Tournament Rules
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
- Open to amateur men and women.
- Professional players are permitted; however, professional players must be paired with an amateur at all times, and will compete using an assigned handicap of 0 (scratch) and play 1 tee further back from amateur players in any given match (subject to opponent approval).
- Players must be 16 years of age or older as of the tournament start date.
- Players under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times during the tournament.
HANDICAPS
- All players must hold a verifiable WHS-accredited handicap with a minimum of three (3) signed rounds recorded prior to the tournament start date. For the avoidance of doubt, only handicaps issued by recognised local governing bodies (such as England Golf) will be considered WHS-accredited.
- A two-tiered handicap system for this tournament:
- Tier 1: Players with 12 or more rounds recorded in the 12 months prior to the tournament start date will compete using 90% of their handicap index.
- Tier 2: Players with 3 to 11 rounds recorded in the 12 months prior to the tournament start date will compete using 75% of their handicap index.
- Note! There will be no additional tournament-adjusted handicap applied.
- The maximum permitted playing handicap index is 28.0 for both men and women (local course/tee criteria shall apply based on gender of each player).
- All players must be able to provide handicap verification at any time upon request by the organiser or other competing teams, failure to do so may result in disqualification.
- Scores for all players, on all holes, must be submitted via the official digital scorecard during or following the match. This enables the organiser to monitor performance and enforce the tournament’s fair play policy.
- The tournament operates a strict fair play handicap policy. Any breach of this policy may result in the disqualification of the entire team.
- The organiser reserves the right to adjust a player’s handicap if deemed necessary to ensure fair competition at any stage in the tournament.
TEAMS
- Teams may consist of up to four (4) players: one captain, one second player, and up to two reserve players. Teams may be male, female, or mixed.
- Reserve players may be used when either the captain or second player is unavailable. However, in all matches either the captain or second player must participate (i.e., two reserve players cannot compete on behalf of the captain and second player).
- Players may only be registered to one team and may not play for, or act as a reserve for, any other team in the tournament.
- All players, including reserve players, must be registered via the official team portal prior to the start of the tournament. Teams may be disqualified if an unregistered player participates in a match.
PLAYERS WITH DISABILITIES
- Rule 25 of the Rules of Golf (Modifications for Players with Disabilities), as published by the R&A and the USGA, applies to the Club Championship 2026.
- Players who meet the eligibility criteria may use the modifications provided under Rule 25, including assistive mobility devices (such as wheelchairs), aides, and certain adapted procedures. These modifications are intended to support participation without providing an unfair advantage. Players are responsible for ensuring they follow the applicable provisions of Rule 25. Full details can be found here: https://www.randa.org/en/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-25
MATCHES
- Match draws: Matches will be drawn and published at the start of the tournament. Players can view their match details via the CGC online portal. All matches must be completed before the round deadline.
- Home teams: Home teams will be randomly assigned in Round One. For subsequent rounds, the home team designation is determined by the order in which the winning teams complete their previous match.
- The team that confirms their victory first, based on the digital scorecard timestamp, will be awarded home team status for the upcoming round.
- For example, Team A and Team B both win their Round 2 matches and are scheduled to face each other in Round 3. Team A’s victory was confirmed first according to the digital scorecard timestamp, so Team A is designated as the home team for the Round 3 matchup.
- Match fees (Matchplay Phase): Green fees and any other associated costs are the responsibility of each team. Wherever possible, guest or discounted rates should be offered to non-home team players.
- Scheduling: Each team must propose a minimum of three (3) possible dates for each match and make reasonable efforts to accommodate the opposing team’s availability. Any uncooperative or unreasonable behaviour may result in forfeiture of the match.
- Courses: Matches may only be played at full 18 holes courses (no 9 hole courses are permitted, even if it is two 9 hole courses that make up an 18 hole course).
- Dispute resolution: If teams are unable to agree on a match date despite making reasonable efforts, the organiser will conduct a coin toss, which will randomly determine the winning team.
- Travel considerations: Teams will be grouped to minimise travel time where possible. In some instances, teams may be required to travel further; in such cases, meeting at a halfway location is encouraged.
- Handicap verification: All players must provide evidence of their WHS handicaps when requested by either the organiser or any competing team in the tournament. Scorecards: Teams may use paper scorecards to record match scores, but the CGC digital scorecard is provided so scores can be tracked accurately during play. Team captains must submit and confirm all match scores within 48 hours of match completion via the Matches portal, and all scores for every player on every hole must be entered to allow performance monitoring and enforcement of our fair play handicap policy. Failure to comply may result in match forfeiture.
- Tied matches: If a match is tied after 18 holes, a sudden-death playoff will be used to determine the winner whenever allowed under the course’s rules and regulations.
- If a sudden-death playoff is not possible, the match shall be decided by a putting contest ('Putt-Off').
- Each team shall complete one putt per player from 7 yards, with all putts played from the same position; the team holing the greater number of putts wins.
- If still tied, the process is repeated from 8 yards and 9 yards, continuing from 10 yards until a winner is determined.
- Aids: Players may use carts, buggies, and distance-measuring devices. No caddies are permitted at any time.
