SIR Division 5 Online Information (This is a non-public page)


2016 SIR Division 5 Golf Program (updated 2/10/17)
Presented by Butch Evans - Division 5 Golf Chairman
This page is a quick Division meeting presentation, converted, and may have errors in it.
If you spot an error, or have questions, want information added, please contact me at 559-271-2024  or  sirdivision5@gmail.com)

2017 Goals and Objectives:
Find a replacement for the currently open Area 027 Chairman position.
Organize and run the 2017 SIR State Individual Championship Qualifier. 

SIR State Website(click)
This link leads to everything in Sons In Retirement.
Sons In Retirement "SIR" is a Northern California non-profit corporation.

SIR State Golf Website(click)
This link leads to everything golf at the state level.
Northern California is divided into 5 territories called divisions.
Divisions are divided into Areas and then Areas consist of Branches.
There are currently no SIR Branches south of Bakersfield.

SIR State Golf Committee(click)
This link leads to the SIR Leadership Organization Chart.
'SIR Golf' is an NCGA Associate Golf Club consisting of local Branch golf clubs.
Each Branch Golf Club is roughly equivalent to a golf course men's club.

SIR Division 5 Leadership Committee(click)
Division 5 starts in Bakersfield and goes almost to Sacramento and includes everything along Hwy 99 and east into the Sierra Foothills.
The Areas in Division 5 are:  
Area 14,  North Valley - Stockton, Walnut Grove, Lodi
Area 22,  Mid Valley - Merced, Modesto, Manteca, Tracy
Area 27,  Sierra Foothills, Patterson, Jackson, Sonora
Area 29,  South Valley - Bakersfield, Fresno

SIR State Golf Membership and Handicap Indexes(click)
This link will take you to downloads and an Excel spreadsheet which includes all SIR Golf Club Members and their handicap index as of the 1st of each month.

It is sorted in various ways depending on how  you want to see the members listed (see tabs at bottom).
From this spreadsheet you can extract all of your Area and Branch Golf Club Members.

Some of our SIR Golf players are members of other golf clubs and do not have a membership in the SIR Golf Club.

SIR players need a valid handicap index, with recent scores reported, to compete in State, Division, Area and Branch events.

Validity of a players index is determined by Branch Handicap Chairman/Committee.

A SIR Golf Club membership is required to participate in SIR State Golf tournaments. This rule is under review by SIR State Golf Committee.  See the current understanding defined below.

SIR State Golf Manual(click)
The USGA rules of golf are used as the baseline for all SIR golf events.
The SIR State Golf Manual defines the responsibilities of SIR Golf Leadership.
The SIR State Golf Manual defines how the SIR State Golf Tournaments are run.
The SIR State Golf Manual defines any Sir Club rules that deviate from the USGA Rules.

SIR State Golf Calendar(click)
This Calendar provides a month by month reminder of key golf events.

SIR State Golf Schedule(click)

-   John Boyer(Div-2) and I are looking into organizing a SIR State Tournament in the Sacramento Valley in November 2016/17 or March 2017 - Similar to the Whitney Oaks Tournament.
Response to this venue was not sufficient to proceed with making the arrangements.

SIR State Rules Changes Summary:
-   Anchored Putters are not allowed in State Tournaments - Branches decide for their tournaments.
-   Lost or Out of Bounds Ball -  No more drops - Be sure to play provisional ball at tee.
-   State Golf Committee will discuss allowing any SIR member with an established NCGA handicap to play in SIR State Tournaments, at the April meeting.
My best understanding of the issue is as follows:

Players can join as many NCGA clubs as they want, and then carry an official NCGA index for each club joined.

Players who join the NCGA Associate - 'SIR Golf Club' are automatically eligible for all SIR State Events. An 'Associate Club' is one that does not have a golf course facility.    Golf clubs at golf courses, either public or private, are 'Green Grass' clubs.

Spouse members of the SIR Golf Club(NCGA handicaps only) are guests of SIR outings and subject to event Chairman decisions rules; they are not members of SIR.

The Chairman of each SIR State Event has the option to open that event to any SIR member who holds a valid/current index with any NCGA Club.

In 2016, the SIR State Scramble and Individual Championships tournaments were closed to non SIR Golf Club members because they always fill up.

The SIR State tournaments at NAPA, RENO, and the Open Play at Laguna Seca were not filling to planned capacity so the Tournament Chairman of each event opened those up to any SIR member(spouse) with a valid NCGA handicap. Thus the confusion!

Sign ups for SOLVANG  were so low that we had to cancel the event all together, or face a tangible financial loss.

I hope this clarifies the murky waters of what is going on.  Let me know if you need additional clarifications.


USGA rule changes to be aware of:
-   Putting with flag stick in hand is no longer a penalty.
-   Ball moves after being addressed - No penalty if player did not cause it.

NCGA Associate Competitions
-   SIR Branches are NCGA Associate Clubs and members can participate in many NCGA Tournaments.
-   Did you receive your 2017 NCGA Tournament Information Packet??