Busted. A Cheat Caught

[inc0gnito]

WEhen I played a Chester le St, there was a new member who turned up and played a Stableford on the Sat and strokeplay on the Sunday. He won both with 50 points on Sat and Net 59 on Sunday off a hcap of 19. Nobody knew this guy and after a little digging it turned out his previous club down south had him off 8. Now our club was partly to blame for now following up with a check beforehand, Needless to say when the word got around, (like wildfire) he was ostracised and no-one would play with him. He wouldny dare show his face in the bar and he left the club shortly afterwards

I don’t get why people do this. To cheat your way to win something for monetary value I understand but don’t agree with. But is winning some club golf comps really worth it? I’d have zero self respect With myself if I ever did that. The old adage of “your only cheating yourself” is completely true.

 

[Billysboots]

WEhen I played a Chester le St, there was a new member who turned up and played a Stableford on the Sat and strokeplay on the Sunday. He won both with 50 points on Sat and Net 59 on Sunday off a hcap of 19. Nobody knew this guy and after a little digging it turned out his previous club down south had him off 8. Now our club was partly to blame for now following up with a check beforehand, Needless to say when the word got around, (like wildfire) he was ostracised and no-one would play with him. He wouldny dare show his face in the bar and he left the club shortly afterwards

Was this pre-WHS? If not, his handicap record would have been available for those at Chester-le-Street to view when he joined, surely?

 

[sunshine]

Was this pre-WHS? If not, his handicap record would have been available for those at Chester-le-Street to view when he joined, surely?

Even pre WHS the club would just get handicap from previous club surely?

 

[AussieKB]

You are assuming he told the new club about the old club.....my guess he did not and just put cards in for a new handicap.

If that is the case, then he should be thrown out of the club and the county advised., IMO.

 

[Beezerk]

WEhen I played a Chester le St, there was a new member who turned up and played a Stableford on the Sat and strokeplay on the Sunday. He won both with 50 points on Sat and Net 59 on Sunday off a hcap of 19. Nobody knew this guy and after a little digging it turned out his previous club down south had him off 8. Now our club was partly to blame for now following up with a check beforehand, Needless to say when the word got around, (like wildfire) he was ostracised and no-one would play with him. He wouldny dare show his face in the bar and he left the club shortly afterwards

I was a member at CLS a few years back, me and a mate reported a well known cheat when we caught him kicking his ball out of the rough. The club did very little about it iirc.

 

[Billysboots]

Even pre WHS the club would just get handicap from previous club surely?

They would, of course, but the suggestion is that the new club never contacted the old. They wouldn’t need to check a playing record like that with WHS. It’s there for all to see.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

WEhen I played a Chester le St, there was a new member who turned up and played a Stableford on the Sat and strokeplay on the Sunday. He won both with 50 points on Sat and Net 59 on Sunday off a hcap of 19. Nobody knew this guy and after a little digging it turned out his previous club down south had him off 8. Now our club was partly to blame for now following up with a check beforehand, Needless to say when the word got around, (like wildfire) he was ostracised and no-one would play with him. He wouldny dare show his face in the bar and he left the club shortly afterwards

In the 1990's we had a guy that did this.
New handicap 22, after checking old club handicap 10.
He won Captains day by about 10 shots. and received his prize in stoney silence
Under Rule 19 [I loved that rule] we cut him to 5.
Never saw him again.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

WEhen I played a Chester le St, there was a new member who turned up and played a Stableford on the Sat and strokeplay on the Sunday. He won both with 50 points on Sat and Net 59 on Sunday off a hcap of 19. Nobody knew this guy and after a little digging it turned out his previous club down south had him off 8. Now our club was partly to blame for now following up with a check beforehand, Needless to say when the word got around, (like wildfire) he was ostracised and no-one would play with him. He wouldny dare show his face in the bar and he left the club shortly afterwards

How come he was playing off 19 when his HC was 8 at his previous club

Even before WHS you just search on the old Congu portal to check his HC

Surely part of the process for any new member is gaining their CDH number to check the records

 

[Swango1980]

How come he was playing off 19 when his HC was 8 at his previous club

Even before WHS you just search on the old Congu portal to check his HC

Surely part of the process for any new member is gaining their CDH number to check the records

When I was handicap sec, you were reliant on the new member declaring if their handicap, previous club, etc. Very many didn't bother, just gave their name and paid their membership fee.

