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Golf clubs commonly divide their players into handicap classes, ie., Class "A", Class "B", and Class "C."
Is their an official guide as to the handicap factor ranges that are used for each class?
At my previous club, we used the following, for men:
Class A 9.9 or less
Class B 10.0 to 15.9
Class C 16.0 and up.
I've always thought it to be
A - up to 8
B - 9 to 18
C - 19 and up
:bigcheek
I've always heard the divisions being split as described by Steve, however at our Club Championship, they just split the field into 3 equally sized sections in order of handicap, instead of splitting by range...I'm guessing that's not standard though..
the result was me going from being the best B (by Steve's/my definition) to being the worst A ...lol... and a friend of mine went from being a solid B, to being the best C by a mile...I got slaughtered, and he gave himself enough breathing room on the first day to choke the 2nd and still win...lol..
Ouch ......... that gotta hurt. :eek: :-)
The thing about club championship, is that you all play for the only title available. Club Champion!
Originally it was setup that free membership went to the club championship, but since membership value is greater than teh max prize acceptable by an amateur, they split the prize in 3...each class winner get 1/3 off of their membership price for the following year...
so there was definatly an incentive to being in the B class...lol...oh well, I choked anyways, B was prolly outta my winning range after day 1 anyways...lol...
maybe next year :-)
The Rules of Amateur Status clearly state that an amateur golfer must not:Quote:
Originally Posted by ros_bif
a. Accept a prize (other than a symbolic prize) or prize voucher of a retail value greater than $1,000.
b. Accept a prize of money or the equivalent of money; (ie. $1.00)
c. Convert a prize into money; (ie $1.00)
A “symbolic prize” is an item such as a bowl, plate, pitcher, watch, ring or similar trophy provided that the symbolic nature is evidenced by distinctive permanent marking.
A “prize voucher” is a certificate issued by the committee in charge of a competition for the purchase of goods from a Professional's shop or other retail source.
You are no more in compliance with the Rules of Amateur Status than you were before the change and anyone PLAYING in the club championship would be subject to losing their amateur status.
You are GOOD Gary!
Gary, can you clarify further.
It says that you may not "accept" a prize of over $1,000, not that you can not compete in a competition that has a prize over $1,000, so why would someone playing in the championship lose status? I assume that if you turned down the reduced memebership fees the next year then you would still be eligible, correct?
Is there any way for a club to give free memberships without competitors losing amateur status? (what about a raffle for free membership that has nothing to do with playing in a tournament?) I assume that most clubs give free memberships to their club champs, and have for some time, is this just a rule that is often ignored?
S.
3-1. Playing for Prize MoneyQuote:
Originally Posted by g8r
An amateur golfer must not play golf for prize money or its equivalent in a match, tournament or exhibition.
You may not play in a competition where prize money or its equivalent is offered. (*see below)
Absolutely not.Quote:
Originally Posted by g8r
Before playing in a competition in which prize money or its equivalent is offered, the player must irrevocably waive in writing his right to accept prize money in that event. (Sample waiver forms may be obtained from the R.C.G.A.)
Yes, provided that the free membership is not related to golf skill or golf reputation.Quote:
Originally Posted by g8r
I have no idea how many clubs give free memberships for golf skill and therefore put their members amateur status at risk.Quote:
Originally Posted by g8r
If a guy at my club won a vacation or free membership over $1,000 and accepted the prize, I highly doubt people would complain and not let him play again and consider him a professional. This rule seems to be ignored in my opinion.
They have been doing it at many many clubs I'm sure. :bigcheek
I have never come across an official document on the issue of "flighting" for tournaments. Every handicap tournament that I've been in that has an A,B,C or A,B,C,D flight designation has always split the flights in to 3 or 4, more or less, equal groups according to the players adjusted course handicap. It's really tough to do it any other way. For example, earlier this year I competed in the Garrison Open in Kingston, which is a full field event. In the entire field of 144 only one golfer had a handicap higher than 8. The "D" flight started at 5.Quote:
Originally Posted by BC MIST
The Rules of Golf do not address how flights should be determined.
It is up to the Committee to decide.
So you're allowed to win a prize worth up to $999.99, but can't sell it for more than $0.99? And you're allowed to keep the prize worth up to $999.99, but can't win cash over $0.99? Doesn't that seem a little stupid? The only difference is that if I'm playing for cash I can spend my $999.99 on whatever I want.
Ah, the rules of golf.... Guess I don't qualify as an amateur because I play on the Ottawa Golf Tour and have won $39 on Closest to the Pin.... :-)
Dan
Betting amongst ourselves is different than playing for cash prizes. Skins games or Sweepstakes where we opt in to play for our own money do not make OGTour players pros.
RCGA Rules of Amature Status - Betting Guidelines
SKINS
A skins game is one in which entrants compete against themselves with the lowest score on a hole winning a skin. The other entrants in the skins game each pay the winner of a skin the predetermined amount of money a skin is worth. If there is not a winner on a hole skins can be carried over, with an eventual winner collecting for several carry over holes.
Although not a form of betting or gambling, a skins game is acceptable if it is voluntary. A compulsory skins game in an Amateur golf event is contrary to the purpose and spirit of the Rules (Rule 3-1, Playing for Prize Money).
SWEEPSTAKES
A sweepstake is one of the most common forms of betting in golf. This is a form of gambling in which each entrant in a competition has an option of placing a sum of money on himself. The same sum of money is placed by each player and the total sum collected is normally disbursed among the prize winners (assuming that they have entered the sweepstake in the first place) e.g. 60% to the winner, 30% to the runner-up and 10% to third place. A sweepstake is acceptable provided it is voluntary.
http://www.rcga.org/english/AmateurS...ing+Guidelines
It is OK for an amateur player to play for merchandise prizes , where fisrt prize is less than a $1000.00.
For too many years to remember, the OVGA or its predecessor organization, used the handicap ranges that I mentioned above, to determine A, B and C class golfers. Many clubs also used these ranges to determine the flights for their own club championships.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary Hill
In September the OVGA holds its annual Tournament of Champions where clubs A, B, C and Seniors champions play. If there is no commonly used standard, then it is possible for an A to play in the B or vica versa, C in B and so on. It would seem appropriate for the OVGA to recommend to its member clubs, what the ranges should be. Perhaps the biggest discrepency comes in the senior category. RCGA, QGA and OVGA has seniors beginning at age 55, and yet some clubs declare a senior to be 50 and over. Mississippi GC is one of them. So, if I win the seniors at MGC and the OVGA wants seniors to be 55 and over, how can the winner compete in the T of C? He may, has, and has won the T of C, as a 50 year old.
Ironically, at the T of C a couple of years ago, our "B" class, 12 handicap champion, was playing from the back, blue tees at Carleton G&YC, while the 0 handicap, senior champion was playing from the up, white tees. There are advantages to getting old. :)
Gary, I'm a bit confused. The RCGA conducts a Club Champions Championship annually. According to the RCGA web site, the person who wins this tournament earns an exemption into the Canadian Amateur Championship, a tournament I caddied in a couple of weeks ago.
How does what you say below fit in with the statement above? I'd think that if what you say is true, they could not play in the Canadian Amateur in the first place, as you say competing in the club championship would forfeit their status of being an amateur golfer...
Mike
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary Hill
ONLY if a membership at a golf club is being offered to the winner.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmason31