In Season 4, the NEXT Golf Tour Powered by Trackman features a two-tiered format. The first tier consists of 10 Qualifiers — including Trackman-hosted NEXT Open Qualifiers, partner-hosted Qualifiers, and national PGA-hosted Qualifiers — with variable entry fees and purses. A specified number of top finishers (plus ties) in each Qualifier advance to the second tier, the NEXT World Series. The three Stages of the NEXT World Series have no entry fees and fixed purses.

Players who qualified for the Season 3 Finale — including the top 100 plus ties and special exemptions — have already qualified for the NEXT World Series.

While it is not required, players who qualify for the NEXT World Series are encouraged to participate in all three Stages to improve their ranking on the Order of Merit. The top 100 (plus ties) on the Order of Merit following Stage 3 will advance to the NEXT Golf Tour Championship.

Each event is played in the same manner as a traditional outdoor tournament. The same Rules of Golf as they pertain to indoor/virtual/simulator play apply. Accordingly:

• A player must not start a tournament round with more than 14 clubs. If he/she started with fewer than 14 clubs or damages a club in the regular course of play, he/she may add or replace a club(s), provided the total number does not exceed 14.

• Tees may be used on shots from the tee box only.

• No changes to the environment (tee area, lighting, alignment aids, etc.) are allowed during the round.

• Ensure there are no non-transparent obstructions (i.e. anything other than the protective acrylic shield used in some facilities) placed in front of the Trackman 4 device.

• ALL SHOTS MUST BE HIT FROM WITHIN THE "STRIKE ZONE." Shots hit outside the strike zone will not count and may result in disqualification. Refer to the “Marking the Strike Zone” section below for guidance on how to properly identify and mark the strike zone in the simulator where you play your round.

• If you have any questions or concerns about your simulator setup, it is your responsibility to contact the NEXT Golf Tour for guidance BEFORE you begin your round.

Two exceptions to the traditional Rules of Golf are in place when playing in NEXT Golf Tour events:

• You ARE allowed to discuss what clubs you are hitting with playing partners due to the nature of visual club selection on the simulator screen.

• The “one ball rule” does NOT apply on the NEXT Golf Tour, meaning players do not have to play with the same brand, make and model of golf ball that the player started the round with.

The NEXT Golf Tour live leaderboard typically updates automatically shortly after the scorecard is updated in Trackman Performance Studio. To ensure a smooth process, please refrain from shutting down TPS or the computer until the upload is complete.

If a player finds their scorecard has not updated in a timely manner, it is the player’s responsibility to contact support (see “Help! How do I contact support” FAQ for details) as soon as possible.

If a complete scorecard is not uploaded to the leaderboard within 24 hours of the close of the playing window, the score may not be counted. A full accounting of player scores is essential for the timely verification of tournament results.

There is no limit to the number of entrants in Trackman-hosted Qualifiers (NEXT Open Qualifier 1–2 and Trackman Range NEXT Qualifier).

The number of entrants in (and eligibility for) partner-hosted and national PGA-hosted Qualifiers is determined by the respective hosts. Trackman and the NEXT Golf Tour are not responsible for the management of these events. Contact each host directly for details.

The NEXT Golf Tour and Trackman reserve the right to distribute additional spots in any Trackman-hosted tournament at any time, conditioned on payment of the appropriate entry fee, if relevant. Limits on field size may be subject to change at the discretion of NEXT Golf Tour Rules Committee.

During Season 2, there were several instances of players hitting shots that resulted in a spin axis reading of zero. The NEXT Golf Tour took steps to minimize these issues — specifically, enabling Optically Enhanced Radar Tracking (OERT) in the settings and requiring that all shots be hit from within the “strike zone.” Although these steps were largely successful, there are still situations in which missing club data may result in a zero spin axis reading on certain shots. This happens rarely and unpredictably, and even when a player has made every effort to prevent it from happening.

