Ethical and legal stand point at golf club ruling

[Severof]

Good morning

My first post here and I was looking for some advice regarding what has just happened to me at my golf club. Background being that I am a full 7 day member of a decent, if not a little on the corporate side golf club in the UK. I will refrain from mentioning it's name until I know how this situation pans out. The Fees are 5k plus a year and I am a member there with my 13 yr old son, a decent young golfer with a 12 hcap. We have been there 2 years now.

Our Club run an order of Merit Event every year, whereby you can enter 10 seperate events, that run from March to October. These are a mix of Stford and Medal, inc the 2 day club championship and you are awarded points for each event, should you finish in the top 10 of any of those. ( 10 points for first down to one point for 10th ) The points are accumulated and displayed for members to see on various screens throughout the club, where the current top 10 members are displayed on a rolling basis. These 10 events have to be played from the white tees no matter your age or sex. We have currently played 5 of the events, are half way through this series and the prize for 1st at the end is over £2500 , £1500 for 2nd and £1000 for 3rd. There are around 600 members at our club and around 120 have entered the OOM this year. To enter them you have to be a 7 day member, have entered in at least 10 scorecards last year including at least 4 competitions. We have so far entered all this year, and as far as I am aware, my son is the only junior to have entered each of the 5 events thus far.

2 weeks ago after an 8th place finish in event 5, my 13yr old moved one point ahead at the top of the leaderboard. He has finished 41st, 3rd, 7th, 8th and 8th in the 5 events this year. Only once has he beaten his handicap, finishing with scores of 28points, Net 70, Net 72, 34points and a net 73. I have always greeted him at the end of each round on the 18th, and the members he has played with so far have all been very complementary of his game and behaviour on each event he has played in so far, and were full of encouragement for him. For a fairly shy lad this has given him a real spring in his step around the place, with many members and staff now knowing his name and speaking to him, unlike before. However, his name sat proudly on top of the leaderboard for just one day.

The day after he moved to the top spot I received an email from the events co-ordinator at the club stating that my son was unable to play in any of the remaining events. He also showed an extract from the clubs competion charter showing that 5 day members and juniors were unable to enter in club board and Order of Merit events. ( I have a copy of the competition charter dated the 21/5/24 , which was 3 months and 3 events into this series, which only shows that 5 day members are unable to enter ) . The junior part had clearly just been added this week.
I have professionally replied to the club with my feelings regarding this and also copied in the golf director ( We have no committe ) . I have received an out of office automated reply from him stating he will be back in the office tomorrow.
This has really knocked my lad back. A place he loved to go and now he has ill feelings towards it. I am pretty sure that the club has probably given in to a few of the more powerful members who do not like the fact a kid is leading and probably feel so proud of themselves to have him ousted. I'm trying to keep my temper with it at the moment but am pretty sure they have breached not only R&A rules regarding the changing of competition rules mid event, but also the Equality Act regarding Children and membership of clubs.

My apologies for the long speil. I have electronic trails of all emails, club policies and results dating back to the start of the first event in March to show what they have done is underhand to say the least. So, before an upcoming meeting with the director, I wondered if anyone had any opinion or advice for me before I spoke in person with them.
Many thanks and regards. SR22

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As a gut reaction I wonder if your club would be breaching amateur status on the prize fund - https://www.randa.org/amateur-status/main-rules/3-prizes

Secondly it is possible that it has been changed after the event but are you 100% certain juniors are allowed.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

As a gut reaction I wonder if your club would be breaching amateur status on the prize fund - https://www.randa.org/amateur-status/main-rules/3-prizes

I'd suggest they absolutely are

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I'd suggest they absolutely are

Yep, no maybe about it. The guidance notes make it clear that the same limits apply to an order of merit.

The R&A

The R&A seeks to engage in and support activities for the benefit of the sport of golf from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

www.randa.org

 

[Deleted member 29109]

The way juniors are treated at many golf clubs is nothing short of a disgrace.

If you have a copy of the rules that were in place at the start of the competition that doesn’t say juniors are excluded, and they have been altered during the tournament then 100% kick up a fuss.

Was there a fee paid to enter your son into the competition?

