Rules:
The format for the local qualifying tournament will be 2-man scramble for golfers 21 years old or older. The Tournaments must have a minimum of 48 eligible players, and winners must be determined via a legitimate golf competition.
In order to accommodate the various options to dealers regarding type/format of tournaments, MBUSA will NOT monitor local player handicaps and/or scoring irregularities. Should issues arise at the local level, they should be resolved by the host dealer and/or club professional/charity representative.
*MBUSA reserves the right to alter current policies surrounding the Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships Golf Program and is allowed to deem any participate ineligible under any circumstances
Terms and Conditions
IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING THE MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER CHAMPIONSHIPS GOLF PROGRAM
The Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships (MBDC) golf program is a three-tier competition, which includes two (2) exclusive Sectionals. MBUSA maintains complete flexibility toward dealer golf tournament formats, but it must remain as an amateur golf program – no professional golf players are eligible to advance to the next level of competition, The USGA’s definition of an amateur golf player is “one who plays golf for the challenge it presents, not as a profession and not for financial gain.” (The Rules of Golf, approved by the USGA, Rules of Amateur Status, definition, Amateur Golfer). MBUSA reserves the right to alter current policies surrounding the Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships Golf Program and is allowed to deem any participate ineligible under any circumstances.
Any employee of Mercedes-Benz dealership, MBUSA, MBUSA-affiliate company, charity board member, charity employee, charity volunteer or charity staff member; program partner or program sponsor, employees of a tournament title or host sponsor, host club or agency employee; tournament volunteers; USTA/USGA employees or affiliates or any individual appointed to work the tournament by any of these parties, is not eligible to compete or win tournament competition prizes (i.e., these individuals cannot advance to a Sectional Tournament or National Final or US Open VIP Trip and/or win program designated contest prizes).
All local golf tournaments must comply with charity ties. For all local golf tournaments, a minimum of $100 per player must be donated to the pre-approved charity.
All post–event documents must be sent to the local tournaments Agency Event Representative (AER) within two (2) weeks of completion of the tournament. If these documents are not sent within the two (2) week deadline, MBUSA reserves the right to deny the dealership the chance to send a team to the Sectional Tournament. This includes the results sheet, which must be approved and signed by both the club professional and dealership representative. A signed results sheet turned in to the Agency Event Representative is a final results sheet. MBUSA is not responsible for any discrepancies that may have occurred in filling out the aforementioned results sheet at the local level.

For golf tournaments, under no circumstance can Sectional Tournament playing spots be awarded via auction/raffle or drawing (i.e., such playing spots are only to be awarded via a legitimate golf competition).
If all players listed on the official local tournament results sheet cannot attend the Sectional Tournament, MBUSA reserves the right to (A)permit the dealership to send a non-competing team at their own cost, (B)create a combination team with another dealership if the opportunity presents itself, or (C)deny the dealership the opportunity to send a team or fill the reserved sectional attendee spots.
The No-Repeat Winner policy has been reinstated for the 2017 MBDC Program. If a player competed in a 2016 Sectional Tournament at Pinehurst Resort, this player is ineligible to compete in a 2017 Sectional Tournament. Should an ineligible player win or qualify through a local tournament, the next runner-up player from that local tournament will be invited to attend the Sectional Tournament in the former’s place.
Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS) will self-insure the hole-in-one award vehicle. One dealership employee must serve as a spotter to witness all tee shots to the designated hole. A second spotter will be required as well to witness shots that hit the green (two witnesses total per tournament). The second spotter, which cannot be another dealership employee, (e.g. host club employee or charity volunteer) should be designated by the host dealer. Both spotters must be over the age of 18. Both spotters are to remain in position until all groups have completed this designated contest hole.
The first player to score a hole-in-one at the designated par 3 contest hole will be awarded a car a (base model). There is a maximum of one (1) hole-in-one winner per tournament. MBFS will not be held responsible for multiple hole-in-ones hit during one local tournament. The minimum distances for this contest hole are 175 yards from the men’s tee and 125 yards from the women’s tee. Both the car display and signage must be visible for the participants on the designated hole.
The golf Sectional Tournament winner package includes the following: accommodations (one standard guest room), event functions, hospitality and golf (1 practice round, 2 competition rounds) as specified on the MBDC Program Website, for the winner only.
MBUSA will issue a round-trip coach air ticket (to/from same city) for each team member, and ground transfers to/from select airport/host resort (on official arrival/departure days only).
Each team member is permitted to bring one (1) adult guest, 21 years and older (airfare on own). Winner’s guest will be included in designated hospitality and tournament functions. No additional guests are permitted.
Air travel for team members must be booked through MBUSA’s travel agency. Should winners wish to make any changes to their travel itineraries, they will be doing so on their own, directly with the airline and applicable fees are the winner’s responsibility. Similarly, if a dealer, or any other individual or company, wishes to pay for upgraded winner airfare, book the winner guest airfare (which is the winner’s responsibility), etc. those arrangements will be made by the dealer (or individual) directly with the airline. MBUSA travel agents are not responsible for making such arrangements and/or changes. Under no circumstances will any airfare booked by an outside company or individual be reimbursed by MBUSA. There are no exceptions. Additionally, no mileage reimbursement will be given to any winner under any circumstances. If the participant ‘s primary home address is within 250 miles of the host venue, MBUSA is not responsible for ANY transportation expenses or reimbursements.
