Waiting Lists

[happyhacker]

Another post brought this topic up in a slightly different guise, but I did not think it fair I rant OT on original post.

So here goes!

Do people feel a waiting list at a golf club should be jumped for better players? Or should they have to wait in line with everyone else?

Personally I think they should have to wait. A 22 handicap players money is every bit as good as a scratch players money. I can understand clubs like better players and will welcome them to join, I just feel they should join as and when their place in the queue dictates it!

In a time when memberships might be falling around the country its a dangerous stance for clubs to take. Golf needs to move away from the elitist viewpoint and become more welcoming to all players & abilities if our clubs are to continue to survive financially.

In my mind allowing a lower handicap player to jump a waiting list is not a million miles away from telling higher handicap players they are not welcome.

/Rant over! I'm now running for cover!

 

[tpred]

I strongly agree with you.

There should be no preferential treatment to membership.

 

[madandra]

I get pi55ed off with 'better' golfers getting preferancial treatment even when they get into a course. One example is a course in Lanarkshire which has more members than can play in a monthly medal so the names 'allegedly' go into a ballot but to my amazement 96% of members malloted out of the medal play off more than 15. Only 15 single figure golfers were balloted out int the WHOLE SEASON.

It's slots for the boys.

 

[brendy]

It would be better in my eyes that there should be waiting lists based on the three handicap groups +2-11 12-18 and 18+
this would give each group of new prospective members a fair chance of getting in and give the club a balanced membership.

 

[tpred]

Sounds like the "OLD SCHOOL" Madandra.

Im glad to say i play at a course where everyone is welcome and are all treated the same.

 

[viscount17]

brendy,
This is still elitism. What is the club going to do with its single figure handicappers - boast to the club down the road that 'I've got a lower average than you've got'?
How many clubs actually play inter-club competitions, which as far as I can see is the only time that it would confer advantage - but then that's why we have handicaps.
Yes more players with lower handicaps could improve the overall standard <u>if</u> they are prepared to support and encourage those with higher handicaps.

 

[muttleee]

It would be better in my eyes that there should be waiting lists based on the three handicap groups +2-11 12-18 and 18+

Actually there are four handicap groups for men:

Category 1: up to 5
Category 2: 6 to 12
Category 3: 13 to 20
Category 4: 21 to 28

There's also a category 5 for handicaps from 29 to 36 for women only.

 

[USER1999]

Cat 1s get priority, it's just the way it is. Ought to be some advantage to being cat 1, or there's no point.

 

[Parmo]

I thought the advantage would be you have mastered the game and can call yourself a golfer.

I agree with the orginal post, clubs are only thinking short term and if they dont move forward in regards to elitism & joining fees then their businesses will decline because from experience I know less and less kids are playing golf and that means only one thing.

- If you want to use your cat 1 then they should be giving something back into the game
- Joining fees across the board need to be slashed to bring players into clubs, for me its cheap to play as a normad and become a far better golfer than someone playing their home course week in and out against the same people.

 

[GB72]

I thought that membership numbers were dropping at the moment so would have thought that the idea would be to encourage all to play and to try and encourage people to take up the game. Certainly I would not want to be part of a club where I felt like a second class citizen because I was not a single figure player and I am sure that many others new to the game would feel the same. New players can be self concious enough without having it rubbed in by the club that you are a part of.

 

[happyhacker]

New players can be self concious enough without having it rubbed in by the club that you are a part of.

I think thats a fantastic point. Golf is a seriously daunting sport for a newcomer. Its difficult to learn, expensive and frankly rather unwelcoming. If you are prepared to spend money to join and in effect help pay for a club, then you should be welcomed the same as any player of any ability. To be told in this day and age;

"Well actually we would love your money, but if you dont mind old chap we just want to let these X number of people skip the queue because they really are our kind of people"

Of course I appreciate there will always be exceptions to this, but as a general obervation, from my own point of view, its how I see it.

 

[DCB]

At our club at the moment we only seem to get 60% of the start times filled in a medal. Where have all the golfers gone?

 

[USER1999]

As I have said before we have recently reopened our waiting list, so the club must be doing something right in an area where there are a lot of courses, many of which have lowered their joining fees to attract members. We also have a very strong junior section (more than 100) who have free group lessons every Sat / Sun. There is no decline in membership in any section to date, in fact the club is trying to reduce membership to enable better access to the course.
It is a very friendly club, and no one is frowned on or treated any differently due to handicaps.

But.... Cat 1s get priority in membership. That's life.

 

[brendy]

Muttlee im talking about making three waiting lists, not the groups of existing ability groups.
Making 5 or 6 including women etc would confuse issues.

Viscount, interclub competitions is the life blood of Northern Irish Golf,
Ulster Cup
Barton Shield
Holt Shield
Belfast and District
Junior Cup
Senior Cup
Ulster Fourball
Jimmy Bruen Shield and Im sure there are a few others, the best competiions standard wise is the senior cup, junior cup, Holt shield and B&D. The Ulster Cup is the most popular amongst low-mid golfers.
I have played several years for my previous club and existing club in the Holt Shield, Junior cup and B&D with varying success, each of these are for the lower handicappers.