Pringle Winner Loses Amateur Status

When Lawrence Bailey attended Pringle's Gleneagles weekend, he knew that a Land Rover Discovery was on offer for the nearest-the-pin competition, writes Robin Barwick. What Bailey didn't know beforehand was that he would knock his 5-iron to within a couple feet of the hole at the 196-yard 7th on the Wee Course to secure the £28,000 prize. "I just hit it as hard as I could and it went as straight as an arrow," said Bailey, a partner in retailer The Complete Golfer in Northwood, Middlesex.

Clearly in breach of the R&A's rules of amateur status, Bailey is now classed as a 'non-amateur' and can no longer represent his club Pinner Hill in external competitions.

As a non-amateur, Bailey's status is no longer the business of the R&A. It is up to Pinner Hill's board members to decide whether Bailey can play in internal competitions off his former amateur handicap of six or whether he must play off scratch. Fellow members have mixed views - some believe that Bailey should still be able to play off six within the confines of the club whereas others think that if he wants to drive up to the club in his brand new Discovery he should play off scratch until his re-instatement as an amateur.

Bailey believes the R&A ruling is antiquated in an age where amateurism and professionalism in sport are becoming increasingly comfortable bedfellows. "I'm being persecuted having done nothing wrong. It wasn't my idea to offer the prize, although I'm delighted that Pringle did."

The issue of prize limits for amateurs has been thoroughly debated, and as the R&A's Grant Moir said: "The R&A have to look at the bigger picture. If large financial prizes were available, it could result in abuses to the game and the spirit in which it is played. The R&A have not received any great sway from their members to alter the situation."

An area which is less clear, though, is how long Bailey must wait for re-instatement. The R&A have sent him an application form, which will be put to the amateur status committee, but Moir said there was "no set time" in which the situation would be addressed.

Although Bailey is confident that the Pinner Hill board will allow him to play off his club handicap internally, he could face a long wait before playing in other amateur competitions again.