The North Otago team joined the Dunedin Metro competition this year on the condition it played all its matches in Dunedin, but it has struggled with the draw and has had to default on three occasions.
Some Dunedin teams have said they would play in Oamaru to ensure the side could remain in the competition, but Metro sub-association chairman Alastair Hinsley said that was against the rules.
"North Otago knew they wouldn't have any home games when they were offered to join the competition.
"Teams are welcome to travel there and play them individually, but that would result in a 6-0 loss.''
North Otago was added to the six-team draw this year in place of a bye round after it requested to join the league to help golf in the region.
While some teams have said they would relinquish home advantage to help the struggling club, Hinsley said it was not as simple as that.
"We would have had to ask North Otago clubs if we could play pennants on their course, and they may have said no, because they have their own club or trophy tournaments on.
"We've done the draw right from the word go, and we've stuck to that draw.''
North Otago senior A club captain Gary Creedy said the club was left asking what it had done wrong to warrant "such bad treatment''.
"Why can't they come and play us?
"Personally, I've had no communication from Metro to say ‘this is the reason why'.''
The club wanted to remain in the competition but was hampered by player unavailability due to the travel schedule, Creedy said.
"We were staying in the competition, up until the last couple of weeks.
"But I'm finding it hard to get members to keep travelling.
"We only have seven guys to choose from. There are things coming up that guys are going to rather than spending all day travelling to Dunedin.''
The team, which has no wins from seven games, has been forced to default to Otago Gold in the penultimate round of the tournament this weekend.
Creedy, who has played over 50 games for the Otago masters team, said he was also considering pulling out of the Otago side for the New Zealand masters tournament in Dunedin in November because of the association's stubbornness.
"With the treatment they've given us, why would I come back and represent Otago?''
St Clair senior A club captain Chris Snow said his side would have been happy to play in Oamaru but it would adhere to the rules.
"We're happy enough with the decision made.
"The association is there to do a job and, whether [the decision is] right or wrong, that's why the committee's in place.''
The association and clubs needed to be flexible to ensure as many teams as possible were involved in competitive golf, Snow said.
"The competition is better off for having [North Otago] in it.
"If that means teams have to travel to Oamaru to play them once a year, then so be it.
"You could also look at having a Taieri team, or a team from Port Chalmers would be good, as well.
"From a wider Dunedin perspective, if we can get more teams and more players playing, that's got to be better for golf in Otago.''