Unfortunately I very much doubt you will get anywhere with the complaints as the management of the club will close ranks.

I would have a look at who the removal of your son benefits. That will more than likely lead to the answer as to why he’s been excluded.

Edited to add. You’ll probably get more people worried about the prize pot than the way your son has been treated, and probably be told to just tow the line at your club.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It is sometimes very contentious around juniors and I know similar gripes have been aired on here before. When I was a junior we could only play once the handicap reached 18 and one of our better players was second in the club champs and suddenly it down to 10. In this case I think the club have made a mistake in not being open and transparent but in regards to the OP post I am not what R&A rules have been breached (aside amateur status) or what human rights

 

[Slab]

Maybe not relevant but curious why you say in the 1st sentence that this has happened to you (but you then go on to say its your son its happened to) and why the club communicated an email to you re his eligibility & conditions of comp etc etc

If your son is a full 7 day member then why wouldn’t the club communicate directly with him? (although you don't actually say your son is a full 7 day member, just that you are)

 

[Severof]

As a gut reaction I wonder if your club would be breaching amateur status on the prize fund - https://www.randa.org/amateur-status/main-rules/3-prizes

Secondly it is possible that it has been changed after the event but are you 100% certain juniors are allowed.

Thankyou. Let me clarify, the prizes are in vouchers to that amount from a well known golf clothing brand who have sponsored the event. MAybe that makes a difference, I dont know. The entry fee for each event is £10. There is also a £5 2's pot for each event, but he has been unable to enter that due to his age.

 

[Severof]

Maybe not relevant but curious why you say in the 1st sentence that this has happened to you (but you then go on to say its your son its happened to) and why the club communicated an email to you re his eligibility & conditions of comp etc etc

If your son is a full 7 day member then why wouldn’t the club communicate directly with him? (although you don't actually say your son is a full 7 day member, just that you are)

Yes he is a 7 day member. My son used my email address for membership registration purposes. The only way to get a junior membership is to be the child of a full 7 day member. The clubs website then states that Junior members have full playing rights as 7 day members.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Maybe not relevant but curious why you say in the 1st sentence that this has happened to you (but you then go on to say its your son its happened to) and why the club communicated an email to you re his eligibility & conditions of comp etc etc

If your son is a full 7 day member then why wouldn’t the club communicate directly with him? (although you don't actually say your son is a full 7 day member, just that you are)

If he’s 13 safeguarding would probably mean the club will need to communicate with a parent or carer rather than directly with the child.

 

[RichA]

What's the Human Rights Act got to do with it?
And what has "children and membership of clubs" got to do with the Human Rights Act?
Surely, if your son has been removed from a competition part way through then an explanation has to be provided to him, which hasn't been provided here.

 

[Severof]

It is sometimes very contentious around juniors and I know similar gripes have been aired on here before. When I was a junior we could only play once the handicap reached 18 and one of our better players was second in the club champs and suddenly it down to 10. In this case I think the club have made a mistake in not being open and transparent but in regards to the OP post I am not what R&A rules have been breached (aside amateur status) or what human rights

R&A perhaps this ?
Section 5A – Setting Terms of the Competition (with sample Terms of the Competition included)
Terms of the Competition determine the structure of each competition including who may enter, how to enter,what the schedule and format of the competition will be and how ties will be decided. It is the responsibility of theCommittee to:• Set clear and concise terms for each competition.• Make these terms available to players in advance of the competition.• Interpret the terms should any questions arise.Other than in exceptional circumstances, the Committee should avoid altering the Terms of the Competition once the competition has started.It is the responsibility of each player to know and follow the Terms of the Competition.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I suspect someone made a boob. The comp should have read, Full 7 day members only, but someone decided to be a little too clever and talked about specific sections. Then one member from another section joined in that wasn't excluded from their definition, oops. It gets highlighted, the correction is made. It's been badly handled, no question, and the OP's son should get his entrance money back.

