2016 Golfing Calendar Changes

Dear Members,

As we move into 2016, I want to provide you with an update around the 2016 Golfing Calendar at Muirfield.

Club Match Play Championship

For a few years now we have been playing the club championship out of sync with the correct calendar year. We recently played the 2016 Club Match Play Championship in November 2015. Member’s have also been providing feedback around the difficulty in committing to 8 weeks in a row of Saturday golf as is required now to play in both the Stroke and Match Play Championships.

To get things back into alignment as well as encourage the participation, we are changing the scheduling of this event. The qualifying for the event will take place as part of the February & March Pewter rounds with the Top 8 from each grade moving on to the Club Match Play Championship which will be conducted over the following 3 Saturdays of March. The next Club Match Play Championship will now be held in the 2017.

New Events

There has been many requests to introduce some more variation to the men’s competition events. The 2016 Golfing Calendar has been updated to include a few more Par events as well as 2 Ball Multi’s and Stableford team events.

We are introducing a 4 round 9 hole event called the Twilight Cup which will be held on Thursday afternoons across February and March.  It will be a 5.30pm Shot-gun start and the fee will include prizes, dinner and a drink. It will be limited to 72 players (members only) so you will need to get in quick. Event details will be posted in early January 2016.

We have also added an International Day event. This will be on a Sunday and will pit people from all nationalities against each other to see “who is the best”. Stay tuned for more details. Rumor has it the Irish believe they will have the upper hand!

Super Pin

Due to popular demand Super Pin is now been played over all men’s competitions. It is optional to enter and for $2.00 you can win a prize voucher for the pro-shop. We have also agreed with Peter Jones to run this on the 18th hole on the majority of days. Feedback from the membership group was that they liked the Super Pin concept but can’t reach the 9th green but always enter the event when it is on the 18th. More than 80% of the field have entered the Super Pin across the new days since this has been introduced.

Hole Index

Several months ago a process of reviewing the Hole Indexing was kicked off and a new Hole Index rating will apply from the 1st January 2016.

Black Tees

We are close to finalising a revised approach to the usage of Black tees and the issue around it’s usage and impact on the competition DSR. The aim is to have this in place from the 1st February 2016.

Matt Cashmore

Muirfield Club Captain

Click here for a printable copy