Article 1 -- League Identification:
Name: The name of the league shall be the "Hump Day Hackers Golf League."
Location: The "Hump Day Hackers Golf League" (HDH) will play its inaugural season starting in April 2000, at the Orchard Creek Golf Course in Altamont, New York.
Time: The league will play on Wednesdays with tee times to be determined. Approximate start time is 3:40 PM.

Article 2 --Purpose:
The purpose of the HDH league is to promote interest and participation in recreational and competitive golfing, and to enhance comradery among the participants.

Article 3--Membership:
The league will consist of a minimum of 16 players.
-- Membership is open to any person whose ideals and purposes are in harmony with those of the league.
-- Admission to the league must be approved by the Board of Directors (see below).
-- A waiting list for membership will be maintained by the secretary/treasurer. Past members who have left the league under amicable circumstances and wish to rejoin will have preference in the event of any league openings.

Article 4--Board of Directors:
The HDH league will have a Board of Directors consisting of all elected league officers and any appointed committee chairpersons.
-- The "board" will be the governing party for the HDH league and will meet when necessary to assess and implement all league policy.
– In the event a vacancy should occur in any elected office, the board shall be empowered to appoint a successor for the remainder of the league year.

Article 5--League Officers:
The HDH league shall consist of three officers: a president, a vice-president, and a secretary/treasurer.
-- After the inaugural season, nominations and elections shall be conducted at the end-of-the-year tournament/awards banquet. Terms of office shall begin on the following January 1 and run through December 31st. All terms of office shall last for one full year. To promote administrative participation among all members, a member may be elected to serve in the same office for no more than two consecutive terms.
-- The HDH league encourages every member to participate in the governing of the HDH league by volunteering to run for an elected office or to participate in any of the league committees at some point during their membership.

A -- Duties of the President: The president shall generally supervise the business of the league and shall preside at all meetings and social events of the league.
-- He shall also represent the HDH league at any meetings conducted by the host golf course, including the annual spring kick-off meeting.
-- When necessary, he may establish committees (such as a Rules Committee, a Social Events Committee, or any other committees deemed necessary) to conduct other business for the league, and he shall appoint a chairperson for each committee.
-- He shall act as chairman of the Board of Directors and as ex-officio member of all league committees. In situations where a vote is required by the board or a committee, the president shall not vote unless there is a tie.
-- He shall gather his elected board members and conduct the first league meeting of the year at least two weeks prior to the initial spring kickoff meeting conducted by the host golf course.
-- The president shall make every effort to maintain the dignity of the HDH league and to maintain comradery among the members of the league.
-- He shall also be responsible for keeping all league members informed of all league happenings and changes to policy.
B -- Duties of the Vice-President: The vice-president shall be available to assist the president in fulfilling his obligations.
-- He shall also fulfill the duties of the president in his absence.
-- He shall be a voting member of the Board of Directors.
-- The vice-president shall be responsible for organizing and coordinating all social golfing activities for the league, including but not limited to the Mid-season Tournament, the End-of-the-Year Tournament/Awards Banquet, and any Wednesday add-on events such as scrambles, Callaways, etc.
-- He may request that the president establish a Social Events Committee which he shall chair. The secretary/treasurer may be a member of any social committee and shall assist the vice-president in determining and allotting funds for any prizes and awards.

C -- Duties of the Secretary/Treasurer: The secretary/treasurer shall be responsible for all secretarial functions of the league. He shall also be responsible for the collection and disbursement of all monies maintained by the league. He may choose to disseminate related member information via an internet HDH league web site and/or through traditional paper reporting methods.
His overall duties shall include, but not be limited to,:
1) the yearly scheduling of all match play for each member;
2) the dissemination and distribution of accurate weekly results and standings of competitive play and current handicaps;
3) the accounting of all receipts, expenditures, and the financial condition of the league;
4) the establishment of a not-for-profit checking/ savings account under the name of the "Hump Day Hackers Golf League" to secure members’ funds;
5) attendance at and the keeping of the minutes of all meetings; and
6) the development and maintenance of the league’s Historical Files (including minutes, photographs, scorecards, newspaper reports, e-mails, etc.) from its inception in the year 2000.
-- The secretary/treasurer shall be a voting member of the Board of Directors.
-- He shall maintain and update the membership waiting list and act as the league’s good-will ambassador in recruiting additional acceptable members.
-- He shall maintain and update the league substitute list and will contact substitutes when necessary.
-- If called upon, he will assist the vice-president in determining and allotting league awards, and be a member of the Social Events Committee.
-- He shall prepare and distribute an end-of-the-year annual financial report to all members.
-- He shall be responsible for following up on any member who has not fulfilled his monetary commitment.
-- He shall be available to provide financial information and to disburse agreed-upon funds to assist league officers in fulfilling their duties.
-- He shall make all bank statements available for review at any time by any member of the league.
Whereas the assigned duties of the secretary/treasurer entail much more time and effort than those duties of the other offices, therefore, the HDH league has determined that whoever is elected as secretary/treasurer for the full year shall have his total yearly dues and greens fees paid for by the league. In order to account for this yearly financial compensation, each member (exclusive of the elected secretary/treasurer) shall be assessed an annual calculated fee to be included in the member’s overall total yearly dues payment (see Article 6 below).

Article 6--Dues, fees and assessments:
The league dues (total of greens fees plus league social fees plus any league assessments) shall be determined annually by the president and the Board of Directors after notification of greens fee costs from the host golf course.
-- Dues must be paid in advance of the start of league play and may be paid in two installments: the first installment totaling ½ the annual amount is due by February 20th and the second installment totaling the remaining annual amount is due by April 20th.
-- Members may choose to pay in full in one installment by February 20th of each year.
For the inaugural year 2000, the league has contracted for 16* weeks of golf at Orchard Creek. Weekly costs to members is $20 ($14 green fee plus $6 league social fee). As a result, each member must pay an annual total of $340 (includes a $20 annual assessment for the secretary/treasurer commitment).
Members may choose to pay the entire $340 dues in full by February 20, 2000, or they may choose the installment option and pay $170 by February 20th and another $170 by April 20, 2000.
*Any additional weeks agreed upon by the board will require additional league assessments by each HDH member.
-- Cash is acceptable.
-- All checks must be made out to the "Hump Day Hackers Golf League" and given to the league secretary/treasurer.
-- Dues are non-refundable and will be maintained by the secretary/treasurer in the HDH league’s bank account.

Article 7--Match Play Competition:
Weekly match play will determine any mid-year pairings and end-of-year award winners. The secretary/treasurer will monitor, validate, and record all weekly scorecards.
-- Members shall play head-to-head using USGA (or similar) handicaps. The secretary/treasurer will determine the formula for scheduling each head-to-head match.
-- USGA rules shall apply unless amended by the host golf course or by HDH league rules (see Article 14 below).
-- Twenty (20) points during each match will be awarded as follows:
2 points for low individual net for each hole totaling 18 points; and 2 points for low cumulative nine hole net score,
resulting in a grand total of 20 points per match.
In case of ties, each player gets 1 point.
 
 
Forfeits:
-- In the event a member did not show up for his scheduled match, and he did not notify* his opponent of his absence at least one (1) hour before the start of the match, he shall forfeit that match to his opponent. His opponent will be given 13 points for the match, and he gets zero (0) points.
*In an attempt to maintain fairness for a member who may find out at the last minute that he cannot make his match and cannot make direct contact with his opponent, he may attempt to contact the golf course at (518) 861-5000 at least one (1) hour before the start of the match and leave a message for his opponent. If the opponent is so notified by golf course personnel prior to the start of his match, no forfeit shall occur and the match may be scheduled as a make-up.
-- If a member who is scheduled for a match begins or completes the "match" prior to its scheduled time and did not notify and receive consent in advance from his opponent, that member shall forfeit the match and his opponent shall receive 13 points while he gets zero (0) points.
Make-ups:
-- Make-up matches should be made up in the order missed.
-- Matches which are postponed or suspended, either by advance consent of an opponent or due to a decision by either HDH league officers or the host course shall be made up by matching scorecards at the next available date when both opponents are present.
-- In certain situations where absences are known in advance (i.e., vacations, business trips, etc.), and if each opponent agrees, the match can be made-up prior to the scheduled date of the original match. The secretary/treasurer must be notified in advance of any prior make-ups.
-- The secretary/treasurer will maintain a listing of any outstanding make-up matches.
-- A member may make up one (1) match per round in addition to his regular assigned match. However, if a member does not have an opponent, he may make-up two (2) matches that day; but no more than two make-ups may be played during one round.

Article 8–Tournaments and Prizes:
The HDH league, through the leadership of the vice-president and the Social Events Committee, will make every effort to support and conduct two annual golf tournaments (mid-season and end-of-the-year) to promote continued comradery among the members.
-- Dates and locations will be established and members will be notified in advance.
-- Members wishing to attend these off-site events will be assessed for any additional costs necessary. Payment for participating must be received in advance (at a date to be determined) and shall be non-refundable unless determined differently by the Board of Directors.

Prizes:
-- Mid-season and end-of-year tournament prizes will include, but not be limited to, the following (limit 2 per member/guest):
Low gross, 1st
Low gross, 2nd
Low net, 1st
Low net, 2nd
Longest Drive (2)
Closest to Pin (2)

-- The league shall award the following annual prizes at the end-of-the-year awards banquet:
End-of-year league prizes (limit 2 per member):
Low gross average (minimum 14 weeks)
Low gross average , 2nd (minimum 14 weeks)
Most total points (receives the HUMP DAY trophy also)
Most total points, 2nd
Most total points, 3rd
Low gross front nine
Low gross back nine
Low net front nine
Low net back nine

Article 9--Handicaps:
Development of handicaps shall be based on the same method used by the USGA and will be the responsibility of the league secretary/treasurer with the approval of the Board of Directors.
-- Anyone who joins the HDH league and has a previously established nine-hole handicap from another league or golf course shall use that handicap when starting play in the league. All members should notify the secretary/treasurer what their established handicap is/was prior to starting match play in the league.
-- Anyone who joins the HDH league and does not have a previously established nine-hole handicap shall be given an "estimated" handicap by the secretary/treasurer which the new member shall use for his first two matches only.
Based upon his recorded scores for his first two matches, he will be assigned a "true" handicap as determined by the secretary/treasurer. The true handicap will become effective for the member’s third round of play unless it is three strokes or higher than the previous estimated handicap. In this case, the secretary/treasurer will average the true handicap with the estimated handicap and assign that result for rounds three and four. At the end of four rounds, there should be enough information to finalize a true handicap for the remaining rounds.
 
Article 10--Postponements and Inclement Weather:
The decision to cancel or suspend golf resides solely with the resident golf professional of the host Orchard Creek Golf Course. If conditions appear inclement, each member should make every attempt to contact the golf course at (518) 861-5000 Wednesday afternoon to avoid unnecessary travel.
-- If play is suspended while members are on the course, each player shall mark his ball position on the course with a tee in case a decision is made to resume play. If play resumes and a player has left the course, that player will be treated as "absent" for the remaining holes, and he shall forfeit 2 points to his opponent for each remaining hole.
Article 11--Substitutes:
When necessary, substitutes will be allowed to participate in league activities, including Wednesday matches and off-site social events.
-- The HDH "Substitute List" of available names and phone numbers will be maintained and updated by the secretary/treasurer. This list will also be used to fill member spots vacated by withdrawals or suspensions.
-- In the event a member knows well in advance that he will not be able to play a particular match, that member should (in addition to contacting his opponent) contact the secretary/treasurer ASAP who will then contact a substitute from the list.
-- Each substitute who fills in for a Wednesday match must pay the secretary/treasurer on that Wednesday an amount equal to the current course greens fees, the proceeds from which will support the HDH tournament prize fund.
-- Each substitute who participates in any of the league social events will be assessed accordingly by the secretary/treasurer.

Article 12–Withdrawals ands Suspensions:
-- In the event that a member chooses to withdraw from the league due to an emergency, illness, or any unforseen circumstances, the league will refund any greens fees paid in advance. Notification to the president, preferably in writing, is requested.
-- A member may be suspended from the league if he
1) fails to pay his dues in a timely manner; or
2) misses more than ½ his matches through inactivity; or
3) fails to conduct himself in conformity with the ideals or golf etiquette requirements of the HDH league.
– The Board of Directors will review and act upon any suspensions. If suspended, a member forfeits all dues paid to date.
 
Article 13--Amendments to these By-Laws:
Any amendments to these By-Laws may be made by an affirmative vote of the Board of Directors, or by a simple majority of the league members casting votes. A written notification for any proposed changes should be submitted to the president who will present all suggestions to the board for discussion and implementation.

Article 14--Playing Rules:
The HDH league rules shall be consistent with the rules of the USGA except where amended as a result of any local modifications required by either the host golf course or the HDH league itself.
--Any dispute regarding the rules should be brought to the attention of the league president who will address the concern and make a determination with the Board of Directors.
-- Current known HDH league modifications to the USGA rules include, but are not limited to, the following:
1) Winter rules are always in effect. If your ball is within the obvious boundary of the fairway being played, you may use a club to move your ball to improve your lie no more than six (6) inches, but no closer to the hole. You can not improve your lie if your ball is in the rough, on another fairway, or on any of the fringes surrounding the greens.
2a) A plugged ball in the fairway may be lifted, cleaned, and PLACED as close to the plug as possible but no closer to the hole.
2b) A plugged ball in the rough may be lifted, cleaned and DROPPED as close to the plug as possible but no closer to the hole.
2c) If playing conditions are such that a ball may be plugged and not found, and you and at least one other member in your group agrees with the approximate location of the lost plugged ball, you may drop another ball as close as possible to that location but no closer to the hole.
In all three situations above, there is no penalty assessed.
3) You may not concede any putt which is longer than six (6) inches from the hole.
 
4a) Due to the newness of the inaugural Orchard Creek Golf Course, certain areas on the fairways contain protruding stones that may impede your golf swing or cause damage to your golf club at impact. If you encounter such an obvious situation and you have exercised your six inch lie improvement and still have not received sufficient relief, you may move your ball on a line from the green until you find the closest sufficient relief but no closer to the hole. You must notify and get the approval of your opponent prior to moving the ball; there is no penalty assessed.
4b) If you encounter a similar situation in the rough, you may lift and drop your ball on a line from the green in the closest area with sufficient relief but no closer to the hole. You must notify and get the approval of your opponent prior to moving the ball; there is no penalty assessed.
5) All aspects of golf etiquette should be observed to speed up play and to be fair to all members of the league.