Unfortunate situation, how the OP wants to deal with it depends on whether he sees his long term future there. My son was discriminated against as a junior at a previous club, awful attitude towards juniors. He left, as did his mates, as did I. We all joined other clubs nearby. That is probably your only real sanction, take your membership and money elsewhere.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

R&A perhaps this ?
Section 5A – Setting Terms of the Competition (with sample Terms of the Competition included)
Terms of the Competition determine the structure of each competition including who may enter, how to enter,what the schedule and format of the competition will be and how ties will be decided. It is the responsibility of theCommittee to:• Set clear and concise terms for each competition.• Make these terms available to players in advance of the competition.• Interpret the terms should any questions arise.Other than in exceptional circumstances, the Committee should avoid altering the Terms of the Competition once the competition has started.It is the responsibility of each player to know and follow the Terms of the Competition.

They could quite easily state that these were exceptional circumstances, a junior was never meant to be part of this competition. It was an error at the beginning.

I'm not saying I agree, but the door is open for them there.

 

[Severof]

What's the Human Rights Act got to do with it?
And what has "children and membership of clubs" got to do with the Human Rights Act?
Surely, if your son has been removed from a competition part way through then an explanation has to be provided to him, which hasn't been provided here.

My apologies. I meant the Equality act 2010 - I will amend

The main change is that the Act builds on theprevious obligations on associations not todiscriminate because of disability, race and sexualorientation by extending the ban on discriminationto also cover gender reassignment, pregnancy andmaternity, religion or belief and sex. The Act alsocontains provisions prohibiting age discriminationby private clubs and other associations, butthese have not yet been brought into force. TheGovernment is currently looking at how these andother age discrimination provisions in the Act canbe implemented in the best way for business andothers affected, and will make an announcement indue course.

 

[woofers]

also copied in the golf director ( We have no committe ) .

Oh dear, the club are not complying with The Rules of Handicapping 1.3, nor the requirements of England Golf for them to be affiliated to the Authorised Association for the purposes of administering handicaps.

 

[Severof]

I suspect someone made a boob. The comp should have read, Full 7 day members only, but someone decided to be a little too clever and talked about specific sections. Then one member from another section joined in that wasn't excluded from their definition, oops. It gets highlighted, the correction is made. It's been badly handled, no question, and the OP's son should get his entrance money back.

Unfortunate situation, how the OP wants to deal with it depends on whether he sees his long term future there. My son was discriminated against as a junior at a previous club, awful attitude towards juniors. He left, as did his mates, as did I. We all joined other clubs nearby. That is probably your only real sanction, take your membership and money elsewhere.

Thanks. Agree with this mostly. Am hoping they will admit the error. I was just looking here for any advice I could use at a potential meeting. I'm pretty sure they will refund the £50 but you are right, long term future now in the balance. To give contrast, a Golf club up the road just crowned it's club singles match play champion as an 11 Yr old boy. He won the final 7&6 from the same tees. He plays off of 2 and has won a number of International events which his club openly celebrate. My son is not near his level, but after a query made by me a few days ago, they have already offered him a membership there this week.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Juniors can’t win prize money in our comps but they don’t pay to enter either. But they can play in any tournament, league, or order of merit.
I know for sure that one if the ex juniors has his name on multiple boards, including the player if the year.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Thanks. Agree with this mostly. Am hoping they will admit the error. I was just looking here for any advice I could use at a potential meeting. I'm pretty sure they will refund the £50 but you are right, long term future now in the balance. To give contrast, a Golf club up the road just crowned it's club singles match play champion as an 11 Yr old boy. He won the final 7&6 from the same tees. He plays off of 2 and has won a number of International events which his club openly celebrate. My son is not near his level, but after a query made by me a few days ago, they have already offered him a membership there this week.

Seems like a no brainer. Get him in with a thriving junior section and some who are clearly extremely good and I am sure it'll help his self-esteem and improve his golf as well

 

[Severof]

Oh dear, the club are not complying with The Rules of Handicapping 1.3, nor the requirements of England Golf for them to be affiliated to the Authorised Association for the purposes of administering handicaps.

Thanks. I have just looked this up. Maybe they do have a specific handicap committee as such, I don't know ?

• A Handicap Committee is established by a golf club and is responsible for ensuring compliance with the golf club's specified obligations and responsibilities under the Rules of Handicapping.