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New Congu Regulations

Effective from 1 January 2008

CONGU is the composition of the Councils of the following National Golf Unions:- English Golf Union (EGU), English Women's Golf Association (EWGA originally ELGA), Golfing Union of Ireland, Irish Ladies Golf Union, Scottish Golf Union, Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, Golf Union of Wales, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and the Ladies Golf Union.

Newark Golf Club is required to comply with CONGU/EGU/EWGA as part of its affiliation.   This affiliation means that handicaps are valid at any club throughout the world and we are able to play matches against other clubs.  Without this affiliation handicaps would only be valid at the home club.

 

Summary of Changes

  1. All strokeplay competitions must be played off full handicap 
  2. All singles matchplay must be played off full handicap difference (four-ball still ¾) 
  3. Handicaps should only be altered by Qualifying Competitions. 
  4. No automatic Handicap alteration for winning a Competition. 
  5. Handicap alteration must only be made by the Club Handicap Committee. 
  6. Ladies must receive the difference between SSS as an entitlement for all Mixed Competitions. 
  7. Supplementary Cards can be returned for players who have played in 6 or less Qualifying Competitions in the preceeding period between Annual Reviews.

 

Full Details of Key Changes for Newark Golf Club

1.  Singles strokeplay competitions must be played off full handicap,(i.e. all Medal, Stableford and Bogey competitions). 
All single matchplay must be played off full difference between handicaps.
Foursome and four-ball are still ¾ of difference.

2.  In mixed competitions (both strokeplay and matchplay) the ladies must be given extra shots relating to the difference  between the Standard Scratch Scores.  This means:
Ladies off Red Tees and Men White Tees   = Ladies get 1 shot   (SSS 72 & 71).
Ladies off Red Tees and Men Yellow Tees  = Ladies get 2 shots (SSS 72 &70).

These are not courtesy shots as they are an entitlement to equalise the handicaps.
(An alternative example would be if the Men (off White SSS 71) were to play the Seniors (off Yellow SSS 70) the Men would get 1 shot from the Seniors). In a four-ball match the shots are added then the 3/4 of difference is calculated.

3.  The Club must offer facilities to allow players, who have returned 6 or less qualifying cards, in the preceeding period between Annual Reviews, to return a Supplementary Card. 
They can submit up to 10 Supplementary Cards per year (not more than 1 per week) played over the measured course, (e.g. can not be submitted during winter rules).
The player must signify their intention to submit a card before play by signing the book placed in the Pro-shop.

This provision does not apply to a Category 1 player.         

4.  Clubs can introduce 9 hole Qualifying Competitions. Newark Golf Club will not be implementing this option.

5.  For singles open competitions the club must, for handicap purposes only, produce a separate CSS for home and away players.   At Newark this will only affect the Junior Open as this is our only singles open competition.

6.  Clubs must undertake an annual review of handicaps; this is a crucial element of the system.  An annual list will be produced by the computer system to "flag up" players whose performance is outside the expected pattern. 

7.  General Play Adjustments should only be made under exceptional circumstances.  It can not be used as a ‘punishment' or ‘reward' for success in a matchplay or strokeplay competition. Scores returned in social golf must never be used as it is not a reflection of a player's handicap.  The Handicaps Committee does not need the player permission to adjust any handicap and a player cannot volunteer for a handicap alteration.

Only Qualifying Competitions, played over the measured course, can be used to alter handicaps, (with the exception of Supplementary Cards and the Annual Review).

The Handicap Committee can make General Play adjustments if they determine that a player's handicap is too low or too high, (except Catagory 1 players).  The Handicap Committee does not need the player's permission to adjust any handicap and a player can not volunteer for a handicap alteration.

8.  A player's handicap does not reflect their average round of golf.  It reflects their best rounds of golf when playing a competition.   Social golf is no indication of handicap.  Social golf is defined as play that is not a qualifying competition so it is never taken into account for handicap revisions.  
the only exception is Club matchplay events.  These can be considered but only in conjunction with qualifying competitions.

9.  Players with ‘away handicaps' are responsible for returning scores to their home club.

10.  If you have ‘No Return' (NR) on a hole during a medal it may still be worth completing subsequent holes as you may still have a good score for handicapping purposes, (i.e. NR on a hole in medal is the same as no score hole on a Stableford).  This adjustment is for handicap purposes only.  For the competition results it will still be a NR.

Any queries or questions on the above please contact Ken Gibson kengibson@ntlworld.com .