Does your handicap matter to you?

[Golfnut1957]

Yep, it is easy to see which of the 20 scores will expire, and if it is one of the 8, what scores will keep your HI the same or reduce or increase it.

I know, for example, that of my next 7 rounds, only one of my current 8/20 scores will drop out, and it is the worst one of the 8, so I have a great chance to put some decent scores on the board and lower the handicap.

I avoided the supplementary score system when WHS first arrived, but it didn't take me long to realise that the way to manage the system and make life less stressful is to pack as many 8/20 scores at the top of your list of 20 as possible. That way, as in your case, you have a good run at maintaining or reducing your handicap with just one or two decent scores as opposed to watching one good score after another fall off, which is what happened to me at the start.

 

[Orikoru]

I avoided the supplementary score system when WHS first arrived, but it didn't take me long to realise that the way to manage the system and make life less stressful is to pack as many 8/20 scores at the top of your list of 20 as possible. That way, as in your case, you have a good run at maintaining or reducing your handicap with just one or two decent scores as opposed to watching one good score after another fall off, which is what happened to me at the start.

It's weird, I suppose you have spells that go either way. I have a bit of a relaxed spell coming up, because my five oldest rounds are all outside my top 8, so I have free reign to go and score well I suppose, and my handicap shouldn't go up at all in that time should it? However, after that, 6 of the next 7 oldest rounds are all in my current top 8! So if I haven't bettered any of them by that time I'll have to go and shoot five decent rounds in a row! It's a minefield.

 

[Backache]

Having a handicap is a reasonably objective way of telling me where my golf is so I find it useful but would be more so if I submitted more cards.
I'm a bit lazy about submitting cards and haven't played any comps for a while.
Also think handicaps are great for informal games with folk you don't play with regularly.
Bottom line is I'm glad we have them, I would like mine to be better because I would like to be able to play the game better but I'm not particularly obsessed with where it is at any particular moment in time.

 

[HampshireHog]

One of my theories on why scores are lower this year at my club is down to the initial WHS calculation where PCC was generated based on CSS vs SSS, most of my rounds at my club have a PCC of 1 or 2 prior to November. After November it’s almost always zero. It probably means a lot of us are a shot lower than we perhaps aught to be.

 

[sunshine]

I've very little contact with the new system yet but if a course is currently playing tougher than it was months ago/last year/rated at, the only folks affected are the ones who haven't played qualification rounds? is that right
(i.e they have a handicap based on a different/easier course)

Is this sound logic: providing your handicaps' only going up relative to the course getting harder, so will everyone else's... so its all good?

Your post seems logical to me. But I think defeats the objective of WHS - if the members all find their handicaps increasing at home then surely their handicap will travel better?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I’d like to get back to single figures, and I’m very nearly there, but it’s less important now than it once was.

A good mate of mine, who plays off 5, genuinely couldn’t care less. He’s of the view his handicap will reduce if he plays well, and go up if he doesn’t. His view is to concentrate on his game, and his handicap will take care of itself.

Spot on for me. It still matters but it’ll take care of itself so I dont obsess about it as I did under the old system.

 

[Gw76]

I have zero interest in playing in competitions or even playing against other people all I've ever cared about is getting the handicap down. Eventually, I want to get to scratch, on a good day I'm low single figures. I started relatively late (mid 30s) and have constantly brought it down, I love to practice so it isn't a hardship. I get very little pleasure from actually playing all the pleasure I get is from bringing the handicap down. Why do I do it? Two reasons one to just prove that I could do it and two to tell people that I have a low handicap. I myself recognise that this is probably not the normal golfer mentality.

 

[sunshine]

I have zero interest in playing in competitions or even playing against other people all I've ever cared about is getting the handicap down. Eventually, I want to get to scratch, on a good day I'm low single figures. I started relatively late (mid 30s) and have constantly brought it down, I love to practice so it isn't a hardship. I get very little pleasure from actually playing all the pleasure I get is from bringing the handicap down. Why do I do it? Two reasons one to just prove that I could do it and two to tell people that I have a low handicap. I myself recognise that this is probably not the normal golfer mentality.

Are you an actuary?

 

[Gw76]

Are you an actuary?

You made me laugh with that comment no, not an actuary, just someone who sets random targets/challenges, tries to achieve them and move on to the next thing, at the moment it's golf.

