🏌️‍♂️Ruben’s Weekly Update

The Golf Collective
November 17, 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!

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🏌️‍♂️Ruben’s Weekly Update

🔥 The 8v8 Valor Squad Battle – End of Season Finale

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Update: Golf Australia Connect Issues & What We’re Pushing to Fix

🏌️‍♂️ RUBEN’S WEEKLY TGC UPDATE

The Golf Collective – Week of November 17, 2025

We’re down to the business end of the season — and it’s been one of the most exciting finishes we’ve ever seen. Between the Teams Championship final, TWD 4×4 Cup Race finale, and a 2026 schedule that’s bigger than ever, there’s plenty to get through this week 👇

🐅 Teams Championship Final Locked In
It’s official — after Sunday’s round at The Cut, where the Royals couldn’t quite pull off the top-three lockout, the Spartans have secured 2nd place and will now lock horns with the Panthers this Sunday at Links Kennedy Bay to decide the 2025 Teams Championship winners!

🏆 What’s on the line:

Winning team: 15% off next membership renewal

Runners-up: 5% off next renewal

One lucky member from the winning team will score the MAJOR PASS — free entry to all four majors in 2026!

The Major Pass winner will be drawn at Last Slice during the 100 Club Night 🍕

Amongst all the action, there’s also a field of 20 competing in a two-ball ambrose — so expect a cracking day out.

👉 Want to know how the Teams Championship final plays out?
Find out more here.

🏁 TWD 4×4 Cup Race Final – Top 10 Locked In
Congratulations to the final ten contenders after an incredible season — it all comes down to the 2025 TWD 4×4 Cup Race Final next Sunday at Gosnells Golf Club!

Position – Player
🥇 1st Drew Daley
🥈 2nd Liam Duffield
🥉 3rd Blair Robinson
4th James Bleakley
5th Peta Brown
6th Roland Ward
7th David Grafton
8th Ruben Martins
9th Brodie Butler
10th Emily Mann

💰 The top ten earn a unique event discount:
1st = 100% off, 2nd = 90%, 3rd = 80%, and so on down to 10th = 10%.

It’s also a double-points round, meaning anyone in the top 10 could still steal the overall crown. With 60 players in the field and only the top 20 earning points, it’s wide open! Expect on-course media, sponsor activations, and plenty of excitement.

Good luck to everyone chasing glory 👊

📅 2026 Schedule – It’s Big
It’s nearly here — and it’s a monster. We’re finalising a 62-event calendar for 2026, with an event every single week including trips to a few regional coures planned – even Rottnest! You asked for it, so we’re making it happen. That said, we’re still a small (but mighty) team behind the scenes, so if you spot the occasional error or glitch — please let us know. It helps us stay sharp.

🗓️ The full 2026 schedule drops mid-December, along with a few new formats, prizes, and experimental ideas we’ll trial next year based on what we learned in 2025.

Your feedback — good, bad, or blunt — continues to shape how we grow. Keep it coming!

⚙️ GA Connect Update
Finally, a bit of positive news — Golf Australia are starting to accept responsibility for the mess that’s been going on. They’ve updated their official “known issues” list with clearer info on what’s broken and how they’re fixing it. It’s still not perfect, but we’re heading in the right direction. If you see anything odd on your handicap record, let us know so we can get it fixed quickly.

📱 Golf Genius – Android Users Read This
We’re aware of a “spinning wheel of death” issue for Android users when logging into daily scoring via the Golf Genius app. There’s an open ticket with their dev team, and they’re working on it.

Until it’s sorted:

Submit a manual scorecard via the Members Area, or

Upload a screenshot from any scoring app and we’ll process it manually.

📘 Rule of the Week – Unplayable Lies
This one confuses a lot of golfers, but it’s actually simple once you know it.

If you declare your ball unplayable (under Rule 19.2), you’ve got three options, each with a one-stroke penalty:

Stroke and Distance – Play another ball from where you hit your last shot.

Back-on-the-Line Relief – Drop a ball anywhere on a straight line behind where the ball lay, keeping that point between you and the hole.

Lateral Relief (within two club lengths) – Drop a ball within two club lengths of where it lies, but not nearer the hole.

Knowing these options can save you big time during competition rounds.

