Newsletter
Match and Handicap
EGU/EWGA introduce Active/Inactive handicaps
This information has been taken directly from the CONGU website
During the winter of 2007/2008 the EGU gave numerous Handicapping Seminars to launch the new CONGU Unified Handicapping System (UHS). Clubs, although not in favour of lapsing handicaps, wanted to have more control of their members’ handicaps and players competing in Open competition. Accordingly the English Golf Union and English Women’s Golf Association have launched a system that will identify the competitive nature of an individual. Approved and supported by CONGU the Active/Inactive handicap will identify whether an individual has competed in qualifying competitions and as a result returned information on their playing ability.
Conditions are as follows
Players will be required to have submitted 3 qualifying scores (including Supplementary Scores & 9 Hole Qualifying Competitions and Away scores) during the calendar year 2009 (not the period between annual handicap reviews)to avoid having an inactive handicap for the playing season, 2010. NR’s will not beaccepted as part of the 3 qualifying scores.
Clubs will be permitted to exempt players from an inactive (β) handicap for injury/illness that has prevented them from achieving the required number of qualifying scores during a calendar year. This will also include those players who aretransferring membership who have submitted scores albeit at another Club and to golfers newto the game who are being issued with first CONGU handicap. Players whose handicap has becomeinactive (β) will be required to return three qualifying scores before the indicator is removed. Qualifying scores of less than 3 are not permitted to be carried over to the next year,i.e. no topping up ofqualifying scores permitted, e.g. 1 score in the previous year and 2 in current year.
Clubs may impose an entry condition that requires an active handicap (3 previously submitted qualifying scores) for specific competitions only such as Trophy or Board events.In all other cases Clubs must allow "home" players with inactive (β) handicaps entry to qualifying competitions in order to provide as much opportunity as possible for theremoval of the inactive (β) handicap.
An inactive (β) handicap can still be used for social golf and those competitions for whichan active handicap is not an entry condition. Scores from players with inactive (β) handicaps will be used in the calculation of a CSS.
The requirement of 3 qualifying scores will be reviewed by EGU/EWGA during 2010 to consider if this should be increased for the following year.
The active/inactive identification of handicaps will be required as from the beginning of 2010.
Office
Subscription Payments
A number of members were pleasantly surprised this year when they discovered that they could pay their annual subscription by Direct Debit, in 10 instalments.
So this news letter seemed the ideal opportunity to bring the system to the attention of all the members. The way it works is through a third party called Fairway Credit. DGC helps to set up the agreement with them and this is who the Direct Debit payments go to. Fairway Credit then pay the full amount of the subscription to DGC in advance, this way the cash flow of the club is not effected. There is fee for this method of payment which is how FWC make their money,an additional 6.1% is added to the subscription amount. The system also provides excellentflexibility as the amount placed onto the Direct Debit can be reduced by paying a lump sum inadvance and placing the balance onto the DD Scheme.
For example: One of our Full Members this year paid £300 in January to DGC and placed the remaining £275 onto the DD scheme, therefore reducing the cost of paying by Direct Debit. You can even place locker and trolley shed rents onto the agreement ify ou have them.
The one thing to remember if making use of the DD payment method is that the subscription is still an annual one and that membership does not become monthly just because it is paid monthly, those that default on their payments will be expected to pay the balance and with changes to Consumer Credit Legislation, those that default can be pursued.
You may well be asking the question about why DGC uses a third party and doesn’t just run an instalment system from the office. The reasons we don’t do this are numerousand include issues of legislation compliance regarding Consumer Credit Licenses, security guarantees required by the bank as well as the enormous time involved to allocate each separate payment from thebank statement to the accounts and the member’s individual file details on a monthly basis. The cost of all these things would result in a higher cost to those using the system than that charged by Fairway Credit. Any member that may wish to take advantage of the system when renewal time comes around again can do so, by obtaining an application form from the office.
New Benefit of Membership
YUGC & YLCGA County Card
DGC has recently agreed terms for Playing Members over 18 years of age to make use of the new green fee discount scheme created by Yorkshire’s Golf Governing Bodies. The scheme is only available to members of affiliated clubs and entitles anyone who receives a card from the Union to play the courses of affiliated clubs at a reduced green fee rate.
The reduction will vary from club to club as each club individually determines the value of the reduction and the times the discounts are available. As a result, play at other courses is only permitted through prior arrangement with the club being visited and the discount given on the presentation of the card.
DGC members wishing to take advantage of the scheme should apply for a card through the office and include the £10 annual subscription charge which is payable to the YUGC. If you have any queries regarding the scheme please direct them to the Secretary/Manager.
List of Clubs Participating in the County Card Scheme
- ABBEYDALE
- HALIFAX BRADLEY HALL
- OTLEY
- BEDALE
- HALIFAX WEST END
- PANNAL
- BINGLEY ST IVES
- HARROGATE
- PONTEFRACT & DISTRICT
- BRADFORD
- HEADINGLY
- ROMANBY
- BRIDLINGTON
- HEADLEY
- SALTBURN BY THE SEA
- CALVERLEY
- HORSFORTH
- SANDBURN HALL
- CATTERICK
- HOWLEY HALL
- SAND MOOR
- CLEVELAND
- INGLEBY BARWICK
- SELBY
- CROSLAND HEATH
- KEIGHLEY
- SHIPLEY
- CROWSNEST PARK
- KP CLUB
- SICKLEHOLME
- DEWSBURY DISTRICT
- KNARESBOROUGH
- SKIPTON
- DRIFFIELD
- LIGHTCLIFFE
- TANKERSLEY PARK
- EASINGWOLD
- MALTON & NORTON
- TEESIDE
- EAST BIERLEY
- MASHAM
- TODMORDEN
- ELLAND
- MELTHAM
- WATH
- FLAXBY PARK
- MIDDLESBOROUGH
- WETHERBY
- FULFORD MOOR
- ALLERTON
- WOOLEY PARK
- GANTON
- THE OAKS