Opens getting too expensive?

[Rlburnside]

Some good deals still to be had, recently played a senior open at Tenterden in Kent , £40 which included a 2course meal free halfway hut and a 2-1 voucher
Also Holyte was £80 per pair which included a 2 course meal.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Opens are a problem in that often, they don't regard the "Rulers of Golf" as suggestions.

Seems like a strange attitude to me, but when in Rome....

Your response makes no sense, I presume you mean Opens *do* regard the rules as only suggestions?

I've never at any point found this, where do you find this happening?

 

[Banchory Buddha]

OK, I see what you're asking, Artie my man.

I only participate in two organized events each summer (I envy that you guys can play all year.).
A friend from another club invites me to a member-guest, and I reciprocate inviting him to a member-guest at my club.
They're an all day affair with dinner and the like, and we enjoy them.

That's enough USGA / R&A golf for me, though.

I have to pare down to fourteen clubs.
Everything isn't a lateral hazard to save time.
I can't move great drives out of divots.
I have to treat the rules like actual rules rather than "suggestions."
TWO TIMES EACH YEAR. Yes, I can do it twice.

The rest of the time, I get to have fun playing weekday golf with other decrepit coffin-dodgers like myself.
We play as if undisciplined Americans like ourselves invented the game.
[We didn't. It's yours. I get it. But what's to be done?]
Probity, rectitude, and decorum are not proportioned to proper UK standards of gentleman golfers.
But twice a year, I play real golf and it's good for once in a while. It's a good game, but it's very hard.

OK seen this answer now, so you're not referencing Opens at all, nor indeed competitive golf. This is why Americans seem to complain about member/guest days, you don't have a handicap yet I assume you do attempt to scoop up prizes on the day. Poor stuff imo

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

OK seen this answer now, so you're not referencing Opens at all, nor indeed competitive golf. This is why Americans seem to complain about member/guest days, you don't have a handicap yet I assume you do attempt to scoop up prizes on the day. Poor stuff imo

We do have handicaps, they're all understated because we can't actually play to them, and thus we don't win any prizes in member guest tournaments.
We simply reciprocate the member-guest invitations of others and have a fun day.
And on those days, as is proper, we play strict USGA/R&A rules.

It's hard to turn in enough cards to keeps handicaps up to date.

It's almost all either scrambles or match play in every day golf,
so there are few proper scorecards to turn in.

I play fifteen clubs in everyday casual golf because we already,

by agreement,

play OB and lost balls as lateral hazards,
move balls out of fairway divots,
move balls away from rocks and roots even OFF the fairway,
and lift, clean, and place muddy balls.

That's the nature of every day golf to some elderly retirees such as ourselves.
Who's going to care about an extra club?
Plus my bag has full length dividers for fourteen clubs PLUS a dedicated putter well.
If I leave a slot empty, it makes me fret that I left a club out on the course.

But here's the interesting part.
To pare down from 15 to 14 clubs for the organized events,
I need SIXTEEN clubs.

These are the thirteen constants:

Driver
driving iron
matching iron set (5-9, PW)
matching short game set (chipper, gap wedge, sand iron, lob wedge)
putter.

With the full set of fifteen clubs,
I add 4-wood and 7-wood.

Paring down to fourteen clubs for formal play,
they both go out for a 5-wood of the same model---that I had to buy extra knowing I'll infrequently bag it.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

We do have handicaps, they're all understated because we can't actually play to them, and thus we don't win any prizes in member guest tournaments.
We simply reciprocate the member-guest invitations of others and have a fun day.
And on those days, as is proper, we play strict USGA/R&A rules.

It's hard to turn in enough cards to keeps handicaps up to date.

It's almost all either scrambles or match play in every day golf,
so there are few proper scorecards to turn in.

I play fifteen clubs in everyday casual golf because we already,

by agreement,

play OB and lost balls as lateral hazards,
move balls out of fairway divots,
move balls away from rocks and roots even OFF the fairway,
and lift, clean, and place muddy balls.

