The club has a number of knock-out competitions that take place during the year:

JH Taylor – singles KO for men with handicap index of 16.4 or less at time of draw

Two Courses Cup – singles KO for men with handicap index above 16.4 at time of draw. Max 32 playing handicap

Challenge Cup – singles KO for women. Max 38 playing handicap

Men’s Pairs – Better ball KO. Max 32 playing handicap

Double C Cup – Women’s better ball KO. Max 38 playing handicap

Mixed Foursomes – Alternate shot mixed KO. Max playing handicaps of 32 for men and 38 for women. Each pair can choose whether the man or woman plays the odds or even holes – you do not have to play the same way round as your opponents if you prefer not to.

When are they played?

Once the draw has been made opponents should make contact in a timely manner.

Except in exceptional circumstances e.g external club match commitments, extensions will not be given. For the men’s and mixed KOs any such requests should go to the Club Captain. for the women, it is the women’s captain.

All the above events are deemed to be ‘weekend KOs’ ie players must be prepared and willing to play at the weekend but obviously can play at any time and if desired by all, on any course.

Organising matches, especially when 4 people are involved is never easy when it comes to main holiday season and often the rounds only have a 4 week window. Flexibility is therefore often required and perhaps a discussion with a proposed pairs partner about any 2 week holiday you have planned before submitting an entry.

How are they played?

All Knock-out competitions are matchplay events. So a hole is either won, halved or lost. The match is over when one side has more wins than there are holes left to play – all matches are played over 18 holes unless by prior agreement to all involved.

If the sides are level after 18 holes, you start again at hole 1 continuing until one side wins a hole and the match is over (sudden death)

Men’s KOs are played from the white tees using the men’s card.

Women’s KOs from the red tees using the women’s card

Mixed Foursomes use the women’s card and stroke indices.

Shot Allowance

Each of the different formats has its own shot allowance.

Singles – Handicap Allowance is 100%

The player with the higher course handicap receives the shots. For example: Player A’s course handicap is 25 and Player B’s is 18. On stroke index holes 1-7, player B gets a shot. Meaning that if Player B finishes with a 6 and Player A a 5 they have halved the hole.

Pairs – Handicap Allowance is 90% with shots taken from the person with the lowest course handicap.

Calculate course handicap (CH) and take 90% to get the playing handicap(PH) :

Team1 A: CH – 18 PH = 16. B: CH-20, PH – 18. Team 2 C: CH – 19, PH – 17, D: CH – 25, PH – 23

Player A has the lowest handicap, so everyone takes their shots from A. Player B gets 2, player C gets 1 and player D gets 7. Using the stroke indices to indicate which hole.

Mixed – Handicap Allowance is half the combined difference.

Calculate course handicaps and add together for each team. Halve it and then calculate the difference Shots are taken from the women’s card

Etiquette

Deciding who tees off first should be done by the toss of a coin (or something similar) with the opposing side calling heads or tails. The side that wins elects either to play first or second.

If the first hole is halved, the honour remains with the side who teed off first until they lose a hole.

Strokeplay has used the concept of ready golf for some years now, but in matchplay the side furthest from the holes should always play their next shot first. If played out of turn, the opponent is within their rights to ask for the shot to be retaken. However, in a better-ball match a player can ask their partner to go first without penalty.

Playing out of turn is of more relevance on the green. An opponent cannot hole-out because they want to, unless in a pairs match, their partner would be the next person to putt.

Unlike strokeplay, the par for the hole is irrelevant and can be won (or lost) with a 10, but it does not have to be finished and can be ‘given’. For example, if one side is on the green and putting for a 4 and the other side has got there with a 7 with no shots to be given or received. The hole can be conceded,

Putts can also be given if within a couple of inches of the hole – just remember to add that shot to the score. There is no requirement to give such putts and the length of a ‘gimme’ is completely down to the players