Standard Scratch Review - Decision

What is the Standard Scratch Score?

The Standard Scratch Score (SSS) is a measure of the playing difficulty of a golf course for a scratch golfer under normal midseason course and weather conditions. It is determined in accordance with either:

• The Course Rating System of the United States Golf Association or
• The Rating System adopted by the English Golf Union.
The USGA Course Rating System takes account of the measured length of a golf course together with factors that affect both the playing length and the playing difficulty (obstacle factors).
The ten obstacle factors that determine the playing difficulty of a golf course are:

Topography Fairway Green Target Recoverability & Rough Bunkers Out of Bounds / Extreme Rough Water Hazards Trees Green Surface Psychological The factors that affect the course playing length are: Roll Wind Forced Lay-up / Dogleg Elevation Each hole on the golf course is evaluated on a scale 0-10 for each of the ten obstacles and account taken of the effective length correction factors e.g. the effective playing length of a fast running links course is quite different from that of a moorland course with soft fairways.

The Rating System of the English Golf Union also takes account of playing difficulty and length correction factors.

As a result of the above definition the Committee at the Manor requested a review of our SSS

In December 2007 officials from the Herts Golf Union visited the Manor of Groves to review the Standard Scratch Score for the White and Yellow Tees. The officials were impressed by what they saw and put together a report for further analysis to ensure that the SSS reflected the difficulty of the course.
The results have finally been received from the Herts Golf Union and with great regret I have to inform the Male Golfers at the Manor there is no change to the current Standard Scratch of 70 for the White Tees and 68 for the Yellow Tees.

So just to reiterate this means that with a Par 71 and a SSS of 70 you need to score 37 Stableford Pts to make par before any Competition Standard Scratch adjustments are made.

MANY APOLOGIES FROM THE COMMITTEE, WE TRIED TO HAVE THE SSS INCREASED BUT THE HGU THOUGHT OTHERWISE!

Golfers Beware

Today, I got up early, put on my long johns, dressed quietly, made coffee,
grabbed my clubs, slipped quietly into the garage, loaded my clubs into the car, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour.

There was snow mixed with the rain and the wind was blowing a gale. I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad throughout the day.

I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. There I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered 'The weather out there is terrible.'

She sleepily replied, 'I know, can you believe my stupid husband is out
golfing in that shit.'

Captains Choice Charity Team Event - Thanks to all

Thanks to all the members who took part in the Captains Choice Team Charity Event, together we raised £130 for the Captains Charity.

The Team event took an unusual format this year with the team score being made up of 3 separate 6 holes. The Competition was a team stableford, with full handicap allowance, with the holes 1 to 6 using the best 2 from 4 scores, holes 7 to 12 using the best 3 from the 4 scores and finally holes 13 -18 using all 4 scores.

To set a standard the par for the competition was 108. Weather conditions were extremely cold with a chill wind blowing in from the East. The scores were excellent and any team breaking 100pts were well in the mix, until, yes as is the norm at the MOG, a team posted and incredible score. The Winners with an excellent 118pts was messieurs Steve Lythell, Stu Lythell, Steve Barker and Chris Rixon who are pictured with our Captains Graham Purnell and Clare Surgeon.

News from abroad!

During a recent trip to Cyprus, 3 lady members took on the delights on offer from the Aphrodite Hill Golf Course during the clubs Winter Open. This blog is proud to announce that the winner of the Ladies Winter Open 08 is none other than our own Stephanie McDonald. Congratulations Steph (more ammo for the Handicap Committee).

Steph is pictured with the other winners.

Daily Mail Foursome Qualifiers

Saturday 9th Feb witnessed the Manor of Groves qualifier for the honour of representing the MOG in the Daily Mail Foursomes. The event has both men’s and ladies sections with the final 16 in both the men’s and ladies travelling to the Dalmahoy Hotel near Edinburgh the finals week in Oct 2008.

So the result = representing the ladies section will be Denise Beasley and Guilia Lawless who scored a superb 35 pts. Representing the Men will be Mark Riley and Colin McDonald who scored 39 pts.

Congratulations and good luck to both pairs in the forthcoming fixtures, to be played by the 6 April, against the pairs from Woodford Golf Club. The ladies will be at home and the men playing away at Woodford.

They went - they saw - they Conquered

The Transatlantic challenge that took place from the 13th January – 20th January this year was slightly different, as the 24 Man UK team included 2 members from the Manor of Groves. The UK Team captained by ex-International Scottish footballer Murdo Macleod included Mark Riley and Colin McDonald who qualified via a Regional qualifier at The Hertfordshire and a National Qualifier at the Forest of Arden.
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The event took place in over 4 days over 4 different courses in the Las Vegas area, the competition was simple, 24 Men from the UK took on 24 Men from the Vegas area in a Ryder Cup type format. On the first 3 days day different pairings were sent out to do battle over Canyons Gate Country Club; The Wolf Course at Paiute Golf Club Resort; Desert Springs Golf Course. The final day witnessed 24 single matches played over the beautiful Bali Hai Golf club

The upshot of the 4 days was a victory to the UK for the first time in 4 years.