Changes to Highest Male Handicap

[garyinderry]

Americans already have a maximum handicap of 36 for men and they play loose with the rules.


The game is in decline there too. I see no evidence that this increase in uk handicaps will have many benefits.



On Tuesday past at my club there wasn't a single 27 or 28 handicap player in the field. Creating a 28-40 category would have a new player basically cut off from the rest of the club.


They could increase the max handicap to 60 and the majority of the outside world would be none the wiser. It just dilutes the challenge that this great game provides.

 

[MadAdey]

But when the high handicapper thins 5 in a row and 3 putts and you win it on a bogey, you think nothing of it!!!!!

Well if he lets me win with a bogey when he has 2 shots on a hole, that's his fault I don't see how that compares to hitting a good drive, a good second shot and holing a putt, only to halve the hole because someone scuffed 3 shots onto the green and 2 putted for a half.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

As mentioned earlier you are supposed to earn a 28 handicap.

How much this actually occurs I don't know. I've never heard of anyone refused a handicap.

I think, or at least I would hope that most people have enough sense to see how they are scoring themselves and see if they can post a score near a 28 handicap.


It's not just the theoretical slow 4 ball 40 handicaps. Many including myself think that you shouldn't be able to win anything, be that a big trophy or a handshake if you have not broken 100.

Most players will improve given time. Medals do not need to be handed out during the learning to crawl stage.

The day someone wins the June medal playing off 40 is the day amateur competitive golf had been diluted too much.

My club doesn't give out 28 handicaps until someone has handed in 3 cards that warrant it.

 

[garyinderry]

My club doesn't give out 28 handicaps until someone has handed in 3 cards that warrant it.

Proper order. have you heard of people that have been told they didn't meet the required level?


I think it would be fine to give a 28 handicap to someone knocking on the door of 28 over as we can all shoot over our handicap but not some well and truly nowhere near it.

 

[chellie]

Wonder if all those now on low handicaps never played matchplay when they were receiving shots

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Well if he lets me win with a bogey when he has 2 shots on a hole, that's his fault I don't see how that compares to hitting a good drive, a good second shot and holing a putt, only to halve the hole because someone scuffed 3 shots onto the green and 2 putted for a half.

My point is, low handicappers only tend to highlight the holes were their great play is undone by a lucky jammy high handicapper, I would say if a single figure handicapper played someone off 28 but was currently a genuine 36 Handicap, the single figure would win every time, although the high handicapper on the law of averages wiuld have the odd hole were he'd Gross Par the hole or thin it for a half, the other 15-16 holes he'd more than likely struggle!

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Proper order. have you heard of people that have been told they didn't meet the required level?


I think it would be fine to give a 28 handicap to someone knocking on the door of 28 over as we can all shoot over our handicap but not some well and truly nowhere near it.

It happened to my brother in law. The club just said that he should keep on practicing and playing and handing in cards.

Our medals and stablefords are quite flexible in that we don't have tee times so you can just turn up and play with mates or in a roll up group. So he played with us, playing to shoot a good enough round to submit while we played in the comp. His motivation to play his best was no different to mine - to get our handicaps down (or I suppose in his case to get one ). It worked well. He wasn't restricted in when he could play, other than 4 ball comps or drawn competitions, and got just as much enjoyment and satisfaction from improving as people playing in the comp did from a good nett score.

I think 28 as a maximum is fine. All that is required is to play a round with 8 bogeys and submitting that card will give a 28. I don't want to restrict people's access to playing golf, but I don't think it's unreasonable to restrict competitive golf to 28 and below. I see competitive golf (handicap comps) as a way of encouraging people to get better and to keep it interesting, if you play off more than 28 surely the challenge of golf alone is enough to achieve that?

I might be totally wrong!

 

[garyinderry]

My old club back home had no restrictions either. A member could play in the four ball along with 3 playing in the comp.

They introduced a booking system but anyone can book even if you are not playing in the comp. Roll up any time until its dark and still play in the Comp.

