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Todmorden's Unique Rainbow


At the end of November, past Seniors Captain Roger Wornell created what is believed to be the first Golf Course created especially for Ladies and Men to play, together and/or against, under the same course – the same set of tees. This is called The Rainbow because the colours used as the motif for the tee markers and scorecards are red, yellow and blue, the colours usually used to separate the Men's and Ladies courses. The Council have given a year to prove this Rainbow works.

The Seniors and Ladies sections got together because they could not agree how to compete in Seniors Competitions. The Ladies were not happy to play on the Men's White Course, and some Men thought that the usually Mixed Golf competition was against the first basic rule of the R&A, who quote, The Rules of Golf contemplate everyone in the same competition playing on the same set of tees.
The result was a card of 18 individual holes, nine from the Red Course, and nine from the Men's course. CONGU helped us, and indicated that the Ladies should have a four shot advantage. To do this the Ladies were originally given a par of 71 on The Rainbow, with par 5's on the 6th,13th and 17th. However, as forecast , the course could be amended as experience was played. After three competitions Ladies now also have a par 5 on the 12th, giving Ladies now a par of 72. The Men's par is 68. The card is now :-



First Nine Back Nine
Hole yards par Index T marker Hole Yards par Index T marker
1 335 4 13 Mens T box 10 270 4 14 Ladies T box
2 314 4 9 Mens T box 11 287 4 10 Ladies T box
3 325 4 5 Ladies T box 12 379 4/5 6 Mens T box
4 362 4 1 Ladies T box 13 440 4/5 2 Mens T box
5 150 3 17 Mens T box 14 105 3 18 Ladies T box
6 402 4/5 11 Mens T box 15 315 4 12 Ladies T box
7 145 3 15 Ladies T box 16 165 3 16 Mens T box
8 371 4 3 Ladies T box 17 405 4/5 4 Mens T box
9 333 4 7 Mens T box 18 282 4 8 Ladies T box
  2737 34/35     2648 34/37
              5385 68/72    



In the February Golf Monthly, Bill Elliott, the editor at large, and The Obsever's golf writer, praised Todmorden for the Rainbow Course. He endorsed the entire principle, and believed that this was the start of a small but significant revolution. Todmorden is probably now unique; not only the course idea itself, but unique in offering Ladies two golf course to play on. That is real value for lady golfers in this part of the world.

WHAT IS IT?

The Rainbow is a golf course created especially for playing Mixed Golf, when Ladies and Men play together with, and against, from a common set of tees.

WHY IS IT NEEDED?

The R&A golf rules clearly state the golf competitions should be played from the same set of tees.

The most common method of playing Mixed Golf is for the Ladies playing from their card (usually the red tees) and the Men playing from their own tees (usually white or yellow). This is hardly sociable, with the players separating at every hole. CONGU, in their brochure on Mixed Golf, stresses that it must be realised that this kind of competition is effectively being held on two separate courses. This is NOT in line with the ideal of the R&A rules of golf.

CONGU also states that making Ladies playing on the Men’s course is usually unfair on the Ladies, because the difference is too large to find a fair handicap allowance.

THE RAINBOW SOLUTION.

A Golf Club “creates” a new course from their existing golf tees – nine from the Ladies Red tees, and nine from the Men’s Yellow tees. The ideal could be to take the nine hardest from the Ladies card and the nine easiest from the Men’ card, thus taking the most common denominator. However, the selection is entirely for the choice of the Club’s management, but clearly the tees must be suitable for both genders. Choosing the Index 1 from the Men’s card, or with the hole with longest and hardest drive, is hardly likely to be in the interest of the competition!

THE HANDICAPS/ALLOWANCES.

Ideally the Management find (or initially estimate) the SSS for standard scratch Ladies, and also for the Men’s SSS. In their document about Mixed Golf, CONGU that the difference usually required is at least around 4-6 strokes difference for courses from 5600 yards to 6100 yards.

THE ADVANTAGES FOR THE RAINBOW COURSE

Golf goes back to the traditional Basic Rule of Golf – the Competition is held under a common set of tees.

It is more sociably as intended – playing together throughout the course without having to separate after every green.

Both players, Ladies & Men, play on at least nine holes on which they regularly play, and only have to adjust to 9 different tees. It doesn’t alter or change any existing courses , competitions or structures.

IT NEEDS NO CAPITAL COSTS, AND NO ADDITIONAL RUNNING COSTS. The club has a new course –FREE.

EXPERIENCED GAINED TO DATE

Both Ladies and Men like and enjoy playing together, and like playing on the new tees and holes, and are asking for playing these competitions more often.

Make certain that any of the “Men’s” holes chosen are not beyond the average Ladies drive – i.e. not requiring 150 yards to clear any penal rough.

Our experience suggests that you should take the higher of the CONGU guide lines – if in doubt, take the bigger increase for the Ladies handicap.

Gentlemen will probably be disappointed! ; The Men players will NOT smash the card because they are playing on some “ladies” holes! The majority of the Men WILL NOT beat the par from the 9 ladies holes!

EVERY GOLF CLUB SHOULD GET THEIR OWN RAINBOW – ITS FREE!

 

The new Rainbow is obviously a work in progress for any further informaion please contact its creator Roger Wornell at e-mail:Rainbow


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