BY-LAWS OF BENNETT VALLEY GOLF CLUB, A NOT-FOR PROFIT CORPORATION
(As amended October 3, 2009)

ARTICLE I – ORGANIZATION
1. The name of the organization shall be “Bennett Valley Golf Club”.
2. The organization may at its pleasure by a simple majority vote of the membership body change its name.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSES
The following are the purposes for which this organization has been formed:
1. To foster and promote the game of golf in the Santa Rosa, California area and to conserve the true spirit of the game embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions.
2. To provide a competitive opportunity for its members by sponsoring and conducting golf tournaments on a regular basis.
3. To maintain a high standard of sportsmanship among members and to insure that the rules of golf are complied with in all events.
4. To promote and foster among its members a sense of fraternity and friendship.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Bennett Valley Golf Club shall be opened to any interested party without restriction, as long as the interested party is at least 18 years of age. 

The general intent is to encourage membership from the population of golfers that regularly play Bennett Valley Golf Course as their home course but members are welcome regardless of where they regularly play.

Membership in the Bennett Valley Golf Club is not exclusive.  Members of the Bennett Valley Golf Club can hold concurrent membership in other golf clubs without restriction.

ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
1. Annual Meeting:  The date of the regular annual meeting shall be set by the Board of Directors who shall also set the time and place.
2. Special Meetings:  Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson, the Executive Committee, or a simple majority of the Board of Directors.  A petition signed by ten percent of the voting members may call a special meeting.
3. Notice:  Notice of each meeting shall be given to each voting member, by mail or email, not less than ten days before the meeting.

ARTICLE V – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The business of this organization shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of up to twelve, and no fewer than eight, members, including the officers of this organization.

The directors to be chosen for the ensuing year shall be chosen at the annual meeting of this organization in the same manner and style as the officers of this organization and shall serve for a term of two years.  They shall be chosen by a majority vote in a meeting in which a quorum exists.  
There shall be no restriction on the number of consecutive terms to which a director or officer, may serve. 

The Board of Directors shall have the control and management of the affairs and business of this organization.  Such Board of Directors shall only act in the name of the organization when it shall be regularly convened by its chairman after due notice to all the directors of such meeting.

Fifty percent of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum and the meeting of the Board of Directors shall be regularly the first Saturday of each month.

Each director shall have one vote and such voting may not be done by proxy.
The Board of Directors may make such rules and regulations covering its meetings as it may in its discretion determine necessary.

Vacancies in the Board of Directors shall be filled by a vote of the majority of the remaining of the Board of Directors for the balance of the year. 

The President of the organization by virtue of his office shall be Chairman of the Board of Directors.
A director may be removed when sufficient cause exits for such removal.  The Board of Directors may entertain charges against any director.  A director may be represented by counsel upon any removal hearing.  The Board of Directors shall adopt such rules for this hearing as it may in its discretion consider necessary for the best interests of the organization.

Vacancies in the Board of Directors, or Officers, shall be filled by a vote of the majority for the balance of the year, at a meeting in which a quorum of the Board exists.

ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS
The officers of the organization shall be as follows: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Tournaments and Membership.  Officers shall by virtue of their office be members of the Board of Directors.

No officer shall for reason of his office be entitled to receive any salary or compensation, but nothing herein shall be construed to prevent an officer or director from receiving any compensation from the organization for duties other than as a director or officer.

President
The President shall preside at all membership meetings.  He shall by virtue of his office be Chairman of the Board of Directors and shall preside at all Board of Directors meetings.

He shall present at each annual meeting of the organization an annual report of the work of the organization.
He shall see all books, reports and certificates and tax returns required by law are properly kept or filed.
He shall be one of the officers who may sign the checks or drafts of the organization.
He shall have such powers as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the chief executive of any organization.
The President shall only vote when it is necessary to break a tie.

Vice President
The Vice President shall in the event of the absence or inability of the President to exercise his office become acting president of the organization with all the rights, privileges and powers as if he had been the duly elected president.

Secretary
The Secretary shall keep the minutes and records of the organization in appropriate books.
It shall be his duty to file any certificate required by any statute federal or state.
He shall give and serve all notices to members of this organization.
He shall be the official custodian of the records of this organization.
He may be one of the officers required to sign the checks and drafts of the organization.
He shall present to the membership at any meetings any communication addressed to him as Secretary of the organization.

He shall attend to all correspondence of the organization and shall exercise all duties incident to the office of Secretary.

Treasurer
The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of all monies belonging to the organization and shall be solely responsible for such monies or securities of the organization.  He shall cause to be deposited in a regular business bank or trust company a sum reserved for the normal working capital of the club.  The balance of the funds of the organization shall be deposited in a savings bank. 

The Board  of Directors shall direct these funds to be invested in such investments as shall be reasonable and prudent for a non-profit corporation in California.

He must be one of the officers who shall sign checks or drafts of the organization.  No special fund may be set aside that shall make it unnecessary for the Treasurer to sign the checks issued upon it.

He shall render at stated periods as the Board of Directors shall determine a written account of the finances of the organization and such report shall be physically affixed to the minutes of the Board of Directors of such meeting.

He shall exercise all duties incident to the office of Treasurer. 
Disbursement from the funds of the club shall require the signature of two officers.

Tournament Chairman
The Tournament Chairman shall arrange all tournaments and club matches and shall have charge of all events of like character.  He shall manage the overall event, including but not limited to, determining flights and tee times, arranging for trophies and prizes and awarding the same.

Membership Chairman
The Membership Chairman shall maintain a official club roster in order to identify members in good standing of the Bennett Valley Golf Club.

The Membership Chairman shall send out by mail or email an annual membership renewal notice to all existing members along with an invoice indicating the membership renewal fee.

The Membership Chairman shall receive payments from members for membership renewals and new memberships.  The moneys received shall be turned over to the Treasurer for deposit along with an accounting of the membership funds.

The Membership Chairman shall receive tournament entry forms along with tournament entry fees.  The tournament fees shall be turned over to the Treasurer along with an accounting of the tournament fees.

ARTICLE VII -STANDING COMMITTEES
The standing committees of this organization shall be Tournament Committee, Handicap Committee, Director of Communications, Membership Committee and NCGA Liaison.

Each of the above named committees shall be headed by a Committee Chairman nominated by the President and approved by the Board of Directors.  The Committee Chairmen shall be selected from the standing members of the Board of Directors who are not also officers.


Handicap Chairman
The Handicap Chairman shall see that all members maintain a valid handicap as governed by the Northern California Golf association.

The Handicap Chairman shall be responsible for resolving any handicap disputes or related issues that are brought to his attention.

The Handicap Chairman shall see that appropriate disciplinary action is brought against any member whose handicap has been determined to give them an unfair advantage in tournament competition.

Director of Communications
The Director of Communications shall have the responsibility of sending out a regular club newsletter to the members, bi-monthly, notifying them of any upcoming events, tournament results and any club news pertinent to the membership.