Cashless Swindles

[backwoodsman]

In the Random Irritations thread, some folks said their swindles has gone cashless. So, rather than continue to highjack that thread, I'll ask the question here. Genuine questions for those who have cashless swindles. How/where is the money collected, where is it held, and how/when is it paid out.

We did try cashless during Covid. Once in a blue moon, your 'account' got settled - you paid if you were in debt, or you got paid if you'd won something and were in credit. Entry fee and payout seemed totally divorced from the actual game played on the day. No-one thought it worked. We eventually reverted to £2 cash paid on the day with payout straight after the last group comes in.

So, interested to see how the cashless versions are handled.

 

[Mandofred]

The obvious answer is to not play for money. I really dislike playing for money. But......to play with others.....I need to make sure I have money with me.

I think if there was somebody out there who had a good app that would deal with the gambling aspect of golf.....they could make some money themselves.....

 

[Billysboots]

During Covid everyone paid me their fiver online in advance, and I paid out the winners, also online, whilst I was sitting outside the clubhouse with a takeaway beer. Our numbers are relatively low (six tee times so a maximum of 24 players), so not especially onerous.

 

[backwoodsman]

During Covid everyone paid me their fiver online in advance, and I paid out the winners, also online, whilst I was sitting outside the clubhouse with a takeaway beer. Our numbers are relatively low (six tee times so a maximum of 24 players), so not especially onerous.

If they paid online in advance, where was the money sitting until payout? In your account? Or in a 'dedicated' account.

 

[Billysboots]

If they paid online in advance, where was the money sitting until payout? In your account? Or in a 'dedicated' account.

In my account. No different really to how it is now when I have 24 fivers sitting in my wallet for a few hours.

 

[woofers]

In my account. No different really to how it is now when I have 24 fivers sitting in my wallet for a few hours.

When you have 24 fivers sitting in your wallet you know everyone has paid in, and you can pay out to the winners immediately.
Presumably ’cashless’ means logging into your online account or App to check that everyone has paid in, and initially setting up 24 payee bank details.

 

[NearHull]

Many, many years ago our swindles played for balls. The concept was that you donated a new ball , of the type you normally played with, into the prize bag. The winner took all.

I think you can all see how this system slowly fell apart.

 

[Billysboots]

When you have 24 fivers sitting in your wallet you know everyone has paid in, and you can pay out to the winners immediately.
Presumably ’cashless’ means logging into your online account or App to check that everyone has paid in, and initially setting up 24 payee bank details.

It took a few minutes to make sure everyone had paid. If they hadn’t I stood next to them whilst they did. And once bank details are stored that’s it. It’s really no more complicated than dealing in cash.

 

[backwoodsman]

Ta for info but more questions - and am only asking in trying to relate it to our own situation.

How do you handle those who can't (or don't want to) pay electronically. (We do have some)
How far in advance are folk supposed register/pay? (We have 36 slots open to entire club membership)
How do you deal with no-shows and late-comers - especially if organiser may already be on the course (not common but it happens)

 

[PJ87]

Ta for info but more questions - and am only asking in trying to relate it to our own situation.

How do you handle those who can't (or don't want to) pay electronically. (We do have some)
How far in advance are folk supposed register/pay? (We have 36 slots open to entire club membership)
How do you deal with no-shows and late-comers - especially if organiser may already be on the course (not common but it happens)

How would a late comer pay now? Behind the counter?

People who don't want to pay by bank is easy .. there will be someone who will happily pay for them and take their cash

 

[backwoodsman]

How would a late comer pay now? Behind the counter?

People who don't want to pay by bank is easy .. there will be someone who will happily pay for them and take their cash

At the mo' - for us - everyone pays at the counter in cash. But my question really related to how its handled if paying electronically. Can see that either cash, or cashless, could work but don 't really see a combination being a goer.
The true problem is golfers themselves. All that's required is to tick your name off a sheet, hand over £2 (however), play golf, and hand in a score. Nothing could be simpler, could it? Yeah, right! Its like herding sodding cats ...

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Before covid we had situations where we were told things couldn't happen because people wouldn't change or cope with new tech. Then covid happened and people adapted. The alternative was not be involved at all.

@Billysboots has got it right, it isn't hard to set up and run. For the odd person who won't change, they will have a mate who will pay for them.

At my last club the seniors section went fully WhatsApp in their communication and organisation. Not one player was lost, they all adapted. The alternative was to not play and that was all the incentive required.

 

[backwoodsman]

Not saying things cant change - just interested in how folk handle the mechanics of it?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Not saying things cant change - just interested in how folk handle the mechanics of it?

Sorry, I didn't mean my post to be a pop.

I don't do a swindle but it isn't a million miles off organising opens with mates is it? One person pays, the others ping the money across. If you haven't paid, you aren't involved. The only difference is money also pings the other way after the round, the payout. I have the bank details of most of my playing mates on my online banking app, a couple are still luddites , it is simple to set up.

Good luck with it. It's probably a faff to set up initially but once done if should be a doddle.

 

[Billysboots]

How do you handle those who can't (or don't want to) pay electronically. (We do have some)
How far in advance are folk supposed register/pay? (We have 36 slots open to entire club membership)
How do you deal with no-shows and late-comers - especially if organiser may already be on the course (not common but it happens)

In order;

1. Everyone was happy to pay online.

2. They generally paid up after I sent a midweek WhatsApp confirming numbers and asking for payment.

3. I simply returned their money. Our group’s first tee time is 8.30am and everyone has to be there no later than 8.00am for the draw. I was never on the course before the draw was completed and I knew who was there.

I answer all the above in the past tense as, to clarify, now covid has passed we are no longer cashless.

I suppose there are subtle differences with roll ups, swindles, call them what you will. At ours, there are three different groups on a Saturday which have tee times set aside for them on non competition weeks, and at least one other is run the same as ours. I send a WhatsApp a week or so in advance to our group asking who wants to play, and confirm names/numbers by midday on Wednesday. We are open to all members, so it’s not a closed shop, but to be involved they need to be added to the WhatsApp group - they can’t simply rock up on a Saturday and expect a game if not on the confirmed list for that day. So we’re not a roll up in the purest sense.

Once set up it really is very easy, although I guess the larger the group the more problems there could potentially be. Ours is a relatively small arrangement which has been running now for 20+ years.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

In the Random Irritations thread, some folks said their swindles has gone cashless. So, rather than continue to highjack that thread, I'll ask the question here. Genuine questions for those who have cashless swindles. How/where is the money collected, where is it held, and how/when is it paid out.

We did try cashless during Covid. Once in a blue moon, your 'account' got settled - you paid if you were in debt, or you got paid if you'd won something and were in credit. Entry fee and payout seemed totally divorced from the actual game played on the day. No-one thought it worked. We eventually reverted to £2 cash paid on the day with payout straight after the last group comes in.

So, interested to see how the cashless versions are handled.

Stevie who is the guy that collects the money has access to his banking app to make sure we all pay.

Takes him so little time a week to administer.

We have only 26 in our group now after losing a few over winter.

Everyone knows the score and he doesn’t have any late payments. Looking at the screenshot today he sent everyone is way in credit and only one is down to £5 in his account.

Really works well and no way would we ever go back to cash.

 

[Captainron]

Cash is most certainly not king in this day and age.

If you want cash off me you can sod off. I’ll have your bank details and ping you a payment. Takes seconds and I don’t have to handle cash.

 

[SocketRocket]

I play regularly with a group where the losers buy the tea/coffee in the group. Its still an incentive however small and works well.