Hole in One and Amateur Status

HRC99

HRC99

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I played in an AM-AM yesterday at a local club and was chatting to the Captain who was telling me that, although they had a sponsor for the hole in one insurance for a car, they couldn't run it as any winner would lose their amateur status.

Whilst I understand the reasons for keeping golf an amateur game, I really can't see the harm in being able to have a big prize for a hole in one.

The chances of anyone getting one a massively remote but its a bit of fun often in charity competitions which are really struggling at the moment and things like this are a great draw.

Just seems a bit unnecessary for a hugely unlikely hole in one.
 
Agreed, they should still run it, I'm sure we'd all give up amateur status for a £25000 car.
 
We had that problem last week at our club. The lions club were running a charity do and had a car for a hole in one on the 10th. The fella that got a hole in one didn't want to lose his amateur status, so asked for the car to be donated to charity.
 
It's one of those "old" Rules that almost has no place today. A one-off prize doesn't mean you're going to start playing on Tour, give lessons and pass yourself off as a Pro does it..?
A "Professional" earns their living from using a skill - ie Bob sells loads of Mars Bars....
Winning a competition shouldn't make you one of them....

Here's a thought.....
The GM/Landrover prize from a few months back. That was many '000's of quids worth... Doesn't that constitute a "GOlf" prize..?
 
It's one of those "old" Rules that almost has no place today. A one-off prize doesn't mean you're going to start playing on Tour, give lessons and pass yourself off as a Pro does it..?
A "Professional" earns their living from using a skill - ie Bob sells loads of Mars Bars....
Winning a competition shouldn't make you one of them....

Here's a thought.....
The GM/Landrover prize from a few months back. That was many '000's of quids worth... Doesn't that constitute a "GOlf" prize..?
Click to expand...

The GM/Landrover prize isn't from playing golf so that definitely wouldn't count but I don't think that a "jackpot" prize for a hole in one should force someone to lose their amateur status.

It could be easily dealt with in the rules by specifying that exceptional prizes may be offered for a hole in one.

It's not like top amateurs are going to go round entering AM-AMs to try to win a car by getting a hole in one because they've only got slightly less astronomic odds of getting one than the rest of us.
 
To be honest, I'd quite happily lose my Amateur status if I won a 25k car.........
You get your status back after a few years don't you..?
 
Disagree about the Amateur Status rules. Where do you draw the line ? Prizes for Open comps would grow out of all proportion just to attract players to a particular event.

Granted, a hole in one is just luck, but ....
 
Wasn't there a legal case a few years ago where it was argued that a hole in one is more dependent on luck than skill so the player should be able to claim the prize and keep amateur status. Not sure if I am recalling it correctly or what the outcome was.
 
I heard a story (may have been just someones idea) where something similar happened ie won a car, and to get round the status thing they then sold the winner £20 worth of raffle tickets where he was the sole entrant and thus won the car in a raffle. Any legal minds care to tackle this one :D
 
This is the current view of the R&A....

Conclusion
It is easy for an amateur golfer to overlook or forget the benefits of being an ‘amateur’, particularly
when he is offered the keys to a new car for a hole-in-one. But acceptance of such a prize will have
certain consequences which may cause him to regret his decision - his official handicap will lapse,
any Club or Society of which he is a member may review his eligibility for continued membership
and participation in amateur competitions is a thing of the past.The game that he used to enjoy so
much may be changed significantly.
The danger of taking a more lenient attitude towards hole-in-one prizes is that this would almost
certainly lead to a proliferation of such prizes, with the hole-in-one competition becoming more
important than the main event. In addition, and as already mentioned, the high financial incentive to
win such a prize may well give rise to abuses of the Rules of play in a game which currently benefits
from being largely self-regulating.
Consequently, the Amateur Status Committee of The R&A holds the view that offering improper
prizes for holes-in-one is contrary to the best interests of the game and seeks the continued support
of all concerned with amateur golf competitions in keeping prizes offered within the Rules.

