Do I put a card in?

[USER1999]

Every summer there is a pairs knock out comp at my club. It's an auction, (banned under the rules of golf), and the winning pair win over two grand each, (banned under the rules of golf for amateurs).

I normally don't enter this, as it's against the rules, and also because it's not much fun, being as the prizes are silly money, so every one is sooo serious about it. It's also expensive, as it will probably cost me around £100 to enter.

However, this year a pal has persuaded me to enter with him, much against my better judgement.

Once the tournament is drawn, handicaps can only be amended down wards, no one can go up. Obviously their club handicap can change, but they have to play off the lower handicap in this competition.

Now the dilemma. Do I enter the February stable ford, knowing full well that I'll get point one back? I'm currently off 9.4, so I could get up to 10 for the auction. The draw isn't until early march, but it's the only comp before then.

Ok, some will say I might play well, but they'd be silly. At the moment I can't even hit an 8 iron, and I've been trying to for 6 weeks. Another couple of weeks is going to change nothing, and chopping it round with an 8i, a wedge, and a putter is going to guarantee point one back. Hello 10 handicap.

I'm not worried about playing off 10, it's pretty inevitable that it's going to happen at some point this year. Hopefully only briefly though.

Why is the golf swing so flipping unnatural and difficult to change? the current changes are not going well, as far as I'm concerned. I'm stuck back with my usual problem, I just cannot get my hands ahead of the ball at impact. I can do all the rest, but not that. I've been trying for two years now, and it's just beginning to wear a little thin.

So, put a card in?

 

[Fader]

Put the card in and give yourself best chance especially if that is accurate of current level, likelihood is you won't win anyway as someone will already be protecting a higher handicap somewhere.

 

[Foxholer]

Yes. Play the Comp and put the card in, just as you would if the Auction didn't exist, or you weren't playing in it.

Any 'manipulation' accusations, something these sorts of comp potentially encourage, would then be wrong.

Lower handicaps seem to have a better record in these - probably their better handling of pressure. I have a mate (often describes himself as 'the token Asian') who won quite a bit in a couple of these a few years ago - perhaps even at your place?

 

[Fyldewhite]

Are these sort of comps commonplace? I'm amazed that a club would be running something like this unless I'm missing something here. Are the previous winners no longer playing club comps then because of the prizes they presumably accepted? Or is it classed as not being a prize for the comp because it's a "private" arrangement not actually run by the club officially? We have an auction for our Captain's Final but the prizes are only around £150 or so.

As for manipulation? You are entitled to enter the comp and obliged to try to make your best score. So long as you do that then everyone should be fine with it. It's when people turn into Zorro near the hole that it's a big issue!

 

[Imurg]

Your handicap is supposed t be a relatively accurate measure of your ability.
Let's face it, from what you say you're not even playing to 20 let alone 10.
Get the card in....

 

[jimbob.someroo]

Agreed with those above, the whole point of the handicap system is to reflect how you're playing at any given time - if you only put cards in when you were playing out of your skin or conversely, only put them in when you were at your very worst, your handicap will be artificial.

Do the cards all year round, when you're playing well and crap - it will balance it out over the season. You never know, you could have a blinder?!

 

[AmandaJR]

Yep put the card in. Works in that you get a shot closer to how you're currently playing AND gets going up to 10 out of the way whilst you continue to work on your swing.

On the swing - perhaps Kid's post about accepting where his swing is and playing with that is something to consider?? I recall a video way back of your swing and thinking it was very nice indeed. Lovely drop from the top inside and don't recall much flipping - perhaps getting more lag isn't worth the pain if you can play very tidily without it?

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I think you already know the answer and the right thing to do Murph and that's play the comp and see what happens.

 

[pbrown7582]

yeah play the comp and let the h/cap take care of itself.

Good luck!

 

[USER1999]

I think you already know the answer and the right thing to do Murph and that's play the comp and see what happens.

Thing is, I know the end result. So it's basically deliberately going up point one, to get a shot back. Off the winter tees, it's par 72, ss 70, css probably 69. I can't break 80 just hitting an 8i round, and I have no idea how this swing will cope hitting any thing else. I won't practice with anything else before hand, as I'd rather try to get my 8i correct.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Thing is, I know the end result. So it's basically deliberately going up point one, to get a shot back. Off the winter tees, it's par 72, ss 70, css probably 69. I can't break 80 just hitting an 8i round, and I have no idea how this swing will cope hitting any thing else. I won't practice with anything else before hand, as I'd rather try to get my 8i correct.

