Interclub 2022 eligibility

Apparently golf club committees have been told in advance that it's going to be based off your January 1st, 2022 handicap. Which is madness imo because it's going to lead to some rampant handicap building.

I can see people really trying to build handicap up in a few weeks from now once things start winding down for winter

Once winter rules, placing etc come in I assume you can't still continue to submit casual rounds for handicap?

Not to my knowledge. No guidance on 2022 cups and shields has been received by my club. Wouldn't expect to at this early stage.

This was in the communication from Golf Ireland regarding the 2021 championships:

It's literally in the rules of handicapping that preferred lies on fairways can be allowed for qualifying. And has been for some time.

Yes, in the rough as well. Model local Rule E-2 is for lifting, cleaning and replacing the ball. Model Local Rule E-3 is the 'preferred lies' rule.

Nothing has been confirmed yet. End of September would be a bit odd when qualifying competitions usually carry on until at least the end of October.

The professional handicap growers will have made their plans well in advance of that anyway

One option I've heard mentioned and which makes a lot of sense to me anyway is that the low index for the year is used as the cut off. This has a number of positives; one being that it means that inter-club players must have a minimum of 20 counting rounds and obviously their handicap based on their lowest index achieved in 2020. And it's very difficult to manipulate your low index and still have those once in a Captain's Prize blowout rounds.

Could be a lot of disappointed people. And lads with only a few counting rounds finding they're automatically out of the running. It's very hard to manipulate your low index. 😁

My low index until very recently was from August 2020. By the time January comes around, everyone's low index will be from this year. And it will be their lowest index, not the one they started on unless they just took up golf this year. But yes, you have to get to 20 rounds before you have a low index set, so that excludes anyone under that.

is this something that is seriously being discussed at Golf Ireland level or is it just Boards speculation?

Does low index only kick in after 20 cards?

I don't think anything is settled yet. There's a survey of clubs going on at the moment for their views on inter-club competitions for 2022 and 2023.

That's very unlikely imo. Would be very surprised if it wasn't lowest index for the year.

It's a bit odd to be honest. You can get indexes for your members for any time you want using the Handicap Index Change report. Can go back years if you want. But yeah, that did strike me at the time, but thought it might be because some competitions might require that info in that format.

If they're going with end of year indexes, they really are depending heavily on the adjustment process to weed out any... ahem... 'anomalies'. 😂

I'm sure all the dodgy handicaps will be sorted in the review!! :O :O :D

questionnaire sent out to mens and ladies committees yesterday for views on format for next yr

hopefully home and away will be done away with and a return to 1 venue over 1 weekend.

3 options given

1. home and away same as 2021

2. neutral venue for all games

3. 1 venue over 1 weekend

don't know tbh.

was sent it for my opinion as team manager for next yr

Aye, but its a pain in the arse if you're part of the team driving around the province every three weeks, takes over the whole day. Its long enough playing at home.

We have a member who has rejoined us this year after a few years away from the game. He got his 3 cards in for his handicap right before we brought in the winter rules.

With regard to being eligible for teams next year, will those 3 cards be enough for him to be eligible or will he have needed more rounds.

Anyone any idea ?