junior handbook 2020 - bgc-members.co.uk · should you have any difficulty in accessing this please...

Bourn Golf and Country Club

Junior Handbook 2020

Junior Handbook 2020 Bourn Golf Club

Contents Page

Letter from the Committee 3

The Junior Committee 2020 4

Aims of the Junior Section 4

Dress Code Guidance 5

Club Guidance and Etiquette 6

Learning the Rules 7

Mark’s Top 10 Tips 7

What is a Handicap 7

Obtaining a Handicap 8

Handicap Revisions 8

Maintaining a Handicap 9

Completing a Scorecard 9

Playing Restrictions and Privileges 12

Drawn Competitions and Cancelling Your Entry 12

Junior Competitions 13

Competition Fees 13

County Competitions 14

Club Colours 14

Tees to be Used by Junior Players 14

Coaching 14

Code of Conduct for Young Golfers 15

Useful Information 16


Letter from the Committee

Dear Junior Member

Welcome to the 2020 Season. This revision of the handbook, developed over many years for our existing and new Junior Sections, will provide you with an understanding of Golf Etiquette and our Club’s Aspirations towards all our Juniors future. For the experienced Junior, much of this will already be known, however, we would like you to take time to refresh yourself to this handbook and should you have any questions or ideas please contact any Junior Committee Member or your Junior Organiser Phillip Edmondson to discuss any aspect of Junior Golf Section anytime. The programme and work we support performed by our Club Professionals are through regular Medal’s, Stableford’s and numerous Club and County Competitions, we encourage you to keep an eye on our Junior Section notice board at the club and/or on the Bourn Golf Members website - https://bgc-members.co.uk/ - for details and updates. We do not create any unnecessary barriers to fulfil your golfing potential over this coming year and we always encourage our s/Juniors to participate competitively and be involved in the County Programmes if your ability equals the eligibility criteria needed. Whether you are just starting out in this beautiful game or are an experienced golfer, you and your family are always welcomed at our club and we strive for you to enjoy your membership and golfing experiences at all times. Finally, the Junior Sections are run in accordance with The Children in Golf Strategy Group “Guidelines for Safeguarding Children in Golf” and the Club’s Safeguarding Policy appears in the Junior members Area at https://bgc-members.co.uk/ This is a site for members only and registration is required at https://bgc-members.co.uk/register/ should you have any difficulty in accessing this please contact [email protected]

We wish you a successful and enjoyable golfing year. Yours Junior Committee Members and Organiser

https://bgc-members.co.uk/


https://bgc-members.co.uk/register/

mailto:[email protected]


The Junior Committee 2020

Junior Captain Tyler Perkins

Junior Vice-Captain

Tom Baptie

For the Girls Olivia Wynne

Junior Organiser

Phillip Edmondson

Club Welfare Officer

Keith Howlett

Club Professional Mark Sturgess

Junior Professional Coach Tom Simm

Assistant Professional Joel Rickard

Our Aims for the Junior Sections

The Bourn Golf Club Junior Sections will:

Promote an enjoyable, safe and fun environment for all children and juniors to

attend.

Help develop each individual to reach their full potential regardless of ability.

Treat each individual with respect and listen to their opinions and views.

Encourage the Juniors to participate in Club, Inter-Club and County competitions.

Promote Rules and Etiquette of golf to encourage all players to stand by these at

all times.

Integrate fully within the Club by active involvement with other sections.

Introduce Junior players, where applicable, to the handicap system, help them to

achieve a handicap and continue to successfully retain and/or reduce it.

Encourage the game of golf for life.


Dress Code Guidance

We know you will always present yourself smartly and we thought the below dress

club guide would help in case there is any doubt.

The dress code does not apply to Juniors attending Saturday coaching, however, we

do encourage golf attire whenever possible please.

MUST NOT: wear hats in Clubhouse


Club Guidance and Etiquette

The below is a club guidance and etiquette requirements as a minimum but is not

limited to these.

Be sincere and play to the rules of the game.

Respect and be polite to all golfers.

Check the notice boards and course board before playing.

Mobile phones must be switch to silent whilst on the course.

Keep calm and never throw clubs or equipment.

Stand still and quiet while others are playing their shots.

Shout “FORE” loudly if your ball is in danger of hitting other golfers.

Play briskly on the course and be aware of others at all times even around the clubhouse.

Spend no more than 3 minutes looking for a lost ball, the time starts when you commence the search at the anticipated lost location.

If you dropped a complete hole, looking for a ball and/or are holding the group up behind call them through to play on.

Always rake bunkers, repair green pitch-marks on the greens and replace fairway divots.

Do not take trolleys over tees, greens, green fringes, between bunkers and greens.

