Choosing your partners for competitions - thoughts?

[mikseymono]

Hello team!

So, since our inscriptions are now all online for our competitions it is now obvious and very clear that people are asking to play with their friends rather than to chance it to pot luck. We have two comps a week now.

Normally, we are allowed three time slots, 8-10, 10-12, 12-2 and we are then put in threes by index. Thing is, we all pay around £5 for entry, there are about 80 in a comp and there are good prizes on offer over three categories as well as best gross score overall......as well as the rise and fall of the handicap. Out of 80, 10 or so are requesting to play with another person and getting their request granted.

To my mind choosing to play with your friends in a competition is not very sporty and is not the right environment for a proper competition. Now that the inscription system is so open and public you can see who wants to play with who....it has caused quite a stir at our club and many people are not happy about it....to the point that two of them have left the committee......oh yes.....and here's the thing....drumroll..........quite often the friendly 3 ball will do well and one will win a prize..........

I can understand granting an occaissonal request or if you want to play later....but to actually ask to play with a chum in a competition....really?!

Is it just me being cynical?

Would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,

M

 

[fundy]

in before the pedants tell you this is choosing your fellow competitors not your partners

Some clubs have drawn comps, some dont and some have a mix. Much prefer drawn comps personally if for no other reason than means get to play with a much wider variety of people

 

[Lord Tyrion]

At my club you enter via the BRS system. Each person enters themselves so it is highly likely that mates are playing together. I'm new so I just add my name to any 2 ball that is on there.

I like the add of mixing people but once people are used to playing with their mates they don't like to be split. It may be their one game per week and they don't want it ruined by getting the club grump or the slow player. It is what people get familiar with and they don't like change.

 

[SVB]

At the Open, no - not right.

Club comp when we are all there to enjoy ourselves and participate in a hobby - fine with me!

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I like playing in the main with my family, it is more fun, more relaxing and I am playing golf out of choice and paying for it. Luckily almost all at our club are not drawn, I would not enter these comps, there are plenty of socials done which are more on a drawn basis, if that's your fancy.

I am not playing on tour for a living etc, so why should all be drawn.

Can understand why a comp like the club championships would be drawn.

 

[Orikoru]

Do you mean with their friends who are also members or friends who aren't members and they are bringing them in to play?

If I was playing a partner comp I would definitely team up with my mate (who is also a member). Partly because I can't drive and he gives me a lift. But mainly because I know we always have a good laugh when playing. There would be no reason for me to leave it to chance and play with somebody else that I don't know would there?

I don't think it's anything to fuss about, golf is for fun remember, and if people want to play with their friends why shouldn't they?

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Both clubs I am a member of use an online system for competitions and you pick your own partners. Same groups week in week out. I wouldn't say it leads to cheating but I don't think it is a good idea from a social point of view.

 

[fundy]

Both clubs I am a member of use an online system for competitions and you pick your own partners. Same groups week in week out. I wouldn't say it leads to cheating but I don't think it is a good idea from a social point of view.

how does a new member who knows no one integrate into that?

 

[Hosel Fade]

The way you describe the system makes it sound quite reasonable. Pick a section of time slots depending on how it fits your day. However then the groups should just be drawn randomly out of everyone who signed up for the 2 hour timeslot imo rather than by index.

As to asking to play with certain people when the rest of the field is drawn by index? Thats not on imo, who is granting them the request?

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

how does a new member who knows no one integrate into that?

They just have to find a space on the start sheet and stick their name down. I have been trying (unsuccessfully) for a while to have our booking system amended to create times for roll ups as that is a better way to integrate new members IMHO.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

They just have to find a space on the start sheet and stick their name down. I have been trying (unsuccessfully) for a while to have our booking system amended to create times for roll ups as that is a better way to integrate new members IMHO.

Do you not also have socials, that people just turn up to and play with others, so idea why of new members to get to know other members etc ?

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Do you not also have socials, that people just turn up to and play with others, so idea why of new members to get to know other members etc ?

Nope.....ALL times are booked online up to 8 days in advance. Very poor in my opinion but it seems that is what people want nowadays.

 

[patricks148]

Not a fan of the whole playing with Mates in comps, well not all anyway. we have at least half our comps as Drawn, all of which are the silver trophy comps, the rest you can play with your mates if you choose.

It just leads to cliques forming and is un inclusive to new members who might not know anyone.

I know Brian had a problem with the club he first joint near Aberdeen and there are a a couple of clubs that have the same problems i know of around here.

 

[jamielaing]

I was a member of a club for 3 years that was play with friends in all medals barring 4 a year where you had to enter a time slot of an hour and were drawn. All big groups of friends would get there early and fill up an hour with themselves so they were playing with their friends.

During my 3 years I played with 4 people regularly and the cliches were obvious. At my new club the majority of comps are draw with just a few being play with friends. As a result I speak to a whole lot more of the membership having only been there a year.

If you want a social club, comps must be drawn. If you have been there forever and have a good group of mates you are going to want to choose your FCs.

 

[Slab]

Is that the same dog in those pictures!


Anyway to the post, I like a mix through the year. Run of the mill stuff and why not play with mates.... or not

Certainly for more serious comps then draw it by all means

Newbies get integrated playing with at least one round with committee member anyway all year round

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Nope.....ALL times are booked online up to 8 days in advance. Very poor in my opinion but it seems that is what people want nowadays.

Same at my place. As a newbie you just have to be active when you book and look out for 2 balls very quickly to add your name to. The next stage of integration is then to join in the chatter in the bar afterwards. It means making friends takes a little longer than in previous years but you should get there still.

 

[Region3]

Ours are 'randomly' drawn from 3 time slots of 2hrs each, so you can choose early, middle, or late, but beyond that you play with whoever you're drawn with.

Having said that, the guys doing the draw know who everyone's mates are and about 35-45% of the time they draw you with at least 1 mate.
When you don't play with your regular partners they will usually put you close together in the draw so friends finish and are in the bar at roughly the same time.

I think it works great. I'd hate to play comps where everyone chooses their own tee time.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

Select your own times and partners here. The bigger competitions are drawn, which is fine, but no issues with being able to select your partners.
I notice more a trend of lower handicaps playing with those off a lower handicap as well, and there is plenty of sense to that as well.

End of the day...does it really matter?!

 

[fundy]

Select your own times and partners here. The bigger competitions are drawn, which is fine, but no issues with being able to select your partners.
I notice more a trend of lower handicaps playing with those off a lower handicap as well, and there is plenty of sense to that as well.

End of the day...does it really matter?!

for me yes, personally wouldnt want to join a club where comps werent drawn and everyone played in their little cliques, likely to be looking for a new club next year and drawn comps will be very close to the top of list of requirements

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Players can pick their own tee times and people they play with - never had any issues with new people being able to integrate , they get introduced to the swindles when they arrive and also there are plenty of single slots where people can just put their name down.