Dear Linda
If you don't mind I would like to respectfully disagree with your opinion regarding older gents playing from different tees in competition with younger players.
Firstly, in England the older gents' handicaps are calculated from returns in competition played from the same tees as other full members.
Secondly there is a plethora of (often midweek daytime) competitions for older (retired) players.
Thirdly, in my experience older gents, by virtue of more golfing and life experience, have a stronger psychological game and better (more pragmatic) course management - such skills often prove in practice to be more valuable than the wide shoulders and muscled forearms of the 'hooray Henrys' trying to 'rip the cover off the ball.'
Fourthly, as a gent approaching old age, I would be embarrassed by special considerations.
Fifthly, in the English club game, persons actively pressing for special measures would generally be regarded with little sympathy as 'pot hunters.'
I have recently been approached by a senior member in my club to be his 4-ball partner next season - I have enthusiastically accepted his offer due to the fact that although he struggles to reach many greens in regulation, he consistently plays straight and therefore, after his handicap deduction, is always 'there or thereabouts.' This will enable me, using him as a foil, to play a more adventurous game. I confidently predict that this will make us a difficult pair to beat.
Kind regards
Lou
Dear Lou,
I am impressed by your attitude, your analysis, and your character. It would be difficult to argue against such statements.
In defense of my opinion, allow me to describe my experience as a director of men’s tournaments that are open to players from different clubs in the southern half of New Jersey. When I started in this position, the organization was losing many competitors from the over 70 age bracket. All the men were competing from the same tees, and many of the older gentlemen dropped out because they felt they were no longer able to compete successfully against players who could outdrive them by 50 to 100 yards. The mismatch of distance was too discouraging.
Rather than lose our elder statesmen, I lobbied to allow them the option to play from the senior tees. At the same time, they would be restricted to net competition only, as gross competition from different tees is inherently unfair. The result of this policy change was that many of these gentlemen returned to competition, and brought along a number of friends. I have a great deal of respect for these wily old veterans, and I am happy to see them return to the fold. These seniors (over age 70) have the option to play from the standard or senior tees – the longer hitters generally opt for the standard tees; the players who have lost considerable distance with age generally opt for the senior tees. I trust that the handicap system evens the competition, as it was intended to do. I also trust that players honestly choose their competition tees. Much of golf relies on trust and honesty.
In my little corner of the world, handicaps are calculated differently from the way they are in England. Players record scores from just about every round they play, and the differential that goes into calculating the handicap takes into account both the USGA Course Rating®, which is “the evaluation of the playing difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer under normal course and weather conditions,” and the Slope Rating®, which represents the relative difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer compared to a scratch golfer [USGA Handicap System, Section 2: Definitions]. Players are, therefore, often recording scores played from different sets of tees from different –or even from the same– golf courses. Also, there is not a “plethora” of competitions for seniors, except perhaps at their own individual clubs.
I love your attitude, Lou. Perhaps I am too soft-hearted, but I would rather see the oldsters competing from shorter tees than not at all.
Linda
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