“Body” of Golf supported - what about “The Head”

[GraCel]

Golf / Scratch golf for the “lowest“ handicappers? Watching my wife playing throughout the Competition and then in the Finals Day, of Lancashire County Ladies Golf, Scratch Competition, this past year, it struck me that many of the Club’s competing, including my wife’s, did not have many Golfers available, with low handicaps, to choose from!
I’ve begun to believe that Golf Clubs should be doing more to develop the lower Handicap Golfer! (both sexes)
There’s seems to be plenty of Handicap/Stableford/Fun Comps but not much on offer at the Scratch end of the Handicap spectrum!
Golf Clubs used to run their Competitions with Handicap Divisions and even Scratch Prizes, on a weekly basis! (hard to believe I used to sign up for them at WLGC)
Golf Clubs need to resurrect Divisions and Scratch Prizes to stimulate the possible standard of golf for ALL GOLFERS ?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Plenty of scratch comps and prizes at my place for ladies, as well as us blokes. And plenty of opportunity for low handicap ladies to play in inter-club county and national team comps where a mix of handicaps is required. Maybe that’s just Surrey, but I doubt it. And given that availability it’s up to the ladies and girls to decide to improve to get into the lowest categories and scratch comps - my club for one absolutely and actively encourages that.

 

[Backsticks]

The comps for low HIs I would guess are at least in proportion to the number of low players. Its a bit of a minority sport within a sport.

 

[wjemather]

All our regular club comps are in handicap divisions; we also have a gross division in medals and max score formats.

 

[IanM]

Resurrect? We have them.

 

[Slab]

Does running a scratch comp (or divisions) in of it itself 'develop' low HI players

I'd have thought development of low HI players would be better attained through a programme of coaching and training of these players by a qualified teaching Pro

 

[rosecott]

Golf / Scratch golf for the “lowest“ handicappers? Watching my wife playing throughout the Competition and then in the Finals Day, of Lancashire County Ladies Golf, Scratch Competition, this past year, it struck me that many of the Club’s competing, including my wife’s, did not have many Golfers available, with low handicaps, to choose from!
I’ve begun to believe that Golf Clubs should be doing more to develop the lower Handicap Golfer! (both sexes)
There’s seems to be plenty of Handicap/Stableford/Fun Comps but not much on offer at the Scratch end of the Handicap spectrum!
Golf Clubs used to run their Competitions with Handicap Divisions and even Scratch Prizes, on a weekly basis! (hard to believe I used to sign up for them at WLGC)
Golf Clubs need to resurrect Divisions and Scratch Prizes to stimulate the possible standard of golf for ALL GOLFERS ?

Elitism gone wild.

Golf is a sport for all.

 

[louise_a]

Golf / Scratch golf for the “lowest“ handicappers? Watching my wife playing throughout the Competition and then in the Finals Day, of Lancashire County Ladies Golf, Scratch Competition, this past year, it struck me that many of the Club’s competing, including my wife’s, did not have many Golfers available, with low handicaps, to choose from!
I’ve begun to believe that Golf Clubs should be doing more to develop the lower Handicap Golfer! (both sexes)
There’s seems to be plenty of Handicap/Stableford/Fun Comps but not much on offer at the Scratch end of the Handicap spectrum!
Golf Clubs used to run their Competitions with Handicap Divisions and even Scratch Prizes, on a weekly basis! (hard to believe I used to sign up for them at WLGC)
Golf Clubs need to resurrect Divisions and Scratch Prizes to stimulate the possible standard of golf for ALL GOLFERS ?

Was this the County Championship at Ormskirk, or are you talking about the Scratch Shield or the Scratch Interclub?

i obviously do not know which club your wife plays at but there are not really that many ladies at most clubs capable of winning scratch competitions and as for scratch teams, there are restrictions on who can play in scratch events.
There are a lot less percentage of single figures ladies in relation to men, I am in the top 5% on handicap countrywide, whereas as a man with my handicap is probably only in the top 20%

I play in the County Championship, but our club does not enter a scratch team.

 

[D-S]

Certainly not the case round here, the local scratch Ladies league has 40 teams in 5 divisions.

 

[GraCel]

Does running a scratch comp (or divisions) in of it itself 'develop' low HI players

I'd have thought development of low HI players would be better attained through a programme of coaching and training of these players by a qualified teaching Pro

I suspect players of my vintage would say pra rising and measuring yourself against better players used to suffice!
I certainly got into single figures because I had the advantage of playing regularly with better golfers!

 

[D-S]

I suspect players of my vintage would say pra rising and measuring yourself against better players used to suffice!
I certainly got into single figures because I had the advantage of playing regularly with better golfers!

Despite being a scratch league, players go out in handicap order so the better players always get a chance to play against their peers - 40 teams in 2 divisions plus club vs club scratch knockouts - there is plenty of opportunity around this way.

 

[GraCel]

Despite being a scratch league, players go out in handicap order so the better players always get a chance to play against their peers - 40 teams in 2 divisions plus club vs club scratch knockouts - there is plenty of opportunity around this way.

