Bandits?

[Threeoffthetee]

Why is a 20 handicap golfer who has a great day, shoots 15 (3/4 their handicap) and wins a competition "a bandit" but an eight handicapper who shoots 6 (also 3/4) a good golfer who played well and deserves the win? (possibly playing devils advocate a little here - I fit into neither category)

 

[JustOne]

Dunno... why is it that I walked in after 8 holes in the weekend comp as it was a total wash out even the greens started to puddle up..... and someone still came in with 44pts!

Yours is a question of numbers, 5 under h/cap and 2 under h/cap aren't the same, regardless of fractions.

 

[Oddsocks]

Yours is a question of numbers, 5 under h/cap and 2 under h/cap aren't the same, regardless of fractions.

i disagree, if a a player shoots 25% less than hes handicap the 6 capper shooting 2 under hc is as much of a bandit as the 20 capper shooting 5 under.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Its normally because people are loathe to accept every dog has their day. It is expected (of sorts) that a low player has the potential to shoot the odd really good score. However it is also expected that higher handicaps will blow up somewhere and so of course when they string 18 steady holes together with a fair number of shots to play with it makes the score hard for anyone to beat.

 

[Philm]

well i shot 7 below my handicap of 13 today.

and im no bandit, but the system doesnt keep up with improving players.

Phil

 

[kid2]

Well off a 19 handicap i shot a nett 64 and a nett 65 the season before last....I got a few weird looks in trhe pro shop but the pro knew that i was genuine.....
I enter every competition that im healthy for and to be fair i had heaps of 0.1's in between but it was a glimmer of what im capable of....

I think that a 2 handicap who i played with at my club last season described me down to a tee to 2 other lads after a round i played with them...
He said that he has seen me hit shots and play holes like a scratch golfer would play but equally in the same round i can play like a complete Knob also....
Its when it all clicks that things go low for me

So id be careful of the use of the word bandit...Some people are actually genuine.

 

[Junior]

Even the sun shines on a dogs ass some days!!!! A bandit is someone who deliberately keeps their handicap high to scoop prizes in the big comps and opens etc.

 

[Oddsocks]

i think the issue comes from the margin of error. a 8 capper only has to miss a couple of shots in a round and hes outside buffer and +1, a high capper can have a couple of nightmares and still shoot buffer, and only needs 2/3 pars to be alot below HC, especially on low stroke index holes like 1, 2, 3, etc,

 

[GB72]

In all honesty neither could be bandits, or both could be. The issue is the element of artificially keeping your handicap high and that is more likely with a higher handicapper (why get down to 8 if you want to cheat your way to victory). I really have not seen any banditry at my club but the problem is that people do not want to believe that people can have a good day. I have been tarred with that brush with a couple of medal wins when I was off 24 and I got more than a few funny looks with my 43 points at the GM Centenary qualifier. If you look at How Did I Do you will see a card going in for me most weeks so my handicap is as true a reflection as it can be but I play off 18 but can have a few dream days when it all clicks.

So, at a club level I am not sure that there is much banditry but alot of jealousy when someone else has a great round.

 

[MashieNiblick]

i disagree, if a a player shoots 25% less than hes handicap the 6 capper shooting 2 under hc is as much of a bandit as the 20 capper shooting 5 under.

I agree to the extent that neither of those players is necessarily a bandit.

It can't just be reduced to numbers. What about a 2 h/capper shooting 1 under handicap - 50% less than h/cap - is he a bandit? Is that comparable to a 28 h/capper shooting 14 under?

Golf comps aren't decided by what fraction of your handicap you score, they are decided by absolute numbers. An 8 h/capper shooting 2 under isn't going to win anything but the 20 h/capper shooting 5 under might.

However, being a bandit isn't about shooting 5 or 6 under once or even twice a season. Or having the round of your life. I wouldn't call a 20 h/capper shooting 5 under a bandit. That's perfectly reasonable. If he does it 3 or 4 times a season he'll get cut. No worries from me, that's how the system works.

Being a bandit is about artificially keeping your handicap high and avoiding cuts so you can comfortably shoot 8 under and walk off with a big prize.

 

[Foxholer]

In all honesty neither could be bandits, or both could be. The issue is the element of artificially keeping your handicap high and that is more likely with a higher handicapper (why get down to 8 if you want to cheat your way to victory). I really have not seen any banditry at my club but the problem is that people do not want to believe that people can have a good day. I have been tarred with that brush with a couple of medal wins when I was off 24 and I got more than a few funny looks with my 43 points at the GM Centenary qualifier. If you look at How Did I Do you will see a card going in for me most weeks so my handicap is as true a reflection as it can be but I play off 18 but can have a few dream days when it all clicks.

So, at a club level I am not sure that there is much banditry but alot of jealousy when someone else has a great round.

:clap:

Those that I have suspected of banditry actually don't score much below their 'cap - except selectively!

 

[papyt]

how would you describe a new member at your club,puts his 3 cards in and gets his h/c lets say 18,plays in 3 qualifiers and come nowhere then plays in a board comp and wins by 4 strokes.After the applause and slaps on the back it emerged that he has been playing in a golf soc, for 15 years and has won numerous times and his h/c was actually 6 in his society,bandit or just had a good day?. names and h/c changed to protect the cheating bast**d

 

[Threeoffthetee]

I would add that personally I would rather lose a competition off the correct handicap, than win one off the wrong one...not that winning something is an issue at the moment unless it's the "furthest drive out of bounds" competition.

 

[Oddsocks]

Being a bandit is about artificially keeping your handicap high and avoiding cuts so you can comfortably shoot 8 under and walk off with a big prize.

Ah we have one of them in our group

38 points up to 15, cue 3 blobs on the bounce
25 points on the front 9, cue 10 on the back

 

[daveyc2k2]

Ah we have one of them in our group

38 points up to 15, cue 3 blobs on the bounce
25 points on the front 9, cue 10 on the back

This sort of thing I don't understand. I have won 3 comps at my club since joining in August and getting a hcap of 24.0 which is now 20.0 and obviously getting the shouts of "bandit" but all as banter. I would never dream of keeping my hcap high to win comps.

For me golf is a competition against yourself not others, the only way to win is to beat your hcap and therefore get as low as possible in my eyes.

 

[bladeplayer]

Bandits are known in the clubs, they are the guys who week in week out shoot just over their handicap & get .1, look at their cards & they are playing nicely but a "BAD" hole or 2 just knocks them outside the buffer , but come the big comps they are shooting 7 & 8 under their h'cap , yes it can happen anyone once , maybe even twice , but the bandits do it in all the big comps .. doesnt matter what your handicap is, bandits come in all types .. our first medal of the year was won by a 22 handicapper shooting 86 nett 64 .. great score & he aint no bandit i know that for a fact ..

 

[AmandaJR]

Ah we have one of them in our group

38 points up to 15, cue 3 blobs on the bounce
25 points on the front 9, cue 10 on the back

That could be expectation getting in the way and we have seen many a post on here about blowing up when on a good score?

I'm called a bandit as my matchplay brain is tough and my strokeplay one fragile. I play every medal I can and dropped 5 shots last year but still rarely perform in medals as I can in practice rounds and matchplay. I'm working on it (bought Zen Golf yesterday) as all I want is to reach my potential handicap-wise and don't really care about winning comps as that would just be a bonus.

 

[Oddsocks]

Amanda , it happens on a regular basis!