New guidelines for Season 4:

• Forced mulligan: If the system detects a player has hit three shots with a ball speed exceeding 134 mph (215 kph) and a spin axis reading of zero, the player will then be required to re-hit any such shots (a “forced mulligan”) for the remainder of the round, with no penalty.

• Strike zone: Players in a simulator with a Trackman 4 launch monitor are still responsible for hitting shots from within the “strike zone” (see Marking the Strike Zone below).

• Test and verify: NEXT players with higher ball speeds are asked to verify that spin axis readings are being captured consistently during their pre-round warm-up. If not, please contact support for guidance before starting the round.

• Recommendations: Simulator bays should be sufficiently lit for optimal tracking. Trackman also recommends the use of Titleist RCT (Radar Capture Technology) balls when playing in Trackman 4 simulators.

When playing in a Trackman 4 simulator, follow these steps to identify and properly mark the “strike zone” on the hitting surface. If you choose not to mark the strike zone, you risk hitting shots from outside the strike zone, which will result in disqualification.

NOTE: There is no action required to mark the strike zone when using Trackman iO, which does not allow the player to continue until the ball is positioned for optimal tracking.

1. On the SELECT ACTIVITY screen, tap the TRACKMAN logo at the bottom of the screen.
   
   This will activate the built-in camera used to calibrate Trackman 4, and an image of the hitting surface will display on screen. The blue box superimposed on the surface is the strike zone.
   
   

2. Mark each corner of the strike zone on the hitting surface.
   
   Use only adhesive dots or small pieces of tape (max. 2 in/5 cm) to mark each corner. Do not use coins, ball markers, tees or other loose objects, as these can be easily moved.

   Do NOT use longer strips of tape or other objects (such as an alignment rod) to mark the edges of the strike sone. This may be considered an alignment aid, which is a rules infraction and could result in disqualification.

   If the Trackman 4 is bumped or repositioned in any way during a round, we recommend re-marking the strike zone. Tap the menu icon in the top-left corner, then tap the CALIBRATE button in the top-right corner.
   
   

3. Once the strike zone has been marked, begin the practice session/warmup/round.

REMEMBER: Every shot during a NEXT Golf Tour round must be hit from within the strike zone. Any shot hit from outside the strike zone will not count toward your score, even if it launches normally on screen, and you may be disqualified.

It is the players’ responsibility to properly mark the strike zone and ensure all shots are hit from within the strike zone. Trackman data will be analyzed during the post-round validation process to confirm all shots were hit from within the strike zone.

According to Rule 4.3, the use of equipment that gives artificial help to a golfer’s play is restricted. Players may not place alignment sticks or other objects (including adhesive tape) on the hitting surface or between the hitting surface and the hitting screen to guide shot direction. This does not include lines or markers permanently embedded in the hitting mats — or the hitting mats themselves, which are generally placed in alignment with the screen— as they are considered part of the basic design of a golf simulator.

In some golf simulators, a “strike zone” is marked on the hitting surface for the purposes of radar calibration and indicating where the ball should be placed for optimal tracking. While this could be regarded as an indirect aiming aid — even though it does not help the player hit in a particular direction — such indicators are not a violation of the NEXT Golf Tour rules. However, when marking the ”strike zone,” only adhesive dots or small pieces of tape (max. 2 in/5 cm) should be placed in each corner. It is also acceptable to mark the target calibration point on the hitting screen itself or just beneath the hitting screen (max. 2 in/5 cm). Longer strips of tape applied to the hitting surface or between the hitting surface and the hitting screen may be considered an alignment aid and result in a penalty and/or disqualification.

Penalty for breach of Rule 4.3:

• Penalty for the first breach: General Penalty (Two-stroke Penalty in Stroke Play). If the breach happens between two holes, the penalty applies to the next hole.

• Penalty for the second breach: Disqualification. This penalty applies even if the nature of the breach was entirely different from the breach resulting in the first penalty.

