el3n1:If the goal is simply working together as a team and winning the clash, the golden putter is really insignificant...so why not remove it from the picture....ask WGT to keep it or offer a more sensible prize that can help more of your members. Seems to me that doing so would possibly go a long way towards resolving or avoiding any conflict that arises around the issue.
The "golden putter" is a good putter, to be sure, but it's not some kind of "magic putter" as its stats might suggest to outsiders. But it's not as much about the value of the putter in one's bag, and much more about the honor of being awarded one.
You see, when our owner selects a member to be awarded one, she takes a bunch of things into consideration regarding their contributions to our CC in a number of areas. It has become a badge of honor that gives one entrance to our mythical "Captains Lounge" in our make-believe clubhouse.
With that has come (and it always seem to be the same couple of people) that occasionally create a stir when they don't agree with who our owner has selected. In my opinion, it is quite immature and I have little tolerance for it anymore. Just be a good member and do it for a long period of time and it will come to you....I wish they would just do that instead. Our owner puts up with it (I think she actually likes some drama) and as a result, we have lost some really good members who grew tired of it.
Regardless, that is just the way that I perceive it. If you surveyed other members of our CC, they might have a totally different read on it.
But I think we are all in agreement that there should be much better prizes for top five finishers and this would bring healthy and fun competition into the Clashes (and would be good for WGT as a result too!). I mean, why don't they have a "golden driver" or "golden irons"? It wouldn't cost them anything to give one of those away every two weeks, too!