Team Captains Information

The 2008 Essex Golf Cup will be a pairs Stableford competition, played off full handicap.  Each pair will consist of a Christian and their playing partner should be a not-yet-believer at the time they enter the competition.  

We have initially booked 8 tee times, allowing us 16 teams to enter the competition. We should be able to increase the booking if we get a large confirmed interest.  A Church may enter more than one team.  This year’s winners will be determined by aggregate Stableford score. 

The intention is by building an ongoing relationship, where faith is known about, open and comfortable alongside the Christian regularly praying for their playing partner, we will create an opportunity to share Jesus. We are not intending to try to ‘convert’ people ourselves, we are simple creating an opportunity to talk about Jesus and let God do the rest, in His time.  There will be a Golfing Christian Tract in every player’s goody-bag, which will also offer an extra avenue for people to follow up if they want to start to ask questions about Jesus but feel uncomfortable talking to friends. We do not employ high pressure tactics on the day.  Once again we will have a high profile guest, who we will ask to give a talk after dinner.  Whilst that talk will undoubtedly touch on their faith, it is intended to be a ‘sharing’ process about their life and experiences rather than an alter call.  All players are asked to stay for the meal. 

To be eligible as a regional qualifying competition winner and participant in the National Christian Golf Cup, we require people to have either (a) a CONGU handicap, which would typically be the handicap held by club member (b) a English Golf Union Associate handicap (c) A Christian Golf Society handicap.  We want the golfing part of the day to have genuine credibility - suggestions of banditry would undermine the evangelistic intent of the day as much as devalue the Essex Golf Cup.  Having spoken with the English Golf Union (the governing body for the amateur game) about this, we decided it was important to ensure everyone had a handicap.

We do not set a maximum handicap (other than the standard men’s and women’s maximum handicaps) and welcome golfers across the range of abilities.  Our event is aimed at people who play golf on a reasonably regular basis and we anticipate that many of those people will already have a handicap. If they don’t have one, but play regularly we feel that they probably would be interested and probably benefit in having one. If people don't currently have a handicap then we would encourage them to join the English Golf Union's Associate Membership programme (£45), which provides a recognised handicap and a low cost alternative to club membership. Alternatively people can let us have three scorecards and we will calculate a handicap for the event.

The overriding intention of the day is to be evangelistic and if people have friends who don't have handicaps, then we suggest you allow them to play, enjoy the day and come into contact with Jesus. However it must remain clear that they would not be eligible for the National Final.