Cirencester

Hi - my name's Paul Stephens and I'm Chairman of Men's Handicaps for 2011. 

You'll find Handicap information on the board on the way to, or from, the changing rooms. This is where you'll find an up-to-date handicap list as well.

How do I get my first handicap?

If you're new to the club, and haven't had a handicap before, you'll want to get one so you can compete in club competitions. But firstly, congratulations for choosing Cirencester as your club! What you need to do is to play 3 rounds and get another club member to mark a card for you. You can play off either the White or Yellow tees - but make sure the card clearly shows which tees you've played off.

Keep each card, and once you've got 3, put them all through the Competitions Office letter box. The next time I'm at the club I'll allocate you a handicap based on the best card.

What if I transfer from another club?

Again, congratulations for making the right choice. You should be able to get a handicap certificate from your old club so we can just transfer your handicap across. If you can also provide a playing record this means you won't have to submit 3 medal cards before you can enter the big competitions. If in doubt, just ask.

What's this I hear about becoming inactive?

This isn't age related! You can become inactive at any age. It's all about having a handicap based on ongoing playing ability.

Basically what's happening is that from 1 January 2011 all handicap records will indicate whether a player's handicap is active or not. To make sure you're active you need to submit at least 3 scoring cards in qualifying club competitions during 2009. Please note - No Returns or NRs don't count.

If you become inactive a small 'i' will appear against your name as from the beginning of 2010. But should this really bother you? The answer is Yes if you want to continue playing competitive golf as certain competitions may only be open to players with active handicaps.

So all you really need to do is to make sure you get 3 scoring cards in before the end of 2010 and you won't have a problem.

Where can I find further handicap information?

As I mentioned above, there's further information on the Handicap Notice Board. So please have a quick read through when you can. In particular please be aware of Clause 8 which covers your responsibilities. While the Handicap Committee (aided by the Handicapmaster Computer) will do most things for you, ultimately you're responsible for your own handicap.

What if I've got a question about my handicap?

Just ask one of the Handicap Committee and we'll be pleased to help.