TGC Weekly Update (Members) – Week of October 21, 2025

The Golf Collective
October 21, 2025

Ready to get started? Join us today and let’s hit the course together sometime! Whether you’re looking to get an official handicap for the first time or wanting to improve your existing one, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Golf is a game for everyone, and with a handicap, you can fairly compete against one another, regardless of skill level.

So come on, let’s play golf and enjoy the beautiful courses Australia has to offer!

Latest Post

TGC Weekly Update (Members) – Week of October 21, 2025

GA Connect Drama: What’s Actually Going On with Golf Australia’s New Handicap System

The Top 10 Most Common Rules Everyone Should Know in Competition Golf

Beginner Guide to Golf – How to Get Your Golf ID & Handicap in Australia (Beginner’s Guide)

🏌️‍♂️ Member’s Weekly Update

Hi Members!

Another huge week in the world of TGC! Between the Southern Swing, the Royal Fremantle Major, and the chaos that is Golf Australia’s new system — there’s a lot to cover. Grab a drink, settle in, and let’s get into it 👇

🍷 Southern Swing Recap

What. A. Weekend.

It was incredible to see our TGC family all together again for our second Southern Swing! Three courses, some massive pizzas, one massive road trip, and endless laughs (plus a few dodgy tee shots). With such a diverse bunch of personalities, it’s always amazing to see how well everyone connects and supports each other out there.

Huge congrats to our top three overall:
🏆 1st – Jimmy Walters (SPARTANS)
🥈 2nd – Nicki Godecke (PANTHERS)
🥉 3rd – Peta Brown (SPARTANS)

📊 View Full Results Here
📸 The photo gallery will be uploaded later this week, so keep an eye out for some cracking shots!

🌧️ Royal Fremantle – The Storm We Survived

Yesterday’s Honda Australia Spring Cup, brought to you by The Chiropractic Hub was one for the books. We genuinely thought we weren’t getting out there with the weather rolling through, but we did — and it turned into a brilliant day of golf.

Despite the conditions, the scores were seriously impressive.
Top 3 on the day:
🏆 1st – Blair Robinson (42pts)
🥈 2nd – Ruben Martins (41pts)
🥉 3rd – James Foster-Reed (40pts)

📊 View Full Results Here
There won’t be too many photos this time (electronics and torrential rain don’t mix well), but those who braved it — well done!

🐅 TGC Teams Championship Final

We’re down to the wire! The Teams Championship Final heads to Links Kennedy Bay, and it’s shaping up to be epic.
The Panthers look locked in for first place… but who will they face? The Spartans? The Royals? Or will the Vipers pull something wild out of the bag?
Anything can happen — and that’s what we love about it.

⚙️ GA Connect Saga – The Never-Ending Story

The Golf Australia “upgrade” continues to be… a total mess. Handicaps are jumping around, records are wrong, and clubs nationwide are stuck waiting for fixes that haven’t arrived.

We’re still at the mercy of GA, and unfortunately, it looks like these issues could continue for the rest of the year. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we ride this out — it’s affecting every club, not just us.

If your handicap record looks strange, or there’s a score that doesn’t belong there — please contact GA directly. When they hear it from individual members, they tend to listen louder.

🏌️‍♀️ Wilson Fitting Night – Tomorrow!

Still a few spots left for our Wilson Fitting Night tomorrow at Outtabounds.
No obligation to buy — it’s simply a great chance to find out what shaft and club setup suits you best.
🎯 Seriously helpful for your game.

👉 Register Here

⛳ Upcoming Events

TGC Juniors Event – This Saturday
Wanneroo – This Weekend: SOLD OUT. Waitlist open.
Two-Ball Ambrose Events:
- Friday 31st Oct at Gosnells (Corporate Partner Event – TGC Members Invited)
- Sunday 2nd Nov at Hartfield (TGC Event – Earn valuable team points!)

Pair up and lock it in — these fill fast.

👉 View Upcoming Events

🏆 TWD 4×4 Cup Race – Final Stretch!

We’re nearing the TWD 4×4 Cup Race Final, and the leaderboard has well and truly taken shape.
There were some massive moves after Royal Fremantle — you can check out the updated standings below.

📊 View Leaderboard Here

💆‍♂️ Chiropractic Hub

A quick shoutout to Dr Andrew and the team at Chiropractic Hub.
If you haven’t yet, make the most of the $49 first session offer — it’s a no-brainer if you want to improve mobility, reduce pain, and unlock some extra meters off the tee.
Book your session here → Chiropractic Hub

📏 Rules Corner – Provisional Balls

This week’s reminder: Model Rule E-5 (Alternative to Stroke and Distance). Save yourself time without having to run all the way back to the teebox. Learn more about it HERE.
Furthermore — if you know your original ball is safe or on the fairway, and you hit another one anyway, that’s a two-stroke penalty.
So if you can see it, don’t hit it “just in case.” 😉

🧾 Member Feedback – Novelty Markers

We’ve had a few instances where novelty markers have gone missing during two-tee starts (likely picked up by public groups between rotations).

