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The EWGA Handicap committee agreed at their meeting on October 30th 2008 to adopt the new procedure for commencement in 2010 on qualifying scores returned in 2009. As I was in South Africa Majorie Leece and Sandra Fraser attended a seminar in January at the EWGA offices in Edgbaston about these changes and the EWGA Medals. The County Area Authority then held a meeting in April at Brocton for all club handicap secretaries and another member of their committee to impart this information directly to them.
From 1st January 2010 all members with CONGU handicaps will be required to return at least three qualifying scores each year to retain an active handicap. The EGU and EWGA launched the system in January this year to give all members an opportunity of returning the stipulated number of qualifying scores during 2009 in order to have an active handicap in 2010.Players failing to return the stipulated number of scores will have inactive handicaps that may prevent them competing in club competitions. The initiative will be particularly attractive to clubs running open days who wish to monitor the playing ability of those taking part. Golfers with inactive handicaps will be encouraged to return the required number of scores to activate their handicap and give Handicap Committees more information on their playing ability. Inactive handicaps may still be used for social golf and events in which an active handicap is not an entry requirement.
The introduction of the new EWGA medals seems to have gone well . These have superseded the old LGU Medals. Clubs may hold a maximum of 20 medals a year held on a weekday or weekend and all open to all members.
In September I attended a presentation given by James Crampton from the EGU at the EWGA offices in Edgbaston with regard the Central Database of handicaps which EWGA are to adopt. This has been developed by the EGU in conjunction with and with the full support of CONGU Licensed Handicap Software suppliers. It is hoped that the Central Database of Handicaps will bring benefits for clubs and their members, counties and at national level, by reducing administration time for administrators and handicap committees alike, plus improve the integrity of the Unified Handicap system.
Clubs will have access to playing records for all their members in order to interrogate as required. They will also have access to limited details of all golfers from outside their club in order to verify handicaps when hosting an Open competition. There will be automatic reporting of scores and clubs will be able to interrogate active and inactive handicaps.
Clubs will have received a CONGU handicap update from their software provider and the EGU are in the process of getting the mens sections to register to the Central Database of Handicaps. The ladies will be contacted shortly with regard them registering.
There is no cost to the clubs in registering. The only details to be held on the database will be the members name, club handicap, whether it is active or inactive and the year of the members date of birth. It is hoped that the database will be up and running as soon as possible and certainly in the next 12 to 18 months.
Last month we received from EWGA, the R&A video Golf Rules in Action. We hope to use this in hosting a Rules seminar for clubs with our own Rules expert Sandra Fraser in the New year. Clubs will be notified of the details through their delegate as soon as possible.
Anne Andrews |
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