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The January 2009 BGA Monthly Medal was played at The Mid Ocean Club. 21 men and two women participated and the best thing that can be said about the results is that they were published in the Royal Gazette a few days later. That has not always been the case so let's hope that at least that will continue as we progress through the year.

The purpose of the BGA Medals is to encourage the so-called better amateur golfers to come together once per month to do battle and to improve their tournament playing skills. Points are awarded based on results and the points serve to create a merit table of players. Points are also awarded to players based on their results in the three main national tournaments. In theory, as and when opportunities arise, teams to represent Bermuda are drawn from the merit table. In such instances, the merit table can be expanded to include players based overseas.

Of the 21 men who played in the January BGA Medal, two scored in the 70's, nine scored in the 80's, 2 scored in the 90's, and a full 8 players did not return a scorecard at all (my guess is because of slow play). Of the 2 women who played, one shot less than 100 and the other didn't. In my opinion, the results would seem to indicate quite clearly that the BGA Medal train has left the tracks and is very much on its way to nowhere.

Frankly, the whole concept seems to be falling apart. There is little, if any, promotion of the Monthly Medals. Certainly, the monthly events are not being supported by the better amateurs in Bermuda. What should be of interest to the better amateurs has failed to catch their attention. Entry into the BGA Monthly Medals is supposedly restricted to players of a certain handicap but this too seems to have been relaxed, presumably so as to attract at least some players.

The regrettable conclusion that I therefore reach about the BGA Medals is this - it appears to have fallen into a black hole of virtual nothingness. In addition, from the looks of it, the Medal programme is not receiving the care and attention from the BGA that it deserves.

Harsh words, maybe, but I'm calling it as I see it. I hope that I'm wrong but somehow I doubt it.

Given this apparent lack of interest in the Monthly Medals from the BGA, why should the better amateurs be interested? After all, the better amateurs can find competitive things to do on their own. Does it really matter anyway? Should we even care?

Well, yes, it does matter and, yes, we certainly should care. Golf teaches us so much more than how to hit a little ball into a little hole. Played properly, attributes such as integrity, honesty and respect all come as part of the game of golf. Today's Bermuda would certainly be a lot better off if we had more of those attributes on display.

In my opinion, the BGA has a responsibility to create a golfing environment that has purpose, momentum and vibrancy, one where someone coming along in the Bermuda golf world can be inspired to achieve. The BGA of old somehow managed to do exactly that since, when I was coming along, there were a number of us who were so inspired.

Sadly, something seems to have been lost along the way and I fear that it will not be easy for the BGA to turn the ship around. Apathy of players, cost constraints, unwilling golf courses no doubt all contribute to the problem. However, where there is a will, there is also always a way, and what is required is the commitment to find it. The BGA should work hard to build community support for golf which, in turn, may help towards creating a more robust and exciting environment for golfers in Bermuda. It clearly won't be easy but then anything in life worth doing usually isn't.[[In-content Ad]]

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