Inter Club 2023

paulos53

A few changes for the coming year. The details are here: https://static.clubhouse.golfireland.ie/clubs/1000/uploads/championships/inter-club%20summary%20of%20key%20changes%20(national)%20-%20final.pdf

The ones that stood out for me:

• The minimum handicap for Bruen is still 3.5 but the combined handicap of each pairing rises from 14.0 to 16.0. This effectively increases the upper handicaps from 10.5 to 12.5
• The minimum handicap Purcell increases from 10.5 to 12.5. The format changes from a gross foursomes to a nett foursomes competition.
• The combined handicaps for a Purcell pairing is a minimum of 25.0 with a maximum of 34.0. Effectively this changes the upper handicap limit to 21.5
• The All-Ireland fourball competition has been discontinued

Rikand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058278487/inter-club-2023

All Ireland Fourball competition being discontinued puts me out of a job. I was set to manage it this year for a second time

gypsy79

Keeping Barton and Bruen and mashing together PP and 4ball makes no sense to me

Rikand

We blooded a lot of new players to interclub with the fourball last year. it was a great starter event. 9 of my panel of 15 would never have played interclub at all before. Lads like that won't get a look in for Fred Perry and Pierce Purcell. I think its a step backwards from golf ireland personally. If clubs are choosing to play the same 15 lads for all 3 teams, that says more about the clubs than it does the competitions

opinionated3

Am I wrong in thinking the new bruen and pp setups will be absolute heaven for clubs who have previously abused these competitions through use of players who are experts in handicap manipulation??

slingerz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076565#Comment_120076565

There isn’t a format that can’t be abused.

I think the changes to Bruen will put a lot of the lower players 4-6 in limbo. Not low enough for junior cup and partner too high to be worthwhile in Bruen. Maybe another singles matchplay akin to junior cup need for this band

Walter Alright

What is the difference between gross foursomes v nett foursomes competition?

gypsy79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076565#Comment_120076565

Not anymore than previously

The famous club from Clare didnt play any rounds

Rikand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076737#Comment_120076737

Gross foursomes doesnt take ones handicap into consideration for the match itself.

With Nett foursomes there will be shots given in the matches

Poker Face

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076722#Comment_120076722

Totally agree think they have made complete b**ls of it. If u are a 3.5 HI then the only way u getting on a team is if your 12.5 partner should be off a few shots less!!

slingerz

As a small club those players from 4-6 will play plenty. But in a big club the junior cup are all going to be at the limit or below by the time it starts

the increase in band for Bruen has now pushed it out so selecting 7&9 or 8&8 would be optimum imo

Rikand

At 5.8, I have the most in form player in the club playing off 10.2 as my choice for the Bruen. Hopefully team management see it the same way I do :D

Bloc

This looks a right mess, having started my inter club days in the 4ball I always thought it was one of the best inter club competitions. The change to pierce Purcell also looks ridiculous, literally the only team that a 10/11 handicap can get on its to be the high man on a Jimmy bruen match, good job Golf Ireland!!

callaway92

Golf Ireland increased their Annual Fee but have removed a full competition 😉

threeputtpaul

regarding the handicaps.. if my lowest index last year was the handicap i carried over from 2021, does that mean i have to use that this year as my interclub handicap?

Poker Face

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120081932#Comment_120081932

yeah if that is what your lowest HI was in 2022 then that is what will be used

BraveDonut

Anyone know where I can find details of formats for the various competitions, handicaps etc?

And the details of the draws that have been made to date?

golfguy1

you can find it all on golfireland.ie

draws won't be available till mid Feb as closing date for entries in Jan 31st

fearruanua

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058279924/interclub-2023

https://static.clubhouse.golfireland.ie/clubs/1000/uploads/championships/inter-club%20summary%20of%20key%20changes%20%28national%29%20-%20final.pdf

Draws will be a while yet. It was mid March when we got them last year.

