Handicap Certificates

couerdelion

Has anyone ever been asked to produce a handicap certificate prior to playing a round? I noticed that Portmarnock say they require one.

Kace

Yep - not in this country though. In order to play from the Blue tees in Penina (Portugal) we needed to prove that we were all 8 Hcap or less or something like that.

They probably want to make sure that you're not a 28 handicap, otherwise you may be out there all day. What did they say they wanted it for - or what is the restriction ?

couerdelion

I was just looking at their booking information page and it says that all visitors require a valid handicap certificate. I could understand if it said of 27 and below or something similar but they just want you to have a certificate. No indication of why it is required.

AGC

Surely just for visitor to the country

Anyone in Ireland who is a member of a club could just produce a GUI card.

ThunderCat

If you are thinking of playing a round there OP but dont have a handicap certificate or GUI card you could simply ring them to book your round and unless they tell you over the phone that you need the cert then they cant ask you for it when you turn up on the day. Not everyone would have read their booking page online. Its quite plausable that you fancied a game, found their number in the yellow pages and rang them to book it without ever going near their website.

That said, ive played a lot of our top courses and have never been asked for a handicap cert or GUI card so it more than likely wont be an issue.

couerdelion

ThunderCat wrote: »

If you are thinking of playing a round there OP but dont have a handicap certificate or GUI card you could simply ring them to book your round and unless they tell you over the phone that you need the cert then they cant ask you for it when you turn up on the day. Not everyone would have read their booking page online. Its quite plausable that you fancied a game, found their number in the yellow pages and rang them to book it without ever going near their website.

That said, ive played a lot of our top courses and have never been asked for a handicap cert or GUI card so it more than likely wont be an issue.

At €120 for a mid week round I won't be going anywhere near till I win the lotto :-)

I should get a gui handicap before the end of the year so won't have to worry about being asked anywhere but it was more a query to if it was widespread across the more prestigious clubs in order to keep the riff-raff out like me.

Figo69

Where does one go and get a Handicap cert?

Jul3s

Golfnet.com and print it off yourself.

idle

Can anyone tell me if courses in Vilamoura, Portugal actually look for handicap certs and what are the chances of not being allowed play without one

For Paws

Have played most of the Oceanico courses around Vilamoura & never been asked for a Cert or Card.
(They did want to see the colour of my money though)

ForeRight

I played with a fella once who said its his dream to play St. Andrews but he is off 26 so can't until he is down to under 24 as that's a rule there.
Can't say I've ever heard that before????

Anyone else know if that's true.

cackhanded

ForeRight wrote: »

I played with a fella once who said its his dream to play St. Andrews but he is off 26 so can't until he is down to under 24 as that's a rule there.
Can't say I've ever heard that before????

Anyone else know if that's true.

Can't remember if the limit is 24 but you do have to show your handicap certificate to play there.

Mushy

cackhanded wrote: »

Can't remember if the limit is 24 but you do have to show your handicap certificate to play there.

My brother and I had one, but my Dad didn't and still allowed him play. Its on their records anyway I think.

FixdePitchmark

ForeRight wrote: »

I played with a fella once who said its his dream to play St. Andrews but he is off 26 so can't until he is down to under 24 as that's a rule there.
Can't say I've ever heard that before????

Anyone else know if that's true.

Did you tell him. If he is off 26, He should be dreaming new dreams.

ForeRight

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Did you tell him. If he is off 26, He should be dreaming new dreams.

I didnt get to finish the round with him. When he said he was off 26 I walked in and refused to play with him.

scubapro

ForeRight wrote: »

I didnt get to finish the round with him. When he said he was off 26 I walked in and refused to play with him.

Why? Worried that a HH would have an impact on your game?

ForeRight

scubapro wrote: »

Why? Worried that a HH would have an impact on your game?

I wasn't being serious scuba.
I'm not a golf snob.

Yet

PARlance

couerdelion wrote: »

I was just looking at their booking information page and it says that all visitors require a valid handicap certificate. I could understand if it said of 27 and below or something similar but they just want you to have a certificate. No indication of why it is required.

I think this may be a case of the club trying to ensure that the person is familiar with the rules and etiquette of golf... having a HC and cert is some form of doing so*
Someone off 27 may go around the course in the same time as someone off 17...I don't think they're worried about someone not being "good enough" to play their course, they're concerned that the person is "knowledgeable enough" to go around without causing damage to others or the course.
Not sure if that was your what you were thinking when you said that you could see why they would put a limit on the handicap.

*Hold the horses lads!!!

That's not to say that someone who doesn't have a HC wont know the rules or etiquette inside out. They are thousands of people without a HC that know the rules. I only recently got a HC and my knowledge is more or less the same as it was without one (having made the effort to learn it outside of being a member) On the other hand, there are people that hold a cert that probably know what to do, but just don't do it.

However, if someone doesn't have a HC cert, there is a greater chance that it could be one of their first rounds or they just haven't got sufficient knowledge to be let out and play without causing damage to others or the course.

Looking for a cert is not fool proof system but there's very little they can do bar bringing people in and giving them a quiz in advance of letting them out on the first tee
It's good to see clubs that have this requirement flex the rules once they have some comfort that the group will go around without any issues.

