Maintaining the integrity of Club Honours Boards & Major Comps

[Siren]

At my new club they have a qualifier for each board comp where the top 16 go into a matchplay draw. I found it a little bit weird at first but it seems to work well.

 

[2blue]

Yes, but the best player relative to his handicap - with the implication that the handicap is a correct reflection of the week in week out standard of his golf.
I do think some restrictions are necessary. We have the stipulation of having submitted 4 cards in the previous 12 months, no juniors or juveniles, and no newly allocated handicaps in that calender year.

In all cases there can be situations where it is harsh on someone. But despite that, I agree with it, and would even have it a little stronger (maybe held the handicap for the full previous calender year, or more cards submitted in the previous calender year).
It is not to cut out bandits, but rather the person whose game is being acquired and hasnt settled at some natural stable level proven over a reasonable time (not the improver, practiser, lessons taker or what ever - but he is someone who previously had a stable handicap).
Handicap golf is based on the premise that everyone teeing it up has, within reason, the same chance to win if they play best relative to their handicap.

Generally agree other than it seems a bit harsh on juniors & improvers... as we're all trying to improve so when do you stop being an improver? .... so many Q Comps in a year should sort it

We have no restrictions - as long as their HC is active then away they go

There is no reason to restrict people who play in major comps bar people whinging they have been beaten by someone

We currently have this Phil, but some recent new-arrival, 'Board Winners' coming in with outrageous scores, have established Members asking how they can compete.

We only have Boards for scratch comps so the issue just doesn't arise.

Same here only one board, Club Champ.. is usually the best player as its a scratch comp.

Yes... I quite like the Scottish approach to this regarding Boards... but what's the situation with your Trophy/Cup Comps?

We have a member who left our club three years ago with a handicap of 7. He didn't play for a year, put three cards in at another club and was awarded a new handicap of 16.

He rejoined us late last year, his new handicap was transferred and, not having put in any competition cards in at our place, he won a board comp recently playing to 8!

So was he not robbing people blind in 'Fiddles' 'Roll-ups' etc ? If so they should have nagged him into some Supps..... not a guaranteed answer but a way Members can help enforce a more level playing field.
THANKS,BY THE WAY, FOR EVERYONES RESPONSES....... so valuable in gathering other approaches to a virtually insoluble situation... which, however, IMHO, needs to be seen to being addressed for the sake of the established Members.

 

[patricks148]

Yes... I quite like the Scottish approach to this regarding Boards... but what's the situation with your Trophy/Cup Comps?

We have Silver trophies for the big comps and some of them are twin, IE one for the best scratch and one handicap. Some are Handicap comps and some just scratch.

So instead of your name on a wall, you get your name on a Cup/Salver/Jug

 

[2blue]

We have Silver trophies for the big comps and some of them are twin, IE one for the best scratch and one handicap. Some are Handicap comps and some just scratch.

So instead of your name on a wall, you get your name on a Cup/Salver/Jug

Yeah... our main Serious Board Comp is Scratch & Nett over 2 rounds... tends to produce a pretty reliable . result. Just wondering what limitations are applied to being eligible for winning your H/cap Trophies/Cups... though not Board Comps for you, still fairly prestigious I'd have thought?

 

[Yer Maw]

Ensure your competition scratch equates to a fair representation of what happens. I don't know the exact facts but I imagine most players are in the buffer or above, whilst that occasional great round gets you a cut.
Don't allow cliques to form by certain players always playing together as it isn't a good club then and who knows what goes on in cliques.
All NRs are a 0.1 increase regardless of excuses except balls blowing around the greens and genuine illness. It stops people walking off because they're having a bad round etc.
I'd personally push for 2 out of 3 cards to be off the medal tees as it is the only true reflection of your game, and under bonfire rules. I'm sure there are plenty who submit cards with gimme putts etc.
Finally make sure your players know the basic rules of oob, drops, hazards, and play when ready and be ready to play. Penalise slow play early on and you'll set the standard.
Also it would seem you need to be prepared to be flamed by ignorance and dumb questions at all times, which is why I'd never complain when all of the above are followed.
GOOD LUCK!

 

[garyinderry]

Lee park has had their fingers burnt in the past by new guys coming in and easily cleaning up.


Now for majors, they have a restriction in your first two years that you cannot life the main prize. I completely get the reasoning behind it and fully support it.

 

[2blue]

Lee park has had their fingers burnt in the past by new guys coming in and easily cleaning up.


Now for majors, they have a restriction in your first two years that you cannot life the main prize. I completely get the reasoning behind it and fully support it.

Not sure how new FULL members would feel about not being able to participate in all Club activities having paid the same Subs..... discrimination?? I guess all restrictions 'discriminate' to a degree... just 2 years seems a bit steep. Yeah, its a tough circle to 'Square', but interesting to see the various approaches.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I understand the worries for some people, but with these restrictions on people for comps, do they pay a reduced membership fee? Because to me if you pay the same amount as everyone else then you should be treated equally.

