Club News

Click Here for the minutes from the June Captain's Meeting

Annual Review for Golf Handicaps
It is the responsibility of the club to carry out an annual review of all members to ensure that handicaps reflect current performance. This will be undertaken between the AGM and 1st March 2010.

Current CONGU rules allow member’s Handicaps can be altered in one of four ways:
1) Competition – this allows handicaps to be altered according to the standard rule: 
- Subtract shots below handicap times 4 for category 4 player, times 3 for category 3 player etc
- increased by 0.1 for any score below the buffer zone (4 shots for Category 1, 3 for category 2 etc)
2) Supplementary Cards - (collected from desk prior to game). Same rules apply as for competition
3) Casual Cards placed in box – handicaps can be reduced by this method if handicap committee agree but cannot be increased unless in exceptional circumstances (e.g. health, absence for a long time…). It must be a minimum of one shot.
4) Annual Review – this allows handicaps to be raised or lowered by the handicap committee. It must be a minimum of 1 shot in either direction.

If you regularly play in club competitions where the results are entered on to the club computer then you do not need to apply for the review. The club computer programme monitors handicaps and will automatically identify players who have played ‘statistically significantly’ better or worse than their current handicap. These members will be looked at individually by the committee and contacted should a change in handicap be recommended.  

For all other members there are two main groups and the following is proposed:
1) Those that wish to maintain a handicap and use it as a framework for playing competitive casual golf.
2) Those for whom the handicap is not so important and regards the game of golf as a good opportunity to get exercise and meet with fellow members.

Should you wish to have your handicap reviewed by the committee then you must submit 3 cards for rounds taken between 31st October 2009 and 1st February 2010. Your handicap will be re-assessed on these cards. All rounds submitted must be scored against the Standard Scratch Score for the appropriate tee with no putting shots conceded. Should any round include a lost ball(s) then score cards will be amended as per CONGU rules for allocating new handicaps (Par+Handicap allowance+2 shots). You should write on each card “For Annual Review”. They should be submitted in one go and not piece meal.
It will be assumed that anyone who does not submit extra cards feels that their current handicap reflects their current playing potential – this is not necessarily their normal score.

Results of the annual review will be published by 1st March

Surrey Downs Handicap Committee

Course opening times 
We would just like to reiterate opening times for the course. The course opens at 7.30am from the 1st tee only. We have had requests to play before the 7.30 start time particularly on week ends and sometimes before competitions, including starting play from various tees on the course including the 4th and 10th. These requests were denied and this is not something that we can allow to happen. The green keepers have tight timelines to get the course prepared for our members to have the best possible playing surfaces for their game. It is not an easy job cutting all the greens, making sure all the bunkers are fresh and raking them again if they are not and conducting general tee repairs and preparation work and still not inconvenience anyone playing the course. To have golfers teeing off at various points on the course would make this impossible and certainly impact on the quality of the course for everyone over the entire day.

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Previous Club News:
September 2009
July 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008

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