Club championships

[Pjwgov]

Hi all,
We have just had our club championship, this included a scratch and Hcp comp over 2days, we have seen a decline in numbers. Are other clubs seeing this at all. we are looking at ways to get numbers(60) up again. Tha

 

[IanM]

60? We had 3 times that play.... maybe cutting it to one day in whatever format would help numbers. Sometimes playing both days of a weekend doesnt fit with peoples schedules? (or permission )

 

[wjemather]

As Ian says, many people don't want to (or can't) play both days so won't enter. If you don't have a cut for the second day, perhaps that would help?

Our club champs is 2-day affair with a cut; Saturday is held as the regular 3-division monthly medal, open to all, with the top-32 gross scores and ties playing for the trophies (2-round aggregate gross and nett) on Sunday. Entry numbers since 2011 have been: 123, 118, 100, 101, 132, 119, 118, 136, 131, 153, 151, 142, 144*.

* - entries so far for this year (to be held this coming weekend).

 

[Orikoru]

As far back as I can go in the IG app:
2023: 63 entries
2022: 69 entries
2021: 76 entries
2020: 82 entries
2019: 59 entries

No idea why it would be declining though. I always look forward to it and make sure I'm not busy that weekend so I can enter. Then play like a complete turd.

 

[NearHull]

Hi all,
We have just had our club championship, this included a scratch and Hcp comp over 2days, we have seen a decline in numbers. Are other clubs seeing this at all. we are looking at ways to get numbers(60) up again. Tha

We hold a 36 hole competition over one day. We want to attract all of our best players to our only gross comp (though there is a handicap comp riding on its back). Our better players are, in the main, the younger element of the club and very few are retired. Modern working life puts a lot of social pressure on members and we believe not all of the working members would or could commit to two days.
We limit the entry to an HI that gives a PH of 18 off the medal tees to help speed up play and we can then accommodate around 60 players.

( It was held on Saturday and won by a retired member!)

 

[Lord Tyrion]

As others have already said, reduce it from 2 days to 1. People have other things to do, asking someone to give up a whole weekend puts unnecessary pressure on home life.

 

[jim8flog]

This year we have 15 in the scratch and 30 in the handicap
Last year we had 24 in the scratch and 60 in the handicap

When it was 36 played in reverse handicap order on one day we had a lot of complaints from the guys with low handicaps about having to follow the high handicap players.
We now have round 1 of the handicap on a Saturday
On Sunday first round of the scratch followed by second round of the handicap followed by second round of the scratch.

Some do not like the two days but we listened to all complaints before changing it.

I put the drop in number down to how it it is advertised and the drop in the numbers in the scratch because we do not have a nett prize and a lot more players realising they have no hope of winning it.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Ours is this Saturday. 36 holes off scratch.

12 entrants so far. Two more days to get your name down. I'm expecting 1, 2 or 3 more tops.
Looks like I'll be the oldest in the comp by a few years.
20 years ago, we used to get about 30.

 

[KenL]

Ours is this Saturday. 36 holes off scratch.

12 entrants so far. Two more days to get your name down. I'm expecting 1, 2 or 3 more tops.
Looks like I'll be the oldest in the comp by a few years.
20 years ago, we used to get about 30.

Format needs revised surely?
For me, club championship should be matchplay.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Format needs revised surely?
For me, club championship should be matchplay.

Top 8 from club championship go into a scratch matchplay for another trophy board comp.
Tradition of club going back many many decades.
I have been club champ twice - runner-up three times, scratch matchplay champ three times - runner-up twice.

 

[KenL]

Top 8 from club championship go into a scratch matchplay for another trophy board comp.
Tradition of club going back many many decades.
I have been club champ twice - runner-up three times, scratch matchplay champ three times - runner-up twice.

Respect to you.
But, if people are put off entering, is that a good thing going forward?

 

[HeftyHacker]

Our is a 36 hole medal, club champion is best gross and club trophy for best net.

Played over two consecutive Saturdays. I believe it used to be over a weekend but declining numbers saw that off.

We've just had our annual 36 hole open (maximum PH of 9) and it was amazingly won by a net 149 (par 69) by a lad off 3. Apparently the rough being up, the greens being lightning and the 35mph crosswinds led to some pretty dismal scoring. These were single figure guys struggling to break 90.

 

[D-S]

Up the prize money. Seemed to work for LIV and the PGA tour seemed to follow.

 

[Billysboots]

Our numbers are very much in decline and have been for a few years.

First issue is that it is played over two days. Despite a survey of active members confirming that more people failed to play because we schedule it over two days than would fail to play if we did 36 holes in a single day, the committee steadfastly refuse to revert to a single day.

The second primary factor is that our course is now so tough in summer because of the hard fairways and brutal second cut that fewer people are inclined to play 36 holes of medal golf from the back tees. In recent years the later starters have had to endure rounds of well over five hours.

I haven’t played for getting on for ten years as I do not want to give up an entire weekend to be on the golf course for ten or eleven hours. It’s just not fun.

If the club and committee could get their heads together and make a real day of it - two rounds, BBQ in the evening and so on - then I would give it another go, as I know others would.

 

[IanM]

Despite a survey of active members confirming that more people failed to play because we schedule it over two days than would fail to play if we did 36 holes in a single day, the committee steadfastly refuse to revert to a single day.

Then you need a new committee. Most people who volunteer for committees are usually the last people who should be on committee!

 

[Voyager EMH]

Respect to you.
But, if people are put off entering, is that a good thing going forward?

Numbers have dwindled gradually over the years.
Everyone has a choice of a club-wide stableford on the same day.
I think many have too often had that experience of playing poo in the morning, then going out in the afternoon and going through the motions.
Thus they choose to play in the stableford, don't get so knackered, more time for drinking, spending time with family etc.
They simply view the club championship as too tough - "I ain't gonna beat a +1.2 player over 36 holes off scatch!"
I like the competition and being part of it.

 

[Billysboots]

Then you need a new committee. Most people who volunteer for committees are usually the last people who should be on committee!

In fairness the club also play an integral role in this. As a proprietary club the management are less inclined to turn paying visitors away, hence the reluctance to close the course to visitors for even one day a year.

I recall many years ago, when we still held the event in a single day, they allowed a society of nearly forty out between the two Club Championship rounds. The second round took the leading 3-ball, the last group out, a shade under six hours.

 

[clubchamp98]

Ours is this Saturday 36 holes off scratch.
I am not playing as 36 holes for me now is a bit of a no no.
played 27 last Wednesday and could hardly walk in the evening.
Over two days I would play but over one no chance.

 

[Hobbit]

Going back as long as I can remember 36 holes over 2 days always saw a lower number of entrants than the one day, Saturday comps. Some people want time with family, and some people struggle with fitness over 2 days. It is what it is.

 

[Orikoru]

This year we have 15 in the scratch and 30 in the handicap
Last year we had 24 in the scratch and 60 in the handicap

When it was 36 played in reverse handicap order on one day we had a lot of complaints from the guys with low handicaps about having to follow the high handicap players.
We now have round 1 of the handicap on a Saturday
On Sunday first round of the scratch followed by second round of the handicap followed by second round of the scratch.

Some do not like the two days but we listened to all complaints before changing it.

I put the drop in number down to how it it is advertised and the drop in the numbers in the scratch because we do not have a nett prize and a lot more players realising they have no hope of winning it.

Ours is also in handicap order, but the low guys go out first on Saturday. Then on Sunday it's done in leaderboard order so the leaders go out last. I guess that works well so the good players have one early start and one later one (unless they have a mare). And the high handicappers get it in reverse.