How many singles competions should you have to play

GreeBo

to keep your handicap?

Currently I think you need 3 to be eligible for GUI interclub comps.

charlieIRL

5

as someone with a handicap but no real interest in taking part in competitions i still agree that you need to take part in a certain number of events to verify your handicap.

I'd love to take part in some next year as this year was my first full year playing regularly but i have this tendancy to absolutely fall apart when competition is mentioned!!

GreeBo

15

charlieIRL wrote: »

as someone with a handicap but no real interest in taking part in competitions i still agree that you need to take part in a certain number of events to verify your handicap.

I'd love to take part in some next year as this year was my first full year playing regularly but i have this tendancy to absolutely fall apart when competition is mentioned!!

Everyone is like that at the start, the more you play the more you will get over than and look forward to it each weekend...

Daithio9

GreeBo wrote: »

to keep your handicap?

Currently I think you need 3 to be eligible for GUI interclub comps.

Afaik it currently stands at 4 (qualifying) for interclub comps.

Edit: I just double checked there now and it is minimum 4 qualifying comps in the previous calender year to be eligible for the current years interclub comps.

ShriekingSheet

Yes it's 4 for interclub definitely... but I think it's 3 for handicap keeping purposes.

Regardless, i think the rule is fine as is. What would you suggest changing Greebo?

Edit: just saw your other topic now

charlieIRL

5

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

... but I think it's 3 for handicap keeping purposes.

i asked about this before and was told there is no minimun requirement for keeping your handicap

Webbs

5

To keep a legal handicap then I think 3 is sufficient, many people want to get a handicap just to allow them to play at courses around Ireland and abroad. For competition purposes then maybe a higher number 5-7 should be in place

PhilipMarlowe

10

There isn't a minimum requirement of competitions to play in Ireland to keep a handicap.
There is a provision under CONGU (unions of Ireland, England, Scotland & Wales) where a home Union can introduce a system to "force" people to play a certain minimum number of competitions to maintain an active handicap.
This is in place in Scotland and coming into play in England now as far as I know.

To me it makes perfect sense.
Say you have a handicap and all you want to so is play social golf, you don't play singles competitions... well then your handicap stays as it is but is "starred" so that you can't play competitive golf with it but fire away at your social golf.
If you have an active handicap and you want to play competitive golf the fire away.

If you have a starred handicap and want to compete again, then hand in three cards or even play in a few competitions (without competing) with the starred handicap to make it active again.

I would like to see this system in place in Ireland and set the minimum at 5-7 competitions in a year to maintain an active handicap.

jimmystars

7

Do these comps have to be qualifing scores as well.
I saw some ridiculous scores on the news paper today for the winter comps. Some bandits really take the pi** out of winter comps. Would like to see cuts made year round and also like to see cuts for team comps. I know this might be hard to enforce but would surely make a difference to peoples attitude to getting back .1s and handicap management.

blackwaterfish

7

Licksy wrote: »

There isn't a minimum requirement of competitions to play in Ireland to keep a handicap.
There is a provision under CONGU (unions of Ireland, England, Scotland & Wales) where a home Union can introduce a system to "force" people to play a certain minimum number of competitions to maintain an active handicap.
This is in place in Scotland and coming into play in England now as far as I know.

To me it makes perfect sense.
Say you have a handicap and all you want to so is play social golf, you don't play singles competitions... well then your handicap stays as it is but is "starred" so that you can't play competitive golf with it but fire away at your social golf.
If you have an active handicap and you want to play competitive golf the fire away.

If you have a starred handicap and want to compete again, then hand in three cards or even play in a few competitions (without competing) with the starred handicap to make it active again.

I would like to see this system in place in Ireland and set the minimum at 5-7 competitions in a year to maintain an active handicap.

absolutely spot on.

george67

7

I think 3 singles cards in any 1 year to hold your handicap and 7 qualifying cards for interclub comps

f22

15

My own club runs a point system on 4 ball wins, reach a certain amount and your cut on observation, which I agree with 100%.

