HIGHLAND CUP

BY-LAWS & GUIDELINES

1. Eligibility and Registration:

1. Eligibility: All Prime, eligible Executive, Senior and Legacy members, who are a “Member in good standing”, as defined by the Club’s By-Laws, (hereinafter “Eligible Members”) are eligible to play in the Highland Cup Championship (“Championship”).  Non-Resident Members are not eligible to play.

2. Registration: Eligible Members interested in playing in the Championship will be required to choose a team that they would like to represent, and register for that team.  All Participants must sign up for their chosen Team no later than July 15^th of the year in which the Championship will be contested.  Participants who have not previously signed up to play in the Championship may choose the Team they would like to compete for.  For past Participants seeking to compete for a different Team, they must sit out for one (1) year before being eligible to compete on his newly chosen Team, even if he was only signed up and did not participate the year prior. For example, to compete for a different team in 2020, a player shall not have signed up for ANY team in 2019.  NOTE: An Eligible Member who has never competed in the Highland Cup may sign up for a different team without sitting out for a year.  

Eligible Members may utilize the sign-up link on the BHCC members’ home page to register for the Championship. The registration page will allow members to easily register for the Highland Cup Team of choice. The registration page will also contain a list of those members who are currently registered, as well as the qualifying points available to be obtained from scheduled events.

2. Teams & Team Size: The Championship shall be contested by three (3) Teams, representing the Irish, Italian, and World. Each Team shall be comprised of twenty-eight (28) Members, which shall include one (1) Captain, one (1) Assistant Captain, twenty-four (24) Qualifiers and two (2) Captain’s Picks. 

3. Captains and Assistant Captains: 

1. Eligibility to Serve: To be eligible to serve as a Captain or Assistant Captain, the Member shall have participated, for the applicable Team, at least twice in the past four (4) years, and must be eligible to participate in the impending Championship.  

2. Captain: The Team Captain shall be the Team’s Assistant Captain from the prior year. An individual may only be named Captain once every fifteen (15) years. The Captain automatically qualifies for the Championship. In the event the Team’s Captain is no longer eligible or cannot fulfill his duties as Captain, a new Captain shall be named as follows:

1. If an Assistant Captain has already been named, and the Assistant Captain is eligible and able to fulfill the duties as Captain, he shall be elevated to Captain, and shall select his Assistant Captain, who is eligible and can fulfill the duties required of Assistant Captain, for the impending Championship; or

2. If an Assistant Captain has not yet been named, or has become ineligible, the prior year’s Captain shall select a new Captain, who is eligible and can fulfill the duties required of a Captain, in which case, the newly selected Captain shall select his Assistant Captain, who is eligible and can fulfill the duties required of Assistant Captain, for the impending Championship; or

3. In the event a new Captain has not been named in accordance with subparagraphs (i) and (ii) above by March 15 of the Championship year, a new Captain shall be named by the Highland Cup Committee prior to Opening Day.

3. Assistant Captain: The Assistant Captain shall be chosen by the Team’s current Captain (prior year’s Assistant Captain), and must be selected by Opening Day of the Championship year. The Assistant Captain shall not have served as Captain within the past fourteen (14) years. The Assistant Captain automatically qualifies for the Championship.

4. Qualifiers: Qualifiers shall be determined based on a system of points earned through participation and performance in the Club’s golf events throughout the year, with the top twenty-four (24) point earners for each Team automatically qualifying for the Championship. Points will be awarded as set forth below. The point list will be updated weekly and posted online and on the men’s locker room bulletin board. 

1. Prior Year Events That Count Towards the Following Year
   1. Black Friday ‘Old Course’ Scramble
   2. King of the Hill (Partial)
   3. Triple Crown Member-Guest

2. Men’s Breakfast Events: Participation (5pts)
   1. Men’s Opening Day
   2. Black Friday ‘Old Course’ Scramble (applied to the following years’ points)

3. 1-Day Member-Guests: Participation (10pts – No additional points for guests)
   1. May 1-Day Member-Guest
   2. July 1-Day Member-Guest
   3. August 1-Day Member-Guest
   4. Triple Crown (applied to the following years’ points)

4. Men’s Invitational: Participation (10pts)

5. Mixed Golf & Twilight Events: Participation (1pt)
   1. Mixed Twilight Events
   2. Mixed Golf/Husband-Wife Events

6. Men’s Hat Group: Participation (1pt)
   1. Note: Points for Hat Group may only be accrued from Opening Day through the Cut-Off Date and shall be capped at 10pts.