We’ll now be adding a “distance” column on the novelty sheets — players can note their distance and have a witness sign it off. The marker discs will still be in use, but this gives us a reliable backup if the discs go walkabout.

📱 Social Scoring & GA Issues

Social scoring is still unreliable while GA’s system rebuild continues.
You can still use it for scoring, but we can’t guarantee submissions will process correctly — this applies to both mobile and manual scorecards.

We’re doing what we can, but again, this one’s out of our hands for now. We will update everyone as soon as things are back to normal (it could be a few days or even weeks yet… 😥)

🫱🏼‍🫲🏽 Refer a Mate!

We’re almost at the end of the season, but there’s still plenty of golf to be played.
If you’ve got friends keen to join the club, share one of these codes:

🎟️ TENOFF – 10% off their first-year membership
🎟️ 30FREE – One-month free trial

The more members, the stronger the community!

💬 Final Word

As always, we love hearing your feedback — good, bad, or somewhere in between.
It’s how we keep improving and make sure this stays the best golf community to be part of.

Thanks again for being part of the ride — see you out there soon.

Cheers!

Ruben
Managing Director – The Golf Collective

Golf is a game of skill, strategy, and precision. For players of different abilities, competing fairly can be a challenge without a standardized system. That’s where the golf handicap comes in, ensuring a level playing field for all golfers, from beginners to professionals. In this guide, we’ll dive into why having a handicap is beneficial and answer essential questions like what should my handicap be, how long does it take to get a handicap, and more.

What is a Golf Handicap?

A golf handicap is a numerical measure that represents a golfer’s potential skill level. It helps players of different abilities compete fairly, by adjusting the number of strokes a golfer is allowed to take. In essence, the lower the handicap, the better the player.

For example, if Golfer A has a handicap of 5 and Golfer B has a handicap of 15, Golfer B will receive additional strokes to even out the competition, making it fair for both players.

Encourages Goal-Setting and Personal Challenges

For many golfers, lowering their handicap is a key goal. This system encourages players to focus on improving specific areas of their game and set personal goals. As you see your handicap drop, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment that drives you to keep practising and improving your skills.

Facilitates Tournament Participation

Many tournaments require participants to have an official handicap. Without one, you might miss out on a wide range of opportunities to compete in organised events at local clubs, amateur competitions, or even larger tournaments. Having a handicap ensures you’re eligible for these events and that you can compete fairly.

Supports Strategic Course Management

Knowing your handicap also allows you to make smarter decisions on the course. Players with higher handicaps might focus on playing conservatively, while lower handicap golfers can take more risks. By integrating your handicap into your strategy, you’ll improve your overall performance and learn to manage the course more effectively.

What Should My Handicap Be?

One of the most common questions new golfers ask is, what should my handicap be? For beginners, it’s typical to start with a high handicap, such as 20-36 for men or 20-40 for women. As you gain experience and improve, your handicap will decrease.

For an average golfer, handicaps usually range between 10-20. Experienced players often have handicaps under 10, and professionals typically play with a handicap close to zero or even in the “plus” range. The goal is to keep improving your game and lowering your handicap over time.

What Are Professional’s Handicaps?

How Long Does It Take to Get a Handicap?

A common query from new players is, how long does it take to get a handicap? Getting an official handicap typically requires submitting scores from 3 to 5 rounds of golf. These scores are used to calculate your handicap based on your performance and the difficulty of the courses you’ve played.

Once you’ve established a handicap, it will be updated as you play more rounds and submit additional scores. It’s essential to keep tracking your scores regularly to maintain an accurate handicap.

At The Golf Collective to establish a handicap, you’ll need to complete 54 holes. You can achieve this by playing three 18-hole rounds, six 9-hole rounds, or a combination of both. Ensure your scores are verified by a playing partner and submitted according to our straightforward guidelines. Be sure to keep your scorecard for each round.

How The Golf Collective Can Benefit You

You can submit all of the rounds you play, not just at your ‘home course’. You can play at any course recognized for handicapping, and your scores will still be valid. Our system allows you to enjoy golf wherever you choose while ensuring your handicap stays accurate and up to date.

Unlike clubs that rely on manual scorecards, our mobile scoring system offers a convenient, paperless solution for submitting your scores. This allows for quicker handicap updates and provides a more streamlined, modern golfing experience.

At The Golf Collective, you can enjoy a social round anytime, anywhere, and still have it count toward your handicap. Our flexible system lets you play on your schedule while keeping your handicap accurate and up to date.