What are The Long Island Matches?

The Long Island Matches are Long Island’s premier spring interclub competition.

The Long Island Matches were created to foster interaction and friendly competition among Long Island’s golf community.

The spring matches will feature Long Island Mid-Amateurs playing in a no-handicap, four-ball competition.

The Long Island Matches will use New Jersey’s Hoffman Cup as inspiration. The Hoffman Cup, started in 2005, has grown to be the highlight of the spring golf calendar in New Jersey.

Format - Group Play

  • Four clubs per group.

  • Each club plays the three other clubs in their group.

  • Matches played at scratch.

  • Each club will field four teams. Two men per team.

  • Matches will be played as two-man, four-ball matches on a four-point basis.

  • One point for the front side. One point for the back side. Two points for the overall.

  • In the event of a tie on the front side, back side or overall, each team will split available points for said side.

  • The point total after competition with another club will be 16 points (i.e., four matches x four points). 

  • Team in each group with most total points will be the group winner.

  • All group winners advance to the finals.

There is no tie-breaker in head-to-head intragroup play; ties will stand as ties. 

In the event of a tie between two clubs at the end of intragroup play, the first tie-breaker would be the result of their head-to-head match.

The second tie-breaker would be the cumulative points won in the first matches to tee off (both home and away) in the head-to-head match.

Format - Finals

The winners of group play matches will advance to the finals.

The finals will be played as a two-man, four-ball medal play competition. All four sides will be counted.

The team with the low total score in the finals will be Champion.

A tie at the end of regulation play in the finals will be broken by sudden death playoff, as coordinated by The Long Island Matches Director and the host head golf professional. Sudden death playoff will be one hole match play between two competitors from each team.

Club Eligibility

To start, The Long Island Matches field will be capped at 8 clubs. Field will grow as word spreads and new clubs express interest.

Clubs that are interested in competing in The Long Island Matches should:

  • Be a member in good standing of the Metropolitan Golf Association and the Long Island Golf Association

  • Have 20 members with a handicap index of less than 8.0

  • Have hosted or are scheduled to host at least one of the following events, in the history of the club:

  • Long Island Golf Association (LIGA) Open or Men’s Amateur Championships

  • Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA) Open, Men's Amateur or Ike Championships

  • Any USGA Championship (not including qualifiers)

  • Any PGA Tour event.

Player Eligibility

Within a given club, eligible participants include amateur (as defined in the USGA Rules of Amateur Status) members with a verifiable handicap from that club.

Each club is encouraged (but not required) to include:

  • Not more than one representative from the club’s professional shop for each intragroup and playoff round. Professionals may play home or away. Consideration should be given to having the representatives from the pro shop play their matches against each other, but there is no requirement to do so. 

  • Not more than one member younger than 25 years of age for each intragroup and playoff round. This would typically apply to a full, primary member's dependent with a verifiable handicap from that club. If a contestant is under age 25 and is also a full, primary member of the club, he will not be disallowed from playing under this rule. 

Club Captain(s) Responsibilities

Duties of club captain or captains:

  • Selects and fields his club’s team for each match.

  • Coordinates his club’s matches with each opposing captain(s).

  • Ensures that his club is fully prepared to receive its Long Island Matches guests / opponents.

  • Ensures that each of his team’s players is fully aware of the tee time, format and responsibilities (as either host or guest) for the day’s matches.

  • Before start of play, establishes the local Tournament Committee, as described below.

  • If not available himself, ensures that one player from his team serves as his on-site representative.  This player has the authority to act on his captain's behalf as a member of the on-site Tournament Committee. 

  • Reports the results of his match immediately after completion, first to his pro shop, and then to The Long Island Matches Director.

Tournament Committee Responsibilities

In the event of disputes or Rules discussions, there will be an on-site Tournament Committee consisting of the two Long Island Matches captains (or their representatives) and a nonparticipating member of the host professional staff.

This committee will settle issues before reporting the match, if possible. If not resolved locally, the issue should be reported to The Long Island Matches Director for resolution.

Host Club Responsibilities

  • Set aside two tee times each of the three group match days.

  • Host club’s members are respectfully requested to absorb green fees, range balls and a post–round meal (e.g., sandwiches and/or heavy hors d’oeuvres, beverages) for the participating guests and members. 

  • The host club in the Finals must be prepared to facilitate a sudden death playoff to commence shortly after the end of scheduled play.

Contestants’ Responsibilities

  • Know his tee time, format and expectations (either as a guest or a member) in The Long Island Matches.

  • Pay for caddies, carts and other incidental expenses such as tips. However, as a courtesy, some incidental expenses (such as “half-way house” refreshments) should be paid for by the host players or host club.

  • Understand that he is a representative of his club.

Champion Club Responsibilities

The winning club each year is responsible for the safekeeping of the The Long Island Matches Trophy and returning it to the finals the following year.

The Matches Director Responsibilities

  • Ensures that overall event scheduling and grouping is provided to all captains and other interested parties with plenty of time to allow successful coordination.

  • Arranges for and coordinates all aspects of the finals with the host club, which is expected to change every year.

  • Assists, as necessary, to ensure each captain has the information necessary to perform his job.

  • Serves as final decision-maker or arbitrator on The Long Island Matches related issues or disputes that cannot be satisfactorily settled by the captains involved, including those involving weather.

  • Communicates relevant information on intragroup matches and the Finals, and provides the results of these events back to the club captains in a timely manner. 

  • Ensures that The Long Island Matches trophy is properly engraved between events, and is presented at the finals event.