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 GENTS EXTRA DAY SCORES TRIAL 2005
The Scottish Golf Union has recently received permission from CONGU (The Council of National Golf Unions) to extend a trial for Gents Extra Day Scores this season across all Scottish Golf Clubs. This Golf Club has agreed to participate in this trial.
Who is eligible to participate in the Extra Day Score Trial?
The trial is confined to players in handicap categories 2 (6-12), 3 (13-20), and 4 (21-28) who returned ten or less qualifying scores far handicap purposes in 2004, Your Golf Club will display a list of members eligible to participate in the trial.
Objectives:
To provide additional opportunities far members to return scores far handicap purposes, at a time that suits the player, who:
1. Cannot regularly participate in Club competitions due to family or business commitments
2. Cannot obtain, an a regular basis, an acceptable starting time an competition days
3. Wish a handicap reflective of current ability and have little desire, for whatever reason, to play in formal competition
Controls:
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The following conditions for the Extra Day Scare trial 2005 apply:
A Player intending to return an Extra Day Score is required to signify his intention prior to the commencement of play, in the manner determined by your Golf Club.
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An Extra Day Score may only be returned at the "Home" club of the Player.An acceptable score for Extra Day Score purposes is any authenticated score other than in a Qualifying Competition returned under stroke play conditions over a measured course e.g. the score can be returned from Forward or Yellow tees provided that a Standard Scratch Score has been allocated by the Scottish Golf Union.
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No CSS will be calculated and adjustments to handicap will be made in relation to the SSS.
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Scores returned will be subject to Clause 19.8 adjustment (Nett Double Bogey)
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The Extra Day Score will be recorded in the Player's Handicap Record Sheet and any adjustment in handicap (up or down) made in the usual manner.
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A maximum of 10 Extra Day Scores may be returned per annum. At the discretion of your Golf Club the return of Extra Day Scores may be limited to one per week, or such other time period as your Club may decide.
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The acceptance of any Extra Day Score is at the discretion of the Club and returns will be subject to Clause 19 application if `manipulation' is suspected.
GENTS EXTRA DAY SCORES
EXTENDED TRIAL - 2005
CONDITIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
Definition:
An Extra Day Score is a stroke play score returned at the Player's Home club, other than in a Qualifying Competition, and adjusted under Clause 19.8 of the Unified Handicapping System.
Objectives:
To provide additional opportunity for the return of scores far handicap purposes by those players who
- cannot participate in club competitions because of work or family commitments,
- cannot obtain, on a regular basis, an acceptable starting time on competition days.
- wish a handicap reflective of current ability and have little desire, for whatever reason, to play in formal competition.
Controls:
The trial is confined to Players in handicap categories 2, 3 and 4 who returned five* or less scores in 2004.
(*Note: 2005 change - this may be increased to ten or less qualifying scores in 2004 at the sole discretion of the golf club Committee).
The following conditions apply:
- A Player intending to return an Extra Day Score will be required to signify his intention prior to the commencement of play.
- An Extra Day Score may only be returned at the Home club of the Player. An acceptable score for Extra Day Score purposes is any authenticated score other than in a Qualifying Competition returned under stroke play conditions over a measured course (see Def. M) e.g. the score can be returned from Forward or Yellow tees provided that a Standard Scratch Score has been allocated by the Scottish Golf Union,
- No CSS will be calculated and adjustments to handicap will be made in relation to the SSS,
- Scores returned will be subject to Clause 19.8 adjustment. The Extra Day Score should be recorded in the Player's Handicap Record Sheet and any adjustment in handicap (up or down) made in the usual manner.
- A maximum of 10 Extra Day Scores may be returned per annum. At the discretion of the Club the return of Extra Day Scores may be limited to one per week, or such other time period as the Club may decide.
- The acceptance of any Extra Day Score is at the discretion of the Club and returns will be subject to Clause 19 application if `manipulation' is suspected.
Actions Required by Golf Clubs:
- Display a notice for the attention of members outlining the object of the Extra Day Score trial and the controlling conditions (sample notice enclosed).
- Display a list of those members in handicap categories 2, 3 and 4 who returned five** or less scores in 2004 and are eligible to take part in the trial. (**or such number, up to a maximum of ten qualifying scores in 2004, as decided by the golf club Committee)
- Define for participating members the manner and place in which they signify their intention to return an Extra Day Score prior to play.
