Club championships , what's the score

[Siolag]

A slight diversion on this but in the same realm. Any club I've been a member of the Club Championship is a scratch comp with a maximum h/c for entrants, usually around 12. A few posts are suggesting anyone can enter theirs, no matter their h/c. Am I reading those correctly?

We have a scratch and a handicap champs, the scratch being the 'Board Comp' as it were. The top 16 gross go into knockout rounds for scratch and the top 16 net for handicap. Finals are all played the same day alongside Junior finals and Ladies finals. As far as I know the Juniors and Ladies share the knockout format, but I don't know how they qualify.

 

[Bdill93]

We have two competitions within one. We have the club champion which is the lowest gross 36 hole total. For the vast majority they have zero chance of winning that so there is a handicap prize which runs alongside. That is the one the majority are interested in, but the winner isn't referred to as club champion. They are the XXXX trophy (can't remember the name of the cup) winner although everyone knows it was won on club championship weekend so there is a that degree of kudos. It is possible to win both (as happened a few years back)

Sounds like the best system I've read so far!

 

[sunshine]

We have two competitions within one. We have the club champion which is the lowest gross 36 hole total. For the vast majority they have zero chance of winning that so there is a handicap prize which runs alongside. That is the one the majority are interested in, but the winner isn't referred to as club champion. They are the XXXX trophy (can't remember the name of the cup) winner although everyone knows it was won on club championship weekend so there is a that degree of kudos. It is possible to win both (as happened a few years back)

This is a good idea, if it's scratch only then 90% of the club have zero chance of winning.

My club championship is a scratch medal, 18 holes on Saturday, then top 24 make the cut and play another 18 on Sunday. The last couple of years they have moved the tees around (as well as the pins) to make it interesting, e.g. bringing the tee forward on short par 4 to tempt the big hitters etc.

Couple of years ago I had the lowest nett score, but that meant naff all.

 

[sunshine]

Club Championship seems to vary wildly from club to club. Ours is a two-round competition (Saturday and Sunday). Anyone can enter, although I think handicaps were capped at 28 (so if you're higher than that you just play off 28). And there are three prizes, the scratch gross prize, a net prize for 0-14 handicaps, and a net prize for 15-28 handicap. So something for everyone to compete for really, which is good I think.

I understand the rationale of trying to be inclusive, but you can't really call yourself club champion for winning the nett 15-28 handicap division club championship

 

[Orikoru]

I understand the rationale of trying to be inclusive, but you can't really call yourself club champion for winning the nett 15-28 handicap division club championship

Well no, because you wouldn't be the club champion. You'd have won the 'Bronze Medal' as they call it. Obviously the club champion is the guy who won the gross prize, and I don't think anyone would say otherwise. But if that was the only prize then there wouldn't be any point people like me turning up would there.

 

[sunshine]

I don't think our Club Champs will even happen this year. Normally it's over two days, Saturday and Sunday, but with members struggling to even get tee times now I just can't see it working.

I heard about this. Season tickets not valid and no reserved times for members / comps - shocking!

Time to leave? Traminator would welcome you next door

 

[sunshine]

No chance, he smashed me 6&4 ?

Where are you?

Hadley Wood.

Used to play at Haste Hill a long time ago.

 

[Orikoru]

I heard about this. Season tickets not valid and no reserved times for members / comps - shocking!

Time to leave? Traminator would welcome you next door

Plenty are leaving for nearby clubs, such as Grims Dyke. Saying they'll come back when it's all sorted and back to normal. I don't really have the money for a grand+ a year membership though, plus I'd miss the guys I left behind, they're a good bunch.

 

[sunshine]

Awesome!!
I know Alastair the pro and one of the members, surname Cadman, think it's Bob? Yorkshireman.

It's members only at the moment, but you're welcome to come up and have a game when we are allowed to bring guests.

 

[PJ87]

I held a survey on a few social platforms. Turns out the vote is very split .. say 60/40 with 60% only allowing 7 day members and 40% allowing both.

It seemed aswell the majority of the replies about why 5 members should be excluded seemed to be very much golf snobbery.. "full members only"

A lot of people agreed how can you be club champion if some members are excluded which is a good point.

I emailed my GM and suggested the following ideas going forward

"I have a few proposals going forward for 5 day members.

1. Allow entry to the club championship only for a fee.

2. Allow access to comp weekends at a fee (this extra revenue would help the club and might push people to become 7 day members to save money if they kept entering comps)

3. Have the 5 day members have their own club championship midweek.

4. Host the club championship on the bank holiday Monday in August . This for me would be the simplest solution. Everyone could enter without taking a day off work."

