Can social members play in open competitions?

[louise_a]

A friend of mine who I played with in opens last year has decided to change to being a social member for 6 months. She says she has been told that although she will not be able to play in club comps, her handicap will remain active and that she will be able to play in opens.

This doesn't seem right to me, does anyone know what that true position is?

 

[pbrown7582]

Surely if she can't play in club comps, then she's not a club member so has no official Congu handicap to play in open comps.

 

[palindromicbob]

A friend of mine who I played with in opens last year has decided to change to being a social member for 6 months. She says she has been told that although she will not be able to play in club comps, her handicap will remain active and that she will be able to play in opens.

This doesn't seem right to me, does anyone know what that true position is?

If by being a social member this means that the club will still maintain their handicap based on returned away scores and also allow them to enter opens at the home course then the position should be ok. They would still need to return the minimum number of qualifying scores to maintain the handicap though.

I haven't seen anything in CONGU from a quick glance through it that says the player must play comps at their home club. Only that if they are members of more than one club then the home club is the course they play the most qualifying comps at.

I know a couple of clubs that offer a club membership and GUI deal which allows them to establish an official GUI handicap but they have to pay green fees to play the course and are usually not eligible to participate in closed club comps. By having an official handicap maintained by the club they can play opens though. Very appealing to the nomadic golfer.

 

[SammmeBee]

Surely if she can't play in club comps, then she's not a club member so has no official Congu handicap to play in open comps.

A member but one that just has no access rights to the course?

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Surely if she can't play in club comps, then she's not a club member so has no official Congu handicap to play in open comps.

I agree with you, if it's a qualifier how will that person manage to get their handicap updated. Your handicap must be suspended if you change to a social membership.

 

[rosecott]

To maintain a CONGU handicap your membership category must allow you to play in competitions.

 

[louise_a]

The competitions she wants to play in will be team opens and so not qualifiers

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I recently went through this when I went to social membership at my home club. They refused to maintain my handicap so I've joined the local muni for £85 a year to hold my handicap. I'll play the odd medal there but mainly opens and at my away club.

 

[Foxholer]

To maintain a CONGU handicap your membership category must allow you to play in competitions.

The question is 'Where?' can these Qualifying comps be!

And if Opens are allowed, then 'Active' status can be maintained, so why the 6-month 'grace' for them?

I wouldn't have thought Social members would be allowed to play Opens if they weren't allowed to play Q-Comps at their own Club. Could be a loophole though!

Team events could mean that team gets DQ-ed. And Ladies seem to be very sharp on making sure everyone is kept in line!

 

[rosecott]

That's not the point. As a social member she cannot have a handicap. If the organisers allow competitors without valid handicaps, that's up to them.

 

[Foxholer]

That's not the point. As a social member she cannot have a handicap. If the organisers allow competitors without valid handicaps, that's up to them.

Where is that specified? I can't see that in the UHS Manual.

Congu definition of Member doesn't actually state that. It merely states that '...a Member must have the opportunity to compete in a reasonable number of qualifying competitions...'. While I expect that's sufficient, it doesn't actually specify 'at the affiliated Club', so there may be an out! It also has a Note that Congu's definition and any Club's definition may not be the same.

 

[louise_a]

I have to say I agree with the comments made and I even suggested the "join a muni" option to her, but she is adamant that the secretary at her club said she would be able to play in opens.
My problem is that we played it a lot of opens last year which she wants to do again, but I and the other girl we played with are not happy about it.

 

[rosecott]

Where is that specified? I can't see that in the UHS Manual.

Congu definition of Member doesn't actually state that. It merely states that '...a Member must have the opportunity to compete in a reasonable number of qualifying competitions...'. While I expect that's sufficient, it doesn't actually specify 'at the affiliated Club', so there may be an out! It also has a Note that Congu's definition and any Club's definition may not be the same.

As a social member she does not have the opportunity to play in any qualifying competitions.

 

[Foxholer]

I have to say I agree with the comments made and I even suggested the "join a muni" option to her, but she is adamant that the secretary at her club said she would be able to play in opens.
My problem is that we played it a lot of opens last year which she wants to do again, but I and the other girl we played with are not happy about it.

I suggest you get her status confirmed by EnglishGolf/Congu.

To me it's not absolutely certain she's not eligible. Though I wouldn't simply trust the opinion of her Club Secretary.

 

[Foxholer]

As a social member she does not have the opportunity to play in any qualifying competitions.

Sure, at her Club, but elsewhere? Singles Opens? To repeat myself, the definition of 'Member' doesn't specify 'at the Affiliated Club', so if another Affiliated allows it..? The definition of 'Qualifying Competition' doesn't preclude it either.

I think social Membership would preclude participation in Congu auth-ed Opens - but there's a squeak of doubt which should be confirmed. Especially as her C/Sec has stated it's Ok (I doubt it!).

 

[Twire]

I would suggest as a social member she's not paying the ELGA and county subs, therefore is not a member of an affiliated club. This should stop her having an active handicap and subsequently bar her from opens.