Best handicap management strategy ?

[Ethan]

1. One shot at a time, aka staying in the moment, forget about the last shot.
2. Avoiding double bogeys. Stay in play, play conservative shots but do so with focus. Don't just slap the ball up the fairway on a par-5, have a special strategy.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Personally I don’t worry about my HI these days, I just play my best golf and my HI will be what it’ll be…and what it’ll be is a reflection of how I’m playing at the moment.

I was rather obsessing about it until I realised it was daft pressurising myself to score well to replace any differential dropping off, never one of my best differentials as that has come about through one of my best rounds so by definition I’m going to struggle to do that - and in that struggle I was messing up.

Much better to put plenty of cards in as in my non-counting 12 there will then almost always be a differential that will limit any increase in my HI that might come about from any one round.

 

[Backsticks]

Certainly its vanity. But isnt any effort to improve in sport, or even every shott to some degree, as you try to hit it well either by your own judgement standards, or better than your opponents efforts with theirs.

My question is more on the probability. Am I correct to think that playing 9 narrows the potential band of scores. And while it could quite possibly be a bad round, the scope for both a good score, and a bad score, is reduced in 9 compared to 18. Good weather, and a shorter course (even with its lower CR) reduces the odds of a higher end score.

 

[Orikoru]

Certainly its vanity. But isnt any effort to improve in sport, or even every shott to some degree, as you try to hit it well either by your own judgement standards, or better than your opponents efforts with theirs.

My question is more on the probability. Am I correct to think that playing 9 narrows the potential band of scores. And while it could quite possibly be a bad round, the scope for both a good score, and a bad score, is reduced in 9 compared to 18. Good weather, and a shorter course (even with its lower CR) reduces the odds of a higher end score.

When you enter a round for 9 holes you don't get half your handicap though, you get less. Like at ours for example, if I enter an 18 hole round I get 14 playing handicap. If I enter just the front nine though it's 6, while just the back nine it's 5. So this is likely to negate any perceived benefit of only playing 9.

 

[Neilds]

Apparently single figure amateur golfers get more attractive partners, higher paid jobs, faster cars and 20% discount in all golf shops so it is very important to make sure once you are there, you stay there.

Or, no one really cares but you

 

[Voyager EMH]

One round may or may not get you to single figures. Two or three rounds might do it.

But if you want to get there, and stay there, you must invest a lot of time and money on 14 brand new clubs, a fitting and a lot of practice.
Seems a little unfair that those with the time and the money can get a lower handicap, but it is what it is.

 

[Crazyface]

By manipulation I think you mean keep it low rather than have it increase? I wish I could do that. I've had a hell of a time, personal stuff and it's still on going, over the last 5 months and I've rejoined my old place where it's massively tougher to play, who on earth rates the couses they have no idea.I'm trying my best every time I play yet am struggling like hell. My 82 are now a consistent 94. God it's hard, and with my head all mushed to buggerit I've got close to stopping playing. Another 94 yesterday. Luckily no further hc increase but I've got to put a decent score in soon otherwise it will be another increase coming my way. Manipulation? How on earth can you manipulate a hc to stay the same?

 

[PJ87]

When you enter a round for 9 holes you don't get half your handicap though, you get less. Like at ours for example, if I enter an 18 hole round I get 14 playing handicap. If I enter just the front nine though it's 6, while just the back nine it's 5. So this is likely to negate any perceived benefit of only playing 9.

Depends on course, ours I get 12 on front and 11 on back that adds up
On blacks tho I get 14 and 14 which is above my handicap lol

 

[Orikoru]

Depends on course, ours I get 12 on front and 11 on back that adds up
On blacks tho I get 14 and 14 which is above my handicap lol

Oh. That's weird. I assumed it was a universal thing to reflect how it's easier to put a good round over 9 than it is on 18. WHS makes less and less sense by the day.

 

[PJ87]

Oh. That's weird. I assumed it was a universal thing to reflect how it's easier to put a good round over 9 than it is on 18. WHS makes less and less sense by the day.