I was only asked once myself, I didn't have one at the time, it was one of my first rounds, but my playing partner did and he told the pro that he was introducing me to the game/learning the rules & etiquette and that he would be very conscious of making sure I was "behaving" myself
We were let out.
Looking back to that time, I could have been a danger, my embarrassment with every poor shot lead to a very muted "fore"... This was quickly ironed out thanks to my playing partner giving me a kick up the a*se.

It's good to see clubs that have this requirement flexing the rules once they have some comfort that the group will go around without any issues. I really don't think it's designed to be a case of
No HC = No playing on my course, I think it's more so
No HC = Ok, can you give you some comfort that you know what you're doing.

Personally I think clubs should do more to ensure people have a basic knowledge of what to do on the course. I'd have been even more passionate about this if that sliced drive, with no shout of "fore", had hit me at the weekend instead of flying past me a couple of yards away...

Imhof Tank

I think Mount Juliet used to be limited to sub 18 h'caps at one stage.

That was surely a case of keeping out the worst of the hackers (rather than etiquette/ rules concerns)?

scubapro

ForeRight wrote: »

I wasn't being serious scuba.
I'm not a golf snob.

Yet

It's a long slippery road FR, or so I'm told! I played in an open on Sunday with a regular playing partner who is going through a bit of a rough patch and a randommer who was playing off of 13, he turned out to be a complete and utter twonk, after the first hole he started moaning about how he was playing off of 12 last year and going down blah blah, ignored both of us for the whole round marching off up the fairway after every shot good or bad, constantly cursing this and that, then after 9 he told me to stop marking his card and throw it away, I told him I was not throwing it away that I was keeping a record of my scores and after he could do what he liked with it, needless to say the gob ***** had an impact on my game and I was going well up till the turn. Thankfully that is not the norm. Golf snobs avoid my line.

PARlance

Imhof Tank wrote: »

I think Mount Juliet used to be limited to sub 18 h'caps at one stage.

That was surely a case of keeping out the worst of the hackers (rather than etiquette/ rules concerns)?

Jez, that's a bit OTT if true.
Can't see that logic if that's the case.

ForeRight

scubapro wrote: »

It's a long slippery road FR, or so I'm told! I played in an open on Sunday with a regular playing partner who is going through a bit of a rough patch and a randommer who was playing off of 13, he turned out to be a complete and utter twonk, after the first hole he started moaning about how he was playing off of 12 last year and going down blah blah, ignored both of us for the whole round marching off up the fairway after every shot good or bad, constantly cursing this and that, then after 9 he told me to stop marking his card and throw it away, I told him I was not throwing it away that I was keeping a record of my scores and after he could do what he liked with it, needless to say the gob ***** had an impact on my game and I was going well up till the turn. Thankfully that is not the norm. Golf snobs avoid my line.

I can safely say I will never be one if those types.

I turned up for an open comp Inman away club last year on my on to play. I was out on the time sheet with 2 members. In the club shop in front if everyone they said what are you off to me. I said 5 and they were smiling saying that's grand because we I my play with single figure handicappers!!!!!!

I smiled back and then took myself off their slot and went out behind them with a father and son off 20 and 26. Two gents they were and I had a nice stroll chatting to them.

Can't be bothered with spending 4-5 hours with gob****es!

FixdePitchmark

Scubapro,

Don't go all reverse golf snob on us

Joking - I play most my golf, up till now with over 20 handicaps and my mate is off 36 in (society). It is my choice as I'm dying to get them to play golf.

Fair post by Aj - but some of the courses that were all HC and formal would now give you a steak and their granny and a round, for 20 euro. AJ, funny the old pro in the shop sniffing out the beginner.

But their are practical realities of playing with a couple of high HC players in a group - not all, but some will be slow. The extra shots alone could add up to a round. I was in this situation 3 week ago. This is grand most days , but on a busy day - the lower handicap player or more experienced player can be the one who has to keep things moving or allow people to pass. This in a way can put him off his game. By the way, low for me is a relative thing to 36.

Anyway - there will always be a bit of slagging about ability in sport - that is competitive sport, be it GAA, Football, Rugby. Even lads off 1 or 2 would be looking at a fella of 3 calling him a hacker.

The Architect on here has a good angle on things and his idea of Tee Boxes at different places for ability. I'm out on my place on ladies day (dressed up as a lady):p and - they do not hit the ball far , but are they fast :eek:. The walking and Tee box makes such a difference.

Anyway - The friend of mine off 36 was my partner in a match in Enniscrone. I knew Enniscrone was an animal in a wind. I didn't think he was up to it or would enjoy it. He had the game of his life - we won the match on 17 - we both hit it with a 5 iron.

So the game is of all shapes and sizes - that is what makes it the great game it is.

PARlance

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Fair post by Aj - but some of the courses that were all HC and formal would now give you a steak and their granny and a round, for 20 euro. AJ, funny the old pro in the shop sniffing out the beginner.

Fair enough FDP, I was more hoping that that was the reason they looked for a cert rather than knowing it was their reason for certain.

Never thought of the Pro sniffing me out (???? surely we could word that better)
I just assumed that he asked all visitors... must have been the United jersey and the 6 pack of dutch golf falling out of the bag