Bylaws Message
Last Updated: 09/20/12

SEPULVEDA WOMEN’S GOLF CLUB
Constitution and Bylaws

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of this organization shall be the “Sepulveda Women’s Golf Club” (SWGC), a non-profit organization.  The SWGC shall be under the sanction of the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks, the Municipal Golf Association, and shall herein after be referred to in this Constitution as the “SWGC”. 

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES

SECTION 1:  The objectives and purposes are to promote, foster, regulate, develop, and conduct amateur golf activities among the members of SWGC. 

SECTION 2:  To promote and hold such social and recreational activities as the general membership may desire. 

SECTION 3:  To cooperate and comply with the general rules and regulations of the Department of Recreation and Parks.

SECTION 4:  To seek membership in and to cooperate and comply with the rules and regulations of the Women’s Public Links Golf Association of Southern California, Inc., the Los Angeles County Women’s Golf Association, and the United States Golf Association (USGA). 

SECTION 5:  To establish and maintain standard handicaps for all active members. 

ARTICLE  III – MEMBERSHIP

 SECTION 1:  Any female applicant eighteen (18) years of age or over of good character shall be eligible for membership in SWGC.  An applicant shall become an active member when: (a) her application has been filed, (b) she has attended orientation or meetings that the Board deems necessary, (c) she has complied with the membership regulations, and (d) she has paid such dues and assessments as apply to new members. 

SECTION 2:  An applicant under eighteen years of age may apply for membership with the majority approval of the Executive Board and the Standing Committee Chairs (the SWGC Board), and a representative of the Department of Recreation and Parks.    

SECTION 3:  All applicants for membership must agree by signing the application form to abide by and support the SWGC Constitution, By-Laws, and general rules and regulations of SWGC as well as the organizations listed in Article II, Section 4.  In addition, as a condition of membership, each applicant agrees that all unresolved disputes and grievances will be decided by the SWGC Arbitration Board as described in Article III, Section 5.    The Arbitration Board’s decision shall be binding on all parties involved and all parties agree to accept the decision reached and to seek no legal action against the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks, the SWGC, its Board, or any SWGC member. 

SECTION 4:  In the event that a member has a grievance with any other member of SWGC that is not resolved by direct discussion between the parties involved, she will then approach the President, another member of the Board, or the entire SWGC  Board of Directors to resolve her grievance.  In the event that she deems the individual’s or the Board’s resolution to be unsatisfactory, she will submit the matter in writing to the Arbitration Board as provided for in Section 5.

SECTION 5:  The Board of Directors shall have power by a two-thirds (2/3) vote to discipline any member for conduct which is in violation of SWGC’s Constitution or By-Laws, discredits SWGC, or is in repeated violation of USGA regulations.  In the event that the disciplined member takes issue with her disciplinary action, she may seek redress by submitting the matter to the SWGC Arbitration Board.  This Arbitration Board will be selected by the President from the Board of Directors, for a total of 5 people.  In the event that one of these members is herself involved in the complainant’s grievance, the rest of the Executive Board shall select an alternate from the SWGC Board.  The Arbitration Board’s decision shall be binding as described in Article III, Section 3.         

SECTION 6:  Only members in compliance with SWGC rules and regulations may participate in SWGC activities. 

SECTION 7:  Any person who has been an active member for at least three (3) years may choose to become an Associate member (a non-playing member) by informing the Treasurer that she wishes to make this change. As an Associate member, she cannot hold any office, nor can she vote on matters put before the membership. She will receive a copy of the SWGC roster, SWGC newsletters, and is permitted to attend social functions, provided she pays the required fees.  She will not be eligible to participate in any event for prizes.  She may reactivate her status to “active member” at any time by paying her full dues.   

SECTION 8:  An individual may become a “handicap only” member and obtain WPLGA-sanctioned handicap through the SWGC.  “Handicap only” membership does not entitle any SWGC privileges with the exception of the SWGC Roster. 

ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS

SECTION 1:  The Executive Board shall consist of the following officers:

            Elected for 1 year:     a.  President

                                                b.  Vice-President (Handicap)

                                                c.  Secretary

d.      Treasurer

All of the foregoing officers are to be elected by a majority vote of the membership of SWGC present at the annual meeting of SWGC or special meeting called for said purpose.  A Nominating Committee appointed by the President shall make nominations for each office.  Said nominating committee shall have the privilege of nominating one or more candidates for each office.  Their selection shall be posted prior to the annual meeting.  Nominations shall be accepted from the floor for any office at the annual meeting.

SECTION 2:  The new officers shall take office January 1.  Term of office shall be one (1) year, and no member shall hold the same office longer than two (2) consecutive years, unless waived by the Board of Directors. 

SECTION 3:  The President shall be the chief executive and administrative officer of SWGC.  She shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall preside at all General Meetings.  In her absence, the officer in the order named above shall preside in her stead. 

