Oldest club champion 2024.

[2blue]

It was a guy called Dennis who won the nett comp last summer. You have to bear in mind, this is the same club who put a plaque on the wall for a lad who broke the course record…off the yellow tees Some of the yellow tees are way forward of the whites

Know what you mean as I won a Xmas raffle the other year & am still waiting for my name to go on a board.

 

[BiMGuy]

I’ve said it a million times. Nett club comps might as well be a raffle.
They aren’t legitimate competition, as most players are playing to a different set of rules to each other. Then throw in the handicap of every player has been acquired in a unique way, and an hell of a lot of them aren’t that accurate.

To call it competition is almost laughable. The fact that people take them so seriously is bonkers.

 

[Swango1980]

Winning any nett competition is great. Whether that be a Spring Stableford, or a 2 day medal play event. And, if a club wants to call that person their club champion, then let them all celebrate that.

However, when you talk about being a club champion to the wider golfing community, then the conditions are clear. It has to be a non-handicap event, and the club champion is the player who has managed to win the event with the lowest number of shots.

I'd be happy about winning a nett 2 day event, but even if the club called me a club champion, I wouldn't go around boasting I was Club Champion. In the event itself, perhaps I might have played well enough to get a handicap cut. And, if the competition was played a week later and everyone shot exactly the same scores, I may not win this time as I get at least 2 shots less over 36 holes. That makes a mockery of being called a club champion, because it depends not only on how the player plays, but what their handicap happens to be at the time of the competition.

I'm sure it is not unusual for one golfer at a club to win many Championships in a row. Or maybe there is an interesting battle / rivalry between 2 or 3 of the clubs best golfers. That shouldn't be seen as a bad thing. It should be seen as a great achievement by a player who stands out from the rest at your club in that era, so that members can proudly call that person their true club champion. They set the benchmark for all other golfers who have the potential to play great golf, to challenge for in the future. I'm sure many top golfers who go on to become a professional dominate their own club championships in their youth. Been to Workshop and see Lee Westwood appear multiple times as their club champion. There is a lot more pride in that, than having many different winners, such as

1989 Jim Norman (HCP 18)
1990 Michael Taylor (HCP 27)
1991 Gus Mason (HCP 11)
1992 David Maxwell (HCP 17)
1993 Keith Chambers (HCP 23)

 

[LincolnShep]

The title of 'Club Champion' should be awarded to the best player at the club - only way to determine that is have them all play at the same time, in the same conditions, off scratch. By all means, have a nett competition alongside to make entry appealing to those (like me) who haven't got a hope of ever being a club champion. Calling the winner of a nett competition a Club Champion devalues the title somewhat.
Just my opinion though, every club is entitled to make its own decisions to suit its own members.

 

[Swango1980]

The title of 'Club Champion' should be awarded to the best player at the club - only way to determine that is have them all play at the same time, in the same conditions, off scratch. By all means, have a nett competition alongside to make entry appealing to those (like me) who haven't got a hope of ever being a club champion. Calling the winner of a nett competition a Club Champion devalues the title somewhat.
Just my opinion though, every club is entitled to make its own decisions to suit its own members.

I once heard a person boasting about a nett 59, and wondering if anyone else had ever achieved that. Their handicap was in the 20's.

Not all responses were overly positive

But, I guess some will think a nett 59 is a great achievement for any golfer, whether than golfer play off a handicap of 0 or 40

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I’ve said it a million times. Nett club comps might as well be a raffle.
They aren’t legitimate competition, as most players are playing to a different set of rules to each other. Then throw in the handicap of every player has been acquired in a unique way, and an hell of a lot of them aren’t that accurate.

To call it competition is almost laughable. The fact that people take them so seriously is bonkers.

Sounds a very bitter answer. As we have a minimum number of competition cards required to even gain access to the club championship (think it is 8 and going to 10 for this season) then it requires everyone to have an active handicap and have entered the minimum number of events. Of course if someone was so inclined there are ways to manipulate a handicap but no system other than a gross even off scratch will be foolproof and as that would eliminate 99% of the club what's the point. We have a gross event and a net prize. There is a cut after day one, so usually top 50 and ties based on the net score from round one and the top 15 in the gross event go out last in reverse score order (so day 1 leader out last). With a large scoreboard being updated regularly via the on course marshals it creates a real buzz. I don't think I've ever seen any animosity to any winner of the net prize and for someone to have played consistently well over two consecutive prizes, under a degree of pressure they won't normally feel, is never a bad accomplishment

 

[williamalex1]

It's massively relevant, a Club Champion can ONLY be off scratch surely?

What happens with players that have a plus handicap ?

 

[williamalex1]

I once heard a person boasting about a nett 59, and wondering if anyone else had ever achieved that. Their handicap was in the 20's.

