The detail that protects trust, fairness, and confidence.

Any golfer aged 18 or over who holds a valid, active GolfRSA Handicap Network Africa (HNA) handicap can enter. You must be in good standing at your club. There is no restriction on which club you belong to — two players from completely different clubs can form a team together. The tournament is open to all golfers across South Africa, regardless of province or club affiliation.

Ref: Tournament Rules 3.1, 5.1.1 – 5.1.3

The entry fee is R1,500 per player (R3,000 per team). If your team pays in full together at the time of registration, a sign-on discount applies and the combined fee is R2,800 — a saving of R200. Payment is made securely online. Once your team is paid and placed in the draw, no refunds are issued. If you withdraw before 1 August 2026, a 20% administrative fee applies.

Ref: Tournament Rules 7.1, 7.1.1, 7.3, 7.4

Yes, you can still enter. However, the maximum handicap index permitted is 20.0. If your current handicap index is higher, it will be capped at 20.0 for playing purposes. From that capped figure, a 90% allowance is applied and rounded to the nearest whole number. The lowest adjusted handicap among all four players in a match plays off scratch — all others receive strokes equal to the difference, allocated on the hardest holes.

Ref: Tournament Rules 9.1.2, 9.1.3, 9.1.4

After registration closes on 1 August 2026, teams are placed into divisions using geo-plotting based on the postal code you provide at registration. Teams closest to each other geographically are grouped together. Each division consists of exactly 8 teams. It is critically important that you enter your postal code accurately — this is the only factor used to determine your division.

Ref: Tournament Rules 6.3, 8.2, 8.3

Divisions are designed to group the geographically closest teams together, so travel should be minimal. The home team is responsible for booking a GolfRSA-affiliated course and confirming the tee time. The maximum accepted green fee is R600 per person. If the home team cannot secure a booking, the match defaults to the away team's club, or a mutually agreed neutral course. Each player is responsible for their own green fees and costs on the day.

Ref: Tournament Rules 8.7.1 – 8.7.7; Addendum 1, A1.4.1, A1.6.2.1

A substitution is permitted for health, bereavement, business or other valid reasons. You are allowed one substitution per season — the original player cannot return to the team once substituted, and admin must approve the change. Important: if your team won a Divisional Final to qualify for the SA Final, you cannot substitute a player for the SA Final. The same two players who won the Divisional Final must compete.

Ref: Tournament Rules 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5

The home team must initiate contact within 7 days of the round being released and propose at least three tee time options — including a weekend slot and a weekday afternoon option after 13:00. If your opponent does not respond within 48 hours, or no agreement is reached by Day 7, the matter is automatically escalated to admin. Admin can assign a venue, set a date and tee time, and notify both teams within 24 hours.

Ref: Addendum 1, A1.3, A1.4, A1.5, A1.7

A tied match goes to sudden death, starting from Hole 1 or the next available hole as allocated by the club. If sudden death is not possible, a countback from Hole 18 is used — the team that was last in the lead wins. If that is also not possible, a chip-off decides the winner: nearest to the pin wins.

Ref: Tournament Rules 10.1, 10.2, 10.3

Yes. By entering, you grant the organisers and all involved media parties the irrevocable right to photograph or video you for tournament promotion and advertising in any media, without further approval or payment. Your personal data is processed in accordance with POPIA and used solely for tournament administration. You have the right to opt out of sponsor communications at any time by emailing admin@matchplaysa.co.za.

Ref: Code of Conduct 4.1 – 4.2; Privacy Policy 4.1 – 4.7

The SA Final is a multi-day national championship event scheduled for mid-May 2027. The organisers cover on-site accommodation, golf rounds and meals. Players are responsible for transport to and from the venue, caddies and carts. One practice round is provided. Social events take place every evening except one, with live entertainment on at least one evening. Full details will be published by end of August 2026.

Ref: Tournament Rules 13.1 – 13.8

If a confirmed venue becomes unavailable due to maintenance, weather closure or booking constraints, the match defaults first to the away team's course. If that is also not possible, both teams share equal responsibility for finding an alternative within 72 hours. If the matter remains unresolved, the win is awarded to the team with the fewest overall losses.

Ref: Addendum 1, A1.8.1 – A1.8.2; Tournament Rules 11.3.1

The maximum accepted green fee is R600 per person per match. Home teams are required to negotiate the best possible rate with their club. If the home team proposes a venue exceeding R600, the away team may veto it. Both teams may mutually agree to exceed the R600 cap. Each player is responsible for their own green fees, cart fees and any additional costs on the day.

Ref: Addendum 1, A1.4.1, A1.6.2.1 – A1.6.2.4, A1.13.1 – A1.13.2