Handicap

[TonyN]

I am playing as a guest at Vicars Cross in Chester today. Play there quite often. Does anyone know that if i keep my card and get it signed by the member who is taking me round, if i can get a handicap this way (2 more cards obviously)

Heard people say you dont actually have to be a member of a club.

Is this true? Is it the right thing to do? Or should i wait till i am a member of somewhere.

Also, would there be a cost?

 

[MVP]

My cousin got a handicap from 3 different clubs, But at my club i had to play with a club member for my handicap!

 

[TonyN]

so if i play with the bro in law (juniour member) 3 rounds he should be able to get me one you think?

 

[Parmo]

I would of thought its quite unusual for a club to give out a hcp for a non member as they use it as a selling tool for members, having said that I know one local pro that made up 6 hcp certs for his mates as they where playig abroad and needed certs.

 

[clubchamp07]

I always thought you had to be a member of a club to have a handicap. Not sure of the bit were a junior could mark your card, then again a junior could always be 18 but still a junior. As we have a few junior's who are 18 that can play in all competition's.

 

[TonyN]

he is 18! only just managed to get a juniour membership again before he turned 18.

 

[bunkered]

You have to be a member of a club to get a handicap.

 

[Nico]

You can actually get an EGU recognised handicap from other sources than a club. There are places advertisisng in the mags all the time.

 

[Parmo]

I do not think they are offical fella, its like paying £10 online and printing one off, it would mean nothing.

 

[bunkered]

Nico. check out the english golf union website, you will get info on handicaps.

 

[Nico]

When you are wrong,you are wrong.

Best to just accept it and move on I say.

 

[viscount17]

There are a lot of sites offering online handicaps, how many are recognised is another issue. Probably best to contact the EGU before shelling out.

It's probably long past time that the EGU offered online handicaps themselves.

 

[SammmeBee]

The EGU one is recognised by all clubs and is fine for when you have to show a handicap certificate to play

But it is not an official CONGU handicap so you can't play in an open competitions or anything like that - you have to be a member of club that has an SSS and is affilited to the County Union.

 

[Parmo]

Vis, I totally agree. Players should not be blackmailed into joining clubs just for certs (I know it is just a bonus of club players but in reality for non club players it is), I was offered to join the club at my muni for £130 and that would get me a cert, I could also join their comps, but since the same people play together week in and out the social aspect doesn't appeal, so I have never bothered.

It is high time players should be able to get certs without being club members. As I mentioned before, a guy I play with and his 5 mates all got golf certs of a friend of his (who is the pro at a club) for nothing, just signed off as the decent ones marked around 20 and the not so good players marked 28 so they could play in Portugal.

I use golf shack and enter every card I play and it gives me an unofficial hcp, but how many club members hand in every card? I do not mind that its unofficial but when I want to play a good course or play abroad I am penalised because I am a non club member. There most be more trust involved in the way things are done, I mean what kind of oath has your mate taken who is a member and marking your card? I mean if my non member friend can fiddle the scores surely the same friend as a member can as well?

 

[Parmo]

Just had an idea... and look what I found!!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Official-Congu-Golf-Handicap-Certificate_W0QQitemZ220213182966QQcmdZViewItem

 

[SammmeBee]

The EGU do offer a service to issue golfers without having to join a Club which is absolutley fine for using on your jollies to Magaluf or where ever you're going.....

http://www.englishgolfunion.org/amp/showpage.asp?code=0001000400020005

 

[TonyN]

I think i will just wait to join a club!

 

[backwoodsman]

As several have mentioned, the English Golf Union do Associate Member handicaps - just joined the EGU myself to get one. £45 gets you annual membership and as far as I can tell, its the best thing you can get that's not actually a CONGU H/C issued by a club. It will get you onto most courses that require a certificate. As Sammebee says though, its not CONGU, so competition organisers don't have to accept it - they can accept it, but dont have to, so you need to check.

 

[TonyN]

Not in a rush now anyway, i have to start my golf all over again. So will be a few months before i need a h/cap.