Getting a GUI handicap?

bigtimecharlie

Have been golfing for 3 years' ( well 3 round's a year!) but will be aiming to get in some practise this year. However, I am not a member of any club and while I was out last the other guy's false-named me for a friend of their's as I am not a member of a club so I could play ( not very well as it turned out).

How do I go about getting a GUI handicap as I see that it is required to play a good few courses?. I realise that being a member of a club is one way so what are the likely fee's? As I am only playing for fun I don't want to fork out big money for the privilage.

Any advice much appreciated.

bucks73

AFAIK you have to be a member of a club. I joined a club last year and to get my handicap I had to play 3 rounds with a member who then signs your card. A few weeks later I received my GUI card.

Have a look at www.gui.ie but I didnt see anything on there relating to handicaps.

krattapopov

right well personally speaking im a student in dublin and i cant afford to become a member in any course around dublin!! so i have joined boyle golf club in co. roscommon at around 150 eurobucks a year....

i get the official GUI handicap which you know is handy and the investment will return itself once open season comes around

There are a few different clubs in the country that are looking for members....

I think that is a pretty good way of getting a GUI handicap and you do support that club in the long run

bigtimecharlie

Thank's for the reply's folk's.

Krattapopov, 150 euro in Boyle seem's good value indeed. However you mention open season. What exactly is the open season? Have sen open week's mentioned on club web site's. What exactly is involved?

Rgd's

bucks73

Clubs have open days or open weeks to encourage members of other clubs to play in competitions or to tempt new members into the club. Usually these open days/weeks are at a discounted rate.

My club has an open singles competition every Tuesday. This means anyone with a GUI handicap can enter.

krattapopov

what he said

Villain

Theres a club in clonmel somewehere thats offers it for around 150, I can find out more info if you like

bigtimecharlie

Go ahead irish1 and see if you can find any more info. Will be moving south shortly and clonmel would suit.

The Rooster

There are a host of clubs around the country that offer memberships from EUR150 - EUR 250. Pick the area you'd prefer, get a list of the clubs in the area (www.golfeurope.com/clubs/ireland-golf-courses.htm would be one source) and ring them up.

As has been mentioned you will need to play 3 rounds of golf with a member (and hand in 3 signed cards) to get a GUI handicap. This might be a problem if you know nobody at the club and are shy. If you can get over the shyness you can be guaranteed that you would be able to find members who would be very happy to go out with you.

Also be aware (if you are a hacker like me) that you will get a lower handicap than you would expect. In societies I usually played off 24 or 28 depending on what the maximum was. Playing very well (for me) I'd go around in about 100, so 26-28 would be fair. When I joined a club last year, the three cards I handed in ranged from 102-106 shots per round. I was given an 18 handicap!

I believe most clubs (maybe others can give their experiences) when handing out handicaps give a maximum of 18 (some 16 or 17!). Very few would go the the mid/late 20s for newcomers.

bucks73

I was the same this time last year. Handed in three cards with scores 103-106 and got an 18 handicap.

Clubs have been caught too many times in the past giving out high handicaps and then the member shooting a really score and winning the first competition they play in.

ShriekingSheet

guys, there are ways you can sort this out though

just play off your 18 h'cap in 4 or 5 comps preferably in that club but any comp or society will do either.

100 strokes off 18 on most courses will be apporx 25 stableford points

Given that it takes 42-ish to win most comps, a polite word with your h'cap seceratary with your 5 cards in hand- all showing a poor score should convince him to think about moving you up to at least the early twenties to encourge you to play.

GreeBo

The highest a man will start at is 18, women are usually 36 (though I have seen 45)
If you are not playing to it your handicap will go up each time you play in a competition.
Also your handicap can be modified by observation, but you still need to be playing competitions.
Its better to have a handicap that is too low than one that is too high.
If its too high you live in a comfort zone and have shots to waste.
IMO

The Rooster

Your handicap only goes up by 0.1 every time you play in a competition, so it can be a long process to get up to where you belong! That'd be 55 competitions for me to get to 24. But I'd hope to be on they way back down by then!

Turvey Golf Club in Donabate give out 28 handicaps (or at least they were doing so up to last year). I'd guess they're very much the exception though.

rubberduckey

Hi,
Maybe a stupid question, but if I was to try and get a GUI handicap from Boyle golf course in Roscommon, would I need to hand in three cards from that course or would any course suffice??
Thanks
Paddy

krattapopov

would I need to hand in three cards from that course or would any course suffice??

yes, you would have to play three rounds of golf in boyle to get the handicap, i got a letter two weeks ago saying i had to do just that, before the 14th of May. I have my college finals up til the 12th so there was no way i was going to make it up there...... oh well there is always next year

rubberduckey

Thanks for the prompt reply krattapopov...Anybody know of any cheap to join club closer to Dublin or Cork??

The Rooster

Castlecomer in Co Kilkenny is a lovely course. Was a super 9 hole course, and they've just extended it to 18. I havent played the new 9, but it looks very impressive. I understand they're looking for new members, and that its not expensive.

Nemesis

I think Boyle GC got suspended from the GUI over improper procedure in handing out new handicaps to new members.
Proper order too!.
Having a handicap thats a few shots off your ability is ok but some guys/gals can shoot 10 shots better than their handicap a little too often.
That all said...My advice to get a handicap IS to join as a country member in some club down the country.
But make sure the club is doing things by the book and hand in your 3 cards.

The first step in showing your interestd in Golfing is trying to aquire a handicap..thenyou tend to play more..practice and go LOWER...then balance off and see-saw..until you get old and spiral upwards..:)..
So the smart move is to give most fit able bodied males 18 max!.

