Alternate Days Competitions - how to allocate prizes?

[BGC]

We are planning a number of Alternate Day men's Competitions: alt day on thursday, main day on a saturday for example. We are happy to treat each day as separate competition for handicapping purposes and calculated CSS for each day and handicaps adjusted accordingly. How do we allocate the silver ware? Against CSS or SSS? Tees/Pins/conditions/field will be different for two days.

 

[NorwichBanana]

Tees/Pins will be different for two days.

That surely makes it a different competition?

 

[Crow]

You decide what you're doing and then make sure that it's clearly explained on the entry sheet so that nobody can complain later.

(Some will probably still complain but you'll be able to refer to the entry sheet to quieten them.)

 

[rulefan]

Although they may be different qualifying comps, outside of handicapping they are being played for one trophy. As conditions may vary, IMO it should be based on CSS. But as said, make sure it is made clear in the conditions.

 

[fundy]

Should be score relative to par imho, as almost every other competition is decided, rough and smooth as to whether you play on the easier or harder day (albeit should try to keep tees and pins the same if you can). Unless you are getting big fields on all days CSS is too variable (open the floodgates!) to get the correct result imo.

 

[duncan mackie]

1. As Crow said you have to make it crystal clear.
2. As Rulefan said, in a perfect world it should be played to CSS for what it represents.
3. I agree with Fundy, it's not a perfect world, anything other than the best net score, or stableford score, winning will require endless explanation (and the reality of CSS is that it's always a little sensitive to the group's playing that session unless you have fields of 100+ on each day to give the statistical element a chance!).

Just play it as best scores win. Communicate that that's what it is and that you have considered all the other options available and made that decision.

 

[Homer]

How’s it the same competition with different tees and pins?!

 

[rulefan]

How’s it the same competition with different tees and pins?!

Because CONGU recognises them as one competition

Alternate Day Competitions
For those clubs which have members who cannot play on the Main Competition Day, and providing the Club Committee is willing to grant the necessary permission, the Committee may arrange an Alternate Day for club competitions.
The following are Guidelines for a Committee to enable as many members as possible to play in competitions.
1. The Alternate Day should be arranged within 7 days of, and prior to, the Main Day so that the competition is closed at the end of the Main Day.
2. Players may not compete in both the Alternate and Main Days.
3. The Committee may request members to indicate their preference on a prepared list or book at any time up to 48 hours before the first day of the competition days, whether that be the Main or Alternate Day.
4. There should be no restriction as to who may play on an Alternate Day. The purpose of an Alternate Day is to enable as many members as possible to play in club competitions.
5. If the Club Committee limits the number of members who may compete on the Alternate Day, the Committee should decide the fairest apportionment of opportunity to those wishing to play.
6. If Trophy Competitions are played on one day only, consideration should be given to running Trophy Competitions on the Alternate Day.
7. The Alternate Day must be treated as a separate competition for handicapping purposes. A CSS must be calculated for each day and handicaps adjusted accordingly. The results of the two days will be combined for allocation of prizes.
.

 

[Jamesbrown]

We have a two day comp, and a one day 36 holes on two different courses.
Total nett scores against CSS for the win.

 

[BTatHome]

Having different tees and pins could make a huge difference to the scoring.... your more likely to have complaints based on that than the allocations (particularly if the scoring is very different due to tees and pins)

 

[rulefan]

That's why we never run them for the men but the ladies have managed successfully (ie without complaints) for many years. The daft thing is they now only have two ladies who can't play on the main comp day and they are never contenders anyway (0.1 every time they play)

 

[BGC]

Thanks for your replies, we use clubv1 so will close off each day separately, which will adjust handicaps and allocate division placings. Silverware will go to best score against par for combined days, which keeps it simple. And as mentioned tell them before, during and after should help! Tee and pin placement should not change much, but there is a chance if Alt Day is on a tues and main comp sat, but there you go. Could be easier or harder! We are trying to offer more to the members who only play midweek.

 

[Colin L]

That's why we never run them for the men but the ladies have managed successfully (ie without complaints) for many years. The daft thing is they now only have two ladies who can't play on the main comp day and they are never contenders anyway (0.1 every time they play)

As an aside, if they are never contenders and go up every time they play, shouldn't their handicaps be increased accoridngly so that their handicaps are consistent with their performances? Give them a chance of being a contender?

 

[rulefan]

They don't play often enough to increase enough and until the limit went up to 54 they were stuck on 36. I'm not sure that a couple of strokes at annual review will do much though.
They work during the week an I reckon they only play these alternate day comps to keep their 'c' status.

 

[Colin L]

I know the situation well but I reckon that if a couple of strokes isn't enough, then they should be given the increase they need.

Found out to my continuing pain that some don't see it that way.

 

[rulefan]

My wife just spoke to one of the ladies concerned who said if her handicap went up to 40 she would resign her playing membership and pay green fees as a social member. It would save her and cost us £1000+ a year.

 

[Colin L]

Understood fully. There are those like me who want their handicap to reflect their performance closely enough to play on a level footing with others and enjoy golf the more. Then there are some who regard it as a mark of honour no matter how vast the gulf between it and their actual scores and are indignant at its being put up. But whatever your attitude, increases for many of us is an unwelcome mark of ageing.

 

[duncan mackie]

But whatever your attitude, increases for many of us is an unwelcome mark of ageing.

You mean we finally have a valid reason for diminishing performance?

I thought I wasn't trying hard enough, or practicing wrong, had the wrong clubs or something else I could resolve by throwing time, effort and money at it 🤔

Otoh I am in that horrible place where I feel a compete fraud in matches but am playing Q comps every week! So the system says I have the right handicap, and my opponents disagree 😩