That's the nature of every day golf to some elderly retirees such as ourselves.
Who's going to care about an extra club?
Plus my bag has full length dividers for fourteen clubs PLUS a dedicated putter well.
If I leave a slot empty, it makes me fret that I left a club out on the course.

But here's the interesting part.
To pare down from 15 to 14 clubs for the organized events,
I need SIXTEEN clubs.

These are the thirteen constants:

Driver
driving iron
matching iron set (5-9, PW)
matching short game set (chipper, gap wedge, sand iron, lob wedge)
putter.

With the full set of fifteen clubs,
I add 4-wood and 7-wood.

Paring down to fourteen clubs for formal play,
they both go out for a 5-wood of the same model---that I had to buy extra knowing I'll infrequently bag it.

How many times a week do you play ?

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

How many times a week do you play ?

At least two and as many as four during our short seven month season.
All weekdays. Sometimes only nine holes but not always.
The poor young ones who still have to work for a living aren't bogged down by us on weekends, however.

Today, we played nine at the butt crack of dawn to avoid the 90°+F heat.
I play best in the heat, but some of the other coffin-dodgers are afraid that they're going to melt,
even as they're puttering about in their carts which you call buggies.

Normally, we meet for breakfast at the club,
determine the games,
and then head off to the first tee.
Weekday mornings are calm enough to not need starting time formalities.
(As for warming up first, that's for other folks.)

Today, I barely had a cup of coffee and we were playing at sunup.
That's not my wheelhouse. I should have slept in.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

At least two and as many as four during our short seven month season.
All weekdays. Sometimes only nine holes but not always.
The poor young ones who still have to work for a living aren't bogged down by us on weekends, however.

Today, we played nine at the butt crack of dawn to avoid the 90°+F heat.
I play best in the heat, but some of the other coffin-dodgers are afraid that they're going to melt,
even as they're puttering about in their carts which you call buggies.

Normally, we meet for breakfast at the club,
determine the games,
and then head off to the first tee.
Weekday mornings are calm enough to not need starting time formalities.
(As for warming up first, that's for other folks.)

Today, I barely had a cup of coffee and we were playing at sunup.
That's not my wheelhouse. I should have slept in.

So you have plenty of chances to put cards in for handicaps

At least 70 to 100 rounds a year that can be put in for handicap

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

So you have plenty of chances to put cards in for handicaps

At least 70 to 100 rounds a year that can be put in for handicap

I'm pretty sure that I mentioned that we do put in cards when we have them,
but most of the time,
we're either playing scrambles or other contrived games like alternate shot,
or we're playing better ball match play.

We only have so many stroke play cards to hand in.
And since we're usually playing relaxed rules on even the stroke play cards,
our handicaps are understated to our disadvantage. We tend to index better than we are.

When we do play organized golf, therefore, we're not sandbagging anybody but ourselves.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I'm pretty sure that I mentioned that we do put in cards when we have them,
but most of the time,
we're either playing scrambles or other contrived games like alternate shot,
or we're playing better ball match play.

We only have so many stroke play cards to hand in.
And since we're usually playing relaxed rules on even the stroke play cards,
our handicaps are understated to our disadvantage. We tend to index better than we are.

When we do play organized golf, therefore, we're not sandbagging anybody but ourselves.

So it’s your own choice at the end of the day

It’s not “hard” to put in handicap cards when you are playing up to 4 times a year - you are just choosing to not play any formats or to the rules to put cards in

So I would expect that you would be ineligible to play in opens or win prizes due to lack of cards over a 12 month period

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

So it’s your own choice at the end of the day

It’s not “hard” to put in handicap cards when you are playing up to 4 times a year - you are just choosing to not play any formats or to the rules to put cards in

So I would expect that you would be ineligible to play in opens or win prizes due to lack of cards over a 12 month period

Many if not most American clubs don't follow the same R&A standards for recognizing handicaps in their own organized events.

