Club Comps won by professionals

[Rodent]

Just wanted to know what people think about PGA members winning club comps. I've had the odd decent scratch score recently only to see a PGA member listed as the winning scratch score. I've seen them win best ball scratch with an amateur but I hadn't seen them take individual honours at the expense of amateurs. It doesn't seem fair, after all, if an amateur wins a pro tourny, the leading pro gets 1st prize.

[JADO75]

Got done in the 2ball scratch today by a PGA member & a fellow member. I may be wrong but if a PGA guy plays as a visitor his hcp is 0 whereas my mate who's a pro at my local plays off +3 when he plays in our comp

[Stuartd147]

We have the same scenario being discussed at our club. We have 2-3 regular pros each round and they will nearly always win the gross, then they often win the nearest to pins and we have a superpin that they often get. They can pocket $200-300 if they won gross, 4ball and secured the superpin (we all put in $2 and hole is drawn from hat for which hole the prize is for) in the same round....for the time being we are leaving it so long as they remain full paying members.

[Dotty]

We have PGA members and club employees can win balls in the ball comp, but not prizes/cash.

[markTHEblake]

They have a handicap, if they pay the competition fees then they are entitled to win.

Many pro's won't put their names on ntp's though but if I was on the committee I wouldnt be letting them win any gross event.

[Rodent]

They have a handicap, if they pay the competition fees then they are entitled to win.

Do they? The winning pro in question just has (PGA) without a handicap after his name. I assume he plays off scratch. That hardly seems fair when some amateurs would have to give him shots. Who is to say that if the pro had a handicap, he wouldn't be off +5?
I guess they are eligible for the scratch prize but not nett?
Anyway, I think pros should stick to pro-ams and the like and leave club comps to amateurs.

[Steve]

The PGA members we have playing play of SCR, it has always been questioned due to us sometimes having people with below SCR hcps playing. However excluding charity, corporate or fun type days I don't think I've seen a PGA member listed for a win.

[markTHEblake]

Do they?
there is no rule that a professional cant have a handicap, if they pay their golf club membership which includes all the relevant affiliation fees, then they get a handicap just like everyone else.

if they are not a member of any golf club then they dont really have any entitlement to play in any competitions.

[Captain Nemo]

They have a handicap, if they pay the competition fees then they are entitled to win.

Many pro's won't put their names on ntp's though but if I was on the committee I wouldnt be letting them win any gross event.
Totally agree.
If they pay their comp fees they should be entitled to win whatever.

[Slothman]

there is no rule that a professional cant have a handicap, if they pay their golf club membership which includes all the relevant affiliation fees, then they get a handicap just like everyone else.

if they are not a member of any golf club then they don't really have any entitlement to play in any competitions.

Wow, you learn something every day.

What are the rules for winning money as an amateur? I have been told that the powers to be frown on Cash prizes for amateur events.

Curious here, just had a potential sponsor wanting to do a month long competition with prizes each weekend and a big cash prize for the "overal" winner.

If you could point me to links that would be awesome.

[Captain Nemo]

Our head Pro plays every Wednesday in the comp without fail.
And most wed's there are 1-2 other Pros playing
In the h/cap column on the results sheet it's 0 and club column says PGA of Australia....
I have a feeling they just all play off scratch....
Our pro, woth his scratch winnings on wed comps puts them all in a kitty then at the end of the year has a super wed where he puts all his winnings into big prizes for that comp.
Has done so for the past 4-5 years now...

[Rodent]

I guess the only people it would piss off are those amateurs who run 2nd to professionals in scratch events.

[Coldtopper]

When I had PGA status I never won a club comp! I held a club handicap and entered the club events to lower my PB and bet with my playing partners. IMHO a PGA pro member taking a club comp from a member is a flog. FFS it all about the cash for a pro and that is what separates professionals from amateurs. The two don’t mix and even today now being reinstated with amateur status I enter comps but don’t do NTP or when I seldom have a good score I DQ myself to ensure some else wins the comp I gave away ball comps when I turned pro.

[Steve]

When I had PGA status I never won a club comp! I held a club handicap and entered the club events to lower my PB and bet with my playing partners. IMHO a PGA pro member taking a club comp from a member is a flog. FFS it all about the cash for a pro and that is what separates professionals from amateurs. The two don’t mix and even today now being reinstated with amateur status I enter comps but don’t do NTP or when I seldom have a good score I DQ myself to ensure some else wins the comp I gave away ball comps when I turned pro.