- Tees: Play should be conducted from the standard/middle tees (e.g yellow), however teams are welcome to agree amongst themselves the suitable tees based on the specific course conditions / restrictions at the time of the match.
- Final tee placement may vary by course based on available tee boxes, course layout, slope, and rating.
- Registered professional players are required to compete from at least one tee further back than non professional players where possible.
GAME FORMAT
Matchplay Phase (Phase One)
All matches are played as 4-ball, Match/Best Ball. On each hole, the two players on each team with the best net scores are compared, and the team with the lower score wins the hole. If both teams’ best scores are equal, the hole is halved.
Governance
During the Matchplay Phase all 4-ball, Match/Best Ball matches are governed by the official R&A and USGA Rules of Golf. All players are responsible for knowing and applying the rules of match play. Any questions or disputes should be directed to competition management at support@creatorgolfclub.com. Decisions are final.
Handicap Adjustments
The World Handicap System (WHS) is used to adjust player handicaps based on slope and course rating. Handicaps for match scoring in the Club Championship 2026 are calculated as follows:
- Handicap Limit: As per the tournament handicap rules, any player with a handicap index above 28.0 will be capped at 28.0.
- Tee context: When players use different tees, Course Handicaps are calculated separately from each tee’s Slope Rating, Course Rating, and Par; no additional par adjustment is applied.
- Course Handicap Formula: Convert each player’s handicap index to a course handicap
Course Handicap = (Handicap Index × slope / 113) + (Course Rating – par) - Handicap Allowance: Next apply the tournament’s custom two-tier handicap system: Tier 1 players receive 90% of their Course Handicap, and Tier 2 players receive 75%. The result of this adjustment establishes each player’s Playing Handicap.
- Round Playing Handicap: Round each player’s playing handicap to the nearest whole number.
- Set Zero: Subtract the lowest playing handicap from all players and set it to zero.
- Assign Strokes: Allocate strokes based on the difference between each player’s playing handicap and the lowest playing handicap in the group (which has been set to zero).
More information
For further details on course and playing handicap calculations under the World Handicap System, visit the USGA website: USGA – Course and Playing Handicap
Additional Resource
Players may also use the official USGA Course Handicap Calculator as an additional resource: USGA Course Handicap Calculator
NOTE! Our digital scorecard automatically calculates all playing handicaps before / during the match, so CGC members do not need to perform any manual calculations. For these reasons we strongly recommend players make use of the digital scorecard provided during matches.
EQUIPMENT
All players are responsible for providing their own equipment, and Creator Golf Club cannot make any representation or guarantee that any course will provide equipment available for rent.
Player Conduct & Disciplinary Procedures
All players must behave respectfully and sportsmanlike at all times, on and off the course, including toward other players, officials, course staff, CGC creators, and the public. Unacceptable behaviour includes cheating, aggressive or abusive conduct, damaging the course, or failing to follow tournament rules. Players must also follow the host venue’s dress code. Breaches may result in warnings, loss of holes or matches, disqualification, or removal from the tournament. Any disputes should be raised with competition management at support@creatorgolfclub.com. Decisions are final.
EVENTS
Regional Qualifiers (UK & Europe only)
Regional Final events will be held in The UK in October 2026, and various participating CGC creators will be present at these events. Teams from The UK & Europe that win all six (6) matches in the winners bracket, as well as teams that win all required matches in the second chance bracket, will earn an invitation to one of these events.
Teams qualifying via the second chance bracket will have an additional one shot penalty applied to their playing handicaps at the Regional events. This penalty will be removed if a team progresses to the Grand final.
* In locations where there are no regional events provided, and teams are required to instead play an additional match (to qualify for the Grand Final), the team competing in the 7th match from the second chance bracket will not be eligible for a home team assignment during this 7th match and instead the team from the main bracket will automatically receive the home team assignment."
At each Regional event, teams will compete in a one-day, one-round tournament in a format to be confirmed. The top performing teams from each Regional event will qualify for an invitation to the Grand Final in November 2026.
Regional Final event attendees will enjoy the following benefits:
- One round of golf over one day at a top UK venue
- Welcome / leaving reception (including food & drinks)
- Various prizes on offer throughout
- Opportunities to meet creators
For any teams travelling from outside of The UK mainland (including Ireland) the organiser will reimburse up to £250 of travel expenses per team. Any additional travel / accommodation costs will NOT be reimbursed.
For teams outside of The UK & Europe regional events will not be offered, instead teams will play an additional matchplay round (7 in total) and winning teams will secure a direct entry to the Grand Final.
The Grand Final
The Grand Final will be held in November 2026 at a to be determined location. A large number of the CGC creators will be present at this event. Qualifying teams will gather from all over the world to compete over 3 rounds of tournament golf involving various formats.
All players invited to the Grand final will have the following costs paid for by the organiser;
- Travel (economy class) up to a maximum of £2,000 per team.
- Accommodation (3 nights in 4 star or above rated hotel)
- Green fees for all 3 rounds
- Prizes
* The organiser may also offer a variety of food / drinks / Prizes and entertainment throughout the Grand Final for attendees.
** Dates and times for all events may be subject to change**
