Nomads to get official handicaps

[D-S]

If they are 'Nomads' as opposed to 'Away' players, how did did they get a handicap ?

I was referring to a future Open if won by a 'Nomad' under the new EG scheme.

 

[gopher99]

For me personally I work shifts and used to travel abroad quite regularly before covid hit, I was finding that belonging to a golf and health club was becoming expensive as I was only playing twice a month. I like the idea of being able to have a handicap outside the traditional way of having one if you belong to a club. I have played in a couple of opens last year at Sunningdale and Swinley forest, without a cdh handicap I wouldn’t have been able to play.

 

[rulefan]

I was referring to a future Open if won by a 'Nomad' under the new EG scheme.

"... who’s Open is won with a very good score by a Nomad golfer."
How do you know this is going to happen? Nomads' handicaps will be monitored in the same way as club members' handicaps. Often with more rigour than many clubs demonstrate. EG cannot afford to let it become a bandits bonanza.

 

[Imurg]

"... who’s Open is won with a very good score by a Nomad golfer."
How do you know this is going to happen? Nomads' handicaps will be monitored in the same way as club members' handicaps. Often with more rigour than many clubs demonstrate. EG cannot afford to let it become a bandits bonanza.

How do you know it won't?
I think the vast majority of nomads will be honest, truthful and not seek to manipulate their Handicaps in any way
The same goes for club members. There will be some of either faith that will seek to deceive.
But club members will find it harder to "play" the system as there will be more people on the course, more people in the bar and more people wondering than there would be for 2 blokes turning up, paying a green fee, going out and being liberal with the rules or how many fingers on each hand, filling in the card in the car afterwards
See a nomad kicking a ball, out from under a bush and you're not going to assume they're manipulating their Index, you just see 2 guys having a knock. No member is even going to see the score.
See a member do the same and questions will be asked.
Extreme scenario but how are EG going to know that scores are real?

 

[D-S]

"... who’s Open is won with a very good score by a Nomad golfer."
How do you know this is going to happen? Nomads' handicaps will be monitored in the same way as club members' handicaps. Often with more rigour than many clubs demonstrate. EG cannot afford to let it become a bandits bonanza.

Of course I do not know is this will happen but the law of averages suggest that at some stage a nomad or a nomad team will in due course win some Opens, then as per my post, irrespective of whether the handicaps are legitimate and correct then other competitors, as they do after almost all Opens currently, will question the validity of the winners handicaps. The better the day the nomad has the more suspicion (probably totally incorrectly). This just gives those that discredit other golfers handicaps even more ammunition.
Will there be more reporting of performance in team Opens? - in a Club there is ofren peer reviewed evidence of performance in formats other than individual strokeplay competitions, not necessarily Open competition but from Club competition. This evidence will obviously be lacking from Nomad golfers unless there is a more rigorous reporting system for performance in Open team competition.

 

[Swango1980]

"... who’s Open is won with a very good score by a Nomad golfer."
How do you know this is going to happen? Nomads' handicaps will be monitored in the same way as club members' handicaps. Often with more rigour than many clubs demonstrate. EG cannot afford to let it become a bandits bonanza.

Are you suggesting EG will have a better control, or at least same control on player handicaps? Will they have an EG committee, who will be generally as close to players that use their system as club committees are generally to their members? Will EG have annual reviews, where they will discuss players handicaps and make changes where necessary?

Will any of this require a human thought process, or will they have sone special software to ensure nomad handicaps are BETTER regulated than club member handicaps?

 

[balaclava]

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

I was a member of Nomads in South Africa - is this the same society as that?

 

[ForeRight]

I was a member of Nomads in South Africa - is this the same society as that?

Nomads is just a generic term for players who aren't members of an affiliated golf club. This isn't related to a specific society

 

[rulefan]

Are you suggesting EG will have a better control, or at least same control on player handicaps? Will they have an EG committee, who will be generally as close to players that use their system as club committees are generally to their members? Will EG have annual reviews, where they will discuss players handicaps and make changes where necessary?

Will any of this require a human thought process, or will they have sone special software to ensure nomad handicaps are BETTER regulated than club member handicaps?

My understanding is that they will in effect form a club handicap committee which will manage their members as does any well run club. All resources will be paid for out of their members' subs not from non-nomad's subs.

