Amount of cards required for comps

[Baz The Wordsmith]

We have had a requirement in place at our club for 6 qualifying cards to enter competitions.
This was in order to ensure that those playing had an accurate handicap ( or more accurate than if they submitted none) and to address the winning of prizes by those who played in Matchplay and Team Events and won and never seemed to be cut appropriately as they then didn't play in competitions which would mean they would be.
Subsequently we have diluted the requirement to 3 formal competitions and 3 supplementary ones. ( as there was some unrest about the decision)
My view is that the more cards you put in the more accurate your handicap is. The system recommends 8 from 20 for accuracy.
The polar opposite view is those who will avoid submitting cards as if their life depended on it.
Somewhere in between there are people who want to play in team and matchplay events and not individual events for some strange reason.The concern is that this provides an environment ripe for handicap manipulation.Technically the handicap does not expire under WHS so someone off 28 say could play for 3 years and get down to say 14 and still play off 28 by submitting no cards while hoovering up all the matchplay and team events with a dishonest handicap.
Those who protest the most may well be those who are in some way trying to manipulate the system.
Those who support the requirement for the submission of cards to me are in support of everyone having an accurate handicap.
I would be interested to know what requirements other clubs have in place because one of the challenges is proving that we are not alone and that our clubs requirement of 3 and 3 is certainly not an unreasonable one.

Summary
We have a requirement for 3 formal competition score submissions and 3 general play cards in order to enter our competitions
Does your club have a requirement in place and where are you based?

Many Thanks, Baz

 

[Neilds]

For Board comps we need 8 cards in the preceding 12 months, 3 of which must be 18 hole competition's. The requirement is also for the annual knockouts, the 12 months being from the closing date for entry.

 

[Orikoru]

If memory serves correctly, to win board comps and enter matchplay comps you need to have at least 8 rounds on your record from within the last year, and 4 of those be competition ones.

 

[Baz The Wordsmith]

It seems that around Club Golfer/Golf Monthly etc articles and other sources of information that many clubs in England and Wales have a requirement for cards to be submitted as a prerequisite for entry but not so many in Scotland and certainly no many in the North of Scotland.Perhaps just not caught on yet?

 

[Imurg]

For normal comps I think we're 3 cards in the last year..
Club Champs was 6 to be eligible for a prize in the Nett comp but no restriction in the Scratch.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Northumberland, no restriction that I am aware of but we have a small membership and low comp turnout. They wouldn't want to put any barriers in the way.

Saying that, I play a lot of opens in the NE of England and in the small print of all of them this year, first time, there is a stipulation similar to the OP for any winners. The requirement for up to date h/c, counting cars from the last 12 months, is definitely picking up pace.

 

[Swango1980]

I wouldn't listen too much to anyone complaining about having to submit a certain number of scores to handicap to be eligible for Match Play comps (unless the request for a ridiculously high number of cards). If they wish to play in a handicap competition arranged by the club, they should at least have the "decency" to ensure they submit enough scores to ensure their handicap is reflective of their current ability. The bigger problem would be to have no requirement, then one or two people enter the comp who are clearly a lot better than what their handicap suggests, and then you have many more competitors moaning that it is pointless entering such comps in the future, because certain players appear out of nowhere with big handicaps and sail through each round.

I know a lot more Open competitions seem to be placing such requirements on entry these days, as it is all too easy for some golfers to get an initial handicap at a club, never submit a score there again, and just play Team Open events for years to come, scores never going to handicap.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We still need a minimum of 6 cards to enter any board event of knockout

 

[Backache]

We don't have any board events other than the club championship which is not a handicap competition.
For match play competition you have to have 3 cards of any type in the previous year.
No requirement for other competitions.

 

[sjw]

We don't have restrictions on entry, but you must have 3 qualifying comp cards in the last 12 months to claim any prizes

 

[Slab]

Three comp cards for club champs prizes/placing (nett) that’s about it, no other board type comps, and an active handicap for matchplay

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

For Board comps we need 8 cards in the preceding 12 months, 3 of which must be 18 hole competition's. The requirement is also for the annual knockouts, the 12 months being from the closing date for entry.

This makes it difficult for people who don't like to play many organized events to establish a valid handicap for the few they play.

I play in two organized member-guest events each year,
and those are the only comps in which I have any interest to play.
Other than that, it's weekday fun golf with my gang of geriatric miscreants.

But I enjoy those two reciprocal events.
They're all day affairs with dinner and all, one at my club and one at my old friend's.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

For us to be eligible to win a board comp you must have 4 comp scores in the last 12 months rolling

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

For us to be eligible to win a board comp you must have 4 comp scores in the last 12 months rolling

One wonders, then, how one gets into those first four events.
I imagine they're allowed to play but not win?

 

[Orikoru]

One wonders, then, how one gets into those first four events.
I imagine they're allowed to play but not win?

All comps aren't board comps. Presumably you can still enter the monthly Stableford/medal etc.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

One wonders, then, how one gets into those first four events.
I imagine they're allowed to play but not win?

There are lots of non board comps ( approx 3 a month ) that someone can play in

 

[Lord Tyrion]

One wonders, then, how one gets into those first four events.
I imagine they're allowed to play but not win?

I think this is largely the case. It certainly is in terms of Opens that I play in. Fine to play with no recent history but you can't win any prizes.

 

[D-S]

I think this is largely the case. It certainly is in terms of Opens that I play in. Fine to play with no recent history but you can't win any prizes.

So you pay into a prize pot but you are unable to win anything?

 

[Swango1980]

So you pay into a prize pot but you are unable to win anything?

We allowed this at our last club. A player could play the comp, but not be eligible to win. We didn't ask for an entry fee from them

 

[Lord Tyrion]

So you pay into a prize pot but you are unable to win anything?

Yes. In the case of Opens for example, I am willingly paying at a far lower rate than the green fee. I'm there to have a fun day, my levels of expectations regarding winning are low. I'm already winning, paying the lower green fee, so I would not feel cheated.

In terms of if it was a club comp. That would be the price to pay for building up enough eligible cards.

I understand why these criteria have been brought in, it's up to each participant to meet them.