Ronney

Changes to PP will be interesting

Changes to handicap range: • The lowest individual handicap index will increase from 10.5 to 12.5. • The lowest combined handicap index for a pair will remain 25.0. • A new highest combined handicap index for a pair will be set at 34.0. Shots will be given/received based on playing handicaps calculated from combined course handicaps. If a pair exceeds 34.0, they will still be able to play but their combined handicap index will drop down to 34.0.

I dont think id fancy being 2 12.5/13 H/C's and giving 9 shots to 2 x 17 H/C's

golfguy1

would the higher pairing get full shots or like the mixed where it is 1/2 the combined difference????

willabur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120117309#Comment_120117309

GOLF IRELAND website, much like the GUI website is a mess. Very difficult to find simple information on it

willabur

already posted

Ollieboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133635#Comment_120133635

But maybe this is a good idea, change it by a decent margin every year and keep the bandits guessing.

im guessing they feel this will sort out or cause issues for certain clubs building teams or hcaps for a number of years.

billy3sheets

It's a completely different, higher handicap competition now. Previously it was 11 to 14 handicaps. Now it's likely 14 to 20 handicaps. A golfer with a HI of 12.5 will likely have around 14 playing handicap, 17 HI likely to have a PH of 20. Will depend on the course being played.

IHateNewShoes

Sorry, a bit confused by this. My lowest index last year was 11.1, does this put me out of Purcell?

bakerbhoy

Yes

IHateNewShoes

That's a shame, i enjoyed playing it but I'd be a mile off the Bruen standard!

Rikand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120138056#Comment_120138056

Not necessarily. The handicap range for Bruen has changed too, so you'd be paired with a 4.9. It's a different standard now as well.

bakerbhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120138289#Comment_120138289

The new Golf Ireland. We are seeing the influence of the ladies and the WHS here in the overall scheme. Shots will be given in the Bruen in the near future ???

New comps needed with tighter bands of maybe 3 to 5 index ranges. ie 3 to 6 or 6 to 9 etc.

slingerz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120160539#Comment_120160539

I think more competitions would be a good thing. With the changes to Bruen/Purcell I think a comp for around 5-8 handicaps would be welcomed.

I’d also have a rule that if you’re playing in a comp you wouldn’t be eligible to play in a lower ranked one i.e. if your playing junior cup you can’t play Bruen etc

bakerbhoy

Unfortunately I am of the view that they are trying to have fewer.

bakerbhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120135730#Comment_120135730

My index is 12.3.

Home club Course Hcap 14.

Too low to play Purcell.

Genius.

Spanish Point in first round last year.

Nenagh in first round this year.

Fml. 😂

slingerz

Is this a different format this year? Drawn against clubs well outside our locality even outside our county in round 1 of senior cup & Barton?

fearruanua

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120307233#Comment_120307233

senior cup and barton in connacht are gone back to 2 day events. Strokeplay qualifying followed by matchplay for the top 4 qualifiers

galway gc and castlebar hosting

Miley Byrne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120307233#Comment_120307233

Definitely a change from the norm alright. Waterville and Lahinch meeting in the Jimmy Bruen. 3.5 hour journey. Munster is now just East and West. Whereas it was always divided into 4.

Rikand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120309046#Comment_120309046

In Connacht :D

Dotzie

Anyone have any idea how the Leinster home and away draws are working this year?

Previous years worked off which team numbers or letter was first which were on the side of each draw.

This year the numbers are there on the pdf draws but there is no numbers on the side to say who is home or away

paulos53

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120338014#Comment_120338014

From the competition regulations document:

11) DRAWS

(a) In draws conducted for Inter-Club competitions where one team will be at home and the other away, the team that appears first in the draw will have home advantage in the first round. Thereafter, home advantage will be determined on a round-by-round basis as follows:

i) If the two advancing teams have both had home advantage in the previous round, home advantage will go to the team on top of the draw.

ii) If the two advancing teams were both away in the previous round, home advantage will go to the team on top of the draw.

iii) If one of the two advancing teams was at home and the other team was away in the previous round, the team that was away in the previous round will have home advantage.

iv) If one of the two teams due to play each other had drawn a bye in the first round, that team will be away, irrespective of whether the other team was home or away in the previous round.

v) Where both teams had drawn a bye in the previous round, home advantage will go to the team on top of the draw.

