×

Top Links:

Get A Golf Handicap

UK Golf Guide

Golfshake Top 100s

Find Golf Travel Deals

Golf Competitions

Search

Community Forum

Course:

Tee Times | Search | Reviews

News:

Gear | Tour | Industry Insider

Tuition:

Video Library | Tuition Sections

Community:

Join | Log In | Help | Useful Links

×

Handicapping Rule Targets Golfers Who Manipulate System

By: Golfshake Editor | Mon 06 Mar 2017


In an effort to prevent rogue golfers from manipulating the system, a handicapping rule has been introduced at English golf clubs that is targeting these players.

Over recent years there has been a number of cases of players who protect inflated handicaps, only to repeatedly collect high-value rewards when playing in competitions away from home.

“We’re not talking about a sleeve of balls,” said Gemma Hunter, England Golf’s Handicap and Course Rating Manager. “These are big prizes including luxury trips overseas, sets of clubs and electric trolleys.”

Now, everyone playing in non-qualifying competitions away from home must return their scores to their home club. Players who ignore this responsibility could, as a last resort, have their handicap suspended.

England Golf has introduced this clause of the CONGU handicapping system to provide clubs with evidence to support handicap reviews.

“It’s essential to do this to protect the integrity of the system,” said Gemma. “We can’t sit back and let people manipulate the system, but without evidence clubs can’t take any action.”

The new system will highlight players who, for example, take part in as many competitions as possible at home and whose handicaps creep up 0.1 on every occasion – but who repeatedly win prizes away from home. Similarly, it will show up the players who play the bare minimum of competitions at home, but who are known for their away successes.

It applies to all stroke play scores returned under competition conditions, including team events. “It’s not about recording every score in a fourball betterball, but returning the team score,” said Gemma.

“If the same individuals or teams keeping winning or coming near the top of leaderboards at events away from home, that should at least indicate to their club handicapping officials that further investigations are required – and the only way to achieve that is by asking for all the scores to be reported.”

Social golf is not affected, but clubs are advised to be aware of performances in swindles which the handicap committee could take into account at the annual review.

England Golf also recommends that clubs which run non-qualifying open competitions should inform the prize winners’ home clubs of their scores.

Click here for more information.


What do you think? post your thoughts and feedback on the Golfshake Forum: https://forum.golfshake.com/


Tags: handicap



Scroll to top