Your browser is not supported. Please update it.
The Grafton Morrish Golf Association

Constitution & Rules

Title

The name of the Association shall be “Grafton Morrish Golf Association” (hereinafter called the Association). (Previously The Public Schools Old Boys Golf Association).

Objects

The objects of the Association shall be the encouragement of the formation of Golf Societies by the Old Boys of Public Schools (but see also ‘Membership’ section below) and the promotion of an annual golf competition, between representative teams from member societies, for the Grafton Morrish Trophy and such other team trophies, including individual medals, as the Executive Committee may decide.

Membership

Subject to the following section, membership of the Association shall be open to the Old Boys Golf Societies, or Golfing Sections of Old Boys Societies, of all schools whose headmasters are invited to attend the Headmasters’ Conference. Membership shall also be open to the Old Boys Golf Societies or Golfing Sections of Old Boys Societies of such other schools as may be approved for recommendation by the Executive Committee and accepted by resolution of a General Meeting. Nominations for consideration by the Executive Committee shall be in writing, duly proposed and seconded by not less than six other member societies in addition to the proposing society. The aforesaid Societies and Sections may have female members.

Entrance Fee and Annual Subscription

An entrance fee shall be payable to the Association and an annual subscription shall be payable by the 31st March of the competition year to which it applies. The amounts of the Fee and Subscription shall be fixed from time to time by the Executive Committee.

Competition Rules

The Rules of the annual competition for the Grafton Morrish Trophy shall be annexed hereto and shall not be altered except by resolution duly proposed, seconded and approved by an Annual General Meeting as hereinafter provided.

Commercial Sponsorship

The Association shall so conduct itself as to remain free of any kind of sponsorship of a commercial character.

Officers

The Officers of the Association shall be a President, Vice-Presidents, Chairman, Honorary Secretary or Secretaries, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Press Officer, to be elected for three years initially and shall thereafter be subject to election annually.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers and not more than fifteen other Members. Members of the Executive Committee shall be former pupils of a Member Society’s school, be elected for three years initially and shall thereafter be subject to election annually. New nominations each year shall be restricted to not more than one-third of the Committee Membership.

A quorum of the Executive Committee shall be six, of whom at least two shall be Officers, except that the Quorum for the draw for the match-play section shall be three.

Members of the Executive Committee shall be eligible for re-election without the necessity of previous nomination.

The Executive Committee shall have power to set up sub-committees and shall be empowered to co-opt persons to act as Members, until the first subsequent General Meeting, to fill any vacancy that may arise.

General Meetings

All Member Societies shall be given 21 days’ clear notice of General Meetings.

An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in every year for the purpose of the election of Officers and other Committee Members, giving consideration to the Accounts of the Association and all such other business as may, by resolution of Member Societies and/or decision of the Executive Committee, be referred to it. It shall be held during the first quarter of the year at a place to be decided by the Executive Committee.

A Special General Meeting shall be convened at any time if the Executive Committee deems it desirable or upon the Secretary receiving a written application for same by the accredited representatives of not less than twelve Member Societies.

Auditor

The accounts of the Association shall be audited or independently examined by a person or persons to be elected annually.

Voting

Each Member Society shall have one vote at any General Meeting and decisions shall be confirmed by a simple majority of voters present, except for amendments of the Constitution, which shall require the support of not less than two-thirds of those present.

The Chairman shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie in the voting, in addition to any other vote to which he is entitled.

Resolutions

All resolutions to be voted on at a General Meeting, including nominations for Officers and Committee, must be duly proposed and seconded and submitted in writing to the Secretary at least 28 days prior to the date or proposed date of the Meeting. Prior notice of such resolutions may be circulated to Members at the discretion of the Chairman and Secretary of the Executive Committee, but resolutions affecting the Constitution must be so executed.

Interpretation of Constitution

In the event of any question as to the proper interpretation of the Constitution, the Chairman’s decision shall be final.

Trustees

The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint not more than four nor less than two Trustees and to remove or accept the retirement of any Trustee so appointed. The Trustees shall hold the assets of the Association and deal with them as the Executive Committee may direct.

Rules for the competitions of the Public Schools Old Boys Golf Association

1.General

The competitions shall be open to teams representing members of the Public Schools Old Boys Golf Association, hereinafter called the Association. Teams shall consist of six players, who shall be of Amateur Status, playing scratch foursomes as three pairs.

The competitors shall adhere to the Constitution of the Association and be Former Pupils of the School for which they are playing, subject to having completed one full year’s education from the age of 13 at such school, the minimum competing age being 16. If a Former Pupil has attended more than one school, he may play for either school, but not for more than one school in the same year. Play shall accord to the rules of golf as laid down by R. & A. Rules Limited, or as amended by any local rule of the host club. Disputes shall be referred for settlement to the convenor on qualifying days (see 2(a) below) and thereafter, if required, to the Competitions Committee, whose decision shall be final.

2. Qualification for the Competitions

3(a) The number of entrants for the competitions will be reduced by means of qualifying rounds in regional areas, under arrangements to be determined each year by the Executive Committee, to such numbers as the Executive Committee may decide are required to play in the competitions. Places in the matchplay tournament (see 4(a) below) will be allocated in proportion to the number of member societies competing in each regional area. Arrangements for play in each area shall be made by a member of the Executive Committee representing such area, (herein called the Convenor).

(b) Subject to paragraph 2(d) below each Member Society’s team entering the competition shall play 18 holes of scratch foursomes scoring by the Stableford system from the men’s scratch tees of the course selected in each region, whether the players be male or female. The aggregate scores of the three pairs of each team shall count.

(c) Tied scores shall be decided on the aggregate team score of the final nine holes; if still tying on the final six holes, three holes, two holes or final hole. If teams still tie, there shall be a play off on the same basis within 14 days on a mutually convenient course. For the play off the teams need not necessarily consist of the same players as in the original qualifying round. If a mutually convenient date or venue cannot be arranged the matter shall be resolved as in paragraph 2(d) below.

(d) In the event that the conditions in paragraph 2 (b) above are impracticable on the qualifying day the convenor shall determine the method of qualification. The convenor’s first option will be to take the scores on the maximum number of holes played by all the competitors provided such number is not less than six.

3. Competitions Committee

The Competitions Committee shall be the Executive Committee or a sub-committee thereof appointed for the purpose of administering the competitions, including the issue of relevant Tournament Instructions. Three shall form a quorum. The Competitions Committee shall have the discretion to adopt temporary variations to these Rules during the competitions should circumstances so require.

4. Competitions

(a) Grafton Morrish Trophy

Qualifying teams (see 2(a) above) will play in a matchplay knock-out competition for the Grafton Morrish Trophy. The draw will take place at a meeting of the Executive Committee wherever convened.

The Competitions Committee shall decide the times and venues for the various matches and competitors will be required to be on the tee at their appointed time. Competitors failing to adhere to this shall be liable to disqualification. A win by one pair of a team and halved matches, after 18 holes, by the other two pairs, shall be a win for that team.

The team winning the matchplay tournament shall hold the Grafton Morrish Trophy for one year and each member shall receive a winner’s medal and each of the beaten finalists shall receive a runner’s up medal.

The holders of the Grafton Morrish Trophy automatically qualify for the subsequent year.

(b) Solihull Salver
First and second round losers in the above matchplay tournament shall be entitled to enter the Plate competition for the Solihull Salver. This competition shall be scored on the Stableford system and be for a team of three pairs playing scratch foursomes, all three scores to count. Ties shall be decided in the same way as in the qualifying rounds (see 2(c) above). Members may enter less than three pairs with the consent of the Competitions Committee.
The team with the highest number of points shall hold the Solihull Salver for one year.

(c) Committee Bowl
Four teams playing in the Plate competition will be invited to play in a further knock-out competition for the Committee Bowl. Invitations will be given first to those teams with the highest scores in the Plate competition. The draw will be made immediately after the presentation of the Solihull Salver.
The conditions of play will be the same as those for the Grafton Morrish Trophy and the winning team will hold the Committee Bowl for one year.

5. Disputes

Any dispute regarding the interpretation of these Rules or the competitions themselves shall be referred to a meeting of the Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final.