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Sounds to me that what you are proposing is basically 5 day members get cheap access to the benefits that full 7 day members pay for.

 

[PJ87]

Sounds to me that what you are proposing is basically 5 day members get cheap access to the benefits that full 7 day members pay for.

Those 4 were options

I will add if a 5 day member entered the comp would cost them £50

The difference per month between 5 day and 7 day is £25 a month

So would encourage members to go 7 days

If 4 people entered club championship that would be £200 for the club

Or move to a bank holiday .. everyone can enter ..

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I had a country membership, I wasn't allowed to play in any of the club major competitions but could play in regular medals, take guests etc. I knew the deal when I signed up and was happy with it. If people want full privileges then they should sign up for it otherwise it is unfair on those that pay full whack.

 

[PJ87]

I had a country membership, I wasn't allowed to play in any of the club major competitions but could play in regular medals, take guests etc. I knew the deal when I signed up and was happy with it. If people want full privileges then they should sign up for it otherwise it is unfair on those that pay full whack.

Boils back to this wasn't explained when joining the club which was my mates gripe

Like i said I emailed suggestions to the GM. reasonable ones that could make the club money aswell

Doesn't hurt ?.. plus if nobody mentions nothing ever changes

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We have a seniors club championship which is held midweek and I am pretty sure the vast majority of our 5 day membership fit into the senior category so they in essence have their own version. The main club championship is going ahead this year over a Saturday and Sunday. We'll enter via HDID rather than booking specific tee times and the draw will be done in handicap order on day one and score order (best Saturday gross scores and leading 10 net scores going out in the last few groups). It's for 7 day members, and they must have 4 qualifying cards in (we're back running regular comps so no excuses even for new members). We usually present the trophy for best gross and net on the day but with clubhouse restrictions doubt that will happen as a lot come back to see the last groups come in and have a beer

 

[GB72]

My former club just got rid of 5 day memberships so as everyone contributes equally to the costs and upkeep of the facilities that they use.

 

[rosecott]

Those 4 were options

I will add if a 5 day member entered the comp would cost them £50

The difference per month between 5 day and 7 day is £25 a month

So would encourage members to go 7 days

If 4 people entered club championship that would be £200 for the club

Or move to a bank holiday .. everyone can enter ..

It may not be a widespread situation but the membership rules for 5-day members at our place excludes Bank Holidays. They would have to pay a green fee to play on a Bank Holiday.

 

[PJ87]

It may not be a widespread situation but the membership rules for 5-day members at our place excludes Bank Holidays. They would have to pay a green fee to play on a Bank Holiday.

Ours lets us on bank holidays I believe .. if it didn't (which could find out in couple weeks) I can see my mate trying to leave . So far he has had the following issues

No entry to club championship (not told before joining)
The course closed for 3 days to host a PGA event that wasn't told about when he joined so 3 more days he can't play
Club didn't give him and our other mate the 2 free guest passes for renewing as they only joined in may.. now they were meant to join 24th march but club locked down. I joined 24th Feb and paid only 1 month more membership than both of them as they didn't charge during lock down and I got 2 passes

He feels a bit excluded lol

 

[PJ87]

If he's a 5 day member, what has a weekend competition got to do with him? Is he complaining about all the medals, board comps etc he can't play in?

One PGA 3 day event in the season... Hardly a big deal is it?

Only the club championship. Nothing about all the medals etc. Just club championship

His previous clubs allowed him. As do a lot of clubs.

The PGA event he just got the huff because of the club championship. It's entirely that causing the friction

The GM has agreed to meet with me over it to discuss possible changes going forward which is positive.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Only the club championship. Nothing about all the medals etc. Just club championship

His previous clubs allowed him. As do a lot of clubs.

The PGA event he just got the huff because of the club championship. It's entirely that causing the friction

The GM has agreed to meet with me over it to discuss possible changes going forward which is positive.

When I first joined Royal Ascot as a 5 day we could play on bank holidays and just bought reduced green fees to play weekends. I can see why there would be some angst about the club championship if it wasn't explained at the time assuming the question was asked and no assumption made on your mates behalf. Given the lack of golf we've had I can see how losing 3 more days would be an issue as it wasn't explained at the time of joining.

I always feel five day members is a tricky one. On the one hand they get to play the course at its best when the greenstaff are all in working (as opposed to reduced weekend staff numbers) and in general there are less players around but on the other a lot of clubs make it hard for them to play in things like club champs and any external events like visiting tour events or large societies will reduce the amount of golf available. At least in this case the manager seems open to change which seems positive