Lost my handicap - considering switching clubs

Curse having kids anyway! (only kidding)

Due to a new arrival last year, i didn't pay my subs and now I have lost my handicap and I have to play three times to get my handicap back again before I can play open competitions....aaagh ! I don't have time for that messing around. Should I have known better or are my club being a bit awkward?
Not sure if there are many other Irish here but if so any recommendations if I move club? - I can't be justifying 1500euro if I only play fortnightly.

I know the rules have changed, at one time your handicap never lapsed, so once you had stopped playing, your handicap was frozen so a 5 handicapper not playing for 5 years, had to play of 5 when he returned to club golf.

I know some of the pay and play courses in England will, if you a pay a minimal amount of membership, say £50 provide you with a valid handicap, but not sure about anywhere else.

Sadly, Meisce, handicaps (certainly in England - not sure about Ireland) now "lapse" if you don't play at least 3 qualifying rounds a year (I'm also a lapsed person!). You haven't actually lost your handicap, any new certificate will state the last figure but also say that it is lapsed. If you move to a new club, it would be worth taking your old certificate with you to show what your playing standard was so they can take that into account when calculating a new one. On the other hand, if you haven't paid any subs either, then your old club may have removed you from the list of members and therefore it would be probably impossible to get hold of a new certificate.

On the other hand, I might be talking rubbish (it's been a while since I was involved with administering handicaps).

Meisce, as far as im away (im in Ireland) not playing 3 qualifying competitons should only stop you from playing in interclub compeitions. what club are you in at the moment if you dont mind me asking?

i lost mine once. The county required three cards and then gave me back what I had when I left. That said I did return 3 72s.

I'm in Roganstown. I wanted to play some open comps this month but that's off the agenda now.
Time to get on the net I suppose and look around! Maybe I'm just too lazy!

The club is correct - your handicap becomes "inactive" - then 3 cards are required to make it active again

ever consider something like this meisce?

http://www.hiberniangolf.com/application_hibernian_golf_club_dublin.html

Very interest hend,

225 up front then reduced green fees at the K club? less than an hour away...i might be making a call in the morning!