It has taken a bit of time, effort and some confusion to hit upon a Medal competition that works for our club. The change to Scottish Golf’s Venue Management System (VMS) has meant I’ve had to learn a completely different system for setting up competitions. I’ve made a few mistakes during the set up of May to June 2023 and had to get advice on the system from Scottish Golf. I know all members are very patient, I appreciate it.
The objectives for the Medal are:
- Allow as many members to play in the competition as possible
- Allow members to play on either Saturday or Sunday
- Allow members to choose their own time to play
- Allow members to choose with whom they wish to play
- Ensure the fairest possible play in the Spirit of Golf
- Ensure that the competition requires no organiser on the days
Desirable, for the future: - Have a time sheet for each day so that members who haven’t arranged a group can put their name up in the hope someone joins them to act as scorer/fellow competitor
The current conditions are:
- Players can register any time up until 6pm on the Sunday.
- The £5 entry fee is paid before you play your Medal round
- Only one card is submitted over the weekend.
- Players may play their Medal Round on either Saturday or Sunday. The first score you submit as a Medal round is the only score you can submit.
- Your Medal round must be the first play on the course of the day (Saturday or Sunday), and you may not practice on the course before the round as per Rules of Golf.
- Inform your scorer/attester that you are playing a Medal round before you hit off the first tee.
- All scorecards must be posted or finalised in the app. Medal rounds are qualifying rounds for handicapping.
- The Rules of Golf for stroke play apply to all Medal rounds.
It’s a complicated format. The following questions might help everyone be clear. I can add more questions as they come up:
I can play Saturday or Sunday but not both? You can play on both days, but the first round on either day, if declared to be a Medal score, is your final Medal Score. All other play on the course is General Play.
If I pre-register do I have to enter? No. Pre-registration is not a binding contract. If you are unable to play it’s no problem. If you have paid you will receive a credit. If you play the score must be submitted as a Medal Score. If you begin a Medal round but have to pull out through injury, you’ll be deemed to have entered the event.
Can I play a General Play round on Saturday morning then play a Medal Round on Saturday afternoon? No. This applies to the same situation on Sunday. The Rules of Golf require no play or practice on the course before a competitive round on the day of the competition.
If I submit a card for the Medal on Saturday Morning, can I submit a better score on the Saturday afternoon? No. Your Saturday morning score is your final Medal score, as it is the first submitted. Your afternoon score is also invalid, since you had previously played the course on the day.
If I submit a card for the Medal on Saturday, can I submit a better score on Sunday? No. Your Saturday score is your final Medal score, as it is the first submitted. Your Sunday score may only be submitted as a General Play Score.
Can I play a General Play round on Saturday and then play my Medal Round on Sunday? Yes. The score on Sunday must be your first play of the course on Sunday. Practising or playing on Saturday is fine.
Can I play a Medal round with a scorer who is not playing a Medal round/not in the competition? Yes. The scorer must be a member of Westray Golf Club or a member of an affiliated Golf Club (i.e. a club that abides by the World Handicapping System rules)
Can I play a general play round on Saturday, but if I play well, submit it as a Medal score? No. You must declare to your scorer/attester before hitting your first tee shot of the round that the card you are scoring is the Medal round. For app users, you will be able to submit only one scorecard over the weekend, and the event scorecard should be started before hitting your first tee shot.
Any other questions send an email to info@westraygolf.org