  
  

During indoor NEXT Golf Tour play, a player will likely not be aware of a rules breach until after the round is completed and video has been reviewed by the Rules Committee. This means that the breach occurred on multiple holes and the penalty of disqualification would apply.

For more details on the use of alignment aids, read the rules clarification statement issued by the NEXT Golf Tour here.

General rules from the R&A can be found at www.randa.org

Open Qualifiers 1 and 2

Guaranteed minimum purse of $100,000. Trackman adds $100 for each entrant. With a 1,000-player field:

• Total purse: $200,000

• Side games: $20,000

• First place: $30,000

• Remaining $150,000 is allocated to top 30% of field

Side Games

Closest to the Pin (aggregate) — 1st: $1,250, 2nd: $500, 3rd: $250

Closest to the Pin (per hole) — 1st: $1,250, 2nd: $500, 3rd: $250

Longest Drive (men and women) — 1st: $1,500, 2nd: $750, 3rd: $250

Social Media Standouts — Two $2,000 prizes

Tour Championship

The top 100 players on the Order of Merit following Stage 3 (plus ties) will compete for:

Total purse: $250,000

Purse details to be shared later.

The Order of Merit displayed on this website reflects earnings in NEXT World Series events only. There is no Order of Merit for Qualifiers. Players who have qualified for the three Stages are listed.

The ranking is based on prize money earned, with 1 USD = 1 point. This distinction is made to accommodate amateur players, who have a limit on the amount of money they can receive while maintaining their amateur status. See the “Amateur Status” section for more details.

The field for the final event of the NEXT World Series and Season 4 will consist of the top 100 (plus ties) on the Order of Merit following Stage 3.

All players must complete two 18-hole rounds within the playing window. The rounds may be played on the same date or different dates, as long as both are completed before the playing window closes.

Each tournament will include side games not related to the order of finish, with substantial cash payouts to winners. See Prize Money section for payout breakdown.

There are no tiebreakers on side games. All players sharing the same scores/stats will share the prize amount. Side games are subject to change at the discretion of the Rules Committee. 

After each round, two $1,500 prizes will be awarded to eligible players who share their NEXT experiences on Instagram using the #NEXTLife hashtag.

Submission guidelines

• Share a video relating to “life on the NEXT Golf Tour." Interpret that as you wish.

• There are no specific criteria. Make us laugh. Make us cry. Just make us pay attention.

• Tag @nextgolftour and include the hashtag #NEXTLife.

• Up to five finalists will be selected by the NEXT social media team.

• Two winners will be selected by popular vote on Instagram.

Per the rules of amateur status established by the governing bodies of golf, an amateur playing in a scratch competition is allowed to accept any prize, including prize money, up to a limit of $1,000 in value, per competition. For amateur players participating in a NEXT Golf Tour event, the $1,000 prize limit is the accumulated amount won in stroke play competition and simultaneous side games. If an amateur finishes in a position that would otherwise qualify for winnings greater than $1,000, the player will still receive a maximum of $1,000.

A player must declare himself/herself as either amateur or professional when they enter the event. By selecting Amateur, the player acknowledges 1) they intend to maintain their amateur status and 2) they will not accept any stroke play or side games winnings greater than $1,000.

By selecting Professional, the player acknowledges that by playing in the event they will forego any amateur status they may have had, even if they do not finish the competition or qualify for prize money.

Because Social Media Standout winnings are not part of the “tee-to-hole competition,” the prize value limit of $1,000 does not apply. Amateurs are eligible to accept winnings for their social media contributions.

The NEXT Golf Tour will process payouts via direct deposit within 30 days of the completion of each round. Within a week of each tournament’s completion, winners will receive an email with a link to a secure website where they will provide their bank account details. If a player has not provided his/her bank account details within 30 days after the final day of the tournament, the prize money will be forfeited. Prizes of $20 or less will not be paid, as bank charges often exceed winnings for smaller amounts. However, the amount will count in the Order of Merit.

