Board Comps - Your Club's Qualifying Rules

I do understand what you are saying, but I don't see how your name can be up in lights if you've hit the ball more than the next man/woman.

I come from a football background, if your playing a better team with stronger players, you dig in and try harder. You don't get 2 goals of a start to make it a better game

Except that handicapping is core to us being able to play the game together an in club competition.
 
And I agree with handicapping, but would rather see the best golf being rewarded for any major comps.

Lowest gross all day long. Thats what golf is all about after all
 
What do you have & why?
I've heard of.....
1. Must have played 3 Q's in past year
2. Must have played 5 Q's in past year
3. Must have Active H/Cap
4. Not in your 1st year of submitting 3 cards for a H/Cap

Does what you have in place at your Club protect the status of your Club Boards, or have some, over the years, become rather 'Micky-mouse'?

We require people to have played in 3 club comps in the previous 12 months.

Not sure what you mean by protecting the status of the boards - ours is simply designed to require some degree of active membership rather than anything to do with handicapping (which is a completely seperate matter).

We also limit them to full members (5 or 7 day).
 
Or serve as inspiration to others?

Quite - what is the problem with having loads of boards - it's not as if they cost that much to maintain.

The fact that they may not be for the main headline club comps is irrelevant to me. They give members something to aim for that is more than a top up on their club discount card. And when you win something I think that it is really nice that the club honours you in a small way as part of the history of the club by having your name on a little board somewhere in the club. On a board where other members and visitors may spot and recognise your name - and maybe bring to your attention, remind you of or congratulate you on - long past though your win might have been.

And that is just nice.
 
I support the exclusivity of only having a board recognising the scratch Club Champs. For 51 weeks a year the 'winner' of the weekly competition has had a leg up from the handicap system. I can only imagine that is a little frustrating for the really good players. To have a special recognition for the outstanding play of the Club Champ is a small acknowledgement that despite the handicap system, these guys and gals are the ones playing the real good golf. Mixing boards for handicap and non-handicap comps diminishes this well deserved accolade (in my eyes). I understand the counter-argument, just don't think it is a winning one.
 
I support the exclusivity of only having a board recognising the scratch Club Champs. For 51 weeks a year the 'winner' of the weekly competition has had a leg up from the handicap system. I can only imagine that is a little frustrating for the really good players. To have a special recognition for the outstanding play of the Club Champ is a small acknowledgement that despite the handicap system, these guys and gals are the ones playing the real good golf. Mixing boards for handicap and non-handicap comps diminishes this well deserved accolade (in my eyes). I understand the counter-argument, just don't think it is a winning one.

What about the counter counter argument that suggests such a board only really represents the best golfer who's chosen to have a membership at that club at that time? Then again at many clubs those guys don't even turn up to play that event if it clashes with a ranking amateur event!

In some clubs it's everybody else who doesn't turn up when there's a 5 shot differential between the best and next handicap.

Then there's others where the guy who's an away player for handicap only turns up at this club to play the championship.

Please don't get me wrong, IMO club championship should be a scratch event, but it's by no means the be all and end all of many clubs board honours and can even give quite a false impression overall.
 
What about the counter counter argument that suggests such a board only really represents the best golfer who's chosen to have a membership at that club at that time? Then again at many clubs those guys don't even turn up to play that event if it clashes with a ranking amateur event!

Club Champ can only come from the ranks of the membership so I'm not too concerned by that, and players can only beat those who turn up to play, so if they win they deserve those gold letters.

In some clubs it's everybody else who doesn't turn up when there's a 5 shot differential between the best and next handicap.

Most clubs I know run a handicap event in parallel to the Club Champ Qualifiers so many folks (like me) turn out for the event even if they have no chance of winning. If there is one player much better than all the other members and so is going to win the club champs pretty much every year then good for them - they're the best of the members who have taken the trouble to turn out.

Then there's others where the guy who's an away player for handicap only turns up at this club to play the championship.

This IS a shame and a negative, ugly entry restrictions could be put in place to prevent it but most clubs would rather not.

Please don't get me wrong, IMO club championship should be a scratch event, but it's by no means the be all and end all of many clubs board honours and can even give quite a false impression overall.

It is certainly not the be all and end all, it is one comp a year and (IMHO) a chance for a bit of well deserved special recognition of the best players.


Ian
 
I support the exclusivity of only having a board recognising the scratch Club Champs. For 51 weeks a year the 'winner' of the weekly competition has had a leg up from the handicap system. I can only imagine that is a little frustrating for the really good players. To have a special recognition for the outstanding play of the Club Champ is a small acknowledgement that despite the handicap system, these guys and gals are the ones playing the real good golf. Mixing boards for handicap and non-handicap comps diminishes this well deserved accolade (in my eyes). I understand the counter-argument, just don't think it is a winning one.

