Conduct golf proficiency test of club member in 90 days: Consumer panel

Dullet said that he was granted ‘student membership’ in 2001 which was terminated in 2007 after he met the criteria to become a Green Card Member as he was playing at a handicap of less than 6 and accordingly, was issued the Green Card Member.

He added that he was entitled to permanent membership of the Club, including the voting rights as per clause 10 of the byelaws 2020, as he was currently playing at a handicap of 7 which is much less than as prescribed in clause 10.

For the uninitiated, a golf handicap is a numerical measure of a golfer’s potential that is used to enable players of varying abilities to compete against one another. In golf, the lower your handicap is, the better you are.

Dullet said that vide letter November 16, 2017, he was asked to be present at Chandigarh Golf Club for taking the Golf Proficiency Test as he had already figured in the seniority roll and was eligible for being granted permanent membership. However, he could not take the test and wrote an e-mail to the Club on November 24, 2017, requesting for a new date for the test.

Dullet added that despite repeated requests by him, he was not granted permanent membership of the club. He also submitted a detailed representation made in this regard on March 22, 2019. He even served a legal notice on the Club on July 1, 2020, but to no avail.

Finally, he filed a formal complaint before the District Consumer Commission.

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The Chandigarh Golf Club failed to appear in the case and as a result, it was ordered to be proceeded against ex parte vide order dated February 18, 2022.

After perusing the documentary evidence on record, especially the e-mail dated November 24, 2017, the Commission held that the complainant could not appear before the screening sub-committee of the Club for his golf proficiency test on November 22, 2017, to ascertain his seniority in the handicap list – because of the National Shooting Championship at New Delhi from November 22 to November 25, 2017.

The Commission said that the complainant should have been given an opportunity for his golf proficiency test by the Club.

The Commission then disposed of the complaint with direction to the Chandigarh Golf Club to conduct golf proficiency test of the complainant and thereafter assess his eligibility for permanent membership as per the applicable rules/regulations within a period of three months.