Indoor NEXT Golf Tour rounds can be played in any Trackman simulator running Trackman Performance Studio (TPS) 10.2 or newer. Older TPS versions cannot be used, even if they were used in previous seasons. NEXT tournaments and in-round features will not be available in previous versions of TPS. Find a location here.

Once players have created a Trackman account and registered through the tournament website, they are eligible to play. In the simulator, entrants should first sign into their Trackman account, then select “NEXT Golf Tour Open Qualifier (1 or 2).” All settings (course conditions, tees, etc.) will be pre-set and cannot be changed. A tutorial on how to enter and play the NEXT Golf Tour events is available in the Players Guide.

Use of the NEXT Recorder app is required to play on the NEXT Golf Tour.

Recordings will be automatically uploaded to Trackman immediately following the completion of each hole. After a brief delay, the recordings — featuring a split-screen view of the player in the simulator bay and the shot tracker — will appear on the live leaderboard.

Refer to the Players Guide for more details on downloading and using the NEXT Recorder app.

How to use the NEXT Recorder app

1. Enable “Do Not Disturb” mode on your phone so your recording will not be disturbed by incoming calls or notifications.

2. Log in to the simulator using your Trackman account credentials.

3. Use the same credentials to log in to the NEXT Recorder app.

4. Connect the NEXT Recorder by scanning the QR code in the top right corner of TPS. If there are multiple players competing, one phone is all you need.

5. Once connected, do not “background” the app on your phone.

6. Position your camera in a stable, secure place behind the hitting area, preferably on a tripod. Make sure your swing and the hitting screen are both visible.

7. Play your round as usual. When you’re done, simply close the app.

As in traditional golf, entrants are allowed to play practice rounds on NEXT Golf Tour tournament courses. On the Schedule page, players can find all needed information about the course and course setup (tees and length, pin position difficulty, wind conditions, firmness of greens, etc.). Courses and settings will revealed one week before each round.

In NEXT Golf Tour Season 4, putting will be manual, but not aimed as it was in the previous season. However, the gimme circle continues to apply.Manual putting with a 2.4 m gimme circle will be the setting for all putting in the NEXT Open Qualifiers, PGA-hosted qualifiers, the NEXT World Series, and the NEXT Golf Tour Championship.

Players are required to putt when on the green and outside the gimme circle (2.4 m/7.87 ft). See the Gimme Circle section for more details.

Green stimp and firmness may be subject to change from round to round. All settings can be found on the Schedule page one week before each round begins.

Putting rules are subject to change at the discretion of the Rules Committee.

The gimme circle on the NEXT Golf Tour is set to exactly 2.4 meters, which converts to an imperial measurement of 7.87 feet.

Although putt measurements are rounded up or down to a single decimal place on screen (e.g. 7.9 ft), the gimme circle is still drawn to this more precise distance.

This means putts between 7.85–7.87 ft are gimmes, while putts between 7.88–7.94 ft are outside gimme range — even though all putts between 7.85–7.94 ft will display as 7.9 ft on screen.

BORDERLINE GIMME PUTTS (DISTANCE DISPLAYED AS 7.9 FT ON SCREEN)

7.85–7.87 ft GIMME
7.88–7.94 ft NOT A GIMME

If a player picks up the ball (by tapping the “Pick up” button on-screen) before holing out, the score will be a quadruple bogey, regardless of the number of shots hit before picking up. If a player continues until holing out, then all strokes on the hole will be counted, with no maximum. Accordingly, players are advised to pick up the ball before holing out if they wish to limit their score on a given hole to quadruple bogey.

