kicked off a competition for being a 22 handicap!!

[forzavalentino]

Hi all, I'm looking for an advice on something that happened to me this last saturday, i am a relatively new golfer and have been playing for 18 months, but i have progressed quite rapidly over the last 6 months and regularly beat my friend who is a 18 handicap (i am currently 22 but have been told I'm probably around 14ish). i was told by my club (the Bristol) that i had to play in 3 medal competitions to activate my handicap and play in competitions ,so i entered into competitions on weds, thurs and saturday to activate my handicap prior to a big competition this wednesday. i was drawn in the last but one group and had to play with a 4 handicapper and a 5 handicapper who were clearly not happy as they obviously thought i would hold them up, first they tried to fob me off with the following group and when this proved unsuccessful they begrudgingly teed off with me. i hit a good drive and second on the par 5 1st when the 4 handicapper asked me to take him to the proshop in the buggy, (i had a buggy as i have a dodgy knee and have a doctors note explaining that its not advisable to walk long distances which the club has a copy of).
So off we went to the proshop, he disappeared inside then came out with the pro and told me i couldn't play in the competition as i didn't have an active handicap thereby kicking me off the competition!!! i had spoken to the club captain the day before as i was about to pay for the medal but was told that there was no point in my paying as i couldn't win and was just there to activate my handicap. Anyway suffice to say i am extremely disappointed at the sportsmanship of this player and shocked that this was allowed to happen. i have complained to the club and am not only considering wether i want to be a member of this club but whether i want to even play golf anymore. i think its very important in any sport to embrace new players not treat them with the disdain with which i have been treated.i feel very strongly that this player should be reprimanded for his actions but the club seem unwilling to do anything.
thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Farneyman]

A belter of a first post...

Shocking treatment by the fellow player and club. Deserved to named and shamed.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Two issues here

The first is the attitude of the players towards you - disgraceful and I would certainly tell them in no uncertain terms - their attitude it shocking and IMO you would be better off away from there

The second part is the comp entry and HC - can I comfirm that today would have been your first card ?

 

[Farneyman]

Maybe the comp/handicap sec hadn't registered the 3 cards you put in?

 

[chrisd]

Pretty outrageous treatment. Even if you haven't got an active handicap their actions were outrageous

You're very welcome here though!

 

[Farneyman]

Could they have still played supplementary for handicap only if official handicap hadn't been calculated?

 

[forzavalentino]

you'll have to forgive me but my golf knowledge is limited as i am very new to it all, but i submitted 3 cards about 7 months ago to get my 22 handicap but was told that to enter competitions i had to play in 3 competitions to activate my handicap.

 

[upsidedown]

They acted like complete idiots ( stronger language needed) and really need to get over themselves, hope you can see from the support you'll get on here that not all golfers are like them and you can continue with this great game .

 

[forzavalentino]

i put 3 cards in 7 moths ago to get my 22 handicap but was told last week i had to play in 3 competitions to activate it.

 

[Farneyman]

Cant see why they refused to let you play unless one of the 3 previous rounds haven't counted to re activate current 22???

 

[Deleted member 15344]

you'll have to forgive me but my golf knowledge is limited as i am very new to it all, but i submitted 3 cards about 7 months ago to get my 22 handicap but was told that to enter competitions i had to play in 3 competitions to activate my handicap.

Your HC should already be active once you submit the three cards

 

[Region3]

The thing I wonder about from your description of events is if the 3 games you played to gain your handicap were just normal rounds marked for handicap rather than actual competitions.

This is the normal way of gaining your first handicap, but then another 3 competitions after that need to be played in before you're eligible to win prizes in a competition.

Whether or not you were really eligible to play in the competition, I have 2 thoughts.

1. You could still play in the comp (although not win anything) and it would count as 1 of your 3 comps.
2. The guy that got you to drive him to the pro shop is an arse and the other one too if they decided together.

 

[forzavalentino]

I've got a c.d.i.h.d number if thats the correct abbreviation??

 

[rosecott]

you'll have to forgive me but my golf knowledge is limited as i am very new to it all, but i submitted 3 cards about 7 months ago to get my 22 handicap but was told that to enter competitions i had to play in 3 competitions to activate my handicap.

You may have got things slightly wrong.

Once you have been allocated a handicap it immediately becomes active (or competition as it is now called). What I suspect is that your club has a policy that, following initial handicap allocation, you have to play in 3 medals/qualifiers before you are allowed to enter one of the major competitions.

Even if that is the case, you have been very badly advised and treated.

 

[Region3]

Your HC should already be active once you submit the three cards

But most clubs have a rule meaning that 3 comps per year have to be played (cards handed in to determine initial handicap don't count towards these) in to be eligible to win anything.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You may have got things slightly wrong.

Once you have been allocated a handicap it immediately becomes active (or competition as it is now called). What I suspect is that your club has a policy that, following initial handicap allocation, you have to play in 3 medals/qualifiers before you are allowed to enter one of the major competitions.

Even if that is the case, you have been very badly advised and treated.

Exactly this

The rules can be found out but that will never excuse their treatment. And attitude to the player - it's shocking tbh

 

[Region3]

Apologies for repeating things that have already been said. I thunked about it for too long while I was typing

 

[forzavalentino]

i submitted 3 cards 7 months ago and got my 22 handicap and saturday was my 3rd competition the previous 2 were recorded and was told that saturday would qualify me for the big competition tomorrow, unfortunately i can't play tomorrow due to the actions of this player which was the whole point in playing them in the first place.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

But most clubs have a rule meaning that 3 comps per year have to be played (cards handed in to determine initial handicap don't count towards these) in to be eligible to win anything.

Win yes mate - but they stopped him even playing and told him his HC was "inactive""

 

[walliams8]

Sound like lovely people you had the pleasure of dealing with .

Don't let this out you off the game of golf , you have unfortunately bumped into a few muppets instead of the hundreds of decent people who would of treated you with a bit more respect.

Nothing worse than a single digit handicapper thinking he's too good to play with anyone else .