GM Article - Handicap System Ruining Comps for Low Handicaps

[wjemather]

Received an email from the club stating that all GP rounds for handicap at our club must be pre-registered on the terminal before play and include the attesters name. Not that we have a problem with handicap manipulation, but to bring our system in line with England Golf handicapping requirements.

Pre-registration for gp scores and marker certification have always been requirements of WHS - what was happening before now?

 

[PaulMdj]

Pre-registration for gp scores and marker certification have always been requirements of WHS - what was happening before now?

Only pre-registered on EG App, not on terminal at our place, not sure it should have to registered on a terminal, can’t do that when playing another course.

 

[Whereditgo]

Pre-registration for gp scores and marker certification have always been requirements of WHS - what was happening before now?

No idea what was happening before, perhaps as someone posted earlier scores were being entered via HDID without an attester .

 

[wjemather]

Only pre-registered on EG App, not on terminal at our place, not sure it should have to registered on a terminal, can’t do that when playing another course.

You can if that club has configured their system to allow visitors to do so.

 

[rulefan]

This local guidance seems somewhat contradictory as it could encourage players not to submit scores if they forget to open the round before play, which would then see them contravene rule 1.3(i), which states that all acceptable scores should be submitted.

Seems to me that GolfRSA need to decide whether there want pre-registration or whether they want all scores to be submitted.

Doesn't that apply in the US also?

 

[wjemather]

Doesn't that apply in the US also?

This local guidance is specific to GolfRSA (section VI in the GolfRSA rules - GB&I have a separate guidance document and no section VI).
As far as I know the USGA have issued no similar guidance that is applicable in the US.

 

[PaulMdj]

You can if club has configured their system to allow visitors to do so.

But why? Surely by using the EG App correctly you are complying with all the requirements.

I’ve played at other courses in the evening during the summer with friends, a couple of those places were closed by the time we’d finished.

 

[wjemather]

But why? Surely by using the EG App correctly you are complying with all the requirements.

I’ve played at other courses in the evening during the summer with friends, a couple of those places were closed by the time we’d finished.

They are many reasons for providing an alternative option to MyEG, including:

• not every player and attester has a smart device and/or the MyEG app.
• (as a couple of our members discovered this morning) some clubs have purposefully switched off all their tees on the app to prevent scoring that way because they want all gp scores to go through their club system.

 

[PaulMdj]

They are many reasons for providing an alternative option to MyEG, including:

• not every player and attester has a smart device and/or the MyEG app.
• (as a couple of our members discovered this morning) some clubs have purposefully switched off all their tees on the app to prevent scoring that way because they want all gp scores to go through their club system.

If they don’t have smart device or App, then they have no choice.

Is your Club “doing its own thing” or being instructed to do this?

Seems like a big hammer to crack a small problem.

 

[D-S]

Meanwhile in Spain, this from the Spanish Golf Federation from their current guide to the Rules of Handicapping (EDS stands for Extra Day score, i.e. a GP score in our terminology) :-

"EDS will be acceptable for handicap purposes for players with a handicap of more than 4.4, adults or seniors, provided that the length and difficulty of the course has been maintained in accordance with its rating. A maximum of one EDS per month will be accepted."

 

[harpo_72]

My course is due a re assessment.
So they have let the rough grow up and the 2nd cut is punishing.. trying to raise the rating.
The stupid thing is the bunkers at 220-230 yards only penalise the average joes but those who can carry beyond that (usually low Hcp players).. it’s a piece of cake.
So the course rating is a farce as the long stuff on the side can be ignored .. they should move the bunkers up so the long hitters have to contend with it or play short and use more club for the 2nd shot.

 

[wjemather]

If they don’t have smart device or App, then they have no choice.

Is your Club “doing its own thing” or being instructed to do this?

Seems like a big hammer to crack a small problem.

They have whatever choice is provided by their committee; e.g. pre-register by email/text and return a physical card.

There is no instruction to do anything. It's simply providing additional convenient options for members and visitors to do whatever suits them.

 

[Alan Clifford]

This local guidance seems somewhat contradictory as it could encourage players not to submit scores if they forget to open the round before play, which would then see them contravene rule 1.3(i), which states that all acceptable scores should be submitted.

Seems to me that GolfRSA need to decide whether there want pre-registration or whether they want all scores to be submitted.

I can't follow the logic of what they are trying to achieve with the registered round percentage. My uderstanding is that all scores have to be pre-registered and all scores have to be submitted. In the environment we play in, I find it inconceivable that anyone could forget to register a round.

 

[wjemather]

I can't follow the logic of what they are trying to achieve with the registered round percentage. My uderstanding is that all scores have to be pre-registered and all scores have to be submitted. In the environment we play in, I find it inconceivable that anyone could forget to register a round.

There is no "pre-registration" requirement in the GolfRSA WHS rules - all acceptable scores should be submitted. The "open the round" requirement is an extra GolfRSA thing contain in their guidance (section VI).

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Pre-registration for gp scores and marker certification have always been requirements of WHS - what was happening before now?

As we all know people have been putting their rounds in after a good score whilst still at the club

 

[Alan Clifford]

There is no "pre-registration" requirement in the GolfRSA WHS rules - all acceptable scores should be submitted. The "open the round" requirement is an extra GolfRSA thing contain in their guidance (section VI).

In this document,

https://www.golfrsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/WHS_RoH_2024_-_Club_Training.pdf

rule 4 states, "Golfers are obliged to ensure a round is opened before play".

So like a lot of WHS implementations, there are lots of contradictions.

 

[4LEX]

I remember the old days when you had to sign in at the pro shop to submit a supplementary card and it was limited to 3 for cat 1 players.

I did that once and the round was abandoned due to flooding on the greens. I had to show evidence to the handicap committee which felt like a Nuremberg trial. All for 0.1 of a shot not to be taken off my handicap.

It seems madness now anyone can enter scores anywhere with no serious checks.

 

[AussieKB]

4BBB on Saturday was won by two 22 handicappers with 50 points, a lot of single figure handicappers are starting to not entering these events and playing elsewhere.

 

[wjemather]

4BBB on Saturday was won by two 22 handicappers with 50 points, a lot of single figure handicappers are starting to not entering these events and playing elsewhere.

Both of our 4BBBs this year have been won by single figure handicappers. There's been no suggestion from higher handicappers that they might stop entering.

Anyway, your complaints are not really relevant to those in the article as we've already established that the 85% allowance is not being used in your 4bbb comps; take those 2 (or 3) strokes off both players and 46 points is a more than achievable winning score for everyone.

 

[AussieKB]

Both of our 4BBBs this year have been won by single figure handicappers. There's been no suggestion from higher handicappers that they might stop entering.

Anyway, your complaints are not really relevant to those in the article as we've already established that the 85% allowance is not being used in your 4bbb comps; take those 2 (or 3) strokes off both players and 46 points is a more than achievable winning score for everyone.

I said the low figure and not the high figure handicappers are starting to not enter these events.