Was this the County Championship at Ormskirk, or are you talking about the Scratch Shield or the Scratch Interclub?

i obviously do not know which club your wife plays at but there are not really that many ladies at most clubs capable of winning scratch competitions and as for scratch teams, there are restrictions on who can play in scratch events.
There are a lot less percentage of single figures ladies in relation to men, I am in the top 5% on handicap countrywide, whereas as a man with my handicap is probably only in the top 20%

I play in the County Championship, but our club does not enter a scratch team.

Louise, thanks for your response. The last comp I was referring to was the Lancashire County Ladies Scratch Shield at Stand GC. I’m not in any way having a go at Lancashire Ladies Golf who, to me, seem to work very hard at promoting women’s golf! Royal Birkdale won the Shield this year and certainly deserved to do so! As a mere male, it just struck me listening to various comments about Scratch participation at club level that many Golf Clubs seemed to have dropped “Divisions” and “Scratch/Gross” results from their competitions because they have insufficient numbers to justify the “effort/prizes” that may be required. I certainly am aware of Golf Clubs that have done that and I was wondering if anyone else felt that this was a reality! If that is/was the case should/could anything be done to reverse this!
From responses, so far, many areas still seem to be able to support ”Divisions” and “Scratch/Gross” whilst some seem to have let them lapse under WHS, I think!

 

[louise_a]

Louise, thanks for your response. The last comp I was referring to was the Lancashire County Ladies Scratch Shield at Stand GC. I’m not in any way having a go at Lancashire Ladies Golf who, to me, seem to work very hard at promoting women’s golf! Royal Birkdale won the Shield this year and certainly deserved to do so! As a mere male, it just struck me listening to various comments about Scratch participation at club level that many Golf Clubs seemed to have dropped “Divisions” and “Scratch/Gross” results from their competitions because they have insufficient numbers to justify the “effort/prizes” that may be required. I certainly am aware of Golf Clubs that have done that and I was wondering if anyone else felt that this was a reality! If that is/was the case should/could anything be done to reverse this!
From responses, so far, many areas still seem to be able to support ”Divisions” and “Scratch/Gross” whilst some seem to have let them lapse under WHS, I think!

I have one of the lowest handicaps at my club and to be honest there are so few that are likely to win the best gross score it would not be really fair in the distribution of prizes, in our medals we give a ball to the best gross, The main gross competition is the 36 hole Club Championship which was won by the same person for 5 years before she stopped playing and in the 6 years since I have won it 3 times and another girl as won it 3 times, so playing more scratch competitions just would not be supported.

 

[GraCel]

I have one of the lowest handicaps at my club and to be honest there are so few that are likely to win the best gross score it would not be really fair in the distribution of prizes, in our medals we give a ball to the best gross, The main gross competition is the 36 hole Club Championship which was won by the same person for 5 years before she stopped playing and in the 6 years since I have won it 3 times and another girl as won it 3 times, so playing more scratch competitions just would not be supported.

Thanks for your contribution Louise, enjoy the rest of the season at Ellesmere G.C. Maybe see you next season in the Bell Cup at Leyland!!
Graham Blades

 

[GraCel]

Elitism gone wild.

Golf is a sport for all.

Sorry, you’ve lost me round about the 1st tee - are you saying that having an aspiration to improve at golf equates to an unacceptable level of “elitism”? GB

 

[Backsticks]

Golf clubs are members. Why would they have any interest in developing low handicap golfers ?

 

[Voyager EMH]

Golf clubs provide a facility for golfers of all abilities.

For a player who has aspirations to be a very low handicapper, that will depend on the determination of that player to achieve that goal, far more than a "strategy" that other individuals at golf clubs can dream up to organise things for that to happen.

The lowest handicap lady golfer at my club won a club nett competition earlier this week.

 

[Mel Smooth]

If you want to develop low handicap golfers, you need to focus on getting people playing at a younger age with good basics, and good tuition throughout their development. England Golf have coaching programmes in place to develop the best juniors as they approach adulthood - but generally, if you want tuition, it comes at a cost, that applies to adults and juniors.

Golf clubs are members. Why would they have any interest in developing low handicap golfers ?

Because it gives the club credibility as being supportive of nurturing talent - and drives the value of that golf club upwards.

 

[GraCel]

Golf clubs are members. Why would they have any interest in developing low handicap golfers ?

The simple answer is that a healthy golf club and indeed a healthy sport in general needs to have a structure that encourages participation at all levels of ability. If you remove any competitive sector you will weaken the whole!
Are not at least some of the Counties actively encouraging the better younger players towards Clubs with strong low handicap sections? Do most of us not want the opportunity to play a round occasionally with someone who can actually play Golf?

 

[Slab]

The simple answer is that a healthy golf club and indeed a healthy sport in general needs to have a structure that encourages participation at all levels of ability. If you remove any competitive sector you will weaken the whole!
Are not at least some of the Counties actively encouraging the better younger players towards Clubs with strong low handicap sections? Do most of us not want the opportunity to play a round occasionally with someone who can actually play Golf?

I'm still a bit lost on the topic

Why would a golf clubs 'duty of care' to a 2 handicap player paying membership of say 750pa be any different from the duty of care it has to an 18 handicap player paying 750pa