I understand this - but I just can't see there is anything wrong or negative about having a board for each club comp. The boards for the very few club 'majors' are always given pride of place in a clubhouse and are hung in the most prominent position. I just don't see that having other boards about the clubhouse in any way lessens or demeans in any way whatsoever the achievement of the winners whose names are recorded on these boards.

For many ordinary handicap golfers, aiming to get on any board is a real aspiration, and hence an incentive to play in comps as much as possible, and gives a real sense of achievement if it happens.
 
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SwingsitlikeHogan;1406699...... I just don't see that having other boards about the clubhouse in any way lessens or demeans in any way whatsoever the achievement of the winners whose names are recorded on these boards. .... .[/QUOTE said:
...imagine having another husband around the house, would you feel less special ;)

Anyhow we understand each other, just don't agree on priorities.
 
I'm quite happy that at my club, the only boards are for club champions and club captains.

The winners of all the other comps through the year get recognised at the end of season prize giving night, no need for boards everywhere.
 
For many ordinary handicap golfers, aiming to get on any board is a real aspiration, and hence an incentive to play in comps as much as possible, and gives a real sense of achievement if it happens.
this is part of the problem. The aspiration to get on a board leads to the aspiration to reduce a handicap being secondary. The targeting of board comps goes on & undermines the handicap system.

Do members and visitors really congratulate winners of the 'Sir Bufton-Tufton Bowl 1989??'
 
Maybe its a Scotland thing, where the norm is one or two boards for Scratch events. Of course they deserve to win their division on the day.

But not for me should the name be up on the board.

For the record I love the handicap system in golf.

And people think there is no problem with elitism in golf any more.

I guess it is up to the club. If they want one or two boards only that are for gross / off scratch and that's it, then so be it. They are the boards where you normally see the same name over 10 or so years as usually there are maybe two or 3 golfers capable of winning it.

The other boards for net score in certain competitions shouldn't devalue the rest. They can run in parallel. Obviously the scratch boards are the pinnacle, but that doesn't/shouldn't take away from the achievement of the club recognising a handicap golfer. The better players still have a chance to win those too.
 
this is part of the problem. The aspiration to get on a board leads to the aspiration to reduce a handicap being secondary. The targeting of board comps goes on & undermines the handicap system.

Do members and visitors really congratulate winners of the 'Sir Bufton-Tufton Bowl 1989??'

I think the prevalence of this is perceived as being greater than it is in reality; if someone wants to maintain a handicap to enable them to win a comp then in general that will happen - board or not.

And on your last point - yes they might well do so.

Whilst I have sympathy for the 'majors only' camp - I do struggle to understand the argument against their being a board for each comp - in fact we have just had a few more boards put up for some lesser comps - they are distinctly not flash little boards on our staircase wall.

I'm afraid that all I can see is an argument that smacks a little of 'exclusivity' rather than an approach that is more 'all encompassing' and inclusive. The club major winner boards will always in my mind still be the most important.
 
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And people think there is no problem with elitism in golf any more.

I guess it is up to the club. If they want one or two boards only that are for gross / off scratch and that's it, then so be it. They are the boards where you normally see the same name over 10 or so years as usually there are maybe two or 3 golfers capable of winning it.

The other boards for net score in certain competitions shouldn't devalue the rest. They can run in parallel. Obviously the scratch boards are the pinnacle, but that doesn't/shouldn't take away from the achievement of the club recognising a handicap golfer. The better players still have a chance to win those too.

Elitism? I'm not sure where you are getting that. I won't win the club championship and still love being part of my club. I will try and win, but will fall short. Does that take away from my membership experience because my name doesn't go up in gold letters, of course it doesn't.

Golf is the only sport I know where folk can be pretty hopeless but expect to win things. Bizarre.

Looking back at a board from 50 years ago to see a name up countless times. You ask about him only to be told, "he was the best 17 handicapper I have ever seen"

History,, really?
 
I have a question but its not different enough to the topic to warrant its own thread

Where clubs restrict boards to just scratch comps do any also have board/s for shooting a Hole In One

I guess a few must which would then seem strange to prioritise a single good shot (often with a thick slice of luck) over an 18 hole handicap comp



Re the thread, I don't believe a names worthy of being on a board if a player has been handed a couple dozen shot head start (doesn't matter that its not the players fault) it over inflates the achievement if you've taken 20 more shots than someone else

Also, I don't believe a names worthy of being on a board if there's realistically only a very small pool of players likely to win (doesn't matter that its not the players fault) it over inflates the achievement if you've only beat 2-3 other lads as the rest never really had a hope

Now where's that fence :D
 
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