Yet another wet day on the golf course but let’s stay optimistic that we will get a dry mild Winter and be thankful that despite the tightening of Covid-19 restrictions we can still enjoy a game of golf.

As per the earlier Club News Article this years Winter Foursomes competition is being replaced by a Fourball Better Ball (4BBB) and booking is now open.

Team entry is via the competition entitled ‘RLCGA Winter Fourball Better Ball 2020-21 Team Entries’, which you will find listed in the booking area of your How Did I Do (HDID)  account or via your  RLCGA Members Hub  if you have joined.

For the purposes of creating a competition booking form on HDID, Haggs Castle GC was randomly used as a venue but it is the challenger’s course, apart from the final, where the matches are played. (NB the person booking the team on must enter as Player 1 and their team mate as Player 2).

Booking for this competition closes on 4th October 2020 and thereafter teams will be drawn in a knockout format on HDID. The first round has to be played by 10th November. More information on how the knockout operates on HDID will be advised once the draw has been made.

The following is a short summary of the rules associated with the Winter 4BBB, which takes cognisance of the relevant Covid-19 Guidelines and Restrictions;

RULES FOR WINTER FOURBALL BETTER BALL 2020-21

- Top line are the challengers

- Challengers to offer three dates not in the same week and one should, where possible, include a weekend day

- Matchplay Format - two players compete together as a team with each player playing their own ball.  The team score at each hole is the lowest team player score minus their stroke allowance 

- Strokes - the lowest handicap player will concede strokes to the other three players based on 90% of the difference between the full handicaps  

- From 2nd November 2020 (introduction of World Handicap System (WHS)) players will utilise their 'Course Handicap' when calculating their stroke allowance

- Sudden Death - in the event of a tie after 18 holes, competitors should continue play until one couple gain a hole

- No time extensions permitted - in the event that both teams cannot identify a mutually suitable date, or an exigency prevents a pre-arranged tie being played in time (eg Course is closed), the winner will be determined by a coin toss undertaken by the competition co-ordinator in the presence of a witness

- All ties to be played within the County. If neither challenging and opposing team players are  members of Renfrewshire County Courses then the tie will be played at one of the challengers courses. The next round tie will require to be played in the County

- All competitors to adhere to the prevailing Scottish Government and Scottish Golf Covid-19 Guidelines as per their dedicated Covid-19 webpage;

- All competitors to abide by Club’s Covid-19 procedures in relation to course management (ie bunker play), and Clubhouse and locker room access

- Final to be played by arrangement with the County Captain

- Due to the imprecise nature of the Covid-19 Virus and restrictions arising therefrom, the RLCGA Committee retains the right to postpone or abandon the competition

As in previous years these rules will be pasted into the Club V1 Knockout Competition that competitors update on the Members Hub.

More information on calculating your Course Handicap under the new WHS will be communicated prior to the WHS going live on 2nd November. Scottish Golf is in the process of rolling WHS out to Club’s at present.

Committee member;

Julie Wilson, email: juliepwilson1@gmail.com, 07968 286240

will be the Competition Co-ordinator so any problems entering your team and whilst participating in the competition should be directed to Julie in the first instance.

Kind Regards and Stay Safe

Fiona Armour
RLCGA Results Secretary