 

[evemccc]

You made me laugh with that comment no, not an actuary, just someone who sets random targets/challenges, tries to achieve them and move on to the next thing, at the moment it's golf.

Fair enough, each to his own…

But why not set the ‘random challenge’ of making millions of pounds - it could be more useful in the long-term!

 

[Golfnut1957]

Fair enough, each to his own…

But why not set the ‘random challenge’ of making millions of pounds - it could be more useful in the long-term!

He did that last year

 

[Yorkhacker]

I get very little pleasure from actually playing... to tell people that I have a low handicap.

Each to their own, but both those statements seem very sad to me. I admire your commitment, but what is the point if you don't get much pleasure while you're doing it? And to do it just to be able to tell people, I'm sure most golfers won't care and most non golfers won't be interested. Now if you had spent all that time reading great books or studying the universe...

 

[Voyager EMH]

Gw76 might be the only sensible one on here. Those of us who take such pleasure in the playing of golf, when we could be doing something far more constructive could be the nutcases.
Don't think I will be joining him in his approach to golf though. I have come to terms with being a golfing nutcase.
It is his approach and his choice I respect that - as long as he is telling us the truth.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I have zero interest in playing in competitions or even playing against other people all I've ever cared about is getting the handicap down. Eventually, I want to get to scratch, on a good day I'm low single figures. I started relatively late (mid 30s) and have constantly brought it down, I love to practice so it isn't a hardship. I get very little pleasure from actually playing all the pleasure I get is from bringing the handicap down. Why do I do it? Two reasons one to just prove that I could do it and two to tell people that I have a low handicap. I myself recognise that this is probably not the normal golfer mentality.

I would like to know more about your approach to golf.
1. Are you a member of a club?
2. Do you have an official handicap index?
3. Do you simply self-measure your score against par and record your scores to give you an idea of what handicap you played to?
4. Do you play mostly on your own or with friends?

 

[Yorkhacker]

Gw76 might be the only sensible one on here. Those of us who take such pleasure in the playing of golf, when we could be doing something far more constructive could be the nutcases.
Don't think I will be joining him in his approach to golf though. I have come to terms with being a golfing nutcase.
It is his approach and his choice I respect that - as long as he is telling us the truth.

Don't open that can of worms...

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...azy-is-associated-with-the-wrong-kind-of-golf

 

[timd77]

Missed this thread first time around for some reason…

Yeh I care about my handicap. First joined a club 2 years ago and was given a handicap of 30 after my first 3 cards went in. I’ve been down to 18.2, gone back up a bit and now hover around 18-19. Really want to get it down to 14 next year, but don’t really have the time to put the practice in. Maybe this winter will give me the opportunity to practice, unlike last winter!

Personally think 14 is a achievable as I’ve scored 12 over a couple of times, so it’s in there somewhere!

 

[Oddsocks]

In the past I had an obsession with HC and it become that bad I quit, I completely lost track of what the game was about… fun on a Sunday morning, 4 hours laughing and joking with my pals. It my HC fluctuates so be it and ironically it’s dropping which I put down solely to enjoyment.

I’ve got a friend who’s in the same rut, he’s got as low as 10 and we all know that it’s too low for him and the pressure has him border line quiting.

For me the HC is just a leveller between a group of people with mixed abilities that enable us an equal opportunity for enjoyment.

 

[Yorkshire Hacker]

Yes, I missed this thread first time round. I definitely care about my handicap, and it was a very proud moment for me when I got down to 9.1.
I have yet to decide whether I prefer the new system to the old Congu method. I just think it can move up too swiftly, in fact maybe both ways too swiftly. It appears that it has made all my PPs far more "handicap conscious". Is that a good or bad thing? I think I need another season with WHS before I make my mind up. I remain unconvinced.
Back to the subject, I don't understand those who are just happy to knock the ball round the course without a care in the world. Surely your handicap HAS to matter?

 

[Yorkhacker]

My handicap (9.3) is far too low, but I'm too vain to submit cards in case it goes up! I always have an excuse, today its because its too windy...

 

[HeftyHacker]

I wrote back in July that I wanted to get to single figures but wasn't sure I ever would.

Now I'm pretty determined to. Got myself down to 11 without seemingly doing too much different and I'm shooting single figure rounds in more casual rounds fairly frequently.

Beyond that I don't know how much scope there is in my ability but if I could hover around the late single figures I'd be pretty happy. I want it to be reflective of my ability as opposed to something I rarely play to.