Princes Risborough Golf Club

A Guide to Competition Golf - by the Competition Secretary

1 Introduction

Golf is played in many forms which is often a surprise to the beginner. This is a guide to the modes of golf played at Princes Risborough and the various competitions which are open to members.

2 Modes of Golf

There are two ways in which you can play golf:

STROKE PLAY: this is the golf most are familiar with from the TV. Essentially it is played in singles or pairs and is where players count their individual scores on each hole. It can be played in two forms.
Medal is quite literally where each hole is played out in full and the number of shots taken is marked on the card. The total number of shots, less the handicap allowance, is the result for the player. It is called a medal as in the early days of club golf it was THE monthly event and a medal was awarded to the winner.
Stableford is where points are awarded for each hole based on the number of shots taken, less the handicap allowance on that hole, relative to par. 1 point for a net bogey, 2 points for a net par, 3 points for a net birdie, 4 points for a net eagle and 5 points for a net albatross (or double eagle as the Americans would say). This is more forgiving than medal as you can blow out on a hole and incur a “blob” but still have a good card overall.
MATCH PLAY: this is competition play and is what you see in the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup. Players are seeking to beat the opponent, rather the course, by scoring a better net score on each hole. Once you have won more holes than are left to play you have won the match e.g., 2 holes up with 1 hole to play is known as a 2&1 win.
Bogey: this is a form of match play golf where you are playing against the course rather than an opponent. In essence a net birdie or better is a win (+), a net par is a half (0) and a net bogey or worse is a loss (-). The aim is to win more holes than you lose: halved holes are neutral. Winning scores are usually in the plus 3 to plus 5 range on the day

3 Formats of Golf

The formal and competition formats of golf played at PRGC are as follows:

Singles Golf: does what it says on the tin. You play your own ball and record your score
Four Ball better Ball Pairs: two players combine as a team; both play each hole in full and whoever achieves the better (lower) net score has that score marked on the card (medal or stableford) or wins the hole (match play).
Greensomes: two players combine as a team. Both tee off but then choose only one of the balls for the second shot. The other tee shot is discarded. The pair then play alternate shots until the hole is completed. The single score is then marked on the card for either medal or stableford scoring.
Foursomes: two players combine as a team and play alternate shots with only one ball in play. The single score is then marked on the card for either medal or stableford scoring
American Foursome: more like a greensome this is where two players combine as a team. Both tee off, and then go forward to play each other’s (not their own) ball for their second shot! They then choose only one of the balls, discard the other, and play alternate shots to complete the hole. The single score is then marked on the card for either medal or stableford scoring
Texas Scramble: a medal team game usually for teams of 4. All players tee off, choose the best drive, mark the spot and then all players take their second shot from that spot. Balls can be placed on the fairway but must be dropped in the rough. This process continues until the hole is completed. The card is then marked with the gross score taken to get the ball in the hole
Florida Scramble: a medal team game similar to Texas Scramble game usually for teams of 4. All players tee off and then forward to choose the best drive and mark the spot. The person whose drive is selected does NOT play a second shot. Only the three playing partners can take their second shot from that spot. Balls can be placed on the fairway but must be dropped in the rough. This process continues so the player whose second shot is taken will not play the third shot etc. Essentially 4 shots off the tee and only three thereafter. This continues until the hole is completed. The card is then marked with the gross score taken to get the ball in the hole
Waltzing 1-2-3: a very popular team game with the Seniors played in three balls but it also works with teams of 4. Each player plays his/her own ball throughout. The team scores are then counted as the best single score on hole 1, the best 2 on hole 2 and the best 3 on hole 3. The process then repeats to the best single score on hole 4, the best 2 on hole 5 and the best 3 on hole 6 and so on through the 18 holes.
Eclectic: usually played in the winter season this is an event for singles played to medal standards. Essentially participants play 12 rounds over the winter period and in each round the objective is to improve the scores on each hole from the previous round. After 12 cards the winner we will have two winners: the lowest Gross and the lowest Net scores. It’s a good winter competition

There are multiple other formats of golf some of which are played informally at PRGC. These can be for singles, pairs and teams and include the following.

