We discovered that our players has to be on the roster for the summer session in order to play in our state tournament (Vegas qualifier) next month. We did have 3 or 4 guys who planned on taking the summer off, and were similarly annoyed. Likewise, so were the remaining members who had recruited replacements so that we could continue playing through the summer, since we all still want to play.
Here's how we're gonna handle it. We're signing up the original team for the summer session, which for us starts this Tuesday. States are on June 12, which means that we need most of the original team to show up to play (or at least 5 of us, handicaps permitting) for three weeks until states come. Summer hasn't really hit yet, so it ain't a big deal. If we get through the tournament and qualify for Vegas, then they're gonna have to keep playing thru the summer, and we'll just have to take turns playing each week.
If we don't qualify for Vegas, then we are still within the add/drop period, and we can go back to our original summer plan, and those guys who wanted to be off for the summer can do so.
Yeah, it's a pain in the tookus. I guess I can see part of what APA is trying to avoid, in that people could qualify for Vegas and then stop playing, thus freezing their handicaps until Vegas. And they could conceivably work on their game during the meantime, improving beyond their handicap. Whereas continuing to play would at least in theory keep their current skill level relatively accurate. (Yes, I know... the sandbagging comments will commence counting down in three, two, one...)
Will people work around those concerns, yes. Those who want to cheat, will do so. I believe the thought is to make the cheating as difficult as possible, and this summer-session policy is probably aimed at this, at least in-part. And yes, they want to make money, so they want their leagues as full as possible every session, so they do have that motivation, as well.
In short, thems the rules. If we want to play the game, we gotta go by their rules. If we don't wanna, no one is forcing us to play.
Let the bashing begin! {ducking for cover}