- Define where the Extra Day Score should be returned at the conclusion of the round.
- Enter the Extra Day Scores in the Player's Handicap Record as soon as practicable. It is suggested that this could be done as an 'Away' score played at `Home'.
On a regular basis reconcile Extra Day Score entries with returns and where necessary make appropriate upward adjustment in handicap.
It should be noted that, although not the prime purpose of the Extra Day Score trial, those scores returned will 'count' towards the three qualifying scores required under Clause 17.6 to retain an official CONGU Unified Handicapping System handicap.
EXTRA DAY SCORES
THE CASE FOR IMPLEMENTATION
Introduction
- Golf provides sport for life, in contrast to other sports such as football, cricket or rugby where active participation is `time limited'.
- The other almost unique asset of golf is its handicap system whereby players of very different age and ability can compete against one another under reasonably equitable conditions. In the words of John Updike "In many sports, such as tennis, one player's superiority over another is quickly established and monotonously reaffirmed. The inexhaustible competitive charm of golf, for the non-professional player, lies in its handicap strokes, whereby all players are theoretically equalised and an underdog can become, with a small shift of fortunes, a top dog,"
How 'Equitable' is the CONGU Handicap System?
- It is generally recognised that the CONGU system can provide fair and equitable handicaps throughout all handicap categories.
- For the regular competitor the system allows for handicap changes to take account of improving or declining ability.
- Application of the full difference between handicaps in match play reasonably preserves the equilibrium of the system although there remains a modest bias in favour of the lower handicap player.
- The good reputation of the CONGU system resulted in it being chosen as the re' component of the EGA Handicapping System.
- The CONGU system, however, has one fundamental flaw.
CONGU System - Fundamental Flaw?
- To operate in the intended manner, all handicap systems require information i.e. the return of scores,
- Analysis of the frequency of scores returned by club members in three typical golf clubs confirms that a significant proportion either do not return scores at all or in sufficient numbers to provide the necessary confidence that their handicaps reflect current ability, This is detailed in the following paragraph.
- The USGA Handicap System, for example, is based on the premise that a player will return a score each and every time he plays a round of golf, be it social or competitive. The average American player posts 21 scores a year.
- The CONGU system, on the other hand, only allows scores returned in Qualifying Competitions to be considered for handicap purposes. The result is that very many CONGU handicaps are based on sparse or historical information. Improving players and those of declining ability who play infrequently, if at all, in qualifying competitions are therefore very likely to have false handicaps. It is not uncommon for a player to obtain a CONGU handicap based on the return of three cards, one from the medal tees and the other two from the `boxes'. Such a handicap can currently be retained for `life' unless scores from qualifying competitions are returned.
Competition Playing Patterns
- The competition play pattern of the members of three urban golf clubs was analysed over a playing season, Typically these clubs organise 22 stroke play competitions at weekends and 12 mid week medals per annum. On the face of it this should afford ample opportunity for members to compete regularly. However, in reality this is not the case.
- The percentage of members returning:
• no scores in the course of a season and
• the percentage of rounds in the bands specified, are shown in the following table:
| |
% 0f membership playing the undernoted number of rounds |
| Club |
Nil |
1-5 |
6-10 |
11-15 |
16-20 |
21-25 |
26-30 |
>30 |
| A |
39 |
17 |
14 |
9 |
10 |
5 |
2.5 |
3.5 |
| B |
33.5 |
21 |
15.5 |
9 |
10 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
| C |
31.5 |
28 |
16 |
13.5 |
5.5 |
2.5 |
2 |
1 |
| Ave. |
34 |
22.5 |
15 |
11 |
8.5 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
On average 34% of the membership failed to return any scores in the year. An additional 22.5 % played in 5 or fewer qualifying competitions.
As expected members in the `senior' category represented a disproportionate percentage of the members returning few, if any, scores. It was of concern, however, to find that Junior members and those in the 18-21 years of age membership category did likewise.
| |
% of Category playing the undernoted number of rounds |
| Memb. Cat |
Nil |
1-5 |
6-10 |
11-15 |
16-20 |
21-25 |
| Senior 20 yr Assoc. |
41 |
24 |
14 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
| Senior 30 yr Assoc. |
42 |
32 |
5 |
0 |
5 |
16 |
| Senior 40 yr Assoc |
65 |
17.5 |
7.5 |
5 |
0 |
5 |
| Junior |
43 |
21 |
6 |
6 |
9 |
15 |
| 18-21 Yrs |
35 |
30 |
15 |
10 |
0 |
10 | Why Do Some Members Return So Few Scores?