Take note of and obey course signs.

Avoid standing directly behind a player whilst she/he is making their swing.

Make sure it is safe around you before swinging and that players in front of you are out of range before hitting the ball.

Be aware and look around at adjacent greens, tees and fairways for your own safety.

Avoid walking on another player’s line of putt.

Do not drop the flagstick on the green, place it down gently.

Leave your golf bag at the exit towards the next tee before entering the green to put out.


Learning the Rules

There are rules in the game of golf, understanding them and learning how they are

used is vital to the enjoyment of the game.

If you have any doubts regarding the rules please ask in the Pro-Shop, your Junior

Organisers or one of our referees.

No one knows all the Rules of Golf precisely but acquaint yourself with the basics, the

R&A Rules booklets are available in the Pro-Shop.

Mark Sturgess Top 10 Tips

1. Always play with a smile and enjoy your game, even on a bad day.

2. Try your hardest and never give up.

3. Practice hard.

4. Picture in your mind what you want to achieve.

5. Concentrate on the shot you are playing, not the one you have just played.

6. Play to your ability.

7. Keep your shoes and clubs clean, a smart tidy golfer has a smart tidy game.

8. Remember your manners. You are representing yourself, your family, the Junior

Sections and the Club.

9. Think, swing the club to hit the ball cleanly.

10. Golf is a great game. Enjoy!

What is a Handicap

One of the reasons golf is such a popular game is due to the handicap system which allows players of all abilities to play against each other. A handicap is a certain number of strokes which a player is allowed to remove from his total gross score for a round. Think of a handicap like a head start given by more skilful players to the less skilful. The better the player, the lower the handicap. It means that good players with a low handicap can play those with a higher handicap and the game can still remain very competitive. A player with an 18 handicap, for example, will subtract 18 shots from his or her score at the end of the round.


The handicap system can seem confusing, which is why it is so important to keep your scores on a scorecard so you can work it all out at the end of your round. Only highly skilled players reach zero, also known as a "scratch" player. A select few even get so good they enter positive figures - which means they have to add strokes to their total. In reality, most golfers who reach Scratch standard are good enough to turn professional. All professional tournaments are played off scratch i.e. without handicaps. In foursomes, the team's handicap is usually calculated by adding the two players' handicaps together and dividing by two. The “normal” maximum handicap is 54 for all golfers and the handicap system in used at our club and all other Clubs controlled by the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU). This a uniform system which ensures all golfers can play on an equal basis within the Club or against players from other clubs.

Obtaining a Handicap

To obtain a Junior handicap Juniors shall submit a combination of 9 and 18 hole cards to a total of 54 holes, each of which shall be signed by a person acceptable to the Handicap Committee (which may include a member parent with a handicap, member with a handicap and/or Club Professional).

Any score more than 2 for boys and 3 for girls over par on any hole shall be amended to 2 for boys and 3 for girls over par (The maximum reduction under this clause shall be 6 strokes per round).

Beginners will receive tuition from the Professional and have their progress monitored before they can progress to the Blue tees for handicap assessment. Progression from Blue to Red, Yellow or White is at the discretion of the Professional.

Juniors without handicaps will be encouraged to enter events organised on the main course by the professionals where applicable.

Handicap Revisions

Junior handicaps can be revised up as well as down.

Juniors Junior handicaps obtained on the Blue, Red, Yellow and White Tees shall have their handicap controlled and adjusted in accordance with the stipulations contained in the current CONGU Unified Handicapping System.


Maintaining Your Handicap

To maintain your handicap, you must return cards for a minimum of 3 qualifying competitions per year to maintain an active handicap for the following year.

Whilst your handicap is inactive you may enter qualifying competitions, ie, medals and stableford’s to make your handicap active.

Whilst you may enter medals and stableford’s when your handicap is inactive you will not be ineligible to win any prizes.

Whilst your handicap is inactive you will not be allowed to enter other competitions.

You may submit supplementary cards to make your handicap active by playing with a member that can sign your card.

Completing a Scorecard

The scorecard is at the heart of the game.

It is the record of the game and must be completed neatly and accurately.

The player is responsible for the accurate recording of the actual strokes played.

Whilst it is the Handicap Committee’s responsibility to total scores and apply stableford points the enjoyment of the game is improved by knowing what your score is.

The Club encourages all s/Juniors to learn how to score their card points for stableford’s and medals.

Examples of scorecards for Medal and Stableford’s play are shown on following pages.


Completing a Scorecard - Medal


Completing a Scorecard - Stableford


Playing Restrictions/Privileges – Juniors

Winter (GMT)

Non-Competition Saturdays, Sundays & Bank Holidays

May start from the 1st Tee only after 12.00pm.

