Local rule 8i, allowing people to play 2 comps in one day

[Lord Tyrion]

My club is currently consulting with members as to whether to adopt local rule, 8i. This would allow players to play in two competitions on the same day.

The thinking behind it is that on a particular day there is a seniors comp in the morning and then an evening, Sunset league, different section. People are not currently able to play in both as it would be considered practice. The local rule would cover all days though, not just this specific example.

Is anyone here at a club that has adopted this? Have they found it works well or has it been abused?

 

[Colin L]

Those who are unable to play in both competitions may obviously be at some disadvantage in the second one; you cannot get away without that being the case. Perhaps the greater good of the greater number principle should prevail but that is a local decision to be made.
I take it you mean that the LR would apply to any day on which there were two competitions open to members. Would there be any difference in the status of different competitions that could affect the decision for that day - for example the second competition being a championship qualifier? If so, I doubt if there is any difficulty in limiting the local rule to a specific day or days.

I presume rescheduling has been looked at and found to be impractical?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

@Colin L the initial request definitely revolves around a specific day but the chatter is that it would cover every day. It's still being discussed but I was interested to hear other experiences. I should add, I'm not on a committee discussing this.

In terms of rescheduling, this is a golf club. These dates are etched in stone for ever more ........ Apparently . The Friday morning is a seniors comp, they will not budge . The Friday evening is meant to be a fun comp, mixed, to bring people into the club on a Friday evening. The one that could move is the seniors, but they won't.

 

[chellie]

@Colin L the initial request definitely revolves around a specific day but the chatter is that it would cover every day. It's still being discussed but I was interested to hear other experiences. I should add, I'm not on a committee discussing this.

In terms of rescheduling, this is a golf club. These dates are etched in stone for ever more ........ Apparently . The Friday morning is a seniors comp, they will not budge . The Friday evening is meant to be a fun comp, mixed, to bring people into the club on a Friday evening. The one that could move is the seniors, but they won't.

Previous club used to have a Wednesday stableford and then a "fun mixed" once a month throughout the summer. These were team comps but no issues at all if you had played in the stableford.

 

[Backache]

If I'm typical of most seniors any purported advantage of knowing green speeds etc would be heavily outweighed by the disadvantage of having already played 18 holes and being pretty tired.

 

[wjemather]

I'd contend that the vast majority of amateur golfers lack the necessary skills to extract any measurable benefit from practicing on the course, so I wouldn't have an issue with having the MLR in place for virtually all competitions, let alone what we have here, which is supposed to be a fun social.

 

[rulefan]

Those who are unable to play in both competitions may obviously be at some disadvantage in the second one; you cannot get away without that being the case. Perhaps the greater good of the greater number principle should prevail but that is a local decision to be made.
I take it you mean that the LR would apply to any day on which there were two competitions open to members. Would there be any difference in the status of different competitions that could affect the decision for that day - for example the second competition being a championship qualifier? If so, I doubt if there is any difficulty in limiting the local rule to a specific day or days.

I see no reason why the LR shouldn't apply only on certain days.

 

[Steven Rules]

I offer the following considerations and thoughts.

How many people are we talking about here that would be likely to want to play in both competitions? 2, 10, 100? I can't help but wonder if this proposal to upend the long established principle of prohibiting practice on the course - and have open slather for the whole week for the whole club - is being explored just because it would suit a couple of people on one particular day.

You refer to local rule 8i, but I assume that you mean Model Local Rule I-1. As rulefan has said, the structure of this MLR allows the Committee to limit when practice on the course may be permiited. (e.g. just to Fridays)

Alternatively, the permission to practise on the course could be inserted into the Terms of the Competition for just the Friday evening Sunset league.

My advice would be to limit the applicabilty to just the day in question, rather than across the whole week.

The default in the Rules is that players must not practise on the course before a stroke play competition on the same day. It is in there for good reason. Deviate with caution.

 

[NearHull]

We cover off a similar situation, Sunday morning tradition of a Men’s 4BBB and then an afternoon mixed competition. We regulate it through the Terms of Competition specifically mentioning the two competitions.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

@Steven Rules I am quoting the rule that the club have quoted to the members . I agree with your thinking on this.

Thanks for the replies folks. It looks as though there is a very simple solution to this. Whether the club take that route.............