Finally a Team Event without Bandits

Back9bandit

Guys, played in a pubfinder.ie team event in Cahir Park last week. The format was team of 2, full handicaps with 2 scores on 2 par 3's. There was a hole in one prize on each of the par 3's, the best one being a trip to the masters in 2015, it wasn't won. First prize was a golf trip to Portugal.

The event was the first one run by pubfinder.ie and there were mistakes made, not advertised enough, too late in the year etc but lessons learned.They intend to run 1 event per month per province from April 2015, thats 4 events each month.

The best feature was that there were a few teams with dubious reputations, refused entry to the event. When I say refused entry, I mean that there is a rule where the event organiser can issue a handicap to anyone playing in his event if he feels that their ability is better than their handicap reflects. Each and every player that played was googled and it is easy to see the names that crop up in the winners circle at team events but only feature in club competitions to collect .1's.

When the word gets around that these events will be run on a level playing field, where everybody has a fair chance, I'm sure they will be very popular.

dan_ep82

While it may be great for those sick of bandits, what happens when they get the decision wrong and the offended party wants to take things to court?

I'd imagine they're left wide open for defamation in some form or other

Norfolk Enchants_

Back9bandit wrote: »

Guys, played in a pubfinder.ie team event in Cahir Park last week. The format was team of 2, full handicaps with 2 scores on 2 par 3's. There was a hole in one prize on each of the par 3's, the best one being a trip to the masters in 2015, it wasn't won. First prize was a golf trip to Portugal.

The event was the first one run by pubfinder.ie and there were mistakes made, not advertised enough, too late in the year etc but lessons learned.They intend to run 1 event per month per province from April 2015, thats 4 events each month.

The best feature was that there were a few teams with dubious reputations, refused entry to the event. When I say refused entry, I mean that there is a rule where the event organiser can issue a handicap to anyone playing in his event if he feels that their ability is better than their handicap reflects. Each and every player that played was googled and it is easy to see the names that crop up in the winners circle at team events but only feature in club competitions to collect .1's.

When the word gets around that these events will be run on a level playing field, where everybody has a fair chance, I'm sure they will be very popular.

Yea right and pigs will fly, since when is google the definitive source for all things golf related in this world and who would want to play in an event where the organiser can adjust handicaps willy nilly.
You might think the organisers have this one cracked, they haven't, I'm sure that they as an organisation have one sole objective, and that is to make money.
The problem you see is that the prizes are too much, when the prizes are too much then it's inevitable that there will be banditry involved.

Edit; to say the organisers have the Handicaps allowance incorrect for this format of golf.
It's essentially a fourball better ball, the HC allowance as per CONGU is 3/4 the handicap not full as stated in the OP.

Thanks but no thanks.

ForeRight

Sounds like a cowboy set up to me. Can't see it taking off at all.

Rikand

dan_ep82 wrote: »

While it may be great for those sick of bandits, what happens when they get the decision wrong and the offended party wants to take things to court?

I'd imagine they're left wide open for defamation in some form or other

it's their party and they'll cry if they want to

Russman

Not sure what sport that new team event thingy is supposed to be, but it's certainly not golf.

Seriously though, you can't really have a situation where a random organiser decides what he thinks people should be playing off. It's bad enough that handicap secretaries have that power !:D

Is it some sort of wind up ??

Rikand

Russman wrote: »

Not sure what sport that new team event thingy is supposed to be, but it's certainly not golf.

Seriously though, you can't really have a situation where a random organiser decides what he thinks people should be playing off. It's bad enough that handicap secretaries have that power !:D

Is it some sort of wind up ??

If you dont like how they run their event, you dont have to play in it.

I think fairplay to them. I'd have no trouble entering a team in that if I knew thrre was a genuine attempt to even the playing field

Milkers

dan_ep82 wrote: »

While it may be great for those sick of bandits, what happens when they get the decision wrong and the offended party wants to take things to court?

I'd imagine they're left wide open for defamation in some form or other

Imagine is certainly the appropriate word in that last sentence.

Rikand

Management reserve the right to refuse admission to any person for any reason

Patrons will be searched for sharp weapons on their way in



That sorts all issues. If you don't want your contraband(inflated handicap) taken from you on the way in, find another club to drink in

Norfolk Enchants_

Rikand wrote: »

If you dont like how they run their event, you dont have to play in it.

I think fairplay to them. I'd have no trouble entering a team in that if I knew thrre was a genuine attempt to even the playing field

Yea cant see what all the fuss is about meself either, it's clear the organisers have done a lot of research and aren't just chancing their arms, they obviously know their market and aren't just preying on them with sensationalist headlines for the craic like.
Everyone knows the GUI and CONGU are only a joke and should only be used as guidelines at best, I for one can't wait to part with my hard earned and win my "bandit free" trip to Portugal for me and my mate lioke.

