I Was Investigated For Handicapping Violations… Don’t Make The Same Mistake As Me

I’ve been a huge fan of iGolf since its inception. Ideally, I’d be a member of a golf club, but that’s not viable for me at this point in my life. And even though I don’t play as much as I’d like, I’m still serious about the game and maintaining an accurate handicap under the World Handicap System.

iGolf allows me to put in a card every time I play – something I’ve done for the last 18 months or so and something I’ll continue to do going forward. I see no reason not to – it’s the best way of making sure my handicap is representative of my current ability.

But, as with all handicapping schemes, integrity is the most important thing. It’s every golfer’s responsibility to familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations and implement them accordingly. I’ll admit to falling short in this department.

But what does that mean in reality? Well, if you’re putting in a card, every round has to be attested by someone who’s witnessed said round. For a time, I played golf with friends who weren’t club members and hadn’t signed up to iGolf. As a result, I sent multiple cards to club members who weren’t with me to attest.

I only found out I wasn’t supposed to be doing that relatively recently. I know I’d never cheat or manipulate my score, so I didn’t see the issue with it. Also, if I wanted to record every round for handicap purposes, that was my only option… or so I thought. A few months ago, I wasn’t aware of iPlay. I am now, and it’s a brilliant idea.

What is iPlay?

“iPlay was launched by England Golf in late 2023, and provides an opportunity for non-members to track their average scores at both rated and non-rated courses via the MyEG app,” says Claire Hodgson, head of iGolf/iPlay operations at England Golf.

“iPlay is for anyone outside of club membership and iGolf – for example, a player who is relatively new to the game, a growing enthusiast or an infrequent player.

“As a registered user of the app, a golfer using iPlay can also verify scores for iGolf subscribers and club members through the app.”

This last part is crucial. Previously, if you wanted to put in a score, but you were playing with golfers who either weren't club members or registered on iGolf, you couldn't. Now, you can. A part-time golfer is unlikely to spend £40 to sign up to iGolf on the spot – even though that represents excellent value for money – but a free score-tracking service that also allows you to attest? It’s a no-brainer.

“I believe iPlay is an excellent addition to the England Golf family and supports the pathway, as it gives players the opportunity to start collecting scores and monitoring their progress through the MyEG app,” says Hodgson.

“iPlay also provides users with valuable insight into the process of tracking scores, preparing them for the next step of joining iGolf or a club to establish their own handicap index.

“One of the key benefits of iPlay is that all golfers can now use the MyEG app, regardless of whether or not they wish to obtain a handicap index. We often engage with iGolfers who are eager to obtain their own handicap index but may not have a playing partner with the same interest. iPlay bridges this gap, enabling more iGolfers to submit scoring data and further their handicap journey, while also providing an alternative offer.”

Claire Hodgson

lCaire Hodgson is Head of iGolf/iPlay at England Golf, with over 20 years’ experience working in golf.  Previous roles have focused on increasing participation and support for clubs through the development and delivery of a range of targeted initiatives, programmes and guidance, with a focus on developing the game and providing opportunities for all. The iGolf community now has over 54,000 current subscribers, with high levels of golfer satisfaction and transition of over 13,000 golfers into club membership

 

A slippery slope

If I was aware of iPlay, I would have encouraged all my friends to sign up and, crucially, I wouldn’t have sent rounds off to be attested ‘illegally’. But I wasn’t and I did.

Not only that, I wrote an article on the subject, asking if I was the problem or the system needed to evolve. In hindsight, it was a mistake – and I’m not just saying that because it led to an investigation by England Golf. Even if you’re not a cheat, it’s clearly essential for someone who has witnessed your round to attest it. It’s a slippery slope if not.

"As a National Association administering and managing handicaps through iGolf, we have responsibilities under the Rules of Handicapping, the same as golf clubs do. These include educating players and ensuring they fulfil their responsibilities,” says Hodgson.

“Having been made aware that some of your scores had not been submitted in line with the iGolf handicap procedures, we had a responsibility to look into this.

“As per the iGolf handicap procedures, a player is required to have their score verified by another player who is registered on the MyEG app and who has witnessed their round. A player who has not witnessed a round should not verify a score.”

After discussions with various people at England Golf, I identified the rounds I’d sent off to be attested by MyEG app users who hadn’t seen me play. While those rounds remain on my record, they have been removed from the handicap calculation. As it transpired, my handicap index was barely impacted, but it could have been.

Integrity above all

"The integrity of the World Handicap System relies on all key stakeholders, ensuring that the requirements set down within the rules of handicapping are satisfied and that they carry out their respective responsibilities. By following the iGolf handicap procedures, iGolfers are ensuring they create and submit scores in line with the Rules.

“As iGolf operates as a digital subscription service without a physical club, it is a requirement that all scores are created, submitted and attested via the MyEG app. We have robust measures and processes in place to monitor how scores are submitted and ensure compliance with our procedures.”

Sometimes it’s easy to forget the bigger picture. Nomadic golfers are fortunate to be able to maintain official handicaps without being club members. While you might think there’s no harm in sending a card to someone several miles away, it undermines the whole system.

“A golfer’s playing record on the WHS stays with them for life as they have a lifelong membership number, meaning if they leave iGolf to join a club or leave the game and come back again in the future, they will retain the same playing record. It is therefore essential to ensure that scores are submitted correctly and consistently,” adds Hodgson.

“Integrity is a huge part of the game and the World Handicap System and the rules and procedures are designed to support this.”