Not all responses were overly positive

But, I guess some will think a nett 59 is a great achievement for any golfer, whether than golfer play off a handicap of 0 or 40

A mate had a net 57 playing of 13 [ not in an official comp ] but from medal tees.

 

[Swango1980]

What happens with players that have a plus handicap ?

Still off scratch for the Club Championship. You'd expect the plus handicappers to be the favorites, quite rightly.

 

[Swango1980]

A mate had a net 57 playing of 13 [ not in an official comp ] but from medal tees.

Dodgy handicap, unless CR was very low I suppose.

 

[williamalex1]

Dodgy handicap, unless CR was very low I suppose.

It was a one-off, genuine h/c, I've played along with him for 45 years, lowest he got down to was a 9 h/c, now he's off 18 and can't get near level par

 

[Swango1980]

It was a one-off, genuine h/c, I've played along with him for 45 years, lowest he got down to was a 9 h/c, now he's off 18 and can't get near level par

Most nett 57's will definitely be from a player off a handicap too high for them (assuming CR around the normal 68+ level).

And, if the Club Championship was played off nett only, if any player went out and shot a nett 57, I reckon a lot of golfers would feel a little robbed that a player was playing off a silly handicap. Just like any other nett competition (we hear the complaints all the time, including on these forums), except there may be more anger at such a prestigious event.

Handicap competitions are great, but when I ever win one, I don't full myself as thinking it makes me the best golfer. There could be half a dozen better golfers, who shot a better score, but finished worse than me because they had a lower handicap. Winning a handicap competition just means I played better than I normally do relative to my own ability. I'd be embarrassed if people suddenly called be the Champion of the club for shooting a good nett score, knowing I am clearly not the best golfer.

 

[Bdill93]

Our Club Championships weekend consists of a concurrent scratch and handicap competition.

At the end they award a Club Champion trophy to the lowest gross and club handicap champion to the lowest nett.

Groupings on day 2 are set on gross scores not nett.

You can, but no one ever has, win both...

Easy peasy.

 

[BiMGuy]

Sounds a very bitter answer. As we have a minimum number of competition cards required to even gain access to the club championship (think it is 8 and going to 10 for this season) then it requires everyone to have an active handicap and have entered the minimum number of events. Of course if someone was so inclined there are ways to manipulate a handicap but no system other than a gross even off scratch will be foolproof and as that would eliminate 99% of the club what's the point. We have a gross event and a net prize. There is a cut after day one, so usually top 50 and ties based on the net score from round one and the top 15 in the gross event go out last in reverse score order (so day 1 leader out last). With a large scoreboard being updated regularly via the on course marshals it creates a real buzz. I don't think I've ever seen any animosity to any winner of the net prize and for someone to have played consistently well over two consecutive prizes, under a degree of pressure they won't normally feel, is never a bad accomplishment

No bitterness at all. I was talking about all net comps not just club championships. Gross comps aren’t much different other than there are no handicaps to worry about.

I’m not accusing anyone of cheating. It doesn’t matter how many cards people have in before they are allowed to play. There are a lot of people who don’t play to the same set of rules, either deliberately or through ignorance of the rules.
Some people give up after a bad hole, some don’t. Some people put in every card, some don’t. Some will play in all weather, some won’t.

Handicaps are just a method to allow people to believe they are competing with those who are more able.

 

[Singlefiguregokfer]

We have a maximum handicap for club champs, so you have to have a decent handicap to attempt to win the nett element as well.

 

[BubbaP]

Feel a bit for the OP - probably just wanted a bit of a 'humble brag', and the thread has gone down a forum wormhole!

 

[Voyager EMH]

"Old bloke wins a nett comp"

Not a great thread title. So at least we got a conversation going about something.

 

[clubchamp98]

Ours is 36 holes off scratch on one day. Best gross is Club Champion!
We have a supplementary medal comp running alongside
Also have a seniors club champ that is nett, on a different day.

I can’t do 36 in a day any more so it excludes me from winning.( not much chance anyway with the calibre of players at my club now)

I would play though if it was over two days,

Club champ at my old club used to get his own car parking space for 12 months.

It’s a very prestigious club to be in !

 

[Orikoru]

"Old bloke wins a nett comp"

Not a great thread title. So at least we got a conversation going about something.

I was gonna say - why was there any doubt that it would have been off gross, when 99.9% of all club champs are off gross, plus the fact that "old man wins comp off his 30 handicap" wouldn't have been remotely as impressive?? Man, this forum sometimes.

 

[Asian Dawn]

I have seen some pretty ridiculous comments posted on this forum in the last couple of years but anyone suggesting that a club champion should be decided on a nett basis really takes the biscuit. A club champion is the best player in the club over 36 holes whether it be one day or two. I have been fortunate enough to win three of them and the adulation and respect you have for that year is well earned.

Who was the Champion Golfer last year? Brian Harman or some bloke scoring 44 points off a dodgy 18 handicap?