DemonBaby

bucks73

Thats what they do at my club. Everyone starts on 18 or lower.

When you get 18 starting out you think thats a bit low but it acts as a target to improve and shoot your par. Still havent done it but almost there.

vandeman

Recently joined local golf club and got handicap of 18 but I usually play (badly) off 28 in society outings, just wondering will I be better off staying away from club competitions for fear of embarassing myself and annoying other golfers or will the competitions bring you on as player ???

Worried Hacker !!!!

Nemesis

Dont worry too much about how you will play in competition.
If your club has a time sheet for competitions..(most GOOD clubs do) where you can put your name down...join a fourball..(3 ball maybe?) who have handicaps just a little lower than yourself.
If your 18 handicap..check out the names of the guys...see what they play off..find guys a little lower...12 to 20 range and go out and have fun.
playing in competitions does improve your game!..might take a while..but keep at it.
Nem.

bucks73

Plus every time you dont go round in par for your handicap 0.1 will be handed to your handicap.

You start at 17.5 and if/when you reach 18.5 you will be playing off 19. Chances are though by the time you reach 19 or 20 your game will have improved to that level or better.

vandeman

Bucks

is the 0.1 shot for all competitions or certain type of competitions ??

Vandeman

The Rooster

In my club, its all singles 18 hole competitions. Some of the team events can change your handicap too using various formulae.

In my club you start at 18.0 rather than 17.5. So it only takes 5 comps to get up to 19 (i.e. 18.5).

bucks73

Yeah in my club its just singles competitions where you get an adjustment.

Competitions like foursomes and scrambles cant apply as you dont actually play a correct 18 holes yourself.

Nemesis

You can get your handicap cut from general play.
If your playing very well at your given handicap in fourballs or foresomes..or any other type of competition you can be cut by the handicap secatary of your club.
However if your playing very badly off your handicap you have a snoballs chance in hell of getting your handicap raised!.:).
Only way you can get an increase is down to medical reasons...like sudden loss of a leg..or arm.
I got cut for winning the club 4-ball championship..and took me 10 bad single competitions to get that one back!..
Also..if you play in any open single events..at other golf clubs...your card will be sent back to your club if you score well..(and you get chopped!)..but if you score poorly you can ask for that card to be forwarded to your club to get your .1 back..or you can bring it yourself.
Shot a net 63 last week btw.(77 gross)...the golfing bug has me bad again!..
Nem

moesymoe

no fit young able bodied male should have anything to complain about getting a handicap of 18. you might not be able to play to it but that is definately the standard you should be aspiring to if you want to call yourself a golfer.
think about it, if you are a member competing every week playing off a respectable 10-14, and a new member has just shown up with a handicap of 25+ manages to shoot an average round and brings in 40pts+, you would not be happy.

dil999

Here's another method of getting GUI membership without forking out loads. These 4 courses are public courses ( they are in great condition), but they also have GUI clubs associated with them. You get a discount on the green fee if you are a member.

Membership is reasonable

http://www.golfdublin.com/

O

Originally posted by vandeman
Recently joined local golf club and got handicap of 18 but I usually play (badly) off 28 in society outings, just wondering will I be better off staying away from club competitions for fear of embarassing myself and annoying other golfers or will the competitions bring you on as player ???

Worried Hacker !!!!

Your better off getting out there and playing in the comps. Its the only way of improving your game. Everyone has to start somewhere! Good luck!

slumped

Look what happened Boyle last year, suspended from GUI for handicap irregularities!

Anyone join there?

Stugots

The GUI publishes guidelines for what counts as a 'notable' performance in a team or non-counting event and what action should be taken. For example if you score well (45pts) in a fourball twice in a season. this would qualify and the amount of your handicap reduction would depend on your previous handicap.

The most shots you can get back through regular (bad) play in a year is 2.0 above your lowest handicap of that year.

Your handicap secretary cannot increase your handicap on general play grounds without approval of the regional branch handicap secretary. As such, you have a snowball's chance in hell of getting GP upward adjustment on your handicap without having a major limb amputated!

J.R.HARTLEY

The Rooster wrote:

Turvey Golf Club in Donabate give out 28 handicaps (or at least they were doing so up to last year). I'd guess they're very much the exception though.

on the contrary Rooster i've sknown a few lads get high 20's H/Cs in various clubs, the truth is 18 is not a set limit it's more like a suggestion.
i have friends in turvey, hollystown, corrstown and hermitage who all play off mid to high 20's h/c,

btw just got back from vilamoura last week and a male member in the victoria club had a 56 :eek:
it's cheap membership approx €1500 for membership to Millenium, Laguna, Pinhal, Old Course and Victoria, combined, however it'd be a bugger for flights and accomadation every weekend

slumped

J.R.HARTLEY wrote:

on the contrary Rooster i've sknown a few lads get high 20's H/Cs in various clubs, the truth is 18 is not a set limit it's more like a suggestion.
i have friends in turvey, hollystown, corrstown and hermitage who all play off mid to high 20's h/c,

btw just got back from vilamoura last week and a male member in the victoria club had a 56 :eek:
it's cheap membership approx €1500 for membership to Millenium, Laguna, Pinhal, Old Course and Victoria, combined, however it'd be a bugger for flights and accomadation every weekend

I played Victoria two weeks ago, didnt hear that. That's some shooting for that course.

Best course I've played in a long long time.

S

J.R.HARTLEY

slumped wrote:

I played Victoria two weeks ago, didnt hear that. That's some shooting for that course.

Best course I've played in a long long time.

S

yeah it's on the side panel outside the front door all the H/C's were on display, i'm almost 100% it was victoria, there could be a 5% it was the old course.