Open Competition Prizes

[peld]

For those that play in Opens regularly, what do you believe should be a fair amount for prizes?

I played in an Open yesterday. There were 150 entrants, paying £20 each, so the Club is taking in £3,000.
I think they have voucher prizes for Top 7 handicap, plus Top Scratch, totalling £480 (16% of the entry)

Is that fair or typical? I would have thought about paying out 30% of the takings would seem sensible my head?

 

[Backache]

For those that play in Opens regularly, what do you believe should be a fair amount for prizes?

I played in an Open yesterday. There were 150 entrants, paying £20 each, so the Club is taking in £3,000.
I think they have voucher prizes for Top 7 handicap, plus Top Scratch, totalling £480 (16% of the entry)

Is that fair or typical? I would have thought about paying out 30% of the takings would seem sensible my head?

Personally think that prizes should be fairly token things in amateur golf with handicaps . I'd rather they used the money to present the course well.

 

[fundy]

Paying £20 to play an Open (chance be a fine thing down here) I wouldnt care at all what prizes were on offer. Personally rather less prizes on offer to deter pot hunters. Decent course and some food plenty imo, especially at that entry price

 

[clubchamp98]

For those that play in Opens regularly, what do you believe should be a fair amount for prizes?

I played in an Open yesterday. There were 150 entrants, paying £20 each, so the Club is taking in £3,000.
I think they have voucher prizes for Top 7 handicap, plus Top Scratch, totalling £480 (16% of the entry)

Is that fair or typical? I would have thought about paying out 30% of the takings would seem sensible my head?

Opens are to raise cash for the club imo.
So £50 and free entry to next years event for the winners only.
Free entry to the top five ,the course makes money then.
No cash prizes will keep prices down for next year, so it’s about the golf not the prizes.

 

[peld]

Not disagreeing the primary aim and purposes of opens is to play a course at a reduced rate and make money for the club. Just would have thought a few more quid would go to prizes. It’s not like every good club isn’t overflowing with members at the moment .

 

[fundy]

Not disagreeing the primary aim and purposes of opens is to play a course at a reduced rate and make money for the club. Just would have thought a few more quid would go to prizes. It’s not like every good club isn’t overflowing with members at the moment .

for these £20 Opens, whats the courses usual green fee? is food included?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Worth remembering that every open that means the course is closed to members so that is assigned a cost

I suspect the £20 doesn’t even cover the green fee

 

[peld]

No food.

You can find a hot deal on GolfNow for £54 (advertised guest fee is £90 but doubt fee would ever pay that).

 

[fundy]

No food.

You can find a hot deal on GolfNow for £54 (advertised guest fee is £90 but doubt fee would ever pay that).

For £20 I dont need a prize table then lol, theyre giving it away already

 

[peld]

Worth remembering that every open that means the course is closed to members so that is assigned a cost

I suspect the £20 doesn’t even cover the green fee

But remember they have a completely full tee sheet of players paying money. (And usually a third of so of every open is members!)

 

[jim8flog]

Our mens pairs open was yesterday.

Entry fee £57 per pair with coffee on arrival and a meal after the round. Top two visitor teams are guaranteed a prize. Looking at the table yesterday I could see two bags valued at over £100 each plus two putters (probably higher value) When I was chare of the committee responsible for organising the event we tried to limit the top prize to £100 but there is very little of significance in a proshop these days for £100.


We do not allow visitors on a Saturday other than members guests on our 18 hoe course. The current visitor fee is £50 on days visitors are allowed.

 

[Backsticks]

For those that play in Opens regularly, what do you believe should be a fair amount for prizes?

I played in an Open yesterday. There were 150 entrants, paying £20 each, so the Club is taking in £3,000.
I think they have voucher prizes for Top 7 handicap, plus Top Scratch, totalling £480 (16% of the entry)

Is that fair or typical? I would have thought about paying out 30% of the takings would seem sensible my head?

That sounds about right. I think our club pays out 30% alright, but will have subtracted a discounted greenfee from non-members. Member pay £5 to enter the comp, not sure about visitors, but it is lower than the normal green fee and includes the comp entry. i.e. they pay out about 30% of £5 x number of entrants.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The bigger the prizes on offer the bigger the winning score will be .

I'd rather they spread the prizes around, go lower for pay outs, than increase them. It keeps things honest.

 

[evemccc]

Worth remembering that every open that means the course is closed to members so that is assigned a cost

I suspect the £20 doesn’t even cover the green fee

True but many opens are on at fairly unpopular times - eg Sherwood Forest do a decent discount on a regular green fee, but on a Wednesday — so I guess clubs can pretty much guarantee a full tee sheet of 4 balls when perhaps they would not be selling out all their green fee slots?

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Played in a seniors 4 man team comp a couple of weeks ago and we came runners up. We received 4 x £75 pro shop vouchers so at a guess the winners had 4 x £100 vouchers and 3rd place received 4 x £50 for a total of £900 in prizes.

 

[patricks148]

Tbh I am not in favour of big prizes, it should be raising money for the club rather than the players.

 

[peld]

Tbh I am not in favour of big prizes, it should be raising money for the club rather than the players.

As I said above I’d partly counter that with two points 1 - it’s a full tee sheet for paying players for the club and 2 - certainly round here (Edinburgh and Lothians) any decent course is full to the brim with waiting lists so not sure they are strapped for cash

 

[Crazyface]

Opens are to raise cash for the club imo.
So £50 and free entry to next years event for the winners only.
Free entry to the top five ,the course makes money then.
No cash prizes will keep prices down for next year, so it’s about the golf not the prizes.

Great idea.!!!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Not disagreeing the primary aim and purposes of opens is to play a course at a reduced rate and make money for the club. Just would have thought a few more quid would go to prizes. It’s not like every good club isn’t overflowing with members at the moment .

I'm with others on this. Money being the root of all evil...keep winnings limited.

 

[IanM]

The bigger the prizes on offer the bigger the winning score will be

I'm sure there's something in this.

My key entry criteria for Opens is "how much cheaper is the entry than the usual green fee?"