Very Basic Question...

[broken27]

What does someone have to do to get an RCGA (or other official) handicap? Is this about playing with a CGPA pro or some stuff like that? Or being a member and having signed scorecards?

I'm just curious, as I'd like to plan out my next 10 years of golf around some kind of tangible goal.

How does playing in an "Open" event work? Do you need to be an 'x' handicap and pay a ton of money? I know there are qualifying tourneys, but how does one qualify for those?

Basically, what are the steps to playing competitive golf on a relatively large scale? I hear a lot of talk about people playing sectionals and stuff like that.

Lay it out straight guys...

Dan

[broken27]

Oh, and this is not the guy who argued about the CPGA question. I'm curious more about handicapping, and how you set that up...

Dan

[BC MIST]

As a local dues paying member of a golf club, and if your club is a member of the provincial golf association (Quebec Golf Association), you are entitled to establish an official RCGA handicap as the QGA is a member of the RCGA. This handicap allows you to play in some Ottawa Valley Golf Association(OVGA) tournaments, QGA and RCGA tournaments, depending on your handicap.

For example: to play in the OVGA Match Play qualifying, your handicap has to less than 8(I think). Pay the entry fee, roughly $60, have a designated official verify your handicap at your club and he will then send in the fee. If there are too many entries susbmitted for the spots available, players will be cut based on previous participation in OVGA tournaments. Some spots are left open for first time participants.

To particiapte in the QGA major tournaments(Alexander of Tunis in Ottawa/Gatineau, Duke of Kent in Quebec City, and the Quebec Amateur, somewhere in the QGA region) you have to play in qualifying or designated tournaments. Each region within the QGA has them. The QGA will take your best two differentials, (score minus course rating) and compare you to all the other participants. Some golfers are automatically in these tournaments because of superior play in the previous season(exempt status) while the next 100 or so get in based on their differential total. In last years Tunis, the highest differential was app. 3.9, which means roughly two scores of 73, based on course ratings of 71. The OVGA added a Tunis qualifying round last year at Arnprior, where the 3 lowest scores won automatic berths. A similar round is played this year at Tecumseh. Qualifying for the Kent and the Amateur is similar.

The next level is the Canadian Amateur and to do that you used to have to qualify through your provincial amateur championship. I am unsure if this has changed.

To participate in the Canadian Senior Championship, your handicap for this year must be 7 or under, certified by a club official, however, in 2001 when this championship was played at Camelot, the highest handicap factor of the non-super seniors category, that got in was 2.7. Certain players are exempt for this one as well. I know that the entry fee for this is $250.

To enter into the US Amateur, your index must be less than roughly 1 or 2, and you must play sectional qualifying rounds at designated courses around the US. Similarly, qualifying for non exempt spots for the US Open is also done through sectional qualifying, however, you will be qualifying against PGA Tour pros as well as a few good amateurs.

Perhaps someone else can explain how amatuers get into the Canadian Open. I believe that a couple of spots are left open for the Canadian Amateur champion and the the mid amateur champion.

Apparently, the QGA is instituting a programme where non golf club members can establish a handicap and a few spots will/may be avavilable in the Tunis, Kent and amateur. This is a great idea and long overdue as there are a number of good players who either cannot afford a club membership or because of other circumstances, it is not practical for them to be members.

[sensfan63]

Perhaps someone else can explain how amatuers get into the Canadian Open. I believe that a couple of spots are left open for the Canadian Amateur champion and the the mid amateur champion.

The finalists at the Canadian Amateur get into the Canadian Open...not sure about the mid-amateur champion.

There is also an "open" qualifier that takes place on the Monday of Canadian Open week...usually held at Hidden Lake in Burlington. I call it "open" because last year they took the first 144 players to enter, regardless of who you were, whereas the open qualifiers for other PGA Tour events have no limit to the number of entrants. Anyhow, low four scores get into the event. Last year 67 (-4) was in a playoff.

[mkemila]

BC Mist....I think I got everything you were saying.......but now my head hurts