 

[D-S]

My understanding is that they will in effect form a club handicap committee which will manage their members as does any well run club. All resources will be paid for out of their members' subs not from non-nomad's subs.

How do they intend to gather evidence on nomads performance outside WHS rounds?

 

[Old Skier]

Latest update

Good afternoon

Welcome to the latest club update on the development of an independent golfer connectivity platform.

Since January, a working group has consulted with clubs, counties and other stakeholders on plans to develop the platform for independent golfers with the ultimate aim of driving golf club membership.

With the final business model now agreed and in place, England Golf can now confirm details of the connectivity platform.​

What is the offer to independent golfers?
Independent golfers (non-members of golf clubs) will be offered the chance to join a new digital community of golfers aligned to England Golf.

For an annual subscription of £40, golfers will receive the following:

• A World Handicap System handicap index
• Personal liability insurance
• Access to the 'My England Golf' app to post scores, track progress and engage with friends

Who will be able to join the independent golfer platform and what are the terms of subscription?
The scheme will be open to all golfers regardless of age.

The following basic terms will apply:

• Subscription is open to any golfer with a home address in England.
• Any golfer who has left a golf club within the last six months will not be eligible to subscribe.
• Registration will take place online for a 12-month rolling subscription.
• Subscribers will sit outside of the current affiliation framework (including membership of the county).
• County and national events will remain open to golf club members only. If clubs wish to create an independent golfer-only competition or, alternatively, integrate them into some or all of the existing club competitions, this would be at their discretion.

England Golf will carry out all administration duties with no burden of work on clubs or counties.
​

How will golfers joining the new platform obtain/maintain a handicap index?

• Golfers can obtain a handicap index by submitting scores from 54 holes of golf played in accordance with the Rules of Handicapping.
• Scores counting towards the 54-hole total can come from any combination of nine and 18-hole scores.
• All rounds must be pre-registered on the ‘My EG’ app and, on completion, digitally verified by a playing partner who is either a golf club member or subscriber to the new platform.
• Lapsed golf club members may be allocated a handicap index based on scores in the system dating back to January 2018.

The integrity of the handicap system will be maintained through a robust system of checks and balances. These include:

• Processes on the app
• Setting up of a national independent golfer handicap committee
• Educating on rules of handicapping, rules of golf and etiquette
• Opportunity for peer review

What is the timeline for the launch of the new platform?
The provisional launch date and opening for registration is early July.​

What opportunities will exist for clubs who choose to actively engage with subscribers to the new programme?
A simple process will be put in place for clubs to notify England Golf of opportunities they wish to promote to this audience. This may, for example, include the following:

• Green fee promotions
• Competition and event entry
• Club membership offers

England Golf will communicate directly with golfers interested in exploring these offers and provide a platform to share details.

Further guidance will follow around what this could mean for clubs, points to consider and how the programme will work.​

What will money generated from the platform be spent on?
Surplus returned from the new connectivity platform will be re-invested back into our game.

Areas of investment may include:

• Special projects funding for golf clubs
• Women and girls' participation
• Junior development
• Support for disability and minority groups

Further updates will follow during June 2021.​

 

[Bdill93]

Latest update

​

Good afternoon

Welcome to the latest club update on the development of an independent golfer connectivity platform.

Since January, a working group has consulted with clubs, counties and other stakeholders on plans to develop the platform for independent golfers with the ultimate aim of driving golf club membership.

With the final business model now agreed and in place, England Golf can now confirm details of the connectivity platform.

​

What is the offer to independent golfers?
Independent golfers (non-members of golf clubs) will be offered the chance to join a new digital community of golfers aligned to England Golf.

For an annual subscription of £40, golfers will receive the following:

• A World Handicap System handicap index
• Personal liability insurance
• Access to the 'My England Golf' app to post scores, track progress and engage with friends

​

Who will be able to join the independent golfer platform and what are the terms of subscription?
The scheme will be open to all golfers regardless of age.

The following basic terms will apply:

• Subscription is open to any golfer with a home address in England.
• Any golfer who has left a golf club within the last six months will not be eligible to subscribe.
• Registration will take place online for a 12-month rolling subscription.
• Subscribers will sit outside of the current affiliation framework (including membership of the county).
• County and national events will remain open to golf club members only. If clubs wish to create an independent golfer-only competition or, alternatively, integrate them into some or all of the existing club competitions, this would be at their discretion.