7. Four–Ball: Participation (10pts), Qualifiers (20pts), Round of 8 (30pts), Semi-Finalists (40pts), Runners-Up (50pts), Champions (60pts)

8. Junior–Senior: Participation (10pts), 2^nd Place (20pts), 1^st Place (30pts)

9. President’s Cup: Participation (10pts), 3^rd Place (20pts), 2^nd Place (40pts), 1^st Place (60pts) 

10. Skochil Member–Member: Participation (10pts), Flight Runners-Up (20pts), Flight Winners (30pts), Shootout Winner (50pts)

11. Club Championship: 
    1.                 Championship Flight: Participation (10pts), Qualifiers (15pts), Round of 8 (20pts), Semi-Finalists (25pts), Runners-Up (50pts), Champions (70pts)
    2.               All Other Flights: Participation (10pts), Qualifiers (15pts), Semi-Finalists (20pts), Runners-Up (40pts), Champions (60pts)

12. King of the Hill: Participation (5pts), Each Match Won (5pts). Points accrued for matches won up to and including the “Cut-Off Date”, provided that the deadline for completion of those rounds falls on or before the “Cut-Off Date”, will be credited to the Member for the impending Highland Cup. The balance of any Points accrued thereafter will be applied to the following year’s points.

13. The Derby: Participation (0pts) – Ten Post Time Finalists (10pts+1pt/hole advanced), Winner (30 pts)

5. Qualifying Points Cut-Off Date and Tie Breakers:

1. Cut-Off Date: The “Cut-Off Date” for accrual of Points for the impending Championship shall be Champions Day, as scheduled, not to include the rain date.  All Points accrued by a Member before the Cut-Off Date shall count towards the impending Championship, and all Points accrued thereafter shall count towards the following year’s Championship.

2. Tie-Breakers: In the event of a tie for the final qualifying spot(s), the following tie-breaker procedures shall be used until the tie(s) is broken: 

1. Total points accumulated for Club Championship;
2. Total points accumulated for President’s Cup;
3. Total points accumulated for Four-Ball;
4. Overall Highland Cup Stats (Most Points Won in past Highland Cups) ; 
5. Rounds Posted (most rounds posted on GHIN between Opening Day and the Cut-Off Date; 
6. Captain’s decision to break the tie(s).

6. Captain’s Picks: The Captain of each Team shall be given the opportunity to invite (2) members, who have registered for their respective Team, to participate on their Team, even if that individual has not accumulated enough points to qualify. A Captain may look outside of the list of those Members who registered for his Team only in the event everyone who was registered for his Team has confirmed that they cannot participate. Once a member has been designated a Captain’s Pick, he is ineligible to be a Captain’s Pick for the next three (3) Championships. For example, if a member is selected as a Captain’s Pick for the 2024 Championship, he is ineligible to be selected as a Captain’s Pick in 2025, 2026 and 2027, with eligibility restored for the 2028 Championship. Captain’s Pick must be selected within three (3) days of the Cut-Off Date.  

7. Handicaps:

1.  Each participant’s Playing Handicap for the Championship shall be based on his lowest Handicap Index between August 1^st and the Cut-Off Date of the Championship year.  Use of the TPS System for the Championship shall be determined by the Highland Cup Committee, in conjunction with the Club’s Handicap Committee.

 Matches will be played at 100% handicap adjusted according to USGA Rules

2.                         “Rule of 80” White Tees (Age + Handicap Index = 80 or more)
3.                       Any Participant whose Age plus Handicap is equal to or greater than 80 shall be afforded the opportunity to play from the White Tees.
4.                       Any Participant eligible to play from the White Tees must elect and notify their Captains within three (3) days of the Cut-Off Date whether they will play from the White or Blue Tees.  
5.                         Participants must play from their choice of Tee for the entirety of the tournament.

8. Event Format:

1. Sessions: The Championship shall be decided based on the Teams’ performance in four (4) separately contested sessions, which shall consist of: Better Ball of Partners, Pinehurst, Alternate Shot and Singles Match Play. 

1. Better Ball of Partners Session will consist of 11 net eighteen-hole matches in sixsomes. 22 members playing and 6 sitting out per Team. Matches begin Friday AM, shotgun start.  Note: Those playing in the Better Ball of Partners session are not allowed to play on the course in the morning.  The practice area will be open for practice. 

2. Alternate Shot Session will consist of 11 net eighteen-hole matches in sixsomes. 22 members playing and 6 sitting out per Team. Matches begin Saturday AM, shotgun start. Players shall alternate taking the tee shot hole-to-hole.

3. Pinehurst Session will consist of 11 net eighteen-hole matches in sixsomes. 22 members playing and 6 sitting out per Team. Matches begin Saturday PM, shotgun start. 

1.              Pinehurst Rules: Each team member will hit their tee shot, then switch and play their partner’s ball for the second shot. After each team member has hit their partner’s ball for their second shot, one ball is chosen to be played alternately into the hole. The other ball must be picked up and removed from play. THIS INCLUDES ALL PAR-3 HOLES. Players shall alternate taking the tee shot hole-to-hole.  Penalty strokes DO NOT affect the order of play. 

1.             EXAMPLE: If ‘A’ hits a ball which might be lost or out of bounds, ‘B’ would hit the provisional ball from the place where ‘A’ originally hit from. THE SAME PLAYER SHOULD NEVER HIT CONSECUTIVE SHOTS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

4. Singles Match Play will consist of 28 net eighteen-hole matches in threesomes. Matches begin Sunday, with tee times.

1. Captains will play each other for the first match of the day.
2. Assistant Captains will play each other for the second match of the day.
3. Each Team’s Participant with the lowest Handicap Index, who is not a Captain or Assistant Captain, will be designated the Team’s No.: 1, and each Team’s No.: 1’s shall play the final Match of the day.
4. Each Participant is expected to play in Sunday Singles.  In the event a Team does not have twenty-eight (28) Participants for Sunday Singles, the Team shall forfeit each match for which they cannot field a Participant. 

2. Minimum Play Requirement: All members of each team shall be selected to play in a minimum of two (2) Sessions over the course of the Championship. The minimum is waived should the player withdraw prior to the Session starting or before being defeated (i.e. getting sick or injured in the middle of the match before the match is completed). Captains are required to sit out at least one (1) Session. Assistant Captains are allowed to play in all Sessions.

3. Substitutions: If a Participant becomes ill or is injured, or otherwise unable to compete due to extenuating circumstances, prior to a Session, the Team’s  Captain may substitute another Team member for that Participant provided that his Playing Handicap is similar and/or all Team Captains are agreeable to the substitution.

4. Playing Rules: The Club’s Professional Staff, in conjunction with the Committee, shall provide formats, handicap allocations, rules, and local rules for each Championship, consistent with current USGA rules and recommendations for each format, that which are not otherwise set forth herein.

5. Scoring: Each Team will be awarded 1 point for a match won, ½ point for a match halved and 0 points for a match lost. The Team with the highest accumulated point total at the declared end of the Championship will be named Highland Cup Champions. 

6. Tiebreaker: If there is a tie at the declared conclusion of the Championship,  the Captain and Assistant Captain of the appropriate Teams will participate in a sudden death playoff, repeating on Holes #17 and #18, until a winner is decided. The format for the playoff will be Alternate Shot match play, identical to how it is played during the Alternate Shot Session. 

7. Order of Play: The Championship shall open in the first Session with the Participants for the previous year’s winner having honors on the 1^st Tee of their respective matches, followed by the Teams that finished 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively.  If there was a tie for 2^nd and 3^rd place from the prior year’s Championship, then the last winning Team shall have the honors.  After the first hole it is honors for every hole thereafter based on low net score from the previous hole.  For each subsequent Session, the order of play shall commence on the first hole of that Session with the Team leading at the conclusion of the prior Session having the Honors, followed by the Team in second and the Team in third.  If there is a tie, then the last winning Team shall have the honors.  

8. Inclement Weather: In the event of inclement weather, decisions as to how to proceed shall be made by the Highland Cup Committee, in conjunction with the Captains, Assistant Captains, Professional Staff and Superintendent.

9. Advices: During the Championship, players may only receive advice from their playing partner (if applicable), caddie, Captain, or Assistant Captain. No advice shall be taken or solicited from any other Team Member or spectator.  Team members shall not be permitted to serve as caddies for any session of the Championship.

9. Pairings Selections Amongst Captains and Assistant Captains:

1. Flighting – Better Ball, Alternate Shot, Pinehurst: To eliminate excessive stroke differentials between Teams, each of the Teams’ eleven (11) two-man pairings for these Sessions shall be flighted based on the twosomes’ combined Handicap Index, and grouped into one (1) flight of three (3) twosomes, and two (2) flights of four (4) twosomes in descending order (3-4-4 / A-B-C).  Ties shall be broken based on the lowest individual Handicap Index within the pair.  Matchups against other Teams shall be made within these Flights.

1. Captains Matches: The Captains/Assistant Captains shall have the option to play against each other in Better Ball.  In such event, the ten (10) remaining two-man pairings in Better Ball shall be grouped into two (2) flights of three (3) twosomes and one (1) flight of four (4) twosomes (1-3-3-4 / C/AC-A-B-C).

2. Maximum Differential Between Partners (“The Spread”): The maximum difference between playing partners shall be twelve (12) index points.  

