Monthly medal format

[ruley]

So, today we (Brookwater) changed the monthly medal format...

A Grade - Stroke off Blacks
B,C & Seniors Grade - Stableford off Golds...

I wasn't a fan at all (I'm in B), we play gold stab as a norm so 3/4 of the field now do that for monthly medal, don't see the point of difference. When we attempted to give feedback it was met from the GM with a wall and "stats" like we loose 40% of the field on MM day, the average time for a round on MM day is 5hrs 10mins (I challenged that, as we get around in under 4hrs... "oh not you guys" was the quick response).... I had a look at the last six months and there is a variance of only up to 12% difference in the field compared to the average for the other Saturdays of the month, and not always in the negative....

So, am I being a grumpy prick or are other clubs going this way also?

[3Puttpete]

I think it’s a good idea.

What time do you play? What’s the normal field size on a Saturday?

[ruley]

I think it’s a good idea.

What time do you play? What’s the normal field size on a Saturday?

We're off early, first few groups however we drop back to around 8-8:30 in winter in which our round still only maxed out at 4:30 during medal days.

Field size is only 50-70 in men's comp. Total field for a Saturday is around 120-140 with a lot of non comp and social scattered through the day.

[AndyP]

I’ve always thought that this was a good idea, so it is great to see it applied. All clubs should do this. We don’t need choppers playing stroke format.

[3Puttpete]

I challenged that, as we get around in under 4hrs...

our round still only maxed out at 4:30 during medal days

Ok then.

Sprinkle 70 social players in there and you’d shock almost everybody if they weren’t taking 5 hours.

Your 12% claim doesn’t add up either. 50 is almost a 30% drop from 70.

[Jazz18]

Not a bad idea but the least they could do is let everyone play off the blacks if they wanted to. The other option they could use is to have the 2 events, but at the players discretion across all grades. Then they won't lose players that don't want to play medal but those that do, can play medal.

[shazza_rs]

2 events costs the club more as they have to provide two sets of prizes.

FWIW our club did this for the first time last year (C grade ladies play stableford) purely to get the number of C graders higher in monthly medal days. It’s worked well.

[Jazz18]

2 events costs the club more as they have to provide two sets of prizes.

FWIW our club did this for the first time last year (C grade ladies play stableford) purely to get the number of C graders higher in monthly medal days. It’s worked well.

It doesn't have to. If the clubs by laws are written properly, it will outline prizes for competitions based on grades and field sizes. This should avoid giving prizes to ridiculously small fields. I've been a member of a club that did this quite successfully. Everyone played from the tips, medal or stableford, your choice.

[henno]

Wynnum does it for the 20+ handicappers; same set of tees though. I think it's a fantastic idea.

[ruley]

Ok then.

Sprinkle 70 social players in there and you’d shock almost everybody if they weren’t taking 5 hours.

Your 12% claim doesn’t add up either. 50 is almost a 30% drop from 70.

50 to 70 is what the Saturday field seem to run at each week, not MM vs non MM. I've done all the numbers per month and the biggest drop on a MM field vs the rest of the month average was around 12%... there was also months where the MM field was higher than the average for the rest of the month by around the same.

Agree with the social, I've had a few Sundays with a pre a 8:30 tee time take 4:45 for a round due social off earlier. My point with that is it's not the comp format.

I'm good, I've passed on my feedback to the members committee including other options to achieve a similar result and a offer to help. It is interesting that there seems to be a general change around particularly for the high handicap player.

Comments from all regards high handicap and the options I agree totally, we've always run a gold medal and/or single stab as an option. For the size of our fields we have too many options if anything (today A stroke, B stab, C stab, Seniors stab, Open stab and ladies stab).

[3Puttpete]

50 to 70 is what the Saturday field seem to run at each week, not MM vs non MM. I've done all the numbers per month and the biggest drop on a MM field vs the rest of the month average was around 12%... there was also months where the MM field was higher than the average for the rest of the month by around the same.

Agree with the social, I've had a few Sundays with a pre a 8:30 tee time take 4:45 for a round due social off earlier. My point with that is it's not the comp format.

I'm good, I've passed on my feedback to the members committee including other options to achieve a similar result and a offer to help. It is interesting that there seems to be a general change around particularly for the high handicap player.

Comments from all regards high handicap and the options I agree totally, we've always run a gold medal and/or single stab as an option. For the size of our fields we have too many options if anything (today A stroke, B stab, C stab, Seniors stab, Open stab and ladies stab).

Noted.

Agree that’s a ridiculous number of grades for such a small field. Then again, if I was paying $5k a year I’d want to be in my own grade each week and clean up.

[Jazz18]

Noted.

Agree that’s a ridiculous number of grades for such a small field. Then again, if I was paying $5k a year I’d want to be in my own grade each week and clean up.

Wow! $5k and it's not private?

[FuzzyJuzzy]

I know of a course that plays monthly medal as a Stableford event for the entire field for part of the year when the days are shorter. Stableford is fine, but Stroke is a true test of our (lack of) talent.

[Daves]

Wow! $5k and it's not private?

I think that is all inclusive of cart and green fees, plus a few other privileges.

[3oneday]

I’d want to be out there for 6 hours if I was paying that much

[ruley]

The membership runs around $4200 now i think (I'm in a corporate package), Daves correct, includes cart, unlimited range balls, money on your membership card etc. It is still one of the highest in the region however there is no joining fee.

[shazza_rs]

This is why we campaigned for stableford for C grade.....

[Jazz18]

I think that is all inclusive of cart and green fees, plus a few other privileges.

It's still a shit ton of money to have to share the golf course with social players!!! I'm at Riverside Oaks and pay about half that with carts included, no green fees, discounts, range balls, cheap room rates and 2 golf courses. Granted, neither golf course is Brookwater but Bungool is a great course and Gangarru is a nice track too.

[Daves]

They tried to run parallel comps at Reddie Bay, but the numpty members couldn't remember what tee markers to play from for the comp they were in!

They do offer separate Stab comp (same tees) after the 2nd round of the club champs, so those that are out of contention can opt out of playing stroke.

[PeteyD]

There is a reason we only play stab and stroke and have tees coloured blue and black (same tee not 2 different ones).

[3Puttpete]

This is why we campaigned for stableford for C grade.....

No 5 shot rule in a year for ladies? You got to 45 in a hurry

[shazza_rs]

No 5 shot rule in a year for ladies? You got to 45 in a hurry

Haha! My first handicap was 25!

I’d have a crack at Ozgolf champs off that hcp!

[henno]

They tried to run parallel comps at Reddie Bay, but the numpty members couldn't remember what tee markers to play from for the comp they were in!

That might be the most Reddy Bay thing ever.

[damoocow]

I’ve always thought that this was a good idea, so it is great to see it applied. All clubs should do this. We don’t need choppers playing stroke format.

Maybe there should be clubs that only cater for single figure golfers then?

[AndyP]

Maybe there should be clubs that only cater for single figure golfers then?

Too many. Maybe six and under.

It would reduce tanking and burglars, if you lost your membership to a club, if your handicap blew out.