So what should you do when you receive a red card?
First off, do not panic! The red card just represents a warning to the entire group that they are behind overall time par and out of position with the group in front.
The red card is a signal to the group to play ready golf, walk with a purpose and to catch up to the group in front by the next timing station hole. The only time a penalty is involved is when a group that is on a red card fails to abide by the tips above and loses more time from checkpoint to checkpoint (over the next three holes).
In order to rescind the red card, the group must receive a green card at the next timing station checkpoint by doing one of the following:
- Finish the next timing station checkpoint under the overall time par.
- Finish the next timing station checkpoint within 14 minutes of the group ahead of them,or in other words, in position.
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The group makes up one minute from the checkpoint-to-checkpoint time between timing stations (Ex: Red Card received on No. 2 and time par on Nos. 3-5 is 45 minutes. The group must finish No. 5 in 44 minutes or less, which would extend the red card through the next checkpoint).
For more information on the AJGA's 'Setting the Pace' educational series, or the AJGA Pace of Play Policy, please contact Tournament Coordinator Samantha Hirshberg at shirshberg@ajga.org .