I was able to check the system to a certain extent, and if there was another golfer at another club with the same name, I would check with them. Especially a local club. But if they had a fairly common name, bit more tricky.

I'm assuming it is harder to do now, as golfers need an email address attached to their handicap info?

 

[wjemather]

When I was handicap sec, you were reliant on the new member declaring if their handicap, previous club, etc. Very many didn't bother, just gave their name and paid their membership fee.

I was able to check the system to a certain extent, and if there was another golfer at another club with the same name, I would check with them. Especially a local club. But if they had a fairly common name, bit more tricky.

I'm assuming it is harder to do now, as golfers need an email address attached to their handicap info?

...and date of birth, but neither are searchable/viewable by handicap committees (only those with county access or higher can search by email address and view dates of birth).
When adding a new member on the WHS platform without an existing ID (CDH) number, a list of potential matches is presented with email & d.o.b. information partially redacted. The handicap secretary can either match with one of these or create a new member.

 

[Crazyface]

WEhen I played a Chester le St, there was a new member who turned up and played a Stableford on the Sat and strokeplay on the Sunday. He won both with 50 points on Sat and Net 59 on Sunday off a hcap of 19. Nobody knew this guy and after a little digging it turned out his previous club down south had him off 8. Now our club was partly to blame for now following up with a check beforehand, Needless to say when the word got around, (like wildfire) he was ostracised and no-one would play with him. He wouldny dare show his face in the bar and he left the club shortly afterwards

Was he a bit thick? Puts in a incorrect handicap and then TWO stupidly high scores! What did he think would happen?

 

[Backache]

Doubt it's due to ignorance if you're a low handicapper, but the first time I moved clubs, I put in three cards for a new handicap because I didn't know otherwise, no one informed me.
Didn't win anything though

 

[Neilds]

Was he a bit thick? Puts in a incorrect handicap and then TWO stupidly high scores! What did he think would happen?

But at least he got a dozen mid range balls and 30 quid for his troubles

 

[Tashyboy]

Our fuddle has about 30 -35 guys in it, a lot of the lads have known one another for years so they get along fantastic. One of the lads who was in for only a year before he went to another club introduced a guy from Belton. He was an acquired taste although I got on with him. A couple of the lads had pulled him up previously about improving his lie etc. it all kicked off on an away day ( I never went) when he was seen kicking his ball out of the rough by another guy who was playing an adjoining fairway. He was not just angry but upset. He told a few lads. And within half an hour everyone knew. One lad put something on the whats app group along the lines of “ why do we put up with cheating within the fuddle”. By the end of the week he had took the hint and dropped out of the fuddle. I just dont understand It. Money and prizes change people.

Talking of money and prizes. Re our fuddle, I don’t know if I have mentioned it but my driving up to a couple of months ago has been rammel. My official handicap went up from 17-20.6 lat year. My fuddle hcap to 24. I was paying money out every week. It was purgatory. Anyway one of the lads who does the fuddle sheet had done a money list. There was much talk of how much the lower handicappers will be winning. Guess who is second from the top of the list, £1.50 behind the leader. Suffice to say the peasants are grumbling. Money just makes folk odd. And let’s be right we are not talking absolute life changing sums of money.
Odd thing is, they will be grumbling when me New driver and irons hit the course

 

[Swango1980]

Doubt it's due to ignorance if you're a low handicapper, but the first time I moved clubs, I put in three cards for a new handicap because I didn't know otherwise, no one informed me.
Didn't win anything though

I've heard of Clubs, and even previous handicap secs at my old club, who have told golfers to just stick in 3 cards to get a new handicap. Even after being told they had previously had a handicap. No idea what their thinking is, perhaps it gives them an easier life (marginally, as they are too lazy or lack the basic knowledge to look up the CDH number), they think the golfer will need a new handicap if they've not played in a few years, or they think they should have a new handicap reflecting their new course and not the old one.