SECTION 4:  In case of a vacancy or resignation of any officer, the President shall appoint, with the approval by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, a new officer to fill the vacancy for the balance of the term.  In case of the vacancy or resignation of the President, the Vice President shall assume the duties and appoint a new Vice President for the balance of the term. 

SECTION 5:  A representative of the Department of Recreation and Parks shall be an ex-officio officer of SWGC.  Such a representative may be a member of all committees and may sit with the Board of Directors in an advisory capacity with no voting rights.   

ARTICLE V – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 1:  The policy, business, and affairs of SWGC shall be directed by the Board of Directors, who, in turn, shall be subject to the Constitution and By-Laws of SWGC.  The Board of Directors shall consist of all the Executive Officers, and the Chairs of all Standing Committees.  The immediate past president shall serve as advisor.  She may attend the board meetings  only in an advisory capacity and has no vote.  In the event that the last President is unable to serve as advisor, another past President of SWGC may be appointed. 

SECTION 2:  The Board of Directors shall meet subject to the call of the President.

SECTION 3:  A quorum of the Board of Directors shall be at least two (2) Executive Officers of SWGC and two-thirds (2/3) of the Board of Directors of the Standing Committees. 

SECTION 4:  All official business affecting the General Membership of SWGC must be approved by a quorum of the Board of Directors. 

ARTICLE VI – GENERAL MEETINGS

SECTION 1:  The last General Membership Meeting (Annual Meeting) of the year shall be held in December at which time installation of officers shall take place. 

SECTION 2:  At least four (4) General Meetings, including the Annual Meeting, shall be held each year. 

SECTION 3:  The President may call special General Meetings at any time by giving seven (7) days’ notice to all SWGC members. 

 

SECTION 4:  All meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Meetings shall be held at the Sepulveda Clubhouse or another appropriate venue. 

SECTION 5:  Notice of all regularly scheduled meetings will be posted on the bulletin board in advance of said meetings. 

ARTICLE VII – GENERAL MEETING QUORUM

SECTION 1:  Official business of SWGC cannot be transacted unless one-fourth (1/4) of the active membership (dues paying members) in good standing is present at the meeting.  Active membership present is defined as the average number playing on SWGC play days. 

ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION

SECTION 1:  This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of SWGC members present and voting at any General Meeting or at a special meeting for this purpose, providing the entire amendment has been posted on the bulletin board for 30 days. 

BY-LAWS

SEPULVEDA WOMEN’S GOLF CLUB

ARTICLE I – DUES

SECTION 1:  The annual dues for regular and associate members in SWGC shall be determined annually by the Board of Directors.  Dues are payable November 1st  and delinquent after November 30th  of each year.   Membership shall be effective November 1st  to October 31st  of following year. 

SECTION 2:  New members joining after November 30th  will pay an adjusted amount based on their date of joining. 

SECTION 3:  The initiation fee for new members shall be in addition to the annual dues and shall be determined by a vote of the Board of Directors. 

 

SECTION 4:  The Board of Directors will impose a penalty if dues are not paid by November 30th.  If the Dues are not received by November 30th, the member will be assessed penalty charges or the member may be dropped at the discretion of the Board of Directors.  The delinquency charges will be determined by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 5:  “Handicap Only” members are accepted with the dues set by the Board to include membership in the Women’s Public Links Golf Association. 

ARTICLE II – DUTIES OF OFFICERS

SECTION 1:  It shall be the duty of the President to:

A.     Preside at all meetings of SWGC and the Board of Directors.

B.     Call all special meetings.

C.    Appoint the Tournament Chair(s). 

D.    Appoint all standing committee chairs.

E.     Appoint and discharge special committees.

F.     Be ex-officio member of all committees.

G.    Appoint a financial auditor to audit the financial books of SWGC prior to the first General Meeting of the fiscal year.

H.     Assure that all by-laws and rules and regulations as adopted by SWGC are strictly enforced and generally supervise all affairs of SWGC. 

SECTION 2:  It shall be the duty of the Vice President to:

A.         Act as assistant to the President, and in the President’s absence, to preside at all meetings. 

B.         Serve as Handicap Chair.

C.        Keep an alphabetical record of the members’ handicap and all necessary work pertaining thereto.  This shall include, but not limited to, establishing GHIN numbers and registering new members in SWGC. 

D.        Keep at all times a list of members and their handicaps posted on the bulletin board in the Clubhouse. 

E.         Attend no less than two (2) meetings a year offered by the LACWGA, WPLGA, SCGA or the USGA pertaining to handicap procedures.  She must report back to the Board of Directors and/or general membership regarding new and/or changed policies. 

