Connacht club hit with laughable suspension for handicap system irregularity

I READ with interest this past week that a prominent golf club under the auspices of the Connacht Branch of the GUI was recently investigated for its management of the CONGU Unified Handicap System and, as a result, upon the recommendation of the Connacht Branch, the club was suspended by the GUI.

Great, was my initial reaction, as I simply cannot tolerate individuals or clubs manipulating the system for individual or team gain.

However, as I read further into the report I discovered that the suspension was for a period of twelve days from April 16 to 27 inclusive, during the current period when golf courses were closed because of Covid-19 guidelines.

This, to me, is totally laughable: why bother suspending a golf club that is closed anyway?

In a letter to its male members, the men’s committee of the club stated that they fully supported the GUI’s decision (of course they did because they weren’t affected by it) and that following the investigation they had received and accepted the resignation of two committee members as part of their measures/assurances of behaviour going forward. As a result of this, the Connacht Branch then brought the club’s submission to a meeting of the GUI at Carton House, who agreed to lift the suspension.

The report of the incident, including the name of the offending club, is available for all to read online but it has not been made public as to how the handicap system was manipulated.

Surely the leniency of the GUI in this case can only encourage other clubs who are currently engaged in this sort of thing to continue.