New members

[clubchamp07]

A few new members joined our club this year. They want to play our course but they stated at the meeting that they wouldn't be playing for any of the team's as they are still members of another course. These guys are of low handicaps. I was asked on Wednesday, as to why they where let to join our club seeing as they had stated that they wouldn't play for us.

I remember a post a few weeks ago when Jon (I think it was Jon) was going to an interview and he was looking tips to take with him, one of the tips was to be keen to play for the club he was joining.
What do you guys think about joining a club and not playing for this club if you're handicap allows you to.

Personally I think that alot of clubs are just glad of the members money and dont really care if they play for the team or not.

 

[TonyN]

I dont see why it's necesary to play for the club, As long as you pay your fee's then its ok. If anythin wont the club make more money by not entering them into comps and stuff.

Clubs shouldnt expect people to join the teams just because they play at the club. I bet alot of people would just like to have somewhere to call home but just play friendly golf. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

 

[viscount17]

I wouldn't have an issue if they simply didn't want to play in a team but I would in this case. I cannot see how you can play team golf for a club to which you don't belong.
What happens when their team is playing against their new club - do they declare themselves ineligible?
What were their reasons for joining the new club - cheaper golf?

 

[GB72]

I suppose it depends on what the club is looking for. The club I joined was looking for members who would become involved in the teams, competitions, social side etc and may have been less willing to accept a new member who stated that he or she had no intention of doing so. If the club already feels that there are sufficient members who get involved in such things or simply does not see these as important to the future of the club then there is nothing wrong with accepting such people.

 

[Nico]

I was in a similar situation myself a few years back.
I think it hinges on where they keep their handicaps.

In my case I already played in Surrey competitions for my main club.

There were 3 of us who joined and we genuinely felt that we should allow members who felt this was their main club first choice.

I still feel that it is wrong to use a club as a "flag of convenience" to keep a falsely high handicap somewhere and then represent another club.

 

[Leftie]

Years ago when it was more difficult to join a members club, the general wisdom would have been to appear to be keen to make yourself available for representation and willing to join in social events. I think that this has now probably changed since so many more clubs are looking for members and, as said above, want your money.

Last year I played for one of my club's teams in an inter-club knockout competition. One of our squad was also a member at another club (club B). He played poorly in the first and second rounds and was dropped for subsequent rounds. Round 4 was against club B and we were surprised to see him turning out for them. As Vicount said, he should have declared himself ineligible and not played. There was a bit of bad feeling about this with some of the team members but we didn't really mind as his match was quite crucial to the overall result and he was comprehensively beaten. Needless to say, he wasn't invited to represent us again in subsequent rounds and probably won't be in the future while our present team captain is in charge.

 

[Gasp]

Surely the point is that these guys are still members of another club and feel because they already play for one club team their loyalty lies with them. I think this is quite alright. Unless you feel that people should only be members of only one club I don't see how you can have a problem with this.
Oh to be able to be a member of a variety of clubs....

 

[clubchamp07]

Leftie I cant see how he can play for 2 different clubs in the same competition. Surley there is a rule somewhere saying that you can only play for 1 club. I can understand playing for 2 different clubs in different comp's but surely not in the same? this cant be right!

 

[Leftie]

Haven't read the rules but I agree it can't be right. Nevertheless it happened. I think that if the result were different, there might have been a stewards inquiry.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We have a problem with inter club matches at Royal Ascot whereby it is always possible to get a game for home matches but as soon as away games go up it is either the scratch side put out or certain clique players get first choice.

To be fair this has been gettin better and when I played a number of home games the captain made it very clear he wanted where possible to pick the same team again.

I understand thing like the Mail on Sunday comp and various inter county events (Hillman Trophy in our case) demand a strong team but I do feel where I have put myself out by not playing in a monthly stableford to play a home game against Wentworth or Swinley Artisans (they look after Swinley Forset - almost impossible to get on) I deserve first refusal for the away leg.

We have to pay to represent our club particularly at home matches (money goes to cover food costs etc) and I don't mind paying but I just want a fair crack. I have to say I think this year will be very interesting. The captain does paly in a very elite clique and had a reputation of being a bit unapproachable. Having said that since he came into office I have been very impressed with most things he has done and his plans so it will be interesting to see what criteria he uses to pick his teams

 

[clubchamp07]

Did I read right Homer, you have to pay towards the meals for playing in a match. If that happened at our club we wouldn't have a team. I thought that all clubs paid and the money was taken from competition entrance fee's. Thats what happens at our club anyway.
I have never heard of anyone paying to play for their club!

I'm looking forward to our new captain coming in this year he is totally different from this year cap. So figers crossed we're not dissapointed.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Our caterers are an outside agency. He runs it as his own business so in effect we play a match and he provides the 3 course meal and then invoices the club for the cost.

We pay the cost for both teams. When we go away we only pay a small subsidy either towards the cost of wine or as a donation to the home teams charity.

Has always been that way. Even as a junior at Wimbledon Common we always had to pay a match fee. In fact every team sport I have played in we have had to pay match subs for both home and away games (darts, league cricket, sunday morning football).

I don't actually have a problem paying the money (normally between £10-15) and we get top notch food (the guy is actually producing very good food for the club - better than some of the so called chefs we have had) and when you add in the amount of wine getting drunk (sadly not by me but that is medical and not by choice so I don't begrudge) it is only the same as paying a nominal green fee. Any money left over goes towards club funds so it gets reinvested.

 

[billyg]

Well ladies and gentlemen,

Having read the cut and thrust of the argument and being in the (for me at least) unique position of currently being a member of two clubs(until the end of March) one thing strikes me squarely across the temples as a relative novice.

Isn't his all a little bit too serious for a sport we play for amongst other thing relaxation?
It's all a bit 'corporate' and 'boardroom' to me.

I'm sure within it's context such matters are of some significance but tuning in to such debate only makes me feel the desire to stiff a few irons into the lake to avoid the possibility of confronting such unpalletable dilemmas

FWIW I would perhaps feel a sense of duty to 'bat' for my original club until the beginning of the current season and then transfer my card to the new one at that point.

The tribulations of performance appraisal is something I quite distinctly choose to leave at the office.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

BillyG

Not tempted to hold out and go on a Bosman ruling then

 

[billyg]

BillyG

Not tempted to hold out and go on a Bosman ruling then

The onus seems to be on the new club to peg the detail down when granting membership. Strikes me as a little sloppy if they thought it so important.

While not crediting a club directly through it's coffers a prolific team can suck in more, perhaps intangable, plaudits.

They didn't stipulate. The chap paid his money.They took it.

Case closed IMHO

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Totally agree with you. Have to say if I were a member of two clubs I'd be representing my old club until my membership had lapsed. If the two clubs were in opposition I'd be playing for the original club as that it where my loyalty was.