Professional players, hardy amateurs and golf enthusiasts from around the world of golf are welcome to take part in the “Baikal Prize Open-2014” Tournament on Ice Golf next spring - on the weekend of 22-23 March, 2014

Siberia’s only  ice golf tournament - Baikal  Prize Open-2014-  is played  in accordance with  "All-Russia Rules on Golf Competitions» (http://www.rusgolf.ru/ruls text.pdf/ )  , the Rules of Golf as approved by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews   and the local  Baikal Ice Golf Tournament Rules approved by the Baikal Prize -2014  Ice Golf  Tournament Organizing Committee.

The “Baikal Prize Open-2014” Organizing Committee includes Golf Association of Irkutsk Region, Irkutsk Regional Committee for Physical Culture, Sports & Tourism, and Absolute Siberia Events & Expeditions Bureau.

Admitted to participate are golfers from any part of the world who possess professional or amateur status according to the Rules of Golf approved by St.Andrew Club, have valid registration card or having no any alike. No age restrictions; the Player must be moderately fit and healthy enough for ice golfing.

Format of the Baikal Prize Open-2014  ( click)


The “Baikal Prize  Open-2014” Ice Golf  Tournament is played over 9-18 holes stroke play over 2 days to determine absolute winner, the winners  and prize winners (female and male).

Dates and place of holding

The Baikal Ice Golf Cup Tournament is held in the town of Listvyanka, Lake Baikal, on 22-23th of March, 2014.

Referee 

The Organizing Committee of the Baikal Ice Golf Cup selects the Referee team supervised by the Head Referee who is in charge of taking final decisions on disputes and arguments in the course of the tournament. Claims and/or complaints are accepted by the Referee Team in written form not later than 30 minutes after completion of a round.

Terms of Play on Ice Course
The Organizing Committee of the Baikal Ice Golf Tournament requires that players comply with an anti-doping policy. Before the play and during it Player is allowed to take only that medicine which is prescribed by the doctor and it is evidently seen  from the  prescriptions that such a medicine is vital for that player in order to continue required medical treatment.
The players on the ice golf course are allowed to wear winter footwear with spikes.

Players are not allowed to leave the course during the play unless such a need to leave the course is caused by the player’s sudden health problems or due to other unforeseen, force-major reasons. In appearance of the need to leave the course the player is requested to immediately inform the referee about such a necessity; once the player fails to inform the referee about it in proper way, such player will not be allowed to continue the play.
During a stipulated round, the use of a mobile phone is regarded as a serious breach of etiquette for which the penalty may be disqualification.

The Ball

The players are allowed to use only those balls of red, orange or yellow color included in the list of approved balls by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.

Pace of  the Play  

The player must play in accordance with Rules of Golf  (see Note  2 to Rule 6-7) and the Local Pace of Play Guidelines established by the Organizing Committee and  controlled by the Referee’s Team of the Baikal Prize Open Ice Golf  Tournament. Maximum periods of time allowed to complete a round is determined by the Referee’s Committee of the Baikal Ice Golf Tournament which duly informs about that  all the tournament’s participants upon registration. 
To prevent slow play and for the breach of the Pace of the Play Rules the penalties are applied as follows:   
• First offence – the player is given a notice; 
• Second offence- One stroke;
• Third offence – Disqualification.

Tees

Red tee – Ladies. Yellow tee – Men.
Course
Length of Baikal Prize Open Tournament’s Ice Course shall be up to 3777 meters. The course shall meet the standards for holding official amateur or professional level ice golf tournaments.

Time of Starting  

The player must start at the time established by the Committee in the Time of Starting Protocol which determines one’s starting point and time. The Player must arrive at his starting tee-hole not later than 5 minutes before the starting time, and declare his readiness to play. Penalty for lateness beyond five minutes is disqualification irrespective of the reasons of such a late arrival.

Ties

In the event of a tie for the Absolute Winner of   the Tournament  a sudden-death play-off will be conducted immediately to determine the winner. The play off holes will be decided by the Tournament Head Referee.   All other ties will be decided by a count-back. The winner will be the player having the lowest gross score over the last 9 holes and etc. If a tie still arises, the scores of the immediate previous round will be applied. If a winner is still not determined after the score of the first round is applied, the result will be decided by the  open draw. The draw results shall be final, and no claims or complaints shall be accepted.

Awards
Absolute winner of the 9-th “Baikal Prize Open” Tournament on Ice Golf is awarded with the Title of the “Absolute Baikal Ice Golf Prize Winner-2013” and the “Baikal Prize-2013” Cup and Absolute Winner Medal.
The female and male winners and 2-nd and 3-rd place prize winners shall be awarded special diplomas of the Tournament Winners and the Winner Medals. 
A number of other testimonial awards such as the Cup and medals of “Winteriada” Baikal International Nordic Games Festival and special Cup from “Absolute Siberia” for notable performances during the plays of the Tournament shall be awarded to the Tournament’s participants on suggestion of the Referee’s Team and by the decision of the Organizing Committee of the Tournament.

The Award Ceremony will take place on the ice of Lake Baikal and be followed by Reception Dinner on behalf of the Baikal Open Prize-2013  Ice Golf Tournament Organizing Committee.
The Tournament Committee reserves the right to amend the above Tournament’s conditions.

Schedule of Activities of the “Baikal Prize Open-2014” Ice Golf Tournament