The handicap man was standing beside the 18th green in near darkness waiting for us many a time.

 

[Sats]

Perhaps handicap alterations aren't the key. I'm in more favour of letting higher handicappers play off more forward tees and being able to use preferred lies all year round.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Wonder if all those now on low handicaps never played matchplay when they were receiving shots

To be honest, thinking back, I started on 16 handicap but joined too late to enter the knockout that year. I was 10 the following year and I don't really remember whether I played anyone lower than me that year. I've had the lowest handicap in the club since then....

I did play a mail on sunday match against a 3 handicap maybe three years ago who gave me 5 or 6 shots (and still won) but I think that might be the only competitive match I've ever played and been given shots.....


Lots of high handicappers missing the point, I think. I don't see anyone complaining about the principle of giving shots, I'm just complaining about the prospect of giving FIFTY shots which is an utterly pointless exercise. I regularly give 20+ at the moment - don't enjoy it much but that's not the sort of farce that giving 3 shots on 14 holes and 2 on the other 4 would be!

 

[Hobbit]

Wonder if all those now on low handicaps never played matchplay when they were receiving shots

I remember receiving a shot about 8 yrs ago, but still lost on the 17th. Been low single figures since the era of demise of the small ball... and remembering yesterday is a struggle

 

[shagster]

do you really think there is going to be a sudden influx of new members with silly high handicaps and entering comps, no, i thought not.
this is only going to effect a few people, and all the clubs can counter act this sudden influx by creating various comps, and adding restrictive handicaps on other comps, but i still expect some low handicappers will moan about them being allowed to join the club.
when i play with a mate who is not a member, he plays off an approx handicap suited to his ability, and it always varies depends on how he is playing, so if we do play match play, we try and play on a levelish field, not pick up the table so all the balls role to one end.
golf is one of the few games where you can compete on an equalish footing, and that's the great thing, so i think its time to calm the paranoia and not worry about 50 handicappers winning all the trophies, it wont happen. as already posted, stats support better golfers winning more often.

shagster

 

[chrisd]

How about having to stand on a par 3 against someone getting 2 shots and knowing, if they par it, a hole in one is only a half!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Couple that with th being encouraged to pick up after they can't score any points would remove the slow play by a high handicapper having a bad day.

That's the issue. Too many still stubbornly battle on and hole out even when they can't score. That's needs to be broken but I don't see how.

 

[Imurg]

How about having to stand on a par 3 against someone getting 2 shots and knowing, if they par it, a hole in one is only a half!!

Hey, give 3 shots and you may as well not bother teeing it up......:rofl:

And I've been in the position of needing a HiO for a half - giving a shot on a par 3 and he stiffed it to 6 inches...

 

[FairwayDodger]

How about having to stand on a par 3 against someone getting 2 shots and knowing, if they par it, a hole in one is only a half!!

Regular occurrence for me on one of our par 3s. This'll be one of the holes where I'll be giving 3 shots..... I look forward to finally making my first hole in one but losing to a net 0.

 

[shagster]

lots of positives. one minute the high handicapper is knobbing it around, the next he is stiffing it to 6 inches. which is it?
lets do away with the handicap system then all is fair!!!

shagster

 

[alexbrownmp]

I am sure you are making another insightful observation here. I just wish I could see what it was....

More utter tripe from you. What is your point?

 

[alexbrownmp]

Travel to course, coffee and a practice putt, 18 holes of medal play, change, shower, couple of beers, travel - yes that can take up a long time.

As for slow play with single figure golfers - I will have a game with you if you like and redress the balance.

do you sweat profusely? it's just a brisk walk.

 

[MadAdey]

lots of positives. one minute the high handicapper is knobbing it around, the next he is stiffing it to 6 inches. which is it?
lets do away with the handicap system then all is fair!!!

shagster

That pretty much sums up the average round for a high handicapper. Never played with one yet that goes round in 10 doubles and 8 singles.