How many qualifying competitions - too many ?

[El Diablo]

On Tuesday I will play my 50th qualifying competition in the last 12 calendar months (been able to pay midweek comps for the past 8 months as well as weekends).

Added a poll on the number of qualifying comps you play/club runs but also interested in perspectives.

Seems a crazy number of competitions and my handicap has moved by large amounts in both directions (up 3 full shots before heading back down) but the competitive side of me seems to compel me to enter almost everything.

Would/could you play this many at your club (maybe my club and I are competition mad) ?

Interested in what is an average number of qualifying comps at clubs over a year as a comparison ?

What do you think is reasonable ?

Would you keep playing in qualifying comps whilst wildly out of form (as I did) or restrict them to protect the handicap until form improved (assuming it does) ?

I figure my handicap is always defendable .......

 

[Fish]

Between April & October we have 22 formal weekend qualifiers of which I've played in 19, every Monday there is a Mid-week Stableford and now that is also rolled out on Wednesday's, the midweek ones you just let the Pro shop know your entering it before going out and pay the fee but still play in your sweep/roll-up etc.

That puts our potential qualifying comps over 50 just between April and Early October.

This would normally be a greater number as the midweek stablefords are carried on throughout the calendar year weather permitting but last season we lifted 5 greens to put new drainage in shortening the course below a qualifying standard and the same is happening this year shortly.


We tend to have team & pairs events over the autumn, winter & Spring months before & after the main seasons activities and our 7 month main season between April & October is 99% Medal, not Stableford.

I voted for over 50 for the club although I've played in 19 as you've asked 2 questions but can only commit to 1 answer.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The club run 40+ including the midweeks and I normally play around 20-30 per year. As these are spread across medal, stableford and the odd bogey comp there seems a reasonable mix and I'm happy.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

I try and play in as many as I can....just had a look and I have only played 18 qualifiers in 2016. I missed club champs, which is 2 rounds...but still not a great deal compared to other clubs. I don't think our club run as many comps as others...so this does allow for that. Only 2/3 more left for this year as well (that I can play in...)

 

[louise_a]

Although the men have weekend and midweek comps during the season, most of which are qualifiers, our section just have one a week plus a handful at the weekend.

Personally I have played in 37 this year, 11 of which have been on other courses.

 

[Tashyboy]

Ave played in 37 comps this year up to yet. 9 and 18 hole stableford, and medal.
ours is every tues and Thursday. Our gang plays in all of them. Again you let the lads in the shop know if you want to go in or not. Personally I don't want to play on a comp day, not enter and then shoot the round of my life. That happened last year when I shot an 86 in a comp and never entered. I would of smashed my hcap.

 

[rosecott]

Just looked up my handicap record. In 2015 there were 121 rounds recorded of which 110 were qualifiers.

We play qualifiers all year round, Tuesdays and Sundays for all members and Fridays for Seniors.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I only managed 26 handicap qualifiers this year and only 10 of those at my home club.

 

[duncan mackie]

I've cut down dramatically on my golf this year after the excesses of the last 2 where I was playing around 40 matches and 40 comps ...
So this year it's about 30 matches and 2 comps (so far - Tyrells Wood open in Nov will be the third...or I will have to stick in a supplemental before the end of year).

Don't really miss them as much as matches, but prefer a comp to a friendly knock in my priority list.

 

[chellie]

Just worked out that there were 20 qualifying competitions including the 36 hole comp and assuming you qualified for the Lady Captains 2 day competition which I did. I've missed one due to illness so played in 19. Didn't realise it was so few.......

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I've played 11 competitions some of which were 36 holes so 18 qualifiers, only 3 rounds on my home course though. Started at 5.9, went up to 6.0 now down to 4.4 so happy with that.

 

[fundy]

We have a monthly weekend medal, midweek medal and midweek stableford throughout the year so thats 36, on top of that theres probably 10-15 more comps so approx 50 in total. Id usually play 20-30 of them, this year I vowed not to play competitive golf after my knee injury, played the medal last week to make it my 3rd and keep the handicap active unlikely I play any more now until spring (unless theyre away winter opens)

 

[Imurg]

I have access to about 25 qualifiers a year. This year I've managed to play 9
Wednesday's medal is subject to the HS2 bore hole test drilling finishing and both 9s being open so that might not even happen.
There's a couple of Stableford comps in November so I may hit double figures.....

 

[BTatHome]

31 so far this year (since March I believe when the first of 2016 took place) ... still a couple left before end of year.

 

[MendieGK]

26 for me so far, probably have access to about 80 at the players, and Burnham have about the same each year (the season doesn't ever end there)

Would think i'll probably hit 30 by december.

 

[Robobum]

I'm on 51 so far this year. Only 9 of them at my home course.

Another 2 to go and that will be it until March again.

 

[MendieGK]

I'm on 51 so far this year. Only 9 of them at my home course.

Another 2 to go and that will be it until March again.

how many opens are you playing!!!

 

[Robobum]

how many opens are you playing!!!

Recount: 12 home course rounds ☺️

18 opens, inc 1x72hole and 1x54.

Kind of explains why I've gone up .7 so far! 😂

 

[Fyldewhite]

We only play qualifying comps Apr-Oct for reasons discussed on recent thread on winter golf. We have around 24 Saturday comps (all medal). We have Seniors on Tuesdays (all but 4 are Stableford). We have 20 more comps on a Wednesday every week from May to Sep (all but 4 are Stableford). With a 36 hole open thrown in I make that 46 chances for most with around 70 for Seniors though most of the seniors only play in "their" comps. All are well supported.

As for what's reasonable for clubs to run? I'd expect a minimum of the above really. Maybe it's what I'm used to but most clubs in my area are similar. If I was at a club offering a "Monthly Medal" padded out with a variety of one-off Mickey Mouse comps on Saturdays I wouldn't be there long. Never get the "too many comps" thing. You don't have to enter them all. This year due to a variety of factors I've only played in 11 but when fully fit and work permitting I have certainly gone through a few seasons only missing a handful. As for not playing when out of form? That's just cheating your handicap down if that's the only reason. If you are not playing well it goes up....that's how it should work!

 

[MendieGK]

Recount: 12 home course rounds ☺️

18 opens, inc 1x72hole and 1x54.

Kind of explains why I've gone up .7 so far! 

whereabouts? on the Mid-am tour?