GUIDELINES FOR GOLF SOCIETIES
I wish to remind all Societies of their written obligation in respect of Society Golf Outings:-
1. To conform with the Rules of Golf.
2. To conform with the Rules of Amateur Status as laid down by the R & A Rules Ltd. These Rules prescribe that no prize may be of retail value in excess of €750 (effective 1st January 2008) for any event.
I must draw to your attention the importance of making sure that the Amateur Status Regulations are strictly observed as the Union intends to fully investigate all
alleged breaches.
In addition, breaches in the Amateur Status Regulations by any Society can
put Host Clubs in a very embarrassing position as, in accordance with the GUI Constitution, any Club which permits breaches of the Amateur Status Regulations on its course or links or in its Club House could be suspended from Union Membership.
3. To return all scores which equal or better the Standard Scratch Scores to
players Home Clubs.
4. To prohibit any member of your Society who is not a current member of a Club affiliated to the Golfing Union of Ireland and to whom a Society handicap has been allotted by you for use within your Society from competing in any competition outside your Society off that handicap.
Society handicapping has become a rather haphazard affair and a few observations on this subject are listed hereunder.
It is important to remember that a Society is not entitled to change the official handicap of a member of an Affiliated Club.
If an official handicap is considered too high or too low for your Society, a system of Penalty or Bonus Stableford Points, Strokes or Holes can be worked out, and the score returned in your Society Outings by Club members off their official handicaps can be amended by the subtraction or addition of these Penalty or Bonus Stableford Points, Strokes or Holes.
May I take this opportunity to advise you to make all your members fully aware of the Society Handicap System you intend to adopt and also to inform them how ties will be decided, thereby removing the possibility of dissatisfaction and disagreement when such details only emerge after an event is completed.
I would also ask you to remind all your members who are not members of Affiliated Clubs, that handicaps allotted to them in your Society are for use only in your Society. It has come to the notice of the Golfing Union that some persons who are not members of Affiliated Clubs are using Society handicaps in Open Competitions and such action is a direct contravention of your written obligation set out in Clause 4 above.
Pat Finn
General Secretary