Tata Hitachi Karnataka Golf Festival is the official India qualifier for the World Amateur Golfers Championship, one of the largest and most prestigious amateur teamgolf tournaments in the world. This year, the tournament celebrates its 12th edition with over 350 amateur golfers teeing off at the immaculate Karnataka Golf Association from 24th to 26th August 2023.

The tournament follows the individual stableford format across 5 handicap categories. Players can play on any one day. The overall winners in the 5 Handicap Categories over 3 days will qualify to play in the finals of the World Amateur Golfers Championship, which will be held from 4th to 11th November in Phuket, Thailand.

• Players compete as individuals.
• Each player plays only one day.
• Entry for 18 years and above only. Each individual will play only one round of 18 holes, on any one day (24th/ 25th/ 26th, August 2023), subject to availability of slots, on first come first serve basis.
• Participants should indicate on the registration form clearly, on which day they prefer to play. (24th/ 25th/ 26th, August 2023) A maximum of 120 players will play each day. This will be a morning shotgun start.
• Players who register for the tournament are prohibited from playing a practice round of golf on the same day on which the said player is playing the tournament. However, players are permitted to play a practice round prior to the day on which they are participating.
• On receipt of the entry fee with the registration form, the dates will be confirmed directly to each participant. The maximum permissible handicap for all players (ladies and gents) will be 24. Scoring is on individual Stableford basis on 3/4th handicap. Each day at lunch, the winner in each of the 5 handicap categories will be announced.
• The overall 5 individual winners from 5 handicap categories, over 3 days of the tournament will be announced on Saturday, 26 August 2023, at the Prize Distribution/Cocktails/Lunch at KGA, Bengaluru. The 5 winners of Day 1, 2 & 3 would be invited for the awards ceremony.
• These 5 individual winners will represent Corporate India in the World Amateur Golfers Championship, being held at Phuket, Thailand from 4 to 11 November 2023.
• Handicap Indexes of all golfers as on 1st August 2023 will be adjusted as per Course Rating/Slope Rating of KGA, to White Tees for Men and Red Tees for Ladies. Kindly inform your latest handicap index to the organiser latest by 21 August 2023. Golfers who declare the wrong handicap or fail to inform their handicap index as on August 1, 2023 at their respective clubs to the organisers in time will be disqualified
• When a player submits a handicap instead of a handicap index or a handicap/index from an unrated course, the Committee reserves the right to assign a course handicap to that player as it deems fit.
• Should a participant hold handicaps at multiple clubs, all information must be presented at the time of registration. We will be using the lowest handicap in multiple clubs.
• In case of a tie, the gross stableford points over the last 9,6,3 or 1 hole will be taken to determine the winner/ runner-up. For the purpose of this count back, holes 10-18 will be considered. In case of a further tie, the winner will be decided by a coin toss.
• Golfers and markers submitting incorrect score cards may be liable for disqualification and suspension from their home-clubs.
• Players opting to play from any other tees will not be eligible to win.
• The 5 winners of this event in 2019 are not eligible to participate in the World Finals in Phuket, Thailand from 4 to 11 November 2023.
• The tournament committee reserves the right to reject any entry without assigning any reason thereto.
• The tournament committee reserves the right to alter any handicap/handicap index furnished by a player, if so deems fit.
• Any dispute with respect to handicaps will be resolved in accordance to the USGA Handicap system and as per the tournament committee decision.
• Open to Amateur Golfers above 18 years of age who have not been ranked in the top 20 of IGU Men’s amateur Merit list for past 10 years and not represented any official Indian team internationally after January 1, 2022.
• In case of any dispute, the Tournament Committee's decision will be final. The competition shall be governed by the rules of golf as approved by the R&A Rules Limited and the local rules printed on the tournament score card.
• Practice putting on the putting green of the hole last played is prohibited under Note 2 to Rule 7-2. Penalty for breach is 2 strokes.
• The decision of the Tournament Committee on all matters pertaining to the play, interpretation and application of the rules of golf and handicaps and the tournament in general shall be final.
• All participants should engage caddies.
• Participant using Buggy/Carts will not be eligible to win prizes.
• Fourball requests will not be entertained.
• In accordance with Section 5E of the Committee Procedures section of the Rules of Golf 2023, the tee markers/hole locations may be differently situated on each day of a single round competition played over multiple days.
• KGA Local Rules in force on the dates of the competition will be applicable.
• The result of the competition is deemed to be closed when the daily results are announced in the daily awards ceremony for the winners. The overall winner results of the competition are deemed to be closed when the overall winners are announced at the awards ceremony during the awards lunch on 26 August 2023.
• These 5 winners will be provided economy class return airline tickets from their respective city to Phuket, Malaysia 7 nights stay on twin sharing basis & 6 rounds of golf (includes 2 practice rounds) on 4 renowned golf courses, including 2/3 gala dinner invitations, etc. Visa cost & incidentals to be borne by the winners directly.