distance membership

darrenoneill33

could somebody explain how distance membership works?

I played a bit when i was younger, up to about 16. Then lost interest. Now 27, would like to get back playing.
Heard distance membership would be good as you can get a handicap. I couldn't see myself playing more than 20 times in a year so this type of membership may suit.

could anybody explain how it workss? Thanks

Poker & Pints

darrenoneill33 wrote:

could somebody explain how distance membership works?

I played a bit when i was younger, up to about 16. Then lost interest. Now 27, would like to get back playing.
Heard distance membership would be good as you can get a handicap. I couldn't see myself playing more than 20 times in a year so this type of membership may suit.

could anybody explain how it workss? Thanks

Same as any....put in your three cards and you have a HC. Pay your fees. Thats it. If all you want is a GUI, you don'tnecissarily need a distance membership. Grange Castle, Elm Green, and others have cheap memebrships too.

darrenoneill33

do you have to pay green fees each time you use the course with distance membership

also what is a GUI, excuse the ignorance

Poker & Pints

darrenoneill33 wrote:

do you have to pay green fees each time you use the course with distance membership

also what is a GUI, excuse the ignorance

GUI: Golfing Union of Ireland...gui.ie...governing body for golf in ireland

paying green fees depends on the membership...some yes, some discounted, some no.

sofireland

i'm a distance member with Slievenamon, and have a full gui handicap.
€150 per year, you go down play your three rounds and your free to play in any open in any club. Provided you get a tee time!

Plus its cheaper to play this way! Was in headford in kells recently, €25 green fees where they are normally €40!

darrenoneill33

and do you pay each time you use Slievenamon?

150 seems great value

sofireland

no, if you play slievenamon you pay zero.
i live in Navan so its not likely i'll be down there much

Its a good weekend away, me and my dad went down and made a weekend out of it, 2 rounds on the friday, one on saturday.

darrenoneill33

thats excellent, im living in cork so it would suit me ok.

and would you be given a fair handicap? is there a limit of 18 placed on it.

sofireland

There is a limit of 18 placed on it which i think is fair enough given you're only paying €150. They have a website. www.slievenamongolfclub.com check it out and see what you think.

If you are above that, the more "opens" you play, your handicap will go up. The better you do it comes down.

I'm up 0.1 so i'm still 18, trying to play as many as possible before the end of summer, you know yourself.

darrenoneill33

was looking at the website, id say it could be the job for me alright. Thanks for the info.

sofireland

Way i see it, i get to play some of the best courses round where i live for half the cost. I've played Headford the other week, and Royal Tara i'm playing again next weekend.

Go for it.

Clonmel is a great spot to go out in!

darrenoneill33

What is the course actually like in Slivenamon, any good?

Any other places offering distance membership

sofireland

Its the kinda course that looks easy on the card, but not when you play it, my first round i dunno how many balls i lost!

The greens arent the greatest though

darrenoneill33

How long does it take before you receive a handicap?
also do they arrange for some member to play the 3 rounds with you

darrenoneill33

sofireland wrote:

Plus its cheaper to play this way! Was in headford in kells recently, €25 green fees where they are normally €40!

how does this work, how do you manage to get the green fees cheaper?

delboy159

It's not that you get reduced green fees with a GUI handicap - it's that you can play in the golf clubs open competition - which is cheaper than green fees.

For example. If the normal green fee is €25/€30 a round the Open Competition fee is generally €15 a round. So you have the added bonus of playing in a comp and you get to play for way cheaper.

A lot of clubs (mainly outside Dublin - or on the edge of Dublin) will have a day each week for Open Comps, so you just pick and choose which course you want on a given day at a cheaper rate due to their Open Comp!

In Laois I think it's Portlaosie on Tuesday - €10 to play in Comp for visitors
Mountrath and Portarlington on Wednesday and the Heath on Thursday all at pretty much €12/€15 for a course that costs €20/€25/€30 usually!

Saying that I haven't played any of the above yet as I haven't had the leave!

sofireland

They'll arrange for a member to mark your cards for you, you'll know your handicap at the end of your third round, but it won't be on your official gui card gismo for about a week.

Navan race course's open day is thursday, thats a good course. €35 to €15 i think it is

darrenoneill33

Thanks for the replies guys.

I guess when playing the 3 rounds to get the handicap it would be advised not to have a very good score or you could be hit with a low handicap. But i don't mean play poor intentionally either

With the open competitions is it easy to find a playing parthner just by taking a place on the timesheet, id probably be playing alot of these on my own

sofireland

Normally i play with my dad, any of the times i've played on my own, most clubs are quite accomadating, in they'll stick you in with a pair (if its 3ball) or in with a trio (if its a 4 ball)

Slievenamon isn't the easiest course to play, it looks easy, but you'd be advised not to play your A game to get a more beneficial handicap... just don't make it obvious, so pick the wrong iron, or misread a few putts!

darrenoneill33

Is there much of a time wait between sending in the application form and the club getting in contact?
I presume the club is popular as a result of offering this membership. This time of year things might be quieter i suppose. Even though with the Ryder cup on people might get the urge to get playing

sofireland

I'd send your form off, if you don't here anything after a week call them, The secretary Brendan is grand he'll look after it for you.

They normally send your badge, and the club fixtures as well as your GUI card out.

So give it a lash

Let me know how you get on

FlutterinBantam

People should realise that if you post a good score in an open singles your card should be sent back to Slievenamon or wherever for adjustment.... you should also cut yourself for the next comp,using the appropriate reduction pertaining to your h/cap.

get familiar with the system of standard scratch and handicaps,that way you are always above board and Kosher.

Not suggesting for a min that you are not but some people take a very relaxed attitude to this side of golf which is in effect unfair to people who adhere to it....

Don't worry too much initially tho...just be aware.enjoy:D

darrenoneill33

Well i won't have to worry about good scores for a while i think.

on the subject of increasing your handicap how do you get .1 back, is it each time you play and have a score above a certain level?

darrenoneill33

sofireland wrote:

I'd send your form off, if you don't here anything after a week call them, The secretary Brendan is grand he'll look after it for you.

They normally send your badge, and the club fixtures as well as your GUI card out.

So give it a lash

Let me know how you get on

I will, thanks again for answering all the questions. Must get around to sending the form this week.

Just outta interest had you played much before or were you ever a member of another club

sofireland

I played a good bit, not a member... i only came back to golf last november.
So i'm just a hacker, best score is 90 and thats around navan, i'm playing off 18 at the minute.

I joined Slievenamon with my dad, its great being able to play in opens and things

Macy

Quick question re: getting an official handicap this way. Does it have to be an existing member of the club that signs your cards? The reason I ask is that they'll probably be 3 of us looking at this type of membership.