So what if you go up to 10? There will be other comps between now and when the auction thing is played and you can't not play in all of them. If you fix your swing issues between now and then your handicap may come down, if you don't, 1 shot isn't going to make a blind bit of difference.

At the end of the day you should enter the comps as you would normally and keep your handicap honest, if your club want to create issues for themselves by allowing these competitions to go ahead that's their problem.

 

[john0]

If top prize is a couple of grand then get as many cards in as you can. Think of it as an investment

 

[mcbroon]

Thing is, I know the end result. So it's basically deliberately going up point one, to get a shot back. Off the winter tees, it's par 72, ss 70, css probably 69. I can't break 80 just hitting an 8i round, and I have no idea how this swing will cope hitting any thing else. I won't practice with anything else before hand, as I'd rather try to get my 8i correct.

On the flip side, if you don't enter the comp, you're deliberately not going up 0.1. I know that makes it harder to win but it leaves you open to accusations of protecting a vanity handicap. (I'm not making that accusation, by the way.)

Play the comp. If you go up 0.1, it's an accurate reflection of the current state of your game. And as others have said, even if you go up to 10 now, you may well get things sorted to have come back down to 9 or lower by the time the pairs comp is held.

 

[pokerjoke]

Thing is, I know the end result. So it's basically deliberately going up point one, to get a shot back. Off the winter tees, it's par 72, ss 70, css probably 69. I can't break 80 just hitting an 8i round, and I have no idea how this swing will cope hitting any thing else. I won't practice with anything else before hand, as I'd rather try to get my 8i correct.

If you are deliberately playing in the comp to go up one point so you have a higher handicap,
giving you a better chance of winning,then imo that is totally wrong.
Of course your not saying your going to win,but you never know,most comps are won by a point,
so it does give you a better chance.
If you didn't feel it would,your wasting £100 pounds.
We all know the bigger the prize the more dodgy handicaps,bandits,handicap protecters enter these comps.
Your club is certainly not helping by running this comp.
My advice do the right thing because its the right thing to do.

 

[USER1999]

The auction is a pairs matchplay, so it lasts pretty much all summer. Assuming that I get cut back to 9 in may (big assumption, but that would be the plan!) Any adjustment in Feb would only really affect the first round. A loss here and it's immaterial any way.

The Feb stableford is the only comp before the draw, and I don't belive in supplementary cards.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

If you hadn't entered the auction, would you have played the comp in Feb?

 

[USER1999]

If you hadn't entered the auction, would you have played the comp in Feb?

No. I'm not supposed to be playing until march. I am meant to work on my swing, and playing is detrimental, as hitting any where near full speed undoes what I am working on.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My argument would be the stableford is an ideal and impromptu way of seeing where the changes are without the misery of a poor medal card to worry about. Nothing worse than chopping it and knowing you have to hole everything out although still the purest form of the game.

I enter every available event and so if my handicap goes up in time for a match I accept that as a bonus with a clear conscience that I am not deliberately manipulating it. It can work against me and a good score would see me cut. Play, enjoy testing the work you've put in even though you say you're not suppose to be on the course.

 

[bluewolf]

No. I'm not supposed to be playing until march. I am meant to work on my swing, and playing is detrimental, as hitting any where near full speed undoes what I am working on.

So you're only playing the comp because of the auction, and you're 99% certain that you'll go up 0.1. Whether it's intentional or not, it appears that the Feb comp is a way of improving (making higher) your handicap solely for the possibility of a big prize. Don't enter it if you weren't going to enter it anyway.. If you were then play on...

 

[JustOne]

Thing is, I know the end result. So it's basically deliberately going up point one, to get a shot back.

It is... only if that's the attitude you take with you on the first tee.

Why not just go out there, play your best, focus and take whatever comes. Don't just throw your round away..... take it as it comes. If the wheels fall off then so be it..... but don't consider that's what's going to happen before you even tee off!!

Anyway..... you should be off 12 the way you hit the ball... you girl!!! :whoo: