About the CSMGA

Everything you need to know for the 2026 season: requirements, weekly flow, handicaps, prizes, Shootout, and local rules.

Quick Facts Weekly Routine Handicaps Local Rules

Quick Facts

Founded March 1992
Season 35th season (2025)
Status 501(c)(3) non-profit (since 2017)
Members (all-time) 298 have played at least 1 season
Hall-of-Fame 16 members (Wins + Majors = 25+)

2026 Board

Randy Collins President
Jeff Grubb Vice President
Rob Horton Treasurer
Mike Guidice Food/Beverage Chair
Mike Whitehead Tournament Chair
Joe Branco Membership Chair
Phil W. Rules/Handicap Chair
Mickey Clifford Trophy Chair
John Buechel Past President Advisor

Schedule Highlights

  • Opening Dinner: Fri. April 3 at 7:00pm (Garden Room)
  • Opening Day: Sat. April 4 – 8:00am shotgun start on Cascades
  • 26 full-field tournaments, including 28 rounds plus match play tournaments
  • Courses: 4 Ballyowen, 4 Black Bear, 1 Cascades, 14 Crystal Springs, 5 Wild Turkey
Full schedule is referenced as a separate document in league materials.

League Requirements

Golf Membership
Members must have one of the following golf memberships to play in the league: Corporate, Premier, 30-Yr-Gold, Crystal-Full, Associate (League-Only). Note: A Rewards Card is not a membership (it’s a discount card) and does not qualify.
Annual League Dues
Annual league dues cover prizes/trophies, banquets, staff gratuities, admin expenses, and the hole-in-one pot. 2025 dues estimate: $375 (finalized by March 1). Exception: If you are a new resort member, the resort pays your dues the first year.

Weekly Routine

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Start Times Expand
April, late September, and October: 8:00am shotguns (later sunrise / possible frost delay). May through mid-September: 7:30am shotguns.
Sign-Up Email (Golf Genius) Expand
About 12 days before a tournament, a Golf Genius email is sent to each member to click “Playing” or “Not Playing”.
Sign-Up Deadline Expand
Tuesday morning before each tournament (Member-Member has an earlier special deadline). We require a “NO” reply if you can’t play.
Flex Time Expand
If you need to flex, notify the Tournament Director by Tuesday before the tournament with day/time you are playing and the member(s) attesting your score (see Flex Rules). Flex is no longer available once hole assignments go out.
Hole Assignments Expand
Distributed Wednesday each week to members playing and to the resort. Part of the reserved tee-time agreement is returning unused tee times by Wednesday morning.
Scorecards & Scoring Expand
Paper scorecards are emailed for printing. Most tournaments are scored electronically via the Golf Genius app plus paper as a double-check; Golf Genius shows a live leaderboard.
Submit Scorecard Expand
After the round, audit paper and electronic cards and text a picture of the paper scorecard to Mike Whitehead: 201-741-8941.
Results & Handicaps Expand
Tournament results, updated stats, and new handicaps are emailed by Sunday night each week.

Playing Logistics

Weather Expectations
Once you sign up, you’re expected to show up (especially for twosome events). We only don’t play with heavy rain, lightning, snow, frost/weather delay, or if the course is deemed unplayable. If play can begin/resume within 90 minutes, the round counts; otherwise it’s rescheduled or combined later. If weather is possible, an email/text goes out ~2 hours before start time.
Shotgun Start Means Balls in the Air
7:30am or 8:00am shotgun means balls in the air at that time — not arriving then. Players should head to starting holes 10 minutes before the start; once everyone arrives, the A group plays away.
Pace of Play Targets
Goal: ~4:30 at Black Bear, Ballyowen, Cascades, Wild Turkey; ~4:45 at Crystal Springs (extra driving time between holes).
Handicap Method
League handicap is the average of your best 4 of the last 10 adjusted league-scores-only. Scores are adjusted to Crystal Springs Blue tees; net double max adjustments follow USGA guidance. (40% of scores aligns with the World Handicap System.)

Tee Boxes & Handicaps

Tee Box Eligibility
  • Age + Blue-Tee Handicap ≤ 79: must play Blue tees
  • Age + Blue-Tee Handicap ≥ 80: may opt to play White tees
  • Blue-Tee Handicap ≥ 24: may opt for White tees regardless of age
  • Age + Blue-Tee Handicap ≥ 94: may opt to play Red tees
Crystal Springs uses yardage medallions; other courses use superintendent markers.
Scoring Caps
  • Most tournaments use a Net Triple Bogey maximum per hole for tournament scoring
  • For handicap purposes, USGA allows a maximum of Net Double Bogey (Net Triple holes are adjusted downward for handicap calc)
Stroke-Play Handicap Allowances
Format
Allowance
Individual tournaments
100% (85% for Director’s Cup & Tournament of Champions)
Twosome Best Ball
80% each
Pinehurst
45% (A) + 25% (B)
True Alternate Shot
50% (A) + 50% (B)
Modified Alt Shot
40% (A) + 40% (B)
Shamble
70% each
Scramble
45% (A) + 25% (B)
Park Cup (Individual Match) – Blue-Tee base Expand
Low man plays at scratch; other player gets 100% of the difference before any tee box color adjustment.
Club Championship (Individual Match) – Flighted by Blue-Tee hdcp Expand
No handicaps within a flight (tee box adjustments may apply). Championship Flight uses Black tees; anyone 15.0-Blue or below may opt in. Flights A–D use normal weekly tee box color (with exception if on different tees).
2-Man Club Championship – Blue-Tee base Expand
Low man plays at scratch; within 8 shots gets 100% of the difference; 9+ shots above gets 90% of the difference, then adjusted for tee box color if needed.
2-on-1 scenario (2-Man Club Championship) Expand
If a member is unavailable (injury/death/travel/resignation), remaining solo member gets 100% of his handicap (no best ball); the two-player team gets 80% (best ball option).

Season-Long Race to the Shootout

  • Weekly points allocated based on finish (or bracket elimination). Winners get +5 bonus points.
  • Majors are worth 150% points.
  • New for 2025: Flex rounds receive 85% of points earned (down to last place points), then bonus points applied after adjustment.
  • Best 16 weekly point results determine the 12 qualifiers for the Shootout (Saturday, October 18).
  • Shootout format: all 12 play hole 1 simultaneously; highest net eliminated each hole (ties by chip-off/putt-off) until 2 remain on the par-3 11th at Crystal Springs; final hole is straight up unless 14+ stroke difference.

Hole-in-One Pot

  • Initial pot: $1,200 carryover from 2024 (no dues allocation needed for 2025).
  • If a league member makes an ace during league play (including matches outside the schedule), he wins the pot.
  • If an ace occurs, Treasurer collects $20 from all members to replenish the pot.

Trophies & Major Tournaments

Majors (with trophies) — Individual
  • Club Championship (5 flights by Blue-Tee handicap; seeded brackets; complete within 5 weeks)
  • Age Bracket Championships (4 flights by age)
  • Director’s Cup (36-hole net; 85% handicap)
  • Park Cup (season-long seeded match play by Blue-Tee handicap)
  • Tournament of Champions (18-hole net among tournament winners + prior champs; 85% handicap)
  • Shootout (12-man, 11-hole elimination)
Majors (with trophies) — Twosome
  • Member-Member (draft the week before; partner can’t be your regular twosome partner)
  • Quarry Classic (3 consecutive weeks, 3 courses, 3 scoring formats; overall low net wins trophies)
  • 36-Hole Ironman (six 6-hole formats over 36 holes in one day)
  • 2-Man Club Championship (season-long seeded match play by combined Blue-Tee hdcps)
Major (no trophy)
  • Most Improved Golfer (USGA formula) — trophy eliminated after 2010 season
Trophy (not a major)
  • Member-Guest — trophies awarded, but not considered a major (non-league members play)