
  • Most amateur participants are seniors and are better served by an easier setup. 
  • The committee recommends setting up the golf course to play at a maximum of 6500 yards for Male Professionals, 6100 for Amateurs and Senior Professionals, and 5800 for Women Professionals and Senior Amateurs. 
  • The committee will consider withdrawing dates for flagrant or consistent non-compliance with these recommendations.

Playing Tees
  • Male Professionals and Amateurs under 60 will play the back tees.
  • Senior Professionals and Amateurs over 60 will play the next tee up (i.e., the next shortest tee).
  • Senior Professionals and Amateurs over 70 will play the next tee up from the Senior Professional tee (i.e., two tee boxes ahead of Male Professionals).
  • Women Professionals will play at 82% or forward tees, dependent on the facility.
  • Women Amateurs will play from the women’s tees.

Host Responsibilities -- Prior to Event
  • Host facility must provide tournament scorecard with handicaps marked and a rules sheet with specific information regarding the day's format, player’s tees, etc.
  • For the scorecard, clearly indicate Senior Amateurs.
  • Purse breakdown must be posted prior to the event and will be based on X number of teams.  A PPGS committee member will provide the breakdown and purse. Please review the purse breakdown provided for your records.

Host Responsibilities -- Post Event
  • Report tournament results no later than the day after the event. Contact at least 3 newspapers including Pocono Record, Scranton Times-Tribune, and The Morning Call (Allentown).
  • Confirm results of event by 11 am the day following completion. Players will be asked to call after 11 am the following day an event. This is a courtesy to the host to ensure adequate time for accurate scoring.
  • Within 48 hours of the event completion, hosts are required to complete and distribute results.
  • Within 48 hours of the event completion, hosts are required to email Professional scores to Dustin McCormick at [email protected] for Pocono Cup and Player of the Year race.

Handicaps
All tournaments are to apply handicaps of 75% for each amateur.  The maximum allowed after the deduction is:
  • 27 for men
  • 36 for women
  • 36 for juniors age 12 and under

Professionals must verify handicaps to ensure the integrity of our competitions. When calling, please give the handicap index to the host professional. If a player does not have a handicap index, that player will play at scratch. In the event of a discrepancy of handicap, the professional may be asked to provide a printout of the last twenty (20) scores with the handicap index for the host professional.

Discontinuation of Play (Rain Policy)
  • If 75% of the starting field has completed play and it will be unfeasible for the others to do so on that day, the tournament payout shall be re-calculated based on the number of players completing play. Those participants unable to complete play will be refunded their entry fee minus the facility fee.
  • If less than 75% of the starting field completes play, the event is considered postponed or cancelled. A makeup date may or may not be available. Anyone completing play will be refunded their entry fee minus the facility fee. 

Guidelines for Entries, Prizes and Purse
Greg Wall will contact all host sites 24 hours prior to an event to confirm the purse and entry breakdown.
  • Send PPGS charity fee check to Greg Wall, PO Box 7, Pocono Manor, PA 18349.

Amateur Breakdown (example)
  • $70 -- Entry Fee
    • $30 -- Facility fee (maximum... may be less, but not more)
    • $6 -- PPGS charity fee
    • $34 -- Amateur prizes (team gross & net, low amateur, closest-to-pin)
  • $500 per event added toward Amateur purse
  • Winners of Amateur skins (if played) must be paid via shop credit, no cash.

Professional Breakdown (example)
  • $70 -- Entry fee
    • $0 -- Facility fee
    • $6 -- Association fee
    • $64 -- Professional purse
PGA Professional Requirements
Eligibility of PGA professionals
  • All tournaments are on an individual basis by the host professional and are limited to PGA professionals and anyone enrolled in the PGM program.
  • Apprentices not registered for Level II must have attended a section orientation program prior to playing in any Philadelphia PGA Section or PPGS event. 
  • If a facility has a question regarding eligibility, the host should contact Kevin Edwards (Olde Homestead) at least 24 hours prior to the event to confirm eligibility.

Cancellation Policy
  • Cancellation of tee times by PGA professionals via no show or call the day of the tournament will result in a penalty of the golf professionals’ full entry. 
  • This fee MUST be paid to the host professional within 5 days. 
  • The cancelling professional will be ineligible to play in any future events until that fee is paid. 
  • The host professional must report all no-shows or day-of cancellations to a committee member prior to the next event. 

Hosting an Event
  • ​To host an event, PGA professionals and/or staff must participate in 50% of the events played to host an event. 
  • Once a site has been granted a scheduled date the facility must host an event.
  • Cancellation of an event due to lack of participation (fewer than 10 teams) can result in the loss of a scheduled date for the following season.

Eligibility for Special Events
  • To be eligible for the season-ending Stroke Play Championship or the Pocono Cup, professionals must play in a minimum of 7 events.
  • To be eligible to play in the Fall Pro-Pro, one professional must have played in a minimum of 7 events, and the other professional must have played in a minimum of 3 PPGS Pro-Am events.  
  • Events that count toward eligibility include PPGS Pro-Am & Match Play, Philadelphia PGA Section Championship and Lehigh Valley Open.
  • The committee may modify this number based on event cancellations.

Dress Code
  • Male Professionals are permitted to wear shorts in July and August only, in accordance with Philadelphia PGA section rules.
Player of the Year & Pocono Cup 
Player of the Year will be determined by the player finishing with the highest point total throughout the season. 
  • Points are awarded based on the system listed below. 
  • The Player of the Year trophy will be awarded at the Pocono Cup at the conclusion of the season. 
  • In the event of a tie in points, tied players will be awarded the Player of the Year award.
The Pocono Cup is held in the fall of each golf season, with venues being rotated each year between north and south.
  • The Lehigh Valley team will be comprised of clubs located south of the Blue Mountains or Interstate 80. 
  • The Pocono Mountain team is made up of all clubs located north of Interstate 80 or as determined by the committee.
  • To be eligible for the Pocono Cup, professionals must play in a minimum of 7 events.
  • Events that count toward eligibility include PPGS Pro-Am & Match Play, Philadelphia PGA Section Championship and Lehigh Valley Open.

Points are awarded on the following basis in the Regular Division only. 
  • 1st -- 200 points
  • 2nd -- 125 points
  • 3rd -- 100 points
  • 4th -- 75 points
  • 5th -- 65 points
  • 6th -- 60 points
  • 7th -- 55 points
  • 8th -- 50 points
  • 9th -- 45 points
  • 10th -- 40 points

Points are doubled for the Stroke Play Championship.

To provide players with the ability to earn more points, maximum points will be awarded to all players for each place, including ties. For example, 5 professionals submit scores... 3 players shoot 70 and tie for 1st place, all receive 200 points... the other 2 players shoot 71 and will receive 2nd place points of 125 points each.  
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