Handicaps and Competitions
At the last Golf Club Committee meeting (June 14th 2013) it was agreed that the current method of managing the handicaps for competitions is becoming unwieldy and prone to errors, especially since the increase in tournament participation. This has created extra work and delay on competition days, often leading to dissatisfaction, confusion and a loss of confidence in the system among the players. It was therefore decided that as from January 2014 the following changes would be implemented:
1. All competitions would require entrants to have an active handicap either with the Spanish Federation (RFEG) or their home country organisation (e.g. Congu, GUI etc.)
2. Desert Springs Board and Trophy Competition prize categories would be split into a minimum of two categories
a. Desert Springs Members with RFEG Handicaps
b. RFEG Visitors and Guests and non RFEG entrants (including non RFEG DS Members). Only Category a) will be eligible to win the Board and Trophy prizes. Category b) winners will be awarded separate prizes
3. Desert Springs Open Competition prizes will be open to all entrants with a validated active handicap from any National handicapping body
This will allow handicaps to be managed in accordance with the RFEG regulations and remove the need to maintain adjustments for non RFEG handicaps.
A player who has a RFEG handicap and different national handicap maintained elsewhere is required to:
- Play off their RFEG handicap (+ slope) when playing tournaments in Spain (also recommended socially)
- Advise the handicap committee in writing if their other handicap is different – this may lead to a review of their RFEG handicap
RFEG rules will apply to all Desert Springs competitions with regards to handicap adjustments, unless otherwise stated.
Any queries with regards to handicap adjustments after a competition should be addressed to the Handicap Committee in writing.
As the Spanish Federation does not pro-rata annual fees, members are invited to submit an application form to the RFEG before the end of 2013, dated 2/1/2014 so that these can be sent off by the club early in 2014. Golfers who have submitted a valid entry form by this date (or are already members of the RFEG) will be deemed to have an RFEG handicap for 2013/2014 competition entry purposes, until confirmation (or otherwise) is received from the RFEG.
Note:
1. Extracts from RFEG Rules:
If the player is NOT registered with the RFEG:
- The player will be responsible for updating his/her exact EGA [European Golf Association – all European countries except UK & Ireland] handicap after every competition he/she plays on a course registered with the RFEG. It is the player’s responsibility to send the data of the competition to his/her club of origin and that they send him/her a new Certificate/Handicap Record sheet with the updated handicap
- The club will keep the handicap certificate/Handicap record sheet (original, not copy) because once a [EGA] player plays a competition in Spain the certificate loses its validity and may not be used for another competition on another course. The certificate will be annexed to the documentation of the competition together with the scorecards in case they are required by the RFEG
- A club is authorised not to allow a player to participate in a competition if he/she does not hand over the certificate
- Associations with CONGU handicapping systems – as the USGA[/EGA] Course Rating System is not part of the CONGU handicapping system, a small conversion must be made:
RFEG/Desert Springs PLAYING HCP=Exact CONGU Handicap + (CR-PAR)
This adjustment replaces the Desert Springs Slope Adjustment for non-federated players and will provide the following conversion instead of the RFEG slope conversion:
Championship tees: PLAYING HCP=Exact CONGU Handicap + (72.1 – 71) = +1.1
Men’s tees: PLAYING HCP=Exact CONGU Handicap + (70.5 – 71) = -0.5
Ladies tees: PLAYING HCP=Exact CONGU Handicap + (72.4 – 71) = +1.4
The above will be rounded up/down to the nearest integer.
The new handicap conversion for CONGU handicaps will be implemented from Monday 16th September 2013.
2. RFEG (Spanish Federation) handicaps will be reviewed from 15th September each year against golfers other handicap(s) with a recognised National Handicapping body. You must submit your handicap certificate(s) prior to entering any competition after 15th September.
