chairman of our golf club accused of cheating

[rapper]

Our Club Chairman of long standing and a committee member for a good number of years as been accused of cheating in an inter club competition by 2 existing long standing members ,in writing on two separate occasions during the match.
He as denied it in writing and is seeking a disciplinary hearing to prove his innocence, can anyone give us any guide lines to proceed with the hearing please ,he as had a reputation of this in the past but never an official complaint in writing...and what do you think the punishment should be if found guilty?

 

[Orikoru]

Sounds like he's definitely guilty. No smoke without fire. Open and shut case.

 

[Backache]

I'd look at the constitution and ask the county for advice.

 

[The Squirrel]

First thing to do is to refer to your own club’s rules/articles/memoranda/guidelines carefully and thoroughly and check though all of them for anything relevant. This is important as if this gets serious (has been known to end up in court and risk seems higher with the chair involved!) then it will be essential to show these were followed correctly.

Only if there is still doubt should you be looking to local, or failing that national, governing structures, or in extremis legal advice, for assistance (not internet rando’s like us).

 

[D-S]

Our Club Chairman of long standing and a committee member for a good number of years as been accused of cheating in an inter club competition by 2 existing long standing members ,in writing on two separate occasions during the match.
He as denied it in writing and is seeking a disciplinary hearing to prove his innocence, can anyone give us any guide lines to proceed with the hearing please ,he as had a reputation of this in the past but never an official complaint in writing...

You need to follow your club disciplinary policy. If you don’t have one I would suggest you download the one on the EG website and adopt it PDQ.

 

[IanM]

What are they accused of doing?

 

[rapper]

What are they accused of doing?

moving the ball into a more favourable position to shoot at the flag....

 

[Neilds]

Not sure how things like this can be proved either way. It will be his word against the other two and I doubt there will be hard evidence either way to say whether he did or didn't move the ball. Will only get messy and acrimonious with no winners.

 

[IanM]

moving the ball into a more favourable position to shoot at the flag....

Leather wedge?

I wonder how he'll prove he didn't?
Equally, unless his two playing partners saw it, that's just as hard to prove.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Our Club Chairman of long standing and a committee member for a good number of years as been accused of cheating in an inter club competition by 2 existing long standing members ,in writing on two separate occasions during the match.
He as denied it in writing and is seeking a disciplinary hearing to prove his innocence, can anyone give us any guide lines to proceed with the hearing please ,he as had a reputation of this in the past but never an official complaint in writing...and what do you think the punishment should be if found guilty?

Speak to EG - they have frameworks for disciplinary processes

 

[patricks148]

dont tell me black socks with shorts and standing in the wrong place on the tee

 

[3 jabber]

I wouldn't worry about it, everyone cheats.......

 

[SocketRocket]

I've seen so many incidents of people breaking rules over the years. We know it's wrong but my view is that if someone has to deliberately cheat then it's a sad reflection on their character and they will know it. Sounds like this person has put a lot into the club and there's not much milage in persuing the incident further. Even if he is guilty he will probably not do it again. Us golfers can take life a tad too serious sometimes.

 

[NearHull]

I led a disciplinary action against a member for ‘score irregularities’ but found that club processes were weak. I followed the ACAS process. It was very fair, clear and particularly strong on documenting evidence and recording statements. It has a logical pathway.
We learnt our lesson and built a club complaint process based on the ACAS process.

 

[Backache]

I've seen so many incidents of people breaking rules over the years. We know it's wrong but my view is that if someone has to deliberately cheat then it's a sad reflection on their character and they will know it. Sounds like this person has put a lot into the club and there's not much milage in persuing the incident further. Even if he is guilty he will probably not do it again. Us golfers can take life a tad too serious sometimes.

Leaving aside whether or not cheating has occurred or whether complaints are vindictive.

The fact is that written complaints have been received about cheating, which in golf is a serious matter, there needs to be a process on analysing and resolving those complaints and it needs to be done in a manner that hears from both sides

 

[Orikoru]

Leather wedge?

I wonder how he'll prove he didn't?
Equally, unless his two playing partners saw it, that's just as hard to prove.

Well this is it, it's up to them to prove it. Innocent until proven guilty. The word of two against one isn't enough to find him guilty is it? Unless one of them recorded him on their phone, I can't see how they can prove anything.

 

[jim8flog]

I remember during a local interclub friendly match I played with the away club's chairman (at their club) and waited until the end to explain that the double sided chipper he had in his bag was not allowed. A few weeks later he was playing in our open and the club was still in his bag.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Well this is it, it's up to them to prove it. Innocent until proven guilty. The word of two against one isn't enough to find him guilty is it? Unless one of them recorded him on their phone, I can't see how they can prove anything.

How many is enough? 1 v 1 is hard to prove either way but if 2 people are repeating the same story then that starts to carry some weight.

 

[Orikoru]

How many is enough? 1 v 1 is hard to prove either way but if 2 people are repeating the same story then that starts to carry some weight.

Or it's just two people who don't like him and want him kicked out. Would be dangerous to set a precedent of just taking two people's word for it. Unless it becomes the third or fourth time he's been accused, from different people.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Or it's just two people who don't like him and want him kicked out. Would be dangerous to set a precedent of just taking two people's word for it. Unless it becomes the third or fourth time he's been accused, from different people.

What if it is 3 people who don't like him, or 4? It's the same scenario. I think once you get passed 1 person making the accusations it carries weight, unless it can be proved those people have a previous grudge against the person.