 

[wjemather]

I'm pretty sure that I mentioned that we do put in cards when we have them,
but most of the time,
we're either playing scrambles or other contrived games like alternate shot,
or we're playing better ball match play.

We only have so many stroke play cards to hand in.
And since we're usually playing relaxed rules on even the stroke play cards,
our handicaps are understated to our disadvantage. We tend to index better than we are.

When we do play organized golf, therefore, we're not sandbagging anybody but ourselves.

Match play is an authorized format of play for handicapping in the US (both individual and betterball), so there is no reason to limit your submissions to stroke play.

Despite the culture of flagrant rule-breaking that exists in the US, the Rules of Golf must be followed for all rounds for handicapping, so your handicaps should not be far better than your actual ability.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Can't help but feel there are some crossed wires here. Boomer is playing with his mates, they have their own rules, doesn't want a bang on handicap. Isn't going to play opens as we in the UK understand them.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Many if not most American clubs don't follow the same R&A standards for recognizing handicaps in their own organized events.

From the many commnets online, mainly twitter & FB, this seems to be the case. All the more infuriating that the appalling WHS was largely driven by the USGA and their non-competitive club golf system, why let an org that doesn't really have a grasp of amatuer handicap play drive the bus? The R&A have dropped a major goolie and just won't admit it and go back to the drawing board

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Can't help but feel there are some crossed wires here. Boomer is playing with his mates, they have their own rules, doesn't want a bang on handicap. Isn't going to play opens as we in the UK understand them.

Indeed, he hasn;t posted in the appropriate thread or has heavily misunderstood UK countries open tournament system

 

[clubchamp98]

Can't help but feel there are some crossed wires here. Boomer is playing with his mates, they have their own rules, doesn't want a bang on handicap. Isn't going to play opens as we in the UK understand them.

Yes most I have met don’t have official handicaps
as it’s incredibly expensive to be a member of a private golf club there.

 

[KenL]

Yes most I have met don’t have official handicaps
as it’s incredibly expensive to be a member of a private golf club there.

I lived on the Big Island of Hawaii in the late 90s.
I wasn't a member anywhere, but I paid a pro at the club I played most often to administer an official US handicap.
I think I paid about $25 initially and then a few dollars anytime I handed in a card.
Proper rules of golf used at all times.

Volcano Golf Course | Volcano, Hawaii

Visit Volcano Golf Course, located in Volcano, Hawaii, and enjoy our 18-hole golf course, clubhouse and pro shop.

www.volcanogc.com

 

[Backache]

Yes most I have met don’t have official handicaps
as it’s incredibly expensive to be a member of a private golf club there.

My understanding is that in USA people get handicaps through direct affiliation with USGA and submission of their scores personally rather than through clubs.

 

[clubchamp98]

My understanding is that in USA people get handicaps through direct affiliation with USGA and submission of their scores personally rather than through clubs.

Yes but most just don’t bother.
They play the game with buddies and treat it as a hobby.
Maybe it’s because I play mostly in Florida they are there for winter.
But I have never met one who’s a member anywhere.
Pay and play seems the norm.

 

[The Fader]

I've played with loads of Americans. Very few single digit caps could break 80 without mulligans, gimmes and breakfast balls!!

On the flip side - I would be very wary of playing an 18+ for money!

Completely different mentality Stateside. Golf, for most, is something they do to work up a thirst and spend time with their buddies.

Ye Old Boomer sounds like he really enjoys his golf. Good on him. A few on here could maybe take a leaf from his book in social games!

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

From the many commnets online, mainly twitter & FB, this seems to be the case. All the more infuriating that the appalling WHS was largely driven by the USGA and their non-competitive club golf system, why let an org that doesn't really have a grasp of amatuer handicap play drive the bus? The R&A have dropped a major goolie and just won't admit it and go back to the drawing board

Fully agree.

I still think that the R&A erred when they agreed to give up the 1.62" ball which was clearly designed for links golf.
I would have loved to see modern ones in the post-wound ball era.