I applaud you, well played and said.

[Coldtopper]

Our head Pro plays every Wednesday in the comp without fail.
And most wed's there are 1-2 other Pros playing
In the h/cap column on the results sheet it's 0 and club column says PGA of Australia....
I have a feeling they just all play off scratch....
Our pro, woth his scratch winnings on wed comps puts them all in a kitty then at the end of the year has a super wed where he puts all his winnings into big prizes for that comp.
Has done so for the past 4-5 years now... Is Chase still the pro? FFS no man could beat him he is the the king of up and downs. My only regret as a pro was not taking up a assistant job with CH.

[Captain Nemo]

No CT, Chas left a while ago, he's up the coast somewhere now.
Dave Gannon is here now...

[GuyIncognito]

Dave Gannon is a good bloke, I'm not surprised he does something like that.

Our club pro plays probly every second wednesday and wins the scratch (with another amateur) probably every second time he plays (diff amateur each time, he plays with everybody)

Our Wednesday comp doesnt have individual scratch so it doesnt bother me too much but if it did and he was winning that prize it would.

I agree with MTB however that in the case that they are paying members of the club and pay comp fees (and have a handicap administered at their own course) then they are entitled to win whatever prizes are coming to them...

In my experience, most pros play comps as PGA members and thus play off zero - in this case I think it's a bit rich that they win individual prizes.

[PerryGroves]

They can win the net, they can't have the scratch.

[Coldtopper]

Dave Gannon is a good bloke, I'm not surprised he does something like that.

Our club pro plays probly every second wednesday and wins the scratch (with another amateur) probably every second time he plays (diff amateur each time, he plays with everybody)

Our Wednesday comp doesnt have individual scratch so it doesnt bother me too much but if it did and he was winning that prize it would.

I agree with MTB however that in the case that they are paying members of the club and pay comp fees (and have a handicap administered at their own course) then they are entitled to win whatever prizes are coming to them...

In my experience, most pros play comps as PGA members and thus play off zero - in this case I think it's a bit rich that they win individual prizes.
Pros play for $$$ & ham eaters play in ball comps that is it. No pro except in circumstances as listed should ever take a prize in a club comp. DG is a good man by the way. You give away trophies for cash when you turn pro at least that is what happened many moons ago. Actually you couldnt retain club membership when turning pro bck then.....

[LarryLong]

Yeah, everybody hates the scratch winner.

I don't think a comp at my local is high on any pro's to do list, so it's not a problem I'm likely to run into. Either way I'm happy for them to take the prize. I don't care who wins.

[graham_w]

Nudgee lets pros play in the comps, but scores don't count and they can't win.

[Waddzy]

One pro and our trainee pro play every 2nd Saturday. They never take gross prizes but will usually accept Nett.. considering the pro is playing off +6 when he had 40 points the other week he was more than entitled to take it I think.. He plays off +6 and the trainee is +3 with a club handicap because they are still members of the club.

[androooo]

I have no problems with it at all. They don't play Monthly Medals or Championships, but I'd have no problem with it if they did.

[live4golf]

I have no problems with it at all. They don't play Monthly Medals or Championships, but I'd have no problem with it if they did.

Most pro's are hackers compared to you though :)

[mrbluu]

Most pro's are hackers compared to you though :)

+1

[LeftyHoges]

Yeah, everybody hates the scratch winner.

Yeah, tell me about it. :roll:

[Pencil]

As they play off a cap I don't have a problem. Wouldn't be too happy to see them rock up and play off scratch though.

[Captain Nemo]

As they play off a cap I don't have a problem. Wouldn't be too happy to see them rock up and play off scratch though.
What happens if they are off scratch....?

[Pencil]

Handicap of scratch is fine, but if they turn and say I don't have a h/c I'll play off scratch then no. I can't rock up to a course and say I don't have h/c so I''ll play off 30 today .

[Captain Nemo]

Why or how would they do that?

[Looney]

As long as they play off their handicap not just scratch then I have no problem with the winning a comp. My club has 7 current or ex tour pros as members and see no problem with them winning if they score well enough. all of the pros pay to be members and pay the comp fee to play so why not let them win if their score is good enough.

[androooo]

Took $30 off the pros at my club today... Still don't have a problem with it