How would people feel if this system was adopted by the GUI?

Would certainly stop some of the less honest out there.

Woodgate

15

george67 wrote: »

I think 3 singles cards in any 1 year to hold your handicap and 7 qualifying cards for interclub comps

It's 4 qualifying comps for interclub

Curly7

15

10+ IMO, so basically someone can play in 3 comps have bad scores then clean up in opens or on Captains day etc...?

DU.LLAHAN

5

Daithio9 wrote: »

Afaik it currently stands at 4 (qualifying) for interclub comps.

Edit: I just double checked there now and it is minimum 4 qualifying comps in the previous calender year to be eligible for the current years interclub comps.

I have played in five but two of those i did not return my scorecard, for one of them i played rubbish so didnt bother and second time my partner left because after 7 holes failed to score even one point so i went with him. I got the .1's onto my handicap. So although i entered 5 comps and only returned 3 cards but got all my .1's back for the 5 comps, am i entitled to play in the interclub comps or at least try out for them?

charlieIRL

5

My new years resolution, play 5 competitions next year.....even if I finish poorly!

HonSec

It is a requirement that to be eligible to play in inter club competitions run by the GUI you must have played in 4 qualifying competitions in the previous year.

There is no requirement to play any competitions to keep your handicap.

It would in my opinion however, make sense to have a minimum number of qualifying competitions to be played in a members home club to keep their handicap live for competitive golf.

Last year the Leinster Branch sent out a survey form whereby it asked each club if it would be in favour of introducing such a scheme. The figures I quote may not be quite correct but 80% of clubs responded and 75% of those were in favour of introducing such a scheme. However this was rejected by the executive of the GUI because it was thought to be not viable for clubs with very large memberships to be able to comply.

Only One club that I know of states within it’s application for membership form that members are required to play in at least 4 qualifying singles within the club.

george67

7

Woodgate wrote: »

It's 4 qualifying comps for interclub

I know it is , 3 and 7 is what i think it should be . imo

G1032

7

Curly7 wrote: »

10+ IMO, so basically someone can play in 3 comps have bad scores then clean up in opens or on Captains day etc...?

Someone can play in 10 comps and have bad scores and still clean up on Captains day. In fact he'll have 7 more point ones to use to build his handicap. Introducing a minimum amount of comps in which one has to play won't help eliminate the bandits in any way. At the end of the day it comes down to an individuals integrity. If someone intentionally goes out to get a point one, or decides half way around that he'll 'pull up' and get point one, then in my eyes he is effectively cheating. You can only look after yourself and my attitude is that if my honest golf isn't good enough to beat a cheat then so be it. It's a sad individual that builds his handicap just to win a prize or two.

GreeBo

15

ronaldochokes wrote: »

Someone can play in 10 comps and have bad scores and still clean up on Captains day. In fact he'll have 7 more point ones to use to build his handicap. Introducing a minimum amount of comps in which one has to play won't help eliminate the bandits in any way. At the end of the day it comes down to an individuals integrity. If someone intentionally goes out to get a point one, or decides half way around that he'll 'pull up' and get point one, then in my eyes he is effectively cheating. You can only look after yourself and my attitude is that if my honest golf isn't good enough to beat a cheat then so be it. It's a sad individual that builds his handicap just to win a prize or two.

If someone plays 10 times and has 10 bad scores then your handicap is supposed to go up, thats the whole point!
The issue is people not playing comps but still playing golf. This will naturally mean that you can be improving your game without lowering your handicap.
Since there is not a 1:1 mapping between shots under par and handicap reduction you could easily spend a couple of weeks off a higher handicap than you should be.

The reason you should be forced to return X competition cards is so that there are X opportunities for your true ability/handicap to be revealed.
If you are cheating then your partner shouldnt be marking your cards.
If its some group scheme then there is no hope, you cant really legislate for that.

ridonkulous

7

I left Ireland a couple of years ago for work but I kept up my membership in the golf club. But I was under the impression that I had to do 3 new cards to receive a new handicap as I had not played competitively (at any level) for a few years. So do I have to do 3 new cards or if I go to play a competition will my handicap be my old one?

