Competition Fee Payment – FAQ’s

[REVISED 1st AUGUST 2021], NEW Q17; Q2, Q11 & Q16 UPDATED

Club members were recently advised of the intention to make use of Handicap Master’s Competition Purse Facility to pay competition fees. In this scheme, members put a lump sum into their ‘purse’, and a fee is extracted from it each time a competition is played.

This system of fee payment was brought into force in December 2020. The following paragraphs in the style of an FAQ provide more detail on how you use this system.

1. What is the Competition Purse?

The competition purse is a function of HandicapMaster (HM) which the club uses for managing all golf related matters, eg sign up, sign in, recording scores, publishing results and handicaps.

The purse adds to this by managing the collection of entry fees from a player and automatically deducting the amount due when signing in for the competition. This means that instead of paying the entry fee prior to each competition the player can make a lump sum payment and draw on this balance for every competition he plays.

2. How does it work?

See Q10 below for how to see your balance.

When signing in to the competition the entry fee will be deducted from the players balance.

if you have insufficient funds in your Competition Purse to pay your entry fee then you will be excluded from all prizes relating to that competition.

3. How do I pay into it?

The player makes a lump sum payment to the clubs bank account for any amount (there’s no minimum) as shown below:

Name of Account:	Easthampstead Golf Club
Sort Code:	51-81-22
Account:	01605763
Reference:	Comps-Name (eg Comps-S Cross)

The club now operates as cashless and requires all payments to be made to the clubs bank account as above. Should this cause you any difficulty please contact the Treasurer for further advice.

Please pay at least working 3 days prior to the competition and use ‘same day’ transfer or equivalent as it takes 3 days to be credited to the Clubs bank account. Not paying early enough may result in you having insufficient funds to play in the competition.

This screenshot shows what appears in the club’s bank account for 3 working days, after which your name appears and your Purse can then be credited..

Best advice is to top up with a lump sum periodically and well in advance of any competition you are playing in.

4. Can I pay for competitions in cash on the day?

No. All entry fees must be paid from the competition purse.

5. Can I pay a regular amount by Standing Order?

Yes, but if you wish to do so please contact the Treasurer before setting this up to ensure the reference uniquely identifies you. The Club does not have a Direct Debit licence, so this option is not available.

6. What else can be credited to it?

As a matter of routine winnings from nearest the pins or a share of 2s will automatically be credited to the players purse.

A player can also elect at prize giving to have all or part of their winnings credited to their purse, see prize giving notice for more information. This applies from 2021 onwards.

7. Can I pay for other things from the competition purse?

No. The purse can only be used for competitions. If paying for say clothing, then the payment must be made to the same bank account but using the reference ‘Clothing-Name’. For away days, socials etc separate payment instructions will be on the published notes.

8. Are contributions for Senior Friendlies and External competitions paid from the Purse?

Yes, the relevant amount will be deducted as soon as the Treasurer has received confirmation of who played. The amount to be deducted can be found on the ‘Externals tab’.

9. Are entry fees for Majors paid from it?

Yes. The minimum (e.g., 7 day Season Ticket) fee will be deducted when signing in as its not possible to have multiple fees for the same competition. If you don’t have a 7 day ticket, then the balance will be deducted shortly after the tee times are published. Should you subsequently withdraw then the fee will be refunded back to you purse.

10. How can I view my balance?

A player can view their balance when signing in via HM and selecting ‘My Golf’. The balance will show on that page just beneath your handicap.

11. How can I view my transactions?

A player can view their transactions by request to the Treasurer. This enhancement has been requested of HM and will update the FAQ should it become live.

12. If I leave EGC (eg move away) do I get my money back?

Yes. Should you decide to leave us then the Treasurer will refund your balance to you on request.

Ordinarily we would not expect to refund balances unless they become a significant figure.

13. How do I know my Purse has been credited?

The treasurer will regularly post credits to HM from the Clubs bank account and once posted HM will send you a receipt via email which confirms that your balance has now been updated.

Please pay at least 3 days prior to the competition and use ‘same day’ transfer or equivalent as it takes 3 days to be credited to the Clubs bank account. Not paying early enough may result in you having insufficient funds to play in the competition. Best advice is to ensure you always have a minimum of say £20 in the Purse.

14. Can I use the ‘Top Up Competition Purse’ button?

No. This is not currently live for EGC and is unlikely to be made live as the cost of utilising it will be in the region of £1,000 per annum. The cost is 2.65% of the amount paid in plus 50p per transaction (Purse income is est to be £29,000 pa).

15. Is there a separate bank account for paying into the Purse?

No, the Club has just the one account, see Q3 above.

16. Why are Competition Results not published same day as WHS is updated each day?

Results can be published same day if there are no issues with the scorecards but on occasions these will be delayed whilst queries are resolved.

17. If I have a negative balance after signing in, can I still compete?

No. Should you have insufficient funds in your Competition Purse to pay your entry fee then you will be excluded from all prizes relating to that competition.
If you leave it until the last minute to pay into the bank, then it’s likely that you will be excluded or at the very least hold up publication of the results for 2 or 3 days. If the event is one of our Major competitions (eg Captains Day) when prizes are awarded on the day then you will be excluded from all prizes even if payment is ‘in transit’.