Initiatives to improve participation in Club competitions and to broaden the involvement in Inter-Club Events  may be indicated by the responses to variety and number of  club competitions. There are a number of comments that appear to suggest that some members are waiting to be asked to play for the Club in InterClub Competitions. Don’t wait! Put your name on the list on the Notice Board and turn up for the practices! New participants in the InterClub events are always welcome.

 

		Good	Sat	Poor	N/A
Golf Competitions
	Number of Competitions	49%	38%	2%	11%
	Variety of Competitions	33%	46%	9%	12%
	Number of Inter-Club Competitions	33%	44%	4%	20%
	Competition Results Service	45%	38%	6%	12%

 

Council’s Response to the Survey Findings

The creation of the new Fortwilliam Golf Club website has made possible a much better results service which I hope meets the needs of our Members.  The ability to drill down and have a detailed look at your own scores is very revealing in terms of areas where there is room for improvement. It is also quite amusing to have a look at your playing partner’s results!
There are a lot of people in the Club who play competitive golf and that is a major influence on the number and types of competition that are played. This has to be balanced against the expressions of interest in more fun competitions such as scrambles etc. It is clearly an aspect of the game that the respective M&H committees will have a look at and perhaps come up with some novel ideas that will better meet the needs of as wide a range of members as possible.
Inter Club competitions teams are selected following practice sessions in March / April. The details of all inter-club competitions are posted on the club website. If you wish to be considered for any of these then please put your name on the list when the notice inviting participation appears on the noticeboard. But bear in mind teams are picked on merit and you’ve got to show 2 things, first, interest in taking part, and second, the golfing ability to win your place. Good luck!
     
 

2012 Survey - Comments on Competitions

The comments which follow are the full and unedited contributions from members who completed the Survey carried out during 2012. I have tried to sort them into groups specific to particular areas of Competitions.  In a few cases, where comments related to more than one area, I have split them into a number of comments and allocated them under the different headings. The comments expressed are those of the members who submitted them. I accept no responsibility whatsoever for spelling, grammar or content!
Denis O’Sullivan

Competition Results

• "To commend the Match and Handicap, the results are now updated very regularly and incremental handicaps can be viewed easily.
• Results could be posted online quicker -- and it could be a full listing of results not just the top 3
• Results should be published online much more rapidly
• Fortwilliam website has improved for access to results but cannot understand why the results
• service provided by howdidido.co.uk is not used, this is excellent. "
• More can be made to publish results on the website using integration of the current systems
• Would like to see competition results showing each contestants result rather than just the top three.
• I would like to see a full list of results on our website (if it can be called a website) not just the prize winners. "
• A more up to date service via website would help ref results etc
• The new M & H team appear to be efficient and forward thinking.
• I feel all competition results, Male, Female and Junior should be available on line for ease of access of members."
   

Types of Club Competition

• There should be more 'fun' competitions for members i.e. 4/5 club events or 9 hole evening events on Tues/Thurs.
• Would like the Saturday competition extended to include Sunday. Many are not available on Saturdays.
• The competition structure especially at the beginning of the season would have to change. To have the foursome and qualifying  competitions in the first weeks of the season is turning members away.
• This is valuable income. I would suggest we post these foursome competitions on the noticeboard for members to sign up to like the Brownlee, Milligan and other competitions."
• "Mixed Foursomes is not a level playing field comp. Suggest that Club includes different categories in this competition with prizes dependent on number of teams entered for each competition.
• Need for more effective forward planning of competitions e.g. last minute inclusion of Mixed Scramble when details of the Jubilee Celebrations were known publicly months in advance."
• We could look at Saturday  April competitions Why do we have 4 ball and foursome Competitions?
• "The season is often slow in starting with too many 4bbb competitions.
• "Firstly ladies do not get to play fourball better ball enough.
• Secondly, more competition where the men & women play. For example, fourball better ball any combination, team of 4 "
• To many stroke competitions,more scrambles please!?!
• No real complaints here.
• The in-club mixed competitions seem to be exclusive. If you haven't got male partners there is no attempt to include you.
• "I like the Competitions.  Would like a better information service as to what some of the competitions are - who is playing and the result.  The bulletin does provide some of this for the male membership (sometimes women).  Get rid of the rest of the rubbish in bulletin.
• Like the papers - results, deaths & births (if we have any - given the membership).!!"
• "Being a member of another club I have seen the benefit of a wider variety of competitions particularly 4 person semi-opens/ scrambles and the like. These type of competitions allow for non-members, women and juniors/juveniles  to join members for competitive golf. In my experience they are very popular and generate revenue for the clubhouse in playing fees, bar and restaurant.
• Parent and child competitions also seem popular. "
• Consideration should be given to those who achieve well in Sat & Wed & other recognised competitions.
• "We should have more ""Classics"" where all four scores count etc. These bring lots of visitors and big income at the bar.
• The May McFetridge and Thomas Devlin classics seem to be the only ones we have.
• What about open Classics on 2 Saturdays per year?
• We also need more mixed golf, a mixed competition every bank holiday when most people have gone away is not good enough, we need to mix the men and women more and become more inclusive"
• "There should be more fun competitions with barbeque's and mixing between all members to create a better and more social atmosphere.
• More team fun events required & what about open ladies&gents stableford competitions instead of mixed scrambles cause more people want 2 play but can't get a team together!!
• Too many stroke competitions.
• We should have more "fun" competitions on Sundays during the summer especially mixed comps. Lets try a one club competition ala Knock GC. Mr Captain knows how to play it.
• Do you mean the website? The ladies results are posted on the board. I don't have an issue with it.
• The number is not an issue the advertisement and encouragement of them to non members should be encouraged, the semi open charity days should be busy and those charities should make a greater effort to encourage their members/patrons to play at fortwilliam and to have an evening meal, it should not fall upon the golf club to push these events as it is the members who are donating their time and money every week to the same yearly charities, Eddie McCabe does an awful lot of organising his hospice event and every year it is a successful day which does not fall on a Wednesday.
• Saturday competition should be just that and not  qualifiers.
• There should be a weekend competition not just a Saturday competition as this never really suited me.
• The stroke competitions are unpopular and should be moved to another less busy time in the year or combined with other stableford competitions.
• Dramatic failure to provide competitive competitions on a Wednesday, something the club was famous for several years back.
• Need more mixed competitions, family competitions to encourage all categories of members to play together.
• More events and team events would be welcome.
• "The introduction of more stroke competitions will improve variety and individual standard of play.
   

Inter-Club Competitions

• I don't have an opinion on the number of Inter-Club Competitions, but I do think that expenses i.e. meals should only be for the competitors (and their caddies if required for the competition) and one senior Club Representative e.g. Captain, Vice-Captain or Present representing Fortwilliam
• I think that the team news does not reach the members on a regular basis.
• "It is difficult to break onto playing for club in competitions.
• As someone who plays team golf a lot I feel the club supports the teams very well indeed.
• "Have a look at the teams over the last 10 years.
• Team selection seems to be based on who you know rather than on merit and competition history"
• Inter-Club competitions should be self financing.