A couple of years ago I was playing at one of the more expensive clubs in the county, with a member. Afterwards, when having a drink, he started talking to the handicap secretary, and my mate informed the handicap sec about another new member who still needs his handicap transferred. The handicap sec confidently said "tell him not to worry about that, just get him to post 3 scores and we'll give him a new one"

 

[nickjdavis]

I remember looking at the noticeboard one Saturday afternoon at our club maybe sometime in the mid/late 2000's. A couple of strangers walked up and started checking the handicap list. The conversation went...

A: What handicap have you been given
B:16, what about you?
A: I got 14
B: Pretty good, we should have a chance of winning a few things

Followed them up to the bar, let them sit for about 10 minutes then ambled over and casually introduced myself (I was competitions treasurer at the time). Said they were new members and as part of the conversation they said they'd previously played at ZYX but hadnt been members anywhere for 18 months or so. I wished them well and hoped that they enjoyed their time at the club and told them all they needed to know about signing up for comps and how the prizes worked.

Ten minutes later the handicap secretary had established, by way of a quick phone call, that they previously held high single digit handicaps at their old club. A quiet word in the owners ear (he was an old school sort of owner who wielded rule 19 like an executioners axe) and he walked over to them in the bar, unfurled a wad of notes from his pocket, refunded their memberships (not the first nor the last time I would ever witness him doing this), told them to drink up and eff off. A few more phone calls to other clubs in the area and their card was marked. Turns out that they were serial club movers who would get a new handicap at each club, clean up a few trophies and move on.

The world is full of them.

 

[Bazz]

I've heard of Clubs, and even previous handicap secs at my old club, who have told golfers to just stick in 3 cards to get a new handicap. Even after being told they had previously had a handicap. No idea what their thinking is, perhaps it gives them an easier life (marginally, as they are too lazy or lack the basic knowledge to look up the CDH number), they think the golfer will need a new handicap if they've not played in a few years, or they think they should have a new handicap reflecting their new course and not the old one.

A couple of years ago I was playing at one of the more expensive clubs in the county, with a member. Afterwards, when having a drink, he started talking to the handicap secretary, and my mate informed the handicap sec about another new member who still needs his handicap transferred. The handicap sec confidently said "tell him not to worry about that, just get him to post 3 scores and we'll give him a new one"

If I've managed to get my handicap down and a new club want to give me a new one which is higher, I'm telling them it's not happening. Some people really will do anything for a few quid and some balls.

 

[threefootworld]

Be inteested to know on what basis they could mount a legal challenge to a termination of his membership. As far as I understand it clubs can decide for themselves on who they have as members providing they are not descriminating on the basis of one of the protected characteristics.

Cluns

Was this pre-WHS? If not, his handicap record would have been available for those at Chester-le-Street to view when he joined, surely?

I think the sec took him at his word without doing any checking when he said he didnt have a hcap when he joined. Then he put obviously bogus scores in to get his 19 hcap. The part i found the funniest was he asked the club to refund his full membership fees, and they refused citing he chose to leave because he was found out to be a hcap cheat.

 

[threefootworld]

How come he was playing off 19 when his HC was 8 at his previous club

Even before WHS you just search on the old Congu portal to check his HC

Surely part of the process for any new member is gaining their CDH number to check the records

he never mentioned a previous club and put in 3 cards

 

[threefootworld]

My club has now decided to limit GP play rounds to 1 per month and they will be looked at very closely. we had one guy putting in a GP round on the app at 1.30 in the morning, and others putting them in daily with questionable comp results...