Nomads to get official handicaps

[rosecott]

Hot off the press.
England Golf to offer handicaps to nomads from 2021

 

[Orikoru]

Would you have to pay a fee for it? They wouldn't manage a whole load of handicaps for free surely.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Yep just seen the email

Interesting development and will be interesting to see how clubs react to it and what some clubs do with Open entries

Will be interesting to see how much the Governing bodies charge for a handicap to be maintained for a nomad

Can see it being a wide open goal for pot hunters

 

[rosecott]

No fine details yet, but there will be communications out in January, February and March as things are developed. Obviously there will have to be some sort of charge.

 

[JT.]

A positive move I think. Having found myself ‘between clubs’ this year in terms of membership (I was due to change clubs at the star of April but deferred when COVID hit), I found that being a nomad shuts down a lot of open comps, Because most require an active handicap.

I’ll once again be a club member in January so it won’t effect me, but if I could have paid a modest sum (say £50?) to have an active handicap for the last 9 months (lockdown aside!) I would have done so in a heartbeat.

 

[rosecott]

A positive move I think. Having found myself ‘between clubs’ this year in terms of membership (I was due to change clubs at the star of April but deferred when COVID hit), I found that being a nomad shuts down a lot of open comps, Because most require an active handicap.

I’ll once again be a club member in January so it won’t effect me, but if I could have paid a modest sum (say £50?) to have an active handicap for the last 9 months (lockdown aside!) I would have done so in a heartbeat.

I think the modest sum needs to be around the £50 mark to placate members of affiliated clubs.

 

[jim8flog]

A positive move I think. Having found myself ‘between clubs’ this year in terms of membership (I was due to change clubs at the star of April but deferred when COVID hit), I found that being a nomad shuts down a lot of open comps, Because most require an active handicap.

I’ll once again be a club member in January so it won’t effect me, but if I could have paid a modest sum (say £50?) to have an active handicap for the last 9 months (lockdown aside!) I would have done so in a heartbeat.

I presume by active handicap you mean have a WHS handicap the term active has other connotations.

 

[IanM]

Awesome... will lead to an increase in stableford points required to get in the prizes at Open Comps.

Plenty won't take the micky, many will.

 

[Twire]

That's good news for me. The way my current club keeps raising the subs year on year, I'm worried I won't be able to afford the membership in my retirement. This would give me the option to play some opens in the summer without a massive club subscription.

 

[fundy]

Awesome... will lead to an increase in stableford points required to get in the prizes at Open Comps.

Plenty won't take the micky, many will.

plenty at clubs currently dont the take the mick, many do

 

[IanM]

plenty at clubs currently dont the take the mick, many do

Point taken.....

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Terrible move, will lead to lots of members giving up their membership and clubs struggling to make up the shortfall. I can see a few clubs going under as a result of this.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

The interesting thing will be the impact on green fees. If membership drops - which it will - there is little scope to increase membership fees further so the race to the bottom on green fees may be reversed.

You can play in a lot of opens from Golf Empire & mini tour events for a grand a year in the decent weather months.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

I know that the current handicap system is not foolproof, but nomads with handicaps would be a licence for bandits!

 

[IanM]

Terrible move, will lead to lots of members giving up their membership and clubs struggling to make up the shortfall. I can see a few clubs going under as a result of this.

Lots? Not so sure, some, certainly. I have never had anyone say to me they only stay a member to keep their handicap. You can do that at the local Muni for small change and not play there.

Meanwhile on other thread, "How do I hack into my club's booking system? It is so busy I cannot get a starting time!

I guess we'll see...

 

[Deleted member 15344]

What clubs will do to combat it is increase green fees and open fees , plus ask for members of clubs only in Opens - if the clubs start to be affected

 

[HomerJSimpson]

In normal times, before a lot of people felt a need to become a member during Covid to get regular golf, we had a lot of transient members who would join, taking advantage of any offers, then go off to another local club for another offer. Maybe once everything opens fully again we'll see a lot of those that joined during Covid doing the same thing. I think it will impact membership for a degree and given I think our green fee is already underpriced compared to local courses I'd like to see the club value its product more and put prices up and make sure members are able to play at peak times.

That said though, I know a lot of people that have struggled financially and a few that have had to let their membership go. If this allows them access to courses and open comps (for those that want them) then I can see a benefit. I hope there is a cost as being able to simply get a handicap for nothing doesn't seem right

 

[fundy]

What clubs will do to combat it is increase green fees and open fees , plus ask for members of clubs only in Opens - if the clubs start to be affected

will they or will they reduce green fees to increase the amount they sell as many clubs have done recently? as always will boil down to the quality of their offering and what its really worth

 

[Deleted member 15344]

will they or will they reduce green fees to increase the amount they sell as many clubs have done recently? as always will boil down to the quality of their offering and what its really worth

All depends on how much revenue they lose if members leave.

 

[fundy]

All depends on how much revenue they lose if members leave.

of course (it really wont be much in most cases if their product is worth having) but blindly putting green fees up (especially if a bad offering) isnt going to plug the gap, if anything it will make it bigger as they sell very few green fees at the higher rate