💬 Member Feedback – Event Costs (Full Explanation)
We’ve had a few questions about event pricing lately — and fair enough, times are tough for everyone right now (including us). So here’s a clear breakdown of how it all works, no smoke and mirrors.

Courses set their own green fees — and we don’t receive discounts.
Social clubs used to get better rates years ago, but with golf booming, most courses now fill their tee sheets easily without groups like ours.
We add a competition fee of $20 for regular events and $40 for majors.
This covers trophies, admin, and all the extras that go into running an event properly.
Events with catering simply pass on the food cost.
There’s no markup — whatever the venue charges, we charge.
We operate on the 70/30 model.
70% of comp fees go straight back to members in prizes.
30% goes to TGC to cover operational costs.
On a $20 comp fee, that works out to $6 per player — that $6 keeps the club alive.

This is worth emphasising:
👉 Most (if not all) other social clubs operate on a 60/40 model or lower.
So our 70/30 structure is actually one of the more generous setups out there.

We can’t pay out prizes in cash.
That’s an R&A rule (Rule 3.2a(5)), which prevents amateur golfers from receiving cash prizes. That’s why we use vouchers and sponsor products. Only Hole-in-One prizes and Pro Pin are allowed to be paid in cash. Their rules – not ours. 😢

🔍 A bit of extra context — because we’re all about transparency
We’ve also noticed something happening more often this year:

There have been occasions where the course has charged us a higher green fee than their publicly advertised online price.

When we’ve questioned it, the answer is usually:

“That’s an online-only rate — social clubs fall under corporate booking pricing.”

It doesn’t make much sense to us either. Because of this “corporate rate,” we’ve even missed out on things like lunch specials or cart deals that casual online bookings get — while still paying full rate.

The important part: we’re not letting this slide into 2026. We’ve built a new internal system that tracks online prices, compares them with what we’re quoted, and gives us the ability to push back when something doesn’t look right.

Our goal is simple:
✔️ Make sure we’re getting you the best possible value
✔️ Ensure fairness and consistency
✔️ Avoid paying inflated “group rates” with no added benefit

We get it – and we care. We’re doing everything we can to keep TGC affordable, sustainable, and enjoyable for everyone — while still delivering the best social golf experience to our community.

💼 2026 Sponsorships Now Open
Speaking of sponsors — we’re now locking in partnerships for 2026. If you or someone you know owns a business that wants to get involved, check out: 👉 www.thegolfcollective.com.au/sponsor

There’s something for every budget — from small prize sponsors to major event naming rights.

🔦 Sponsor Spotlight – Reclab
This week’s spotlight is on Reclab — Perth’s leading recovery centre helping golfers (and everyday athletes) get back to feeling their best. Whether you’ve just come off a big weekend of golf or your body’s feeling the grind of the season, Reclab’s state-of-the-art recovery facilities have you covered — from ice baths and compression therapy to infrared saunas and recovery boots.

They’re all about improving mobility, reducing fatigue, and speeding up recovery so you can perform at your best, round after round.

👉 Visit Reclab to book your first session or learn more.

🛠️ December Break & What’s Coming
December’s our reset month. The team takes a step back to:

Update systems and clean member data

Review and refine event processes

Prep for a smoother, bigger 2026

We’ve learned a few lessons this year (bit off more than we could chew toward the end), so this is our time to get everything right for next season. We’ve also added more event spots next year to help reduce waitlists — and our focus for 2026 is all about one word: COMMUNITY.

Expect more connection, more inclusion, and more quality experiences — not just quantity.

💬 Member Group on Facebook
If you’re not already active in the members’ Facebook group — jump in! Post, connect, and tee up games through December while the main calendar’s quiet. Plenty of members belong to private clubs, so if you’re chasing a round at somewhere new, throw up a post — you might just score yourself an invite! (P.S. I’m at Melville Glades — guests can join for social rounds Tuesdays and Thursdays if anyone’s keen 😉)

💯 100 Club Reminder
There are still a few 100 Club numbers available — but they’re moving fast. If you’ve been thinking about jumping in, now’s the time!

👉 Get your number now!

💚 That’s It for This Week
Another huge week, another step closer to wrapping up an incredible 2025 season. As always, thank you for being part of The Golf Collective — the best social golf community in Australia (and growing stronger every day).

See you out there,
– 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.