In the event of a tie for first place, the following rules will determine the winner:

1. Lowest back nine

2. Lowest score on last six holes

3. Lowest score on last three holes

4. Lowest score on hole 18

5. Lowest score on holes 4–9

6. Lowest score on holes 7–9

7. Lowest score on hole 9

8. Aggregate closest to the pin

9. Longest birdie (or better) streak

10. Most greens in regulation

11. Longest drive

When two or more players are tied for a non-winning position, the prize money will be divided evenly.

Each entrant must video record each round in full using the NEXT Recorder app on their smartphone in order to validate round results. Review the NEXT Recorder app section on this page for more details. The video recordings may be reviewed by the Rules Committee and cross-referenced with Trackman data to confirm the round was completed according to the Rules of Golf and the NEXT Golf Tour. Use of the NEXT Recorder app is required to play on the NEXT Golf Tour. Rounds completed without use of the NEXT Recorder app will be disqualified.

A central part of The NEXT Golf Tour is promoting the tour and the players via social media. Players are urged to share videos and pictures related to their tournament experience. Players retain all ownership rights to the content they share, but grant the NEXT Golf Tour, NEXT Golf Tour partners and Trackman a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform that content in connection with the NEXT Golf Tour.

By participating in a tournament, players also grant to NEXT Golf Tour and NEXT Golf Tour partners a perpetual, royalty-free, fully paid-up, worldwide, right and license (with the right to grant sublicenses) to copy, display, distribute, edit, host, store and otherwise use their name, logos, trade or service marks, nickname, initials, likeness, image, photograph, animation, avatar, autograph, voice, video or film portrayal, public persona, game play data and statistics, biographical information and/or backstory for purposes of advertising the NEXT Golf Tour.

The Rules Committee consists of representatives from the Danish Golf Union and Trackman. The Rules Committee has exclusive authority over all aspects of the NEXT Golf Tour and is the final arbiter of all rulings, disputes and any other issues that may arise.

Registration, entry into and participation in a tournament does not in any way imply any guarantee of specific results or prizes, and neither Trackman nor NEXT Golf Tour can always control, foresee, or anticipate technical or other difficulties which may result in loss of tournament data or other service interruptions. Therefore, by entering into a tournament, each player accepts that the tournament is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, and neither Trackman nor the NEXT Golf Tour are or can be held responsible for any issues that may occur while at a facility including, but not limited to: power/internet outages, simulator not working properly, failure to save the round, failure to complete the round, etc. Any and all disputes related to technology issues that affect gameplay and/or the order of finish will be addressed and resolved at the sole discretion of the Rules Committee.

NOTE: The NEXT Golf Tour website has a comprehensive Help Center that provides guidance on most issues that may arise before/during/after play. Please study this carefully before submitting a support request.

As with any technology platform, there may be issues that arise during gameplay. Examples include ghost shots (i.e., a shot that was tracked without being hit), untracked shots (i.e., a shot that was hit but not tracked) and system crashes. In the event of:

1. Ghost shots (and/or other clear glitches) — The issue should be noted with video and details and submitted to the Rules Committee for review. If it is an obvious glitch and has been properly video documented, then drop the ball to its original position with one penalty shot (click "Re-hit +1") and continue play. The Rules Committee will then review the video and edit the score as needed. If not deemed a glitch by the Rules Committee, the shot(s) will count.

2. Untracked shots — The player will need to rehit/putt until the shot is tracked.

3. System crashes — The player/facility should restart TPS, sign back in and tap “Resume Round.” Be sure to document any such issues to share with Trackman support and/or the Rules Committee.

4. Other issues — Document and share with Trackman support and/or the Rules Committee as needed.

Trackman will review log files to verify any system errors. Restarting the round will not be allowed by the software. Each entrant is entitled to only one attempt at completing a tournament round.

In the event of any dispute during the course of play, the simulator facility owner may make a preliminary ruling based on the information available. The facility owner will be required to sign off on the validity of the round if any disputes arise. The facility owner is asked to send an email to the Rules Committee with an explanation of any disputes and rulings. Upon request or in situations where the preliminary ruling remains in dispute, the Rules Committee may review video recordings and Trackman data to make a final ruling.