Additionally, if Sectional winners wish to extend their stay, upgrade their room, secure adjoining rooms or make any change regarding accommodations, they will be doing so at their own expense directly with the Program Management Center (PMC). Please note, Northeast and Southern Region dealer teams may elect to arrive prior to golf tournament date, but late departures cannot be accommodated. Changes of this nature are available on a first-come, first-served basis depending on the resort’s availability. MBUSA is not responsible for such changes.
At the Mercedes-Benz Sectional Tournament dealer golf teams will compete in a two-day qualifier. During each round, teams will compete using a Modified Callaway System — with the individual gross scores of the two-person dealer team (utilizing this Callaway System) being combined to comprise the team score for that day. The team score from each day will be added together for the overall combined two-day team score. The top 3 teams from each Sectional will be invited to participate in the National Final to be held at West Lake Country Club (WLCC2) (date subject to change). This once-in-a-lifetime experience includes an invitation to participate in exclusive activities surrounding MBUSA’s global partnership with the Masters Tournament.
Air travel for team members must be booked through MBUSA’s travel agency. Should winners wish to make any changes to their travel itineraries, they will be doing so on their own, directly with the airline and applicable fees are the winner’s responsibility. Similarly, if a dealer, or any other individual or company, wishes to pay for upgraded attendee airfare, book the winner guest airfare (which is the winner’s responsibility), etc. those arrangements will be made by the dealer (or individual) directly with the airline. MBUSA travel agents are not responsible for making such arrangements and/or changes. Under no circumstances will any airfare booked by an outside company or individual be reimbursed by MBUSA. There are no exceptions. Additionally, no mileage reimbursement will be given to any winner under any circumstances. If the participant ‘s primary home address is within 250 miles of the host venue, MBUSA is not responsible for ANY transportation expenses or reimbursements.
As this is an adults-only program (21 years or older), infants and children are not permitted to accompany winners to any Sectional, National event under any circumstances. There are no exceptions.
Handicap indexes are not required to compete in the 2015 Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships golf program. With specific regard to Sectional and National Final competitions, MBUSA reserves the right to review any scoring irregularities—and to disqualify any individual(s) from competing and/or advancing whom it deems to have acted improperly, inequitably, or unfairly. In such instance, the disqualified individual(s) shall be barred indefinitely from participating in this program.
Golf players are reminded that under current USGA regulations, acceptance of a winner package at a Sectional or National Final event, including expenses, as well as participating in any of these events, can result in the loss of amateur status for participants. While the practical applications of forfeiture of amateur status are understood primarily to affect low handicap golfers who compete in scratch tournaments, concerned players should research this issue further with their local golf association.
Those players that have advanced to any National Final in Augusta are eligible to attend the Sectional Tournaments as non-competing players. Additionally, they are not eligible to advance to a future National Final. This rule, and its intent, is that no player may advance to the National Final if he or she has ever competed previously in a National Final held in Augusta (i.e., one National Final at Augusta per player lifetime).
When a Sectional Tournament winner brings a guest to the National Final, that guest is still eligible to compete in future years at the Sectional Tournament for a chance to attend the National Final as a competitor. Furthermore, that guest would be eligible to bring the previous winner as their guest if they so chose.
For local qualifiers who cannot attend the Sectional Tournament, the next runner-up, as indicated on the approved Golf Results Sheet, will be designated to fill the vacated spot. For Sectional qualifiers, if one player on the winning team is not eligible or cannot attend the National Final, the individual low gross medalist at their respective Sectional will replace them. If already qualified based on a top three team finish, then the next lowest individual gross score will be invited to the National Final. If both players of the winning team cannot attend the National Final, the next runner-up Sectional team will be invited to attend. No player substitutions will be permitted, for any reason, within two (2) weeks of a Sectional Tournament or National Final.
Players are not permitted to bring personal caddies to either a Sectional Tournament or National Final. There are no exceptions to this policy.
MBUSA reserves the right to reassign select dealer teams to either Sectional event, depending upon overall regional enrollment.
Participation in all or part of any Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships event shall constitute consent for photographs of participant to be used in a professional internal marketing effort for MBUSA and the Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships program. Further, participant fully and unconditionally releases all claims for consideration, copyright infringement and all other claims of any nature relating to the use of participant's entry, name or likeness.
Additional program rules and restrictions may apply. Please contact your host Mercedes-Benz dealer for further details. Under no circumstances will there be any exceptions to the program rules and restrictions listed herein, as well as those contained on the Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships Program Website and 2016 Program Summary which are provided to the host dealer in advance of the local qualifying tournament.
For information on Mercedes-Benz privacy policy please visit www.mbusa.com/mercedes/policies/privacy_statement
MBUSA reserves the right to alter current policies surrounding the Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships —including, but not limited to, dealership participation, charity requirements, dealer tournament/event components.