Dear Golfer
This month we take you behind the scenes with an insightful interview featuring a golf club handicapper. We hope you enjoy it!
HANDICAP SYSTEM NEWS
As you are now aware, the HNA system has been successfully restored and is fully operational. We would like to extend our gratitude for your patience and understanding during this period.
We are pleased to report that, since the incident, we have taken steps to enhance our existing security tools and protocols to prevent future occurrences.
Should you experience any further issues or have any inquiries, please contact our support team at info@handicaps.co.za. Our team is available to assist you with any concerns.
FEATURE: CLUB HANDICAPPER INTERVIEW
The handicap committee plays a vital role in the successful administration of a player’s Handicap Index® or H.I.™, and is equipped with tools to intervene when the calculated HI is no longer reflective of the player’s demonstrated ability in accordance with the requirements of the Rules of Handicapping. Used appropriately, these tools are designed to ensure that players are treated fairly and consistently from golf club to golf club.
A handicap committee is established by a golf club, and it is responsible for ensuring compliance with the golf club’s specified obligations and responsibilities under the Rules of Handicapping.
A handicapper is appointed by a club, and can be a staff member, club member or committee member, and the role requires keeping a friendly eye on the system, in providing members with a direct point of contact at the club, if they have any complaints questions or issues, which they would like to discuss or report.
Cindy Merrington (CM) is Eagle Canyon’s golf handicapper, and has kindly agreed to participate in a Q&A with HNA, about what can be a vital, but often ‘unsung role’.
HNA: I asked Cindy how she came to be in the role, and what she sees as being her primary responsibilities.
CM: I was appointed by the golf committee at Eagle Canyon (I am currently a committee member), and, as you mentioned in the preamble, I see my role primarily as being one of keeping everyone ‘honest’, as the system has a back-end reporting function.
This functionality allows me to look at various layers of key data, such as how a round is being categorised i.e., social, competition, match play, etc., which helps check that players are recording scores under the appropriate category.
HNA: I said ‘unsung’ but perhaps that is the way you might like it?
I ask, because you can easily ruffle feathers in this type of role, so do you use a mirror to look under your car before starting up in the morning?!!
CM: Yes, very funny, and maybe I should apply for a bullet proof vest too, or perhaps it could become ‘standard issue’ for handicappers!!
Not unsung entirely, I think we are generally appreciated, and I didn’t take on this role, because I wanted to be in the spotlight, but because having the right handicaps at every club, and discouraging ‘bandits’, makes for a happier golfing community.
HNA: Joking aside, the data does give you access to key info, from which you can quickly profile someone, and show a player having a handicap of 18 in all the social rounds returned, but then playing of an effective 12 or 14 in competition rounds, and becoming that dearly loved type – a serial prize winner.
That said, this type of activity needs to be called out, and there can be serious levels of sanction from the club, such as a disciplinary, suspension, etc., so there will be no love lost, when it is!
CM: Absolutely, and perhaps ‘policing’ the system, comes across as too strong, but if anything, I like to think of a handicapper as being a custodian of the best interests of every golfer at the club, and so we are like an old-fashioned cop in a small town, who dispenses advice when it is required, and alerts the club to any misdeeds, a from which there will be sanctions if someone steps out of line’.
HNA: Knowing the club’s members is a key factor in the role, so continuity becomes an important element, so I have three questions – how long have you been Eagle Canyon’s handicapper, what are the timeframes for your continued involvement, and is the role purely voluntary, or are there any benefits or perks, such as a reduced membership fee?
CM: My being in the role is very new, and came about based on what the committee felt was the need to check all scores, both for fairness (it does discourage handicap ‘management’), and for the integrity of the entire process across all competition types.
I understand that previous incumbents in the past, did not necessarily need to be committee members, so I foresee my involvement as being open-ended, and not linked to me being on the committee.
It is entirely pro bono, and I was prompted to get involved, because I enjoy working in an environment where we need to cross check numbers, which is possibly a hangover from my work in accountancy, and the fact that I get satisfaction from a job being well done!
HNA: If you could play ‘Queen’ for a day, what changes, if any, would you like to see to in terms of how handicaps are monitored and or managed?
CM: Overall, and based on my experience to date, the system is great, but I would need more time in the role to give any commentary that might be of practical value – perhaps we could revisit this question in the future?
Here is the link to the Golf RSA Handicap Related Guidelines, which we suggest is a great resource for clubs and or committees to make use of.
GOLF NEWS AND TIPS
- Nelly Korda makes a 10 on a Par 3 at the US Women’s Open
- Christo Lamprecht gives up US Open Exemption to turn pro
- All charges dropped against Scottie Scheffler after PGA Championship incident
- Lexi Thompson, 29 years old, to retire from professional golf
- If you struggle around the greens, try this ‘Chip-Putt’ technique
SHARE YOUR GOLF STORIES AND WIN!
Have a funny or interesting story from the golf course? We want to hear from you! Send in your favorite golfing tales, stories, or pictures to info@handicaps.co.za for a chance to be featured in our next newsletter. If your story is selected, you’ll win a dozen Srixon golf balls!
EQUIPMENT AND GEAR NEWS
Introducing the all-new Q-STAR TOUR DIVIDE, an exciting ball offering from Srixon that stands out on the course with its unique 50/50 matte urethane cover.
But it’s more than good looks: DIVIDE boasts all the drive-boosting, chip-stopping performance of a classic Q-STAR TOUR. Plus, it makes spin visible and putting alignment easier than ever.
Quote of the Month
“Concentration comes out of a combination of confidence and hunger.” – Arnold Palmer
Swing easy!
The Handicaps Team