EGCOA questions changes handicapping system EGA

Amsterdam , NL - 1 September 2011: The EGCOA is worried by the proposed changes by the EGA on the handicapping system. Following the statement made earlier by the German Owners Association BVGA, the EGCOA is worried that the proposed changes will have a negative effect on the development of membership golf. The Austrian Golf Federation have stated that they will not follow the proposed changes.

Marcel Welling, President EGCOA: "Golf is more and more becoming a leisure pastime. The new golfer is not looking for complicated handicap systems, but for a good time on the golf course. The system seems to be too complicated already for the average golfer. The new changes will make the game even less attractive for the biggest group of golfers."

The proposed changes will make it possible for clubs to decide whether a member can or cannot play in club tournaments. Club members who pay the full playing right might not be able to play due to a new system, which seems not right. In the new system golf clubs can get an "inactive" handicap and might not be allowed to play tournaments with the inactive status.

The new Computed Buffer Adjustment (CBA) brings more uncertainty to the outcome for the player: the buffer might be changed due to the outcome of the top 10 players of a tournament.

The EGCOA and the BVGA are worried that all of these very complicated new rules will make golf less attractive and will lead to economic disadvantages for golf clubs and golf course operators. Additional unattractive intricacies regarding the game of golf do not exactly make it any easier to welcome new members to the clubs.

Alexander Baron von Spoercken, President of the BVGA and vice-President of the EGCOA: "It is generally know that membership golf is not growing in most parts of Europe. Many golf courses suffer financially due to this situation. Given this circumstance it seems logical to make golf more attractive for players instead of more complicated."