The majority of golfers in membership of a golf club affiliated to a National Union have CONGU handicap. Why then does a large proportion of the membership in a typical golf club return so few cards to maintain the currency of their handicap? The following are possible reasons:
- Club memberships typically run at 400-500 with some clubs having approaching 1000 members all theoretically eligible to play in at least a proportion of the club competitions. With club competition field sizes being typically c.150 it is obvious that there can be a demand for starting times that cannot be satisfied.
- This is compounded by the fact that the `competitive element' within a club tend to dominate the available places. Some members of this faction would even assert that they had a divine right to the prime times! Consequently the less determined either do not enter competitions or must settle for the less popular and possibly less convenient times.
· As the cost of club membership increases, new members seek value for their financial outlay and look to use playing rights to the full. When this includes a desire for competitive golf, additional pressure is brought to bear on the available spaces. With the ever increasing move to equality lady members too, will increasingly `compete' for the available starting times.
- Changed social pressures and attitudes have resulted in a strong bias towards early morning play with family commitments thereafter taking precedence. Again this can be a disincentive to play at the less favourable times.
· In addition a number of members work or study away from home and fit golf into the time they have available. This is often not compatible with competition golf.
· Many members of long standing, although still fit enough to play and enjoy golf on a regular basis do not have the enthusiasm of old to actively participate frequently enough in qualifying competitions to have a handicap that keeps pace with their declining ability. The opportunity to return Extra Day Scores from the forward tees may be welcomed by this group.
- Some golfers, particularly in the higher handicap category, do not feel comfortable or confident enough to play competitive golf, particularly in the company of golfers of greater ability.
Discussion
- The golf equipment industry is based on the presumption that golfers wish to it longer drives, play more accurate shots to the green, and pitch and putt like the pros. That is, most golfers have an insatiable desire to improve (sometimes in contradiction to the evidence!) The mark of improvement is a reduction in handicap.
The current position is that if members cannot; or do not wish for any reason, to enter qualifying competitions on a regular basis their handicap cannot change other than by application of Clause 1 9 - there is no other mechanism available to members for the return of scores for handicap purposes.
- It is now evident that many golf clubs are finding it increasingly difficult to retain a full complement of members and no longer have the comfort of a waiting list for membership. To make membership of a golf club as attractive as possible to present and future members, it is perhaps an opportune time to review our historical attitude to handicapping and make it possible for players to return scores for handicap purposes, at a time of their choosing, other than in qualifying competitions.
- This is supported by the fact, as previously discussed, in many club competitions there are insufficient starting times available at the most suitable times to satisfy the demand, a situation that is not improving as new members seek value for their financial outlay.
- Measures that golf clubs have taken to address slow play have also contributed to a reduction in available starting times. It is not so long ago that starting times were at six minute intervals. That has now increased to 7-8 minutes. The result is that times per hour have reduced from 10 to 8. Over a 7 hour competition this equates to a `loss' of 14 three-balls i.e. 42 competitors.
In addition there has been, in recent years a very marked increase in more `social' forms of competitive golf - member/guest days,
tri-ams, scrambles, and fourball better ball events. Often these competitions replace a medal play event on the club calendar.
- Climatic change in many parts of the country has effectively curtailed the playing season with November to March becoming a `closed' season for competitive golf.
In recognition of the above points it is suggested that the needs of the modern game could be satisfied by allowing Extra Day Scores, under strictly controlled conditions, to augment tournament scores. This would provide more evidence of ability over a wider range of players and so make handicapping more accessible and equitable.
Recommendation
To recognise the needs of modern golf and golfers and encourage the return of scores in sufficient numbers to provide handicaps more reflective of ability, it is recommended that member Golf Clubs participate in the extended Extra Day Score trial during the 2005 playing season.
Not only should this provide better handicapping it will provide an increased number of golfers additional opportunities to plan golf, at a time of their choosing, around their current lifestyle commitments, thus enhancing both their enjoyment of the game and the ability to monitor their relative progress within the game.
W F Mitchell
Director Golf Services
Scottish Golf Union Limited
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