Complaints and Criticisms

That’s what we’re talking about……………..INPUT. To improve on the league this is exactly what the Doctor orders so that what others see and feel can be addressed and if necessary changes made to make the experience more enjoyable and rewarding for all. Last week I received a list of six (6) items and let’s look at each one and work on them one at a time.

1) It is unfair that the order of the draw for the teams at the beginning remains the same for all rounds of the draw. I think it is more fair that the order is reversed for every other round.

2) It is unfair that amateurs are playing against pros for money in the low gross section.

3) It is unfair that Lars Melander can shoot 32, and not receive a prize for low gross (other than a drink!).

4) It is unfair that a person who has won a low gross or low net prize is required to continue contributing towards that prize, given that they are unable to win it a second time.

5) It is unfair that high handicappers are forced to put money towards a low gross prize that they have little or no chance of winning.

6) Some allowances should be made so that players are not forced to hole out on every hole. Specifically, the pace of play is adversely affected when players are required to go back and play a second ball because their original ball is lost. Sometimes, there was no reason to play a provisional ball, and the ball may become lost through no fault of the player

Answers to the items

1) Absolutely correct. There are many variations to the method of drafting players for teams. Two years ago I used one method and last year a different one. After working with spreadsheets and doing mock drafting the one that comes out the most even is the reverse draw for every round. That said it’s not perfect as skill is needed on the part of the Captain to bring other variables into consideration. A Captain may forgo the lowest handicap person next on the list and choose someone further alone due to participation. Thus it’s still not the perfect outcome in the end.

2) Pros playing in Men’s Night is a very important part of the experience and they will always be welcome and encouraged to participate. Everyone should be encouraged to play with one of the pros at least once during the season as it can be a learning experience. With the few pros we have and because the rule is you can only win once do not take away from many members winning one of the 25 Low Gross Prizes.

3) Lars Melander had already won his Low Gross for the year and getting a free drink by beating the lowest pro is a separate part of the program. Remember that you only win Low Gross once for the year thus allowing many players the opportunity to win instead of the same ones every week.

4) The Low gross prize actually comes from the portion of your $10.00 that is allocated to the prizes for the year. The amount of that portion is $0.17 (seventeen cents) that means this particular person submitting these items paid $2.04 so far this year. If he plays the last three rounds the total will be $2.55 for the year. A) I will not ask the pro shop to make change for a few of the members who win the Low Gross and B) all the money I raise for the league for the advertising goes back in large part to prize money so the argument could be made that no part of the $10.00 is used for Low Gross.

5) Without using the data in number 4 above to address this item, there is a good point here. Let’s think outside the box and give the high handicappers a shoot at first place. Next year there will be two prizes every week. Low Gross and Low Net. Same conditions apply where you can only win one of the two only once for the season.

6) This one is easy. RCGA rules apply. This is a tournament in the same sense as Club Championship or any of the other tournaments during the year such as the invitational’s, 2 Man Best ball, skins etc. etc. I’ve seen players miss 6 inch putts and if you think you MAY have a lost ball situation……………hit a provisional. This will not change.

Thanks to the submitter of the items. Keep them coming as good changes can come of the submissions.

Three weeks to go and it’s still imposable to see a clear cut winner in either Pool. Pool Points Galore showed a total of only 13 points between 1^stand 5^thand with that spread anything could have happened. A Few Good Men are still in 1^stspot but with their star player away for the next the rest of the year ???????? Pool Close Behind has a new leader Gunners kicking what used to be the first place Spillers Killers into third. That was only because they did not have enough players to count for the week awarding them with zero points for the week. OUCH!!!!

THERE IS A NEWS FLASH ……. Dennis The Dick Venning actually pared the 9^thhole for the first time in 21 weeks. Please take a minute and send him a congratulation note. What is the over under on that happening again for the rest of the year??

Brian Fradette, Greg Muir, Dave Penner and Pierre Alexander win the Callaway balls.

Mike Pogar wins the low gross with a 35

John Campbell-Stalker wins the 50/50 and $76.50