It's to do with the rating for 9 holes

 

[bobmac]

The fact that people are even discussing 'handicap management' shows what a crap system we now have.

 

[BiMGuy]

The

The fact that people are even discussing 'handicap management' shows what a crap system we now have.

How is it any different to people managing their handicaps before WHS?

 

[Orikoru]

This approach really confuses the hell out of me. If a player’s HI represents their form over the last 20 rounds, then if a low counting score is the next to drop off the system and has not been replaced by something similar, it surely must follow that their form is no longer quite at the level it was, so an increase in HI is appropriate.

This is not always true in my opinion. Say you have a purple patch and stick 3 counting rounds on your record in a row. Somewhere down the line you are going to have to replicate that. When those scores are about to come off, you might be playing to that level, but having to do it three times in a row again?? Not that easy, so in all likelihood your handicap will be going up and there's nothing you can do about it.

 

[jim8flog]

Forget it.

The new systems means that old scores will fall off all the time and if you are improving as well as intimated one as good or better will soon be back on your record.

I had a series of 5 good scores fall off and went up 3, recent good scores have nearly put me back to where I was.

No point in having a lowish handicap if you cannot play to it.

 

[Imurg]

This is not always true in my opinion. Say you have a purple patch and stick 3 counting rounds on your record in a row. Somewhere down the line you are going to have to replicate that. When those scores are about to come off, you might be playing to that level, but having to do it three times in a row again?? Not that easy, so in all likelihood your handicap will be going up and there's nothing you can do about it.

But that's the point of WHS - it reflects your form.
If those 3 good cards were a year ago that's not your form now....
And what if your index does go up?
In the words of a famous individual - Play Better...!
Back in February my index was 4.3...it went up to 8 a few weeks back..it's now just over 6...
Thats how form/Golf goes..

 

[jim8flog]

Oh. That's weird. I assumed it was a universal thing to reflect how it's easier to put a good round over 9 than it is on 18. WHS makes less and less sense by the day.

We have an 18 hole course and a 9.

The 9 hole course is definitely easier than the 9 but it is reflected in the course and slope ratings.

Funny thing for me though is that I have broken par a few times on the 18 but never on the 9.

 

[timd77]

My pb of 84 is the next score to drop off, closest I’ve got since is 88, no doubt I’ll go up a fair bit, dreading it!

 

[Orikoru]

We have an 18 hole course and a 9.

The 9 hole course is definitely easier than the 9 but it is reflected in the course and slope ratings.

Funny thing for me though is that I have broken par a few times on the 18 but never on the 9.

I'm talking about the ratings/handicaps for the two 9s of the 18 hole course. Not a separate 9 hole course.

 

[Voyager EMH]

If you are returning a nine hole score for handicap adjustment, the "getting of shots" is of significance to the scaling up 9-hole score. The "dummy nine" as I like to call it.
Your adjusted gross for the 9 holes played will be added to this dummy nine holes.
You should examine the score differentials achieved for the adjusted gross scores in your likely range.

For me HI 4.3 on our front nine Par 35, CR 35.6 and SR 126.
My "scaling up" 9-hole score is 35 + 3 + 1 = 39.

37 gives a SD of 4.3
38 gives a SD of 5.2

And yet if I were to go round the front nine twice for an 18-hole score

37+37 gives a SD of 2.5
38+38 gives a SD of 4.3

I find the formula for calculating 9-hole Score Differentials to be deeply flawed.

1.4 over CR and get a SD of 4.3 as a result. Seems utterly ridiculous to me.

It would be very useful, if I wanted to manipulate my handicap in an upwards direction. But that is something that I have never desired.
I do not hand in 9-hole scores under the current system.

 

[garyinderry]

If you have never manipulated your scores up to this point, why would you do it at the last hurdle?

It's a great personal achievement to reach single figures for the first time. Don't ruin it with some handicap jiggery pokery.