Competition Saturdays, Sundays & Bank Holidays

Requires a CONGU handicap.

May play in competitions provided a player has entered and given a starting time,

no more than 2 Juniors in a 3 ball.

May play in free format section provided accompanied by a full member.


Summer (BST)

Non-Competition Saturdays, Sundays & Bank Holidays


Competition Saturdays, Sundays & Bank Holidays

Requires a CONGU handicap.

May play in competitions provided a player has entered and given a starting time

and no more than 2 Juniors in a 3 bal.;

May play in free format section provided accompanied by a full member.

May start from the 1st Tee only after 1.00.

Juniors may play at any time Monday to Friday other than Bank Holidays as above,

when the 1st tee is closed as notified in the Club Diary or on the Events Board.

Drawn Competitions and Cancelling Your Entry

The Club has clear rules regarding drawn competitions, i.e., competitions where the

start sheet is published in advance. Failure to be on the tee at your stated tee time is

a breach of the rules. Players wishing to cancel their entry to competitions MUST

follow one of the following procedures at least 24 hours prior to the 1st tee time of the

competition.


For mixed or men’s competitions ring the Members’ Secretary on 01954 718057

or the Pro Shop. Calls will be auto-answered requesting which department you

require by providing a number option to press or you may leave a message on the

answerphone.

For mixed or men’s matches either call the Manager on the day or the Team

Captain.

For Ladies competitions contact the Ladies Competition Secretary.

For drawn Junior competitions and matches you should notify the Junior

Competition Secretary or Junior Organiser.

Junior Competitions

There is a range of Junior Competitions and dates that will be advised to all Juniors

where applicable, on the Club Diary and Club Website, ClubV1 Members hub and

include the following: -

Junior Monthly Medals and Stablefords.

Junior Club Championship.

Junior Captains Day

Inter-Section Matches Junior / Adult.

Inter-Club Matches League and Knock Out Competitions.

Competition Fees

There is a nominal cost for Stags/Junior competitions, usually £2.00. Fees will be paid

in the Pro-Shop on the day when signing in for the competition.


County Competitions

Juniors with CONGU handicaps are encouraged to enter Cambridge Area Golf Union

(CAGU) and Cambs and Hunts Ladies Golf Association (C&HLGA) competitions and

Open Competitions held at other clubs. The Club will enter teams in relevant County

competitions.

Club Colours

The Club colours are Dark trousers, shorts or skirts, Navy polo shirt and Navy jumper.

You can purchase clothing from the pro-shop. Juniors selected to represent the Club

in a team competition will be presented with a Club Shirt embroidered “Junior Team”.

For more information please contact the Junior Organiser.

Tees to be Used by Junior Players

Juniors without a CONGU Handicap shall use Tees defined by the Professional

for General and Competition.

Juniors with a CONGU Handicap shall use Tees related to their handicap or

competition rules.

Coaching

Coaching is available from the Club’s PGA Professionals. From time to time the club

will offer, in conjunction with the Club’s Professional, specific coaching. This may be

funded, partially funded or chargeable but will be advised with the offer.


Code of Conduct for Young Golfers

You should:

Accept these guidelines are in place for the wellbeing of all concerned.

Help to create and maintain an environment free of fear and harassment.

Demonstrate fair play and apply golf’s standards both on and off the course.

Understand you have the right to be treated as an individual.

Respect the advice you receive that promotes the concept of a balanced attitude.

Treat other as you would wish to be treated.

Respect physical, cultural and racial differences.

Challenge or report if you observe any form of discrimination and prejudice.

Look out for yourself and for the welfare of others.

Speak out if you consider that you or others have been poorly treated.

Report behaviour that appears to fall below the level expected of our club.

Be organised and on time.

Tell someone in authority if you are leaving a venue or competition.

Treat organisers and coaches with respect.

You should not

Take part in any irresponsible, abusive, inappropriate or illegal behaviour which

includes: -

• Consuming alcohol, illegal performance-enhancing drugs or stimulants

• Smoking

• Using foul language

Publicly using critical or disrespectful descriptions of others.


Useful Information

Below are some key website links for your reference

www.cagl.co.uk https://chlcgajuniors.wixsite.com/chlcga/about https://www.englandgolf.org/ www.congu.com https://www.bourngolf.com/ https://bgc-members.co.uk/

And Finally

Enjoy this wonderful game and strive to be the best you

can be and it will give you enjoyment through your life!

http://www.cagl.co.uk/

https://chlcgajuniors.wixsite.com/chlcga/about

https://www.englandgolf.org/

http://www.congu.com/

https://www.bourngolf.com/


junior handbook 2020 - bgc-members.co.uk · should you have any difficulty in accessing this please...

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