It's a bit harsh (IMO) but clear and does put forward credible reasons, particularly the Hole in One Comp becoming the main event. Overall I think it's fair enough. As far as I'm aware this only applies to prizes in competition play. The "million dollar hole in one" holes in Spain and Portugal etc are presumably OK. Mind you, never got near the million dollars. Very fetching cowboy hat and sleeve of balls last time out :D
 
Disagree about the Amateur Status rules. Where do you draw the line ? Prizes for Open comps would grow out of all proportion just to attract players to a particular event.

Granted, a hole in one is just luck, but ....
Click to expand...

Simple. You draw the line at a hole in one.
 
This is the current view of the R&A....

Conclusion
It is easy for an amateur golfer to overlook or forget the benefits of being an ‘amateur’, particularly
when he is offered the keys to a new car for a hole-in-one. But acceptance of such a prize will have
certain consequences which may cause him to regret his decision - his official handicap will lapse,
any Club or Society of which he is a member may review his eligibility for continued membership
and participation in amateur competitions is a thing of the past.The game that he used to enjoy so
much may be changed significantly.
The danger of taking a more lenient attitude towards hole-in-one prizes is that this would almost
certainly lead to a proliferation of such prizes, with the hole-in-one competition becoming more
important than the main event. In addition, and as already mentioned, the high financial incentive to
win such a prize may well give rise to abuses of the Rules of play in a game which currently benefits
from being largely self-regulating.
Consequently, the Amateur Status Committee of The R&A holds the view that offering improper
prizes for holes-in-one is contrary to the best interests of the game and seeks the continued support
of all concerned with amateur golf competitions in keeping prizes offered within the Rules.

It's a bit harsh (IMO) but clear and does put forward credible reasons, particularly the Hole in One Comp becoming the main event. Overall I think it's fair enough. As far as I'm aware this only applies to prizes in competition play. The "million dollar hole in one" holes in Spain and Portugal etc are presumably OK. Mind you, never got near the million dollars. Very fetching cowboy hat and sleeve of balls last time out :D
Click to expand...

I think the reasons are quite flawed really. Whilst it may lead to more of these prizes being offered, does that really matter?

As for breaches of the rules, the conditions of insurance stipulate that it must be observed by a suitable person so that takes out potential cheating out of the equation.

A hole in one is rated at a 12,750 to 1 shot for an amateur golfer. You can probably double that if you knew that there was a car riding on it too.

It's a massive slice of luck and I don't see the problem in offering such prizes.
 
I heard a story (may have been just someones idea) where something similar happened ie won a car, and to get round the status thing they then sold the winner £20 worth of raffle tickets where he was the sole entrant and thus won the car in a raffle. Any legal minds care to tackle this one :D
Click to expand...

The R&A shut that loophole specifically. :(
 
It's one of those "old" Rules that almost has no place today. A one-off prize doesn't mean you're going to start playing on Tour, give lessons and pass yourself off as a Pro does it..?
A "Professional" earns their living from using a skill - ie Bob sells loads of Mars Bars....
Winning a competition shouldn't make you one of them....

Here's a thought.....
The GM/Landrover prize from a few months back. That was many '000's of quids worth... Doesn't that constitute a "GOlf" prize..?
Click to expand...

Can't remember exactly what that comp required you to do, but I'm assuming it was nothing to do with actually playing golf so therefore nothing to do with the Rules of Golf...
 
Played regularly in a certain Open competition where there were good prizes on offer, donated by the main sponsor of the event. One year both the scratch and handicap events were won by the same chap. he ended up with two kitchen appliances to his name. Problem was, combined, their value was well over the £500 limit.

The other main problem was... he was a junior and had no real need for either of the items. The one he kept was in the for sale section of the local rag that Thursday :D
 
I'd drive off in the car and then wind up everyone i played with that I was a pro golfer. That alone would compensate for the loss of status. I' just drive around the club car park in my new car being an irritant.

What's not to like?
 
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