Frequently Asked Questions

What is Golf Premier League (GPL)?

GPL is a league-style competition played at a golf club within its normal club competitions. It creates a unique team spirit in what is primarily an individual sport.

What are the benefits for our club?

Club benefits include:

• Increasing profitability, with members playing more regularly and spending more time and money in the clubhouse
• Reducing membership attrition
• Attracting new members
• Creating a club atmosphere characterised by camaraderie and enjoyment
• Transcending friendship groups and bridging age, gender and ability gaps across club membership bases

What are the benefits for our members?

Participant benefits include:

• Players more motivated and having more fun on the golf course every week
• Discovering a new ‘team spirit’ dimension within their golf experiences – they are no longer playing just for themselves
• Engaged in their golf to the last putt, because every point they score could be the one that gets their team over the line on the day, or even for the season!
• Experiencing ‘pride in the jumper’ and establishing new bonds, friendships and rivalries

Can any club participate in GPL?

Yes. As the specific structure of GPL is determined by the club itself, any club, no matter how large or small, can conduct a League.

What is the format of GPL?

The Premiership League is the primary GPL competition. The Premiership League comprises a number of teams who play a regular season of matches followed by a finals series (similar to an AFL or Rugby League competition). Each club decides how many teams they would like in their League, how many team members comprise each team, and what number of scores contribute towards the team score. For example, a team may be 6 players, with the best 3 scores to count as the team score each week.

Other optional league formats are:

The Knockout: this is played during the finals of the Premiership, which allows the teams who missed the finals the opportunity to keep participating. This can be configured for all the teams, or just those who missed the finals series.

The Team Survivor: this is played during the regular season, with the worst scoring team being eliminated each week, until only one team remains and is crowned the GPL Team Survivor.

There is also the GPL Medallist at the completion of every season. This includes a “live count” of the best and fairest for that season. This creates an opportunity for a function at the club with a live leaderboard updating as the count progresses. Members compile confidential votes from each match of the regular season until the winner is revealed.

What impact does GPL have on our normal club competitions?

There is no impact on the club’s normal competitions. Players book, pay and play in the normal club competition as they do any other day. When a GPL competition is scheduled, the players’ scores are automatically calculated for the League competition.

A League can be played in conjunction with any Stroke, Stableford, Par or Aggregate competition and players are not required to play with their League team mates.

Can anyone play in GPL?

Yes. Anyone who is entitled to compete in your club competitions can participate in GPL. A League can be men, women or mixed.

Can we conduct more than one League?

Yes. For example, you may decide to have a League for your Saturday Men’s Competition, your Tuesday Women’s Competition, and/or your Sunday Mixed or Medley Competition.

Are there specific GPL Rules?

Yes. The League Rules include items such as scoring, ties, replacement players, postponements, etc.

How much time administratively is involved in conducting GPL?

There is minimal administrative workload for staff to conduct GPL. GPL has an automated software solution. Therefore, once the club establishes its League format, GPL's software produces all draws, results, tables, etc from the scores entered into GolfLink.

How much does GPL cost?

There is a cost per person per League that includes:

• Use of the GPL Competition Rules
• Access to GPL's automated software
• A business case to help create a profitable competition
• Club collateral and marketing material
• Direct support from the GPL Team

The cost is only applicable once the League commences so there is no financial risk if the League does not begin.

What are the steps to creating a League?

Once you decide to conduct a GPL competition(s), contact GPL who will talk through and set up the competition for you. Items to consider are:

1. Determine the day or days of the week that a GPL competition would suit your club. This can be a single day (highly recommended) on a weekend or during the week, or multiple days (Wednesday and Saturday as an example) where a competition is currently played.
2. Determine a starting date for the first round after reviewing options of seasons through the club syllabus (any single round can be used, Par, Stableford or Stroke).
3. Determine the team compilation (e.g. number of teams, numbers of players in each team, and number of contributing scores to make up each team total.)
4. Determine the entry fee.

What collateral do we receive to help with our League?

Once you have established the League, you will receive the following:

• Promotional posters for members
• Launch email template to members
• Information for potential sponsors
• Team Entry Sheet

You also receive a match day printout for each round to allow members to ‘put up their scores’ during the day to create a great interaction spot and a place for players to ‘banter'.

If players supply their email addresses, they receive a weekly newsletter and will be emailed an invitation to optionally create a user account which allows them to login to the website and get information such as contributing scores of their match, who plays in each team, dates of all rounds, who they play each round, personal statistics and when their score contributed.

What is Golf Australia’s relationship with GPL?

Golf Australia officially endorses GPL.

Where do we go for more information?

You can submit and enquiry here and we will contact to you.