Scottish Golf’s inaugural Handicap Week is launched today (Monday 27 April) to help educate new and established golfers on how to better understand the intricacies of handicapping, regarded as being one of the key benefits of being a golf club member.
With the new domestic, competitive golf season now up and running, the SGU and SLGA have combined to develop a series of easy-to-understand features on their digital media channels around the key issues of handicapping, to help raise awareness of the system.
Throughout the week from 27 April to 3 May, golfers will be encouraged to read information on handicapping terminologies, such as ‘The Buffer Zone’ and ‘Stableford Nett Double Bogey Adjustment’, as well as the Scottish Golf Centralised Database of Handicaps. The themed week is being supported by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, with golf club members being given the chance to win a golf and accommodation break at the superb Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa near Peebles.
Thousands of golfers and committee members get in touch with the SGU and SLGA each year with a variety of handicap-related queries and the governing bodies hope the campaign will promote improved understanding of the key principles, with information being dispensed in a more user-friendly communication style.
One of the days will focus on 9-hole qualifying competitions, which allow golfers to establish and maintain a competitive handicap while being out on the course for less than two hours, while some of the main myths and misconceptions of the system will be highlighted. Handicap Week will also feature a range of interesting national handicapping statistics, with golfers being able to see where they rank within the Scottish golf population, who has had the biggest handicap reduction over the past 12 months and which golfers play the most competitive rounds.
Kevin Weir, Scottish Golf Services Manager, said: “Now that most clubs have their competitions well underway, players will be starting to focus on the season ahead and setting their handicap targets and aspirations. This new campaign is set to inform golfers as to how the system works, as it can be something which is taken for granted at club level.
“Handicapping is a hugely important part of club membership and research shows that once players establish a handicap, they are more likely to retain their membership. We hope educating players and making the system easier to understand will help this process, particularly with those golfers who are new to the game. It will also help us debate the key issues raised by golfers and golf clubs on the current system, which is always a popular subject at clubhouses across the country.
“Finally, the campaign will allow us to provide an insight into the wider rationale behind the CONGU Unified Handicapping System, which is integral to maintaining fairness and equity within the game.”
For the chance to win a golf break for four at Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa near Peebles, look out for details on the SGU and SLGA digital channels through the Handicap Week.
To find out more, golfers should visit the SGU and SLGA Facebook and Twitter channels or click on the Handicap Week banner on the homepage of www.scottishgolf.org
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