How to get a GUI card?

BlueMonke

Hi there,

I am getting back into Golf but am not a member of a golf club and would love to have an offical GUI handicap. How can I go about this without having to pay thousands to join a golf club or is it absolutly neccessary?

I am living in Clondakin area and play alot on the Grange Castle public course whos membership list is as long as your arm so that rules that out. I also play abit in City West but they are abit expensive. Also Newlands is near me but this is also very expensive and you need to have the "click" to get in :mad:

So what other options are available to me and others....this sort of thing ruins golf especially for our younger Harringtons.

Mister Sifter

Elmgreen, near Castleknock, is 450-475 per year. You pay each time you go on top of that at discounted rates, but could be a way to a gui card for you. Once you join and get a handicap, you are free to play anywhere in opens then.

Another option for you could be to join a cheap club down the country somewhere and use it purely for a handicap. many players do this with courses such as Sleivenamon (sp?) etc.

Gillie

Just on the whole handicap thing.
What's the story with handing in the cards (three I think) to get a handicap if you play on your own most of the time? Is it down to trust or is it that everyone starts of at 26 anyway?

How does ones handicap improve? Do you keep handing in cards?

Thanks

CLADA

Gillie wrote: »

Just on the whole handicap thing.
What's the story with handing in the cards (three I think) to get a handicap if you play on your own most of the time? Is it down to trust or is it that everyone starts of at 26 anyway?

How does ones handicap improve? Do you keep handing in cards?

Thanks

You need to have a playing partner (club member) to sign your cards for handicap.

Your handicap will depend on your success or lack of it in competition.

The Rooster

CLADA wrote: »

You need to have a playing partner (club member) to sign your cards for handicap.

Your handicap will depend on your success or lack of it in competition.

And you're highly unlikely to get 26 to start!

If you usually play to 26 or worse, then most clubs will start you on 16 or 18 - then you'll have to work your way up by playing competitions.

That can be a bit harsh on lads who play few if any official comps - but obviously understandable, given you don't want a newbie walking away with a first prize because he handed in dodgy cards at the beginning.

mtbdude74

Can scores from society outings (away scores) be entered to my GUI account? Or do only scores from my home club competitions count for handicap progression?

PhilipMarlowe

As far as I know, Society scores, fourballs etc will not affect handicaps directly this year - at the end of the year, the handicap committee at your home club has to review these scores and adjust your handicap (if necessary) at this time.

This seems a bit crazy to me but whatever.....

Also, to the people recommending that you join a club 'down the country'.

You will have to hand in 3 cards to get your handicap but (as far as i know) you now have to play 5 competitions at your home club in the year to retain this handicap - else you are back to square one and need to hand in 3 cards again the following year.
Distance from your home club might not be such a great idea in this case....
Better to check out this information to verify it for sure.... www.gui.ie

rigal

BlueMonke wrote: »

Hi there,

I am getting back into Golf but am not a member of a golf club and would love to have an offical GUI handicap. How can I go about this without having to pay thousands to join a golf club or is it absolutly neccessary?

I am living in Clondakin area and play alot on the Grange Castle public course whos membership list is as long as your arm so that rules that out. I also play abit in City West but they are abit expensive. Also Newlands is near me but this is also very expensive and you need to have the "click" to get in :mad:

So what other options are available to me and others....this sort of thing ruins golf especially for our younger Harringtons.

If you just want a handicap you can join Foyle GC in Derry as a country member for c.€175. That includes a GUI card (£120 + £20 for GUI card).

http://www.foylegolfcentre.co.uk/membership.html

The Rooster

Licksy wrote: »

As far as I know, Society scores, fourballs etc will not affect handicaps directly this year - at the end of the year, the handicap committee at your home club has to review these scores and adjust your handicap (if necessary) at this time.

This seems a bit crazy to me but whatever.....

Also, to the people recommending that you join a club 'down the country'.

You will have to hand in 3 cards to get your handicap but (as far as i know) you now have to play 5 competitions at your home club in the year to retain this handicap - else you are back to square one and need to hand in 3 cards again the following year.
Distance from your home club might not be such a great idea in this case....
Better to check out this information to verify it for sure.... www.gui.ie

I've never heard that before about the 5 cards rule!! Can anyone confirm?

Re societies: As far as I know, if you break standard scratch for your handicap with your GUI affiliated society, then the society is obliged to send your card to your home club. The club then decide whether to move your handicap. However, if you don't play to your handicap then your society is not obliged to send your card to your club and (in my experience) socieites rarely or never return cards in such circumstances.

Gillie

OK. So if your just looking to go out and play your few holes don't bother getting a hanicap!

The Rooster

Before I joined a club, I had my own unofficial handicap, that I calculated based on a conversation I had with a pro. Work it out as follows:

Play the same course 3 times (keeping score!).
For any holes where you got a triple bogey or worse, change the score on that hole to a double bogey.
Take your best score on each hole from each of the 3 cards - add up those shots taken and that's your base score.
Find out what the "standard scratch score" is for the course you played - should be on the scorecard (if not just use the course par).
Subtract the base score from standard scratch and that's your starting unofficial handicap.

From then on, anytime you beat your handicap subtract 0.5 from your handicap for every shot you beat your handicap by (i.e. beat your handicap by 4 = reduce your handicap by 2 shots) and anytime you do worse than your handicap add 0.2 to your handicap, regardless of how many shots worse you do (if you play once a week, then add 0.1 instead of 0.2)

Gillie

Cheers i'll do that Rooster!