G1032

7

GreeBo wrote: »

If someone plays 10 times and has 10 bad scores then your handicap is supposed to go up, thats the whole point!

I understand that and I do know how the handicapping system works.

GreeBo wrote: »

The reason you should be forced to return X competition cards is so that there are X opportunities for your true ability/handicap to be revealed.

Plenty of people up and down the country improve their games and still go out on a Sunday and deliberately shoot poor scores. They don't want to reveal their true ability until an important competition comes around. So providing X opportunities to reveal ones handicap won't solve anything. It's down to the integrity of the individual.

Par71

ronaldochokes wrote: »

Someone can play in 10 comps and have bad scores and still clean up on Captains day. In fact he'll have 7 more point ones to use to build his handicap. Introducing a minimum amount of comps in which one has to play won't help eliminate the bandits in any way. At the end of the day it comes down to an individuals integrity. If someone intentionally goes out to get a point one, or decides half way around that he'll 'pull up' and get point one, then in my eyes he is effectively cheating. You can only look after yourself and my attitude is that if my honest golf isn't good enough to beat a cheat then so be it. It's a sad individual that builds his handicap just to win a prize or two.

Your spot on mate. Some people just cant see past this.

stumpypeeps

Par71 wrote: »

Your spot on mate. Some people just cant see past this.

Golf, as far as I'm aware, is a game where the individual referees himself.
Integrity is key.

GreeBo

15

stumpypeeps wrote: »

Golf, as far as I'm aware, is a game where the individual referees himself.
Integrity is key.

Its hoped than an individual will referee him/herself.
But thats not always the case which is why we have officials, rules, referees and guidelines.

I dont understand the objection to forcing people to play a certain amount of qualifying rounds to have a "competition eligible" handicap?

Either
- You play comps and then its not an issues for you.
- You dont play comps and its not an issue for you.
- You want the right to play comps whenever you want, with an unverified handicap.

If you are in category 3 then I understand why you have an issue, but FYI, you are exactly the person we are having an issue with.

Anto12

I think in my club you have to play at least 4 Comp to be able to play in the Capt prize etc .. Only played golf this year on a regular basis as I joined my local club last year .. First time playing regularly every weekend & you do learn a lot ie. rules etc .. that I honestly didnt know about .. Havent met anyone yet who would go out & play 10 bad rounds just to get a stroke back - so that they would go well in the big competitions .. I'm sure there are some out there but with me its about getting some momentum going & hopefully playing well on the big days .. Got a few lessons as well - started off at 17.5 now down to 14 ..

Maverick.ie

ridonkulous wrote: »

I left Ireland a couple of years ago for work but I kept up my membership in the golf club. But I was under the impression that I had to do 3 new cards to receive a new handicap as I had not played competitively (at any level) for a few years. So do I have to do 3 new cards or if I go to play a competition will my handicap be my old one?

No you must play 3 rounds and record your score although your previous handicap will be taken into account when awarding your new handicap

george67

7

ridonkulous wrote: »

I left Ireland a couple of years ago for work but I kept up my membership in the golf club. But I was under the impression that I had to do 3 new cards to receive a new handicap as I had not played competitively (at any level) for a few years. So do I have to do 3 new cards or if I go to play a competition will my handicap be my old one?

Maverick.ie wrote: »

No you must play 3 rounds and record your score although your previous handicap will be taken into account when awarding your new handicap

Your handicap still stands as long as you kept your full membership status it would be the same if you didn't play for a couple of years and never left the country

Maverick.ie

george67 wrote: »

Your handicap still stands as long as you kept your full membership status it would be the same if you didn't play for a couple of years and never left the country

I think you will find that if your membership or handicap has lapsed for 6 months or more you must complete at least 3 rounds again

george67

7

Maverick.ie wrote: »

I think you will find that if your membership or handicap has lapsed for 6 months or more you must complete at least 3 rounds again

True, but I think you'll find he said he kept his membership up while he was away .