England Golf To Crack Down On Bandits

England Golf have introduced a new handicap rule where all away competition scores must be entered to the player's home club in a bid to eradicate dodgy handicaps

England Golf To Crack Down On Bandits

England Golf, the governing body for amateur golf in England, has introduced a new handicap rule to combat bandits.

They have said that there have been a number of cases in recent years where players protect their handicaps so they can 'repeatedly collect high-value rewards when playing in competitions away from home'.

Related: How do I get a handicap?

“We’re not talking about a sleeve of balls,” said Gemma Hunter, England Golf’s Handicap and Course Rating Manager.

“These are big prizes including luxury trips overseas, sets of clubs and electric trolleys.”

From now on when a golfer plays in a non-qualifying competition away from their home club, the player must return their score to their home club.

Continues below

Expand Rory McIlroy Bans Himself From Social Media After Elkington Spat

Rory McIlroy Bans Himself From Social Media After Elkington Spat

Speaking on the eve of the Irish Open,…

Expand Should I Use Regular Or Stiff Shafts In My Golf Clubs?

Should I Use Regular Or Stiff Shafts In My Golf Clubs?

One of the most important choices you have…

Expand Golf SSS And CSS Explained

Golf SSS And CSS Explained

SSS & CSS confuse many golfers. Here's a…

Expand How Many Calories Does A Round Of Golf Burn?

How Many Calories Does A Round Of Golf Burn?

A round of golf is reckoned to equate…

If this is ignored, golfers may have their handicap suspended.

Proposed changes in the rules of golf for 2019

The new system should catch out those who are known to win prizes in away competitions yet regularly go up 0.1 in club competitions.

Related: How are handicaps adjusted?

In the same way it should highlight those who play a minimum amount of competitions at their home club and often win on the road.

It applies to all strokeplay scores returned under competition conditions, including team events.

“It’s not about recording every score in a fourball betterball, but returning the team score,” said Gemma.

Related: Golf's 90% handicap allowance and more...a ready reckoner

“If the same individuals or teams keeping winning or coming near the top of leaderboards at events away from home, that should at least indicate to their club handicapping officials that further investigations are required – and the only way to achieve that is by asking for all the scores to be reported.”

Social golf will not be affected in the changes, but clubs have been asked to look out for low scores in swindles and roll-ups which the handicap committee could take into account at the annual review.

England Golf also hopes that clubs who run open competitions will inform the prize winners’ home clubs of their scores.