See Resolution of Disputes section below for more details.

We want every player on the NEXT Golf Tour to have fun and compete with integrity. All scores will be carefully monitored. Entrants are encouraged to win with grace and lose with dignity. Any form of cheating or attempt to gain an unfair advantage will not be tolerated. Trackman and the Rules Committee reserve the right to disqualify and/or ban players from future participation if there is a suspicion of cheating in general or anyone is believed to be breaking the official rules. This includes but is not limited to impersonation (including using another player’s Trackman account, creating multiple accounts, or men playing from women’s tee boxes).

Each player must finish their tournament round during one uninterrupted session within the defined tournament window for their score to count. Pausing the round and resuming at a later time is not allowed and may result in disqualification. The tournament window opens at 00:01 CEST on the first day of the tournament and ends at 23:59 (11:59 p.m.) CEST on the final day of the tournament. Entry fee will not be refunded if a player does not complete the tournament round within the tournament window.

Sign up for NEXT Open Qualifiers 1 and 2 and national PGA-hosted Qualifiers on the Schedule page.

There is no sign-up for NEXT World Series events. Qualifiers will be added automatically and listed on the Order of Merit.

Sign-ups close when the event window opens. Players may not join a round already in progress.

NEXT Open Qualifiers: The entry fee for both professionals and amateurs is $130 (including $5 for administration and $25 Danish VAT). Players may need to pay separately for access to a Trackman simulator.

Immediately after registering and paying the entry fee, players will receive a confirmation email from yourgolfbooking.com. No further action is required to confirm entry.

The NEXT Golf Tour and Trackman have the right to distribute additional spots in any event, conditioned on payment of the entry fee.

It is each player’s responsibility to complete their round before the playing window closes.

A Trackman account is required to enter and play in NEXT Golf Tour events. Players who do not yet have a Trackman account can create one in the Trackman Golf app. Players are allowed to create and use only one account while participating in the NEXT Golf Tour. Trackman and the Rules Committee reserve the right to disqualify any players who are found to have used more than one account.

NEXT Open Qualifiers are open to all men and women in all player categories (AM, PGA, NA, REAM). There are no handicap restrictions, but a maximum handicap of 3.4 is recommended. The NEXT World Series is open to qualified players only. Trackman employees are not eligible to play in NEXT Golf Tour events.

The NEXT Golf Tour has adopted the LPGA Gender Policy (“Policy”) to assure fair competition for all participants. The Policy can be found here: https://www.lpga.com/gender-policy

The live leaderboard that is updated during each round is preliminary only and may be revised at the discretion of the Rules Committee. Final results are not available until the event window is closed and scores have been validated. The timing of the validation process may vary. The results of each round shall be considered final when the Order of Merit and side games leaderboards have been updated.

As a condition to participating in a tournament and to the greatest extent permitted by law, each player agrees to hold harmless Trackman, NEXT Golf Tour, and its and their respective related parties from and against any and all claims or demands arising out of, relating to, or in connection with such player’s participation in a tournament. In no event shall any player have, and each player hereby irrevocably waives, any right to sue, and covenants not to sue, based upon its participation in a tournament.

NEXT Golf Tour has final, binding authority to decide disputes with respect to breach, termination, enforcement, or interpretation of any part of the above tournament rules. Any dispute, claim or controversy that NEXT Golf Tour may have against an entrant/player or that an entrant/player may have against NEXT Golf Tour, and any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to the above rules or the validity thereof, including the determination of the scope or applicability of these rules to arbitrate, and that is not otherwise subject to NEXT Golf Tour’s final, binding authority, shall be finally and conclusively settled by arbitration in Copenhagen, Denmark, in accordance with the rules of the simplified arbitration procedure adopted by The Danish Institute of Arbitration.