England Golf will carry out all administration duties with no burden of work on clubs or counties.

​

How will golfers joining the new platform obtain/maintain a handicap index?

• Golfers can obtain a handicap index by submitting scores from 54 holes of golf played in accordance with the Rules of Handicapping.
• Scores counting towards the 54-hole total can come from any combination of nine and 18-hole scores.
• All rounds must be pre-registered on the ‘My EG’ app and, on completion, digitally verified by a playing partner who is either a golf club member or subscriber to the new platform.
• Lapsed golf club members may be allocated a handicap index based on scores in the system dating back to January 2018.

The integrity of the handicap system will be maintained through a robust system of checks and balances. These include:

• Processes on the app
• Setting up of a national independent golfer handicap committee
• Educating on rules of handicapping, rules of golf and etiquette
• Opportunity for peer review

​

What is the timeline for the launch of the new platform?
The provisional launch date and opening for registration is early July.

​

What opportunities will exist for clubs who choose to actively engage with subscribers to the new programme?
A simple process will be put in place for clubs to notify England Golf of opportunities they wish to promote to this audience. This may, for example, include the following:

• Green fee promotions
• Competition and event entry
• Club membership offers

England Golf will communicate directly with golfers interested in exploring these offers and provide a platform to share details.

Further guidance will follow around what this could mean for clubs, points to consider and how the programme will work.

​

What will money generated from the platform be spent on?
Surplus returned from the new connectivity platform will be re-invested back into our game.

Areas of investment may include:

• Special projects funding for golf clubs
• Women and girls' participation
• Junior development
• Support for disability and minority groups

Further updates will follow during June 2021.

​

Pretty well thought out! £40 is very reasonable

 

[fundy]

£40 seems reasonable, shame about the integration into comps but comes as no surprise

"County and national events will remain open to golf club members only. If clubs wish to create an independent golfer-only competition or, alternatively, integrate them into some or all of the existing club competitions, this would be at their discretion"

thanks for the continued updates

 

[Imurg]

If I'm reading this correctly, EG are setting this up and running it with no workload going to clubs and Counties but it's being left up to clubs and Counties to organise any competitions.....
Will many clubs want to organise an "Independent Open" ..?
Are there going to be enough comps to satisfy demand?
Are there going to be enough Independent golfers who sign up to warrant the comps in the first place?
I assume they have done some research into how many are likely to sign up...

 

[Old Skier]

If I'm reading this correctly, EG are setting this up and running it with no workload going to clubs and Counties but it's being left up to clubs and Counties to organise any competitions.....
Will many clubs want to organise an "Independent Open" ..?
Are there going to be enough comps to satisfy demand?
Are there going to be enough Independent golfers who sign up to warrant the comps in the first place?
I assume they have done some research into how many are likely to sign up...

On the comp side, a club wouldn’t know until they set up a separate comp or even run a comp with different prize for the independent. Would depend on how full club comps are.

In a charity open event I would be more than willing to allowing entry to the comps with separate prizes.

 

[williamalex1]

On the comp side, a club wouldn’t know until they set up a separate comp or even run a comp with different prize for the independent. Would depend on how full club comps are.

In a charity open event I would be more than willing to allowing entry to the comps with separate prizes.

In Scotland we have a private company called Golf in Scotland [based in Bathgate ]
They organise and run qualifying comps at a few top class venues. As long as you have a recognised handicap.

 

[Old Skier]

In Scotland we have a private company called Golf Scotland [based in Bathgate ]
They organise and run qualifying comps at a few top class venues. As long as you have a recognised handicap.

I don’t know if Scotland are following EG when it comes to nomads although the requirement has come direct from R&A.

 

[PJ87]

I am really liking this idea

If I have to give up my membership for any reason within next few years I know I can keep my handicap going for a while for a small fee until I was ready to join again

 

[williamalex1]

I don’t know if Scotland are following EG when it comes to nomads although the requirement has come direct from R&A.

Just a thought for some English entrepreneur , obviously there's going to be an opportunity

 

[Old Skier]

I am really liking this idea

If I have to give up my membership for any reason within next few years I know I can keep my handicap going for a while for a small fee until I was ready to join again

You cannot join the scheme whithin 6 months of leaving your club.