Below, you will find the Southwest Challenge Tournament Information and Rules of Play. Should you have any questions concerning any of this information, or any other concerns, please be sure to contact your local league operator prior to your departure for the tournament. Please keep in mind that the Southwest Challenge is a large event squeezed into a few days. The schedule of matches is fairly aggressive. We realize that some of the scheduling may go off track a bit, but we are also counting on your cooperation and good sportsmanship to make this tournament a great success.

Tournament Room – The tournament room is in the Riviera Convention Center, near the entrance to the parking garage. 

Hotel Check-in – Unless you specified otherwise, your rooms have been reserved for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. You may check in at the front desk any time after 4 p.m. on Thursday. The room, tax & energy surcharge portion of your lodging has been paid, but you will be on your own for incidentals (phone, etc.), for which the Riviera will require a credit card or cash deposit. You MUST check in Thursday evening or you risk losing your room.

Team Registration - Each team must register in the tournament room prior to the tournament. You may register Thursday evening from 6:00 pm to midnight, or Friday morning from 7:00 to 8:00 am. You must have your Team Certification Statement (signed by all team members) with you.

Practice – The tournament room will be open for practice all evening Thursday. Once the main event has begun, you will be allowed to practice on any table that is not being used for the tournament or a mini event. Tables will be open throughout the weekend. Please keep in mind that any practice game you start could be interrupted if the table is needed for the tournament or a mini event.

Captains' Meeting - MANDATORY 8:30 a.m., Friday, March 22. Missing this meeting may result in your disqualification from the tournament. We will be going over the rules of play and making sure everyone understands the differences between regular league night rules and those that apply to this tournament, as well as the player rotation within a team. Only the captain is required to attend this meeting, so if your team does not play in the 9 a.m. round the rest of your team can sleep in.

Main Tournament - Start time will be at 9:00 a.m., Friday, March 22. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the tournament should start on time. Matches will be scheduled two and a half hours apart.

Mini Tournaments –Several mini tournaments will be scheduled throughout the weekend. Each mini event will have a field of 8 to 16 players and an entry fee of $10 or $20 with a few special minis for high skill levels at $50. Mini Tournament entry fees are 100% paid back in prize money. 

Skill Level Verification Cards – You will need to obtain a Skill Level Verification Card in order to sign up for minis. No one will be allowed to sign-up without a card. Anyone participating in the Main Tournament will receive a skill level verification card at registration. Players not participating in the Main tournament will be able to obtain a card for a $10 greens fee at the registration table or the main tournament control booth. Those players will need to show a photo ID to obtain their card.

Please keep in mind that all of this information is subject to change. If a change does occur, you will be notified as quickly as possible. 

Southwest Challenge Rules of Play

Except as noted below, all APA rules regarding regular session play apply. Local Bylaws do not apply at the Southwest Challenge!

The tournament is a modified single-elimination tournament. Each team is guaranteed two rounds of play. However, each team is not guaranteed two losses.

Each team match will be a race to two individual matches. Once one team has the required two wins, the match is over and the scoresheets should be signed and turned in. Do not play the third match if one team is ahead 2-0!

Each team must rotate through their roster in the order specified on their scoresheet. In the first round, the player at the top of the roster must shoot first. In all subsequent rounds, the player who is to play first will be highlighted on the scoresheet.

Play must be continuous once begun. If the player designated to play the next match is not available when it is time to start that match, then your team will forfeit that individual match. The person on the other team who was scheduled to play that match will be credited with the win and both teams will go on to the next player on their respective rosters.

Each team match will have a scheduled start time. Once your team has completed a round in the tournament, you are not required to be in the tournament room until the scheduled time of your next match.

Your team may forfeit a team match if you are not at your assigned table within ten minutes of your match being called. All team forfeits will be at the discretion of the tournament directors.

Each player will be allowed one time out per game, regardless of skill level.

Slow play will not be tolerated. If you are not in the third individual match by the 90-minute mark of your round, you may be asked to begin the third match on another table. Players will be allowed to pause their own match to coach a teammate during a time out on another table if necessary.

Any team match not called within thirty minutes of its scheduled start time may be assigned to two tables when it is called.  The first and second individual matches would be played at the same time, with the third match beginning on the first available of the two assigned tables.

Matches will be scored and all scores will be entered into a computer. Skill levels will be re-calculated for each round. If the skill level of a player goes up and it causes that player’s team to exceed the total cap of 14, the team will be allowed to continue in the tournament. However, the player who went up will have to play at the higher skill level.

If the skill level of any player on a team goes up by two or more, the team may be disqualified from the tournament.

If a team goes up by two full skill levels, the team may be disqualified from the tournament.

The tournament staff has sole discretion with regards to disqualification.