 

[garyinderry]

Not sure how new FULL members would feel about not being able to participate in all Club activities having paid the same Subs..... discrimination?? I guess all restrictions 'discriminate' to a degree... just 2 years seems a bit steep. Yeah, its a tough circle to 'Square', but interesting to see the various approaches.

I was a new full member and was completely fine with it. you are not stopped from entering the comp. You just won't get your name on the board.

Wins for me are few and far between so the chances of me lifting a major is quite small.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I was a new full member and was completely fine with it. you are not stopped from entering the comp. You just won't get your name on the board.

Wins for me are few and far between so the chances of me lifting a major is quite small.

Isn't that the issue then mate, your statement probably goes for the majority of members, so are these measures put in place to protect a minority?

 

[garyinderry]

Isn't that the issue then mate, your statement probably goes for the majority of members, so are these measures put in place to protect a minority?

Not at all. It is to protect the majority of members. it will only be a small number who is affected each year.

See it as a reward for being at the club for a certain length of time.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Not at all. It is to protect the majority of members. it will only be a small number who is affected each year.

See it as a reward for being at the club for a certain length of time.

Maybe I'm too trusting, I just can't believe there are enough nomads roaming the areas looking to get their name on a board, Open Comps I can see bandits turning up, but not people joining clubs for short periods just to win a board Comp.

 

[garyinderry]

Maybe I'm too trusting, I just can't believe there are enough nomads roaming the areas looking to get their name on a board, Open Comps I can see bandits turning up, but not people joining clubs for short periods just to win a board Comp.

Its probably to stop guys who just join a club. Put in 3 cards nowhere near their actual ability due to having 3 off days then easily shooting a low score on a major day. as the thread title says, it protects the comps integrity. Some majors have big prizes like big TVs or sets on irons.

 

[Old Skier]

We have no restrictions - as long as their HC is active then away they go

There is no reason to restrict people who play in major comps bar people whinging they have been beaten by someone

As above. Seems that the feeling by quite a few is that anyone that wins is a bandit. Perhaps at the next club AGM they should get themselves on the handicap committee so they can get it sorted.

 

[fundy]

Lee park has had their fingers burnt in the past by new guys coming in and easily cleaning up.


Now for majors, they have a restriction in your first two years that you cannot life the main prize. I completely get the reasoning behind it and fully support it.

If i joined a club and was told this Id be asking for my money back and finding somewhere else to play. Currently Im not even close to being competitive off my handicap (havent been since I did my ACL last year) but would at least want the opportunity. 2 years is just ridiculous imho

 

[garyinderry]

You would have even less chance if someone comes in with a hooky handicap. :rofl:


You can still play, get cut, lift the nominal prize money but won't get your name on the trophy as far as I know.


I played in one or two of them in my first year. Didn't trouble the podium. No big deal.

 

[snell]

Our place stacks up a lot of stableford medals at the start of the season with the idea of getting handicaps down, then board comps mid to late summer

 

[2blue]

Our place stacks up a lot of stableford medals at the start of the season with the idea of getting handicaps down, then board comps mid to late summer

That's all well & good if folk sign up for them....... we have 50 to 60 Q Comps a year but for this Captain's Day we had to inform a guy that he wasn't 'c' so couldn't win the Trophy.... he'd only played 2 Q Comps in 18 months despite playing in front of our 'roll-up' nearly every Wed when a Comp was available.
However he was in the weekly 'key-board race' on his computer at 7pm on a Thurs 2 weeks before in order to get a sought-after 9am tee-time, then didn't even turn up, or cancel his place, after getting an email explaining why he couldn't 'win' the trophy. His partners had to play as a 3-ball.... you couldn't make it up.... so yes there are people 'engineering' things for what ever reason.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

As above. Seems that the feeling by quite a few is that anyone that wins is a bandit.

Agreed, anyone can have a good day.

The trouble with restricting the comp, is that it can always be abused. So if you have to enter 3 comps, it is quite easy to ensure you don't play score well etc, if you are that way inclined. Not that I understand that view point. I used to have people turn up to my golf days and play off like 28 and say they have only played a couple of times before and then score 48 or 49 stableford points, mental. That is a handicap system for you, it is always open to abuse, but you can not allow for people who are going to cheat effectively. That's life but don't assume people are going to.......

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We had a net 57 in yesterday (-13). Guy shot 79 gross off 22. He plays week in, week out in all the comps so is he a bandit off that mark or just a guy who had the round of the year. He's got to do it again tomorrow but with the next best something like a 65 he's a few shots in hand. I'm sure there will be plenty when they see the score that say he's an out and out bandit. That's handicap golf