Note 1: Teams availing of a walkover from a team that was originally drawn against them will be treated as if they had played the match – ie, they will not be considered to have drawn a bye.

Note 2: Teams originally drawn away in a round who, due to extenuating circumstances, have home advantage ceded to them will be considered to have played an away match as per the draw.

fearruanua

Well lads. New to the teams convenor gig. Ceist eile for ye. What's the story with a lad who is a country member of our club. Can he play interclub for us? He's not showing up on my clubhouse teams report.

cianc1

Yeah we have glengarriff, I feel sorry for the journey they have to make in the first round

GolfPar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120521907#Comment_120521907

Has he a fully formed handicap? Maybe that's why he's not showing up.

swededmonkey

Assuming qualifying handicap and sufficient rounds are in place etc it shouldn't be an issue. He can't play for both clubs in the same competition. I played for 2 clubs a few years back in the all ireland fourball and pierce purcell. It was mentioned to both clubs at the time and nobody had an issue.

fearruanua

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120526414#Comment_120526414

You're right. He told me he did have the 20+ but on further investigation, he doesn't.

opinionated3

Genuine question...... How do you clubs select team players? We have commenced a pod system in our club, basically two low handicappers with two higher. Periodically change partners within the pod and scores are monitored. I hate it tbh. Really relies on persons being available on certain days and if someone can't make it, their partners chances of making the team are diminished. So how are your team managers doing this?

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120662484#Comment_120662484

I'm new to it and it's hard to get people together. Unlike GAA which was training Tue/Thu and game/training on Sun at set times. Everyone was working around that schedule for the job, family, social etc. Plus you're all more or less in the same age range. With golf you never have a defined structure and ages/life situations differ quite a lot so it's very difficult to get everyone together.

For the foursomes team I'm on, the manager spoke to me and asked which of the 3x potential partners I knew based on HC's matching for the combined total. I knew two of them fairly well and the other guy wasn't available much so it was easy to have two options for me purely on that basis (I'm the higher index player). After that it's up to myself and partner(s) to get practice matches in vs other groupings on the team.

With the singles team, it was basically a roundup of everyone around the cut-off range that was interested. Plus a few others the captain had earmarked. Then purely performance or recent form combined with internal matches.

The biggest issue like you mentioned is availability. People travelling for work, different shifts/rosters and we all have limited options to set aside 3-4 hours. Add holidays etc you know the score pretty well.

I think it's hard for managers to pick teams on that basis but equally, it's tough on the players to try to get together frequently. I'd imagine it's often a gut feeling or a glimpse of a few shots that make the difference. Plus prior experience and anyone clearly in form.

EDIT: we did have a teams meeting night open to everyone who wanted to play on a team. Plus emails and contact details of the guys overseeing teams if you couldn't make it. It was quite open and transparent tbh. No-one could complain that they weren't given a chance to sign up.

opinionated3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120663353#Comment_120663353

Our team was really oversubscribed and had to be trimmed back, which caused issues in itself with players not even getting a chance to prove themselves. I kinda like your idea of asking which players you know/ have played with already on the course. It's one thing I've never been asked my opinion on. Like yourself I'm the higher index player and in the last two seasons I've had to trial with lads I never even met before. It's a really tricky job for managers but IMO the process should be started as early as possible in the golf season. Benefits being everyone gets a fair shot at making the team, and the manager gets to see some really solid consistent pairings over time.....

swededmonkey

Our manager has a core panel of 25 and 10 selected for each round depending on availability, with 2 pairs in reserve. He has some core pairs that have performed well and doesn't split up unless he has to. They are often the first names on the team sheet, essentially your steady eddie's and if they don't get a point, you are fairly certain they will run it close. After that, the remaining pairs have playoff matches to make the team for that round. We're into the third round and I'm on my 3rd partner

Poker Face

https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/9234431479059085731

No shock to see who won this at the weekend 🤨

Salvadoor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120903030#Comment_120903030

Incredible.

Surely they deserve to be in the running for 2023 RTE Sports Team of the year award