HighLine

Rikand wrote: »

Management reserve the right to refuse admission to any person for any reason

Patrons will be searched for sharp weapons on their way in



That sorts all issues. If you don't want your contraband(inflated handicap) taken from you on the way in, find another club to drink in

Rikland you have a skewed sense on legal principles. You had a problem with guys discussing reported facts on the McIlroy thread but you can't see the problem here in the way this supposed "competition" is run!

I would love to be able to rid banditry from every facet of the game however the above is not the way. That, is a legal minefield.

cairny

HighLine wrote: »

Rikland you have a skewed sense on legal principles. You had a problem with guys discussing reported facts on the McIlroy thread but you can't see the problem here in the way this supposed "competition" is run!

I would love to be able to rid banditry from every facet of the game however the above is not the way. That, is a legal minefield.

What's the minefield? Defamation, outside of an allegation of criminal wrongdoing, is pretty hard to successfully sue for.

Can't see how saying to someone I see you've won a couple of events lately, if you want to play in this comp you'll have to play off a couple of shots less than your handicap is defamatory.

PARlance

cairny wrote: »

What's the minefield? Defamation, outside of an allegation of criminal wrongdoing, is pretty hard to successfully sue for.

Can't see how saying to someone I see you've won a couple of events lately, if you want to play in this comp you'll have to play off a couple of shots less than your handicap is defamatory.

And the recent court case with Mr Talbot has given some form of precedence in relation to this imo.
One of the main factors in him losing his case was that he wasn't defamed in public... Unless the organisers start making the cuts in a very public manner then I'd say they've little to worry about.

Back9bandit

The organiser was in touch with the GUI headquarters, munster area and was told that everything that he was doing was in the interest of promoting fairness in golf and he was well within his rights to issue handicaps in his event.
Dont shoot the messenger, I'm entitled to my opinion and I think we should all be allowed to play for nice prizes without the bandits.

Russman

You're dead right, we should be able to compete without bandits.
But, the issue here really is who gets to decide what a bandit is and who is actually one. To have the organiser of an event arbitrarily deciding that player x should be say, off 10 instead of his CONGU handicap of 14, is a total and utter nonsense IMHO.
If the system is faulty then fixing the system is surely better than trying to embark on some sort of crusade against those he/she thinks might be bandits.

Back9bandit

Regardless, I think these events will be a welcome alternative to for instance the Golf Digest events and all that goes with them. But its up to everyone to make up there own mind. Play in one and make an informed comment before you get up on that high horse

Norfolk Enchants_

Back9bandit wrote: »

The organiser was in touch with the GUI headquarters, munster area and was told that everything that he was doing was in the interest of promoting fairness in golf and he was well within his rights to issue handicaps in his event.
Dont shoot the messenger, I'm entitled to my opinion and I think we should all be allowed to play for nice prizes without the bandits.

As the organiser of the event he is of course entilted to allocate HC's in whatever way he sees fit, he can also play whatever format he wish's, but to claim the GUI supports and encourages this type of "bandit free" event is nonsense.
This has to be a wind up, well played Sir, well played.

Russman

Back9bandit wrote: »

Regardless, I think these events will be a welcome alternative to for instance the Golf Digest events and all that goes with them. But its up to everyone to make up there own mind. Play in one and make an informed comment before you get up on that high horse

High horse ?
I think that's reserved for those in golf who think any prize winner apart from themselves is a bandit.
Anyway, well played. I'm out.

PARlance

It's a bit like finding a pub in Ireland, being a bandit is easy.
The internet isn't the place for finding them all or at all.

Back9bandit

maybe the ones that are protesting the loudest are the bandits?

HighLine

Back9bandit wrote: »

maybe the ones that are protesting the loudest are the bandits?

So because people think your format is stupid then that makes them bandits? Even if your idea was something more impressive than Johnny checking online to see if he can find out if Paddy is a bandit, you will now be ignored because of your ignorant comment above.

PARlance

Back9bandit wrote: »

maybe the ones that are protesting the loudest are the bandits?

The organiser should incorporate that into the rules.

neckedit

Back9bandit wrote: »

maybe the ones that are protesting the loudest are the bandits?

Its all in the name eh......(",)

Norfolk Enchants_

Back9bandit wrote: »

maybe the ones that are protesting the loudest are the bandits?

Maybe, maybe they are and maybe the aliens have landed.