SECTION 3:  It shall be the duty of the Secretary to:

            A.  Record the minutes of all meetings of SWGC.

B.     Email a draft of the minutes of all SWGC meetings to Board members for any corrections or additions.  Then, post the approved minutes in the Clubhouse. 

C.    Conduct the correspondence of SWGC at the direction of the President and/or the Board of Directors.

SECTION 4:  It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to:

A.     Receive all monies for SWGC, including Sweeps monies. 

B.     Maintain a current membership list.

C.    Keep an itemized account of all financial transactions of SWGC and render a monthly and annual report. 

D.    Make no expenditures of SWGC monies except under the direction of the President and/or the Board of Directors. 

E.     Have the financial books of SWGC audited annually and report the audit at the first General Meeting of the fiscal year. 

F.     Work with the President to prepare the budget for the year. 

 ARTICLE III – STANDING COMMITTEES 

SECTION 1:  The Standing Committees shall be known as the:

A.     Membership Chair: The duties shall be to create and promote an annual membership campaign and to work with the Secretary and Treasurer in maintaining the active membership in good standing through the payments of dues, and promote such other membership activities as the Board of Directors may dictate. She will also provide new members orientation, be responsible for distributing SWGC Constitution/By-Laws, roster, and other necessary   documents. 

B.     Major Tournament Chair(s):  The duties shall be to annually promote and create a schedule of Major Tournaments for submission to the Board of Directors and to direct and implement these annual tournaments as scheduled.  The Committee shall work with the Rules Chair(s) and be responsible for starting times, eligibility, fees, reservations and to disseminate tournament information to the membership. 

C.    Publication Chair:  Serve as the editor of the newsletter S’Putter, print and distribute the newsletter .

D.    Rules Chair:  Shall be thoroughly familiar with the USGA Rules of Golf, all local rules, and shall post all rules and changes as necessary.  The Chair will have the authority under the rules of the game to settle disputes arising out of play.  The Chair shall be prepared to discuss the rules of golf before any assembly of members upon request of the membership and the permission of the President.  The Chair shall present all local rules for the approval of the Board of Directors and shall attend at least one (1) workshop per year given by an approved organization. 

E.     LACWGA Representative:  Shall keep SWGC’s Los Angeles County Women’s Golf Association (County) members informed of all LACWGA activities and process applications of new members joining during the year. 

F.     WPLGA Representative:  Shall keep all active SWGC members informed of all Women’s Public Links Golf Association (PubLinks) activities. 

G.    Social and Program Chair(s):  Shall schedule and organize the General Meetings.  Schedule, create, promote, and conduct such special activities, exclusive of tournaments and competitive events, which the Board of Directors may request. 

H.     Hospitality Chair(s):  Shall be to promote camaraderie and serve as official hostesses at SWGC meetings and events. 

I.         Sunshine Chair:  Shall send cards or flowers in support of members as appropriate.

J.      Communications Chair:  Shall be to contact members upon request by the President. 

K.     Awards Chair(s):  Shall be to select at the order of the President and/or the Board of Directions, prizes for tournaments, and shall present costs to Board meeting for approval.  Keep the trophy cases in good order and have all engraving done. 

L.      Team Captain:  Shall be the organization of SWGC team(s), informing the members of the schedule of matches, arranging for substitutes, and determining line-ups.  If SWGC is represented by more than one team, each team should have its captain under the SWGC Team Captain.   

M.    Weekly Tee Times Chair:  Shall accept weekly tee times; notify City Golf Department by their designated date prior to play day of starting times needed.  Each Tuesday post a sign-up sheet for the following week. 

N.     Ringer Chair(s):  Shall be responsible for organizing spring and fall ringers:  Sign-ups, collect fees, prepare pairings, post results, identify winners. 

          O.    Golf Advisory Committee (GAC) and Municipal Golf Association (MGA)  Representative:  The representative appointed by the President shall attend the GAC/MGA meetings and report back to the Board of Directors in a timely manner. 

SECTION 2:  Special Committees (ad hoc) may be created from time to time for special purposes that may arise, and will be discharged by the President at the completion of responsibility for which they were created.  In this case, the members of these committees are not required to be members of the Board of Directors. 

SECTION 3:  All Committee Chair(s) shall make a written annual report to be presented to the President and filed in Job Description file. 

SECTION 4:  The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, may add necessary Committee Chair(s) as needed and they will be a part of the Board. 

ARTICLE IV – RULES OF ORDER

SECTION 1:  Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary order of SWGC, subject to the special rules, which have been or will be adopted by SWGC. 

ARTICLE V – AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1:  The By-Laws may be amended at any General or Special Meeting of SWGC called for that purpose, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present, providing the entire amendment has been included in the notice of the meeting to each member.  Alternatively, it may be posted on the bulletin board of the Clubhouse for 30 days. 

Established:  August, 1957

Amended:      May, 1961