3. Flighting of Singles: Each of the Teams’ twenty-eight (28) Participants shall be flighted, based on Handicap Index, as follows: Captains, Assistant Captains, No.: 1s, and then in five (5) groups of five (5) in descending order (1-1-5-5-5-5-5-1 / C-AC-E-D-C-B-A-No.: 1s).  Ties shall be broken based on Captain’s decision for that Team.  Matchups against other Teams shall be made within these Flights.

1. Order of Play / Tee Times: 
   1. 1^st Tee: Captains, Assistant Captains, Flight C, Flight B, Flight A, No.: 1s;
   2. 10^th Tee: Flight D, Flight E;

4. Order of Pairings: The order of the Captain/Assistant Captain Team Parings selection goes in order of previous year’s final results. The winning team picks first and so on. 

1. Team Formats (Better Ball, Alternate Shot and Pinehurst) go in order of LOW to HIGH handicaps 3-4-4 (A-B-C) and keeps rotating the order throughout the matches. 
2. Singles go in order from HIGH to LOW 1-1-5-5-5-5-5-1 (C-AC-E-D-C-B-A-No.: 1s) and keeps rotating the order throughout the matches. NO RESETTING ORDER PER FLIGHT.

10. Flying of the Flags:

1. Highland Cup Flag: The Highland Cup Logo’d flag shall be flown in place of the New Jersey State flag beginning September 1^st, and remain flown until completion of the Championship.

2. Past Champions Flag: The flag of the prior year’s winner of the Championship shall be flown adjacent to the Highland Cup Logo’d flag beginning September 1^st, and remain flown until a new Champion is determined.

3. Raising the Champion’s Flag: Upon the Highland Cup Committee’s declaring of a new Champion, the winning Team’s Captain shall raise his Team’s flag, replacing that of the past Champion, and the newly declared Champion’s flag shall remain flown until the Club reopens in February of the following year.

4. American Flag: Under no circumstances shall the Highland Cup Logo’d Flag, the Champion’s Flag, or any other flag associated with the Championship be flown in place of the American Flag. 

11. Entry Fee: The entry fee for the event will be discussed each year prior to posting signage. The entry fee will include Dinner on Thursday night and Hors d’ oeuvres Sunday afternoon, Tournament Supplies, Signage and Handouts, Prizes and Team Gear. Team Gear will be selected by the Golf Shop staff with input from Team Captains.

12. Amendments: The Guidelines may be amended by the Highland Cup Committee in order to maintain the traditions of the Highland Cup Tournament, while adapting to any changes in Beacon Hill Country Club membership.

13. Governance: The Highland Cup Committee shall govern the Championship.  The Committee shall be made up of five (5) persons, consisting of the Club’s Golf Committee Chairman, the Head Golf Professional and one (1) representative of each of the three (3) Teams.  The Team representatives shall be selected by the Golf Committee Chairman, and serve at his pleasure. In keeping with the traditions of the Highland Cup Championship, and ensuring that it remains “The Members’ Tournament”, the Highland Cup Committee will liaise with the Captains of each Team in its governance of the Championship with respect to matters impacting the golf playing aspect of the Championship. 

14. Relaxation / Adaptation:   Any necessary last-minute changes or decision to relax any rules set forth herein shall  be made based on unanimous  decision of the Captains, with the Committee holding final discretion where necessary to ensure the integrity and traditions of the Championship.  In the event of the need to make last minute changes or adaptations of the Guidelines, and where the Captains cannot unanimously agree, the Committee shall make the final decision on such matters.  

APPENDIX

REVISIONS – September 11, 2024 (Chairman – Malone, J., Members – Ricciardi, J., Casner, S., Oesterheld, C.)

Modified Article 1.b. – Changed registration deadline from July 1^st to July 15^th

Article 4.k.a. – Added “Quarter Finalists (20pts)” to accommodate for expansion of Club Championship, Championship Flight to sixteen (16) qualifiers

Modified Article 6 for clarification – Captain’s Picks – Deleted “A Captain’s Pick may only be a Captain’s Pick once every three (3) years, and must be selected within three (3) days of the Cut-Off Date.” Replaced with “Once a member has been designated a Captain’s Pick, he is ineligible to be a Captain’s Pick for the next three (3) Championships. For example, if a member is selected as a Captain’s Pick for the 2024 Championship, he is ineligible to be selected as a Captain’s Pick in 2025, 2026, and 2027, with eligibility restored for the 2028 Championship. Captain’s Pick must be selected within three (3) days of the Cut-Off Date.”

Added Article 8.i. – Advices

REVISIONS – April 15, 2025 (Chairman – Malone, J., Members – Ricciardi, J., Casner, S., Oesterheld, C.)

Modified Article 4 a-m – Updated point structures