Blind Holes
Fewest putts
Irons only
3 club challenge
Multiply magic
Red Ball
Yellow Ball
Rough Justice
Triple Alliance
Two Mulligans
Ambrose
Patsome
Chapman
String
Flag
Skins
Team Grumpy (better ask them!!)

Details of these formats can be supplied on request

4 Competitions

At PRGC there are three types of competition golf:

4.1 Regular Competition events: The monthly calendar will include the following competitions:

MEN

Monthly Club Medal: you can play on any one of three days. This competition offers cash prizes to the winners and an additional cash prize for those who score a “2” in the round
Monthly Club Stableford: you can play on any one of three days. This competition offers cash prizes to the winners
Senior Stableford: played on a designated Tuesday between November and April. This is a yellow tee only competition in December, January and February. It is a yellow and white tee competition in the other winter months, where the yellow tee competition is for those aged 75 and over and the white tee competition for those aged 55-74. The more senior community are free to play in the white tee competition if they prefer but it is either/or and not both. Cash prizes to the winners
Senior Medal: played on a designated Tuesday between May and October. There is a yellow tee division for those aged 75 and over and a white tee competition for those aged 55-74. The more senior community are free to play in the white tee competition if they prefer but it is either/or and not both. Cash prizes to the winners

LADIES

Ladies Regular Competition events:

Monthly Club Medal: can be played on the designated Wednesday or the preceding Saturday/Sunday. The Wednesday medal is played off the red tees while the Saturday/Sunday medal is played off the yellow tees. The competition offers cash/voucher prizes to the lady with the winning score
Monthly Club Stableford: can be played on the designated Wednesday or the preceding Saturday/Sunday. The Wednesday stableford is played off the red tees while the Saturday/Sunday stableford is played off the yellow tees. The competition offers cash/voucher prizes to the lady with the winning score
Quarterly Stableford: can be played on the designated Wednesday or the preceding Saturday/Sunday but not both. In January it is The Winter Stableford, in April it is the Spring Stableford, in July it is the Summer Stableford and in October the Autumn Stableford. Weather permitting these events are played off the Yellow tees. The competition offers cash/voucher prizes to the lady with the winning score

4.2 Men’s, Ladies and Mixed Board Competitions: the summer annual calendar will have days designated for these competitions. They are primarily Stableford events with the exception of the Club Championship, The Barcilon Cup which is a Medal event and (for the men) the Mike Jefferson Memorial Trophy which is a Bogey event. Winners receive a trophy and their names will be on “The Honours Board” in the clubhouse

4.3 Men’s, Ladies and Mixed Knock Out Competitions: these are match play knock out competitions played throughout the summer months. These events are “drawn” and members are asked to sign up in advance to put their names in the hat for the draw which takes place in early April. Winners receive a trophy and their names will be on “The Honours Board” in the clubhouse

5 Competition Entry Requirements:

All members with an active World Handicap System, Handicap Index (HI) can enter the regular monthly competitions.

To qualify for entry to the Board Competitions and Match Play Knock events, members must in the previous 12 months have played:

A minimum of 6 monthly medals/stablefords or board competitions to enter the men’s full club events.
A minimum of 3 monthly medals/stablefords or board competitions to enter the Seniors events
A minimum of 3 monthly medals/stablefords or board competitions to enter the Ladies events

6 Adverse weather conditions

All competition golf must be played on the main greens including the winter eclectic.

7 Dress Code

All members should note that “golf attire” should be worn at all times when on the course. Jeans, cargo trousers, sweatshirts and trainers are not suitable golf attire.

8 Inter Club Matches

We have a variety of matches with other golf clubs all played to 4BBB match play rules. These matches include:

Chiltern Breakfast League (Men)
Hillman Trophy BB&O inter club Knock out (Men)
Seniors friendly matches
Ladies Friendly matches
Mixed friendly matches
Bucks League (Ladies)

All matches and dates are on the club calendar

15 January 2021

Gary Tubb