First Medal, 3rd place - no cut!

[Curls]

Don't know how they work out this CSS lark I really don't!

Played my first Medal on Saturday, pretty windy out there so results reflected that. Its a par 70, I shot 84 off 17 for nett 67. The two joint first place guys had nett 65, then me and another guy on 67.

There were 3 single figure h/cs playing, 75 (lowest gross) off 6 for 69, 85 off 7 for 77 and 86 off 9 for 78.

CSS was worked out as 67, but how when only 4 people out of 40 were that or better??! Means I don't get a cut which I'm disappointed about seeing as I scored gross better than some of the single figure guys. Thought on a tough day CSS would have come closer to SSS, funny system. I know I didn't shoot the lights out but still, thought a little cut was coming.

The post-match post-mortem doesn't give me any solace, 38 putts, I threw it away on the greens, some poor driving too, my approach play was pretty good I don't mind approaching in the wind, only badly affects my driving as I hit it quite high so I was trying different things off the tee with questionable success. Had 3 double bogeys, 8 bogeys, 7 pars, so steady stuff but you could knock 6 shots off easily for short putts I should have holed and missed. Some of those bogeys were good recoveries and some of them were a slow motion horror show called "3 putts from 20 feet". In cinemas now. It's awful. I spent my limited practice time in the run up to the comp thinking about my long game (I'm recovering from a neck injury and wasn't able to swing properly for a while, so concentrated on hitting the ball again), and then I just couldn't get it together on the greens (where I'm normally not that bad). A newly acquired V Easy didn't even make it out of the bag last week. And for that, I am truly sorry.

Still, I came 3rd so wasn't a bad first attempt! Its a strange mix of emotions to be happy and disappointed, I guess I'll have to get used to it! Loved playing in competition though, really did make me focus, I might find this addictive.

Moving club next month to somewhere where CSS is SSS every week, won't be an easy transition but at least I'll have a better idea where I stand when I sign my card

 

[Ethan]

If there is a decent number of people in the buffer zone, CSS will not go up. Also, CSS is based on Cat 1 to 3 players only.

"Somewhere where CSS is SSS every week". What do you mean?

 

[rosecott]

CSS calculation:

Starting point is SSS. CSS can be one less than SSS, equal to SSS or up to three more than SSS. What dictates the variation from SSS to CSS is the proportion of Cat 3 and below (handicap 20 and lower - not just single figure handicap) competitors who score SSS +2 or better. If lots of them do SSS +2 or better, then CSS will be SSS -1, if hardly any do SSS +2 or better then CSS can be up to SSS +3.

I don't know your SSS but but CSS 67 could be SSS 68 -1, SSS 64 +3, or anything in between.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[rosecott]

If there is a decent number of people in the buffer zone, CSS will not go up. Also, CSS is based on Cat 1 to 3 players only.

"Somewhere where CSS is SSS every week". What do you mean?

I wondered that too. Maybe there is a micro climate and conditions are always perfect.

 

[Curls]

"Somewhere where CSS is SSS every week". What do you mean?

I wondered that too. Maybe there is a micro climate and conditions are always perfect.

Okay well maybe not exactly every week but from the member I talked to he said it's usually within 1!

I think there is a micro climate at our place, a lot of sombreros on the course yesterday

Thanks for the explanation lads

 

[Region3]

Most of the time at most places I'd imagine CSS is within 1 of SSS.

What is the par and sss for your course? I'm wondering if the other guy meant that CSS is usually around par, and that your current course sss is a few below par?

 

[Curls]

Most of the time at most places I'd imagine CSS is within 1 of SSS.

What is the par and sss for your course? I'm wondering if the other guy meant that CSS is usually around par, and that your current course sss is a few below par?

That's exactly what he meant, and I failed to relay.

Current course par 70, SSS 67 (I just found out, so there was never a chance of getting a cut). New track, both 70. Guess I thought CSS would be higher, hadn't realised the SSS and implications etc etc. Guess the system wasn't clear to me, thanks for clearly it up!

 

[Region3]

If you gained your handicap at your current club then the handicap you were given will have been calculated using the SSS of 67.

If not then your current course is considered easier than a course where SSS = Par or only 1 below.

It should all be relative, but that's another discussion.

 

[Curls]

If you gained your handicap at your current club then the handicap you were given will have been calculated using the SSS of 67.

If not then your current course is considered easier than a course where SSS = Par or only 1 below.

It should all be relative, but that's another discussion.

Indeed, I'm glad to be moving on for many reasons, one of which will be the opportunity to get my H/C down by playing below it!

 

[RGDave]

If you gained your handicap at your current club then the handicap you were given will have been calculated using the SSS of 67.

If not then your current course is considered easier than a course where SSS = Par or only 1 below.

It should all be relative, but that's another discussion.

Indeed, I'm glad to be moving on for many reasons, one of which will be the opportunity to get my H/C down by playing below it!

I think you are getting a bit ahead of yourself to be honest.

I/we/members at my club, have to play 2 better (more often than not) than h'cap (par) to get cut because of the SSS and CSS. Moving clubs might not produce what you are looking for.

If you go and play somewhere where CSS = Par, you'll have to play better....it's simple.

 

[Curls]

I think you are getting a bit ahead of yourself to be honest.

I/we/members at my club, have to play 2 better (more often than not) than h'cap (par) to get cut because of the SSS and CSS. Moving clubs might not produce what you are looking for.

If you go and play somewhere where CSS = Par, you'll have to play better....it's simple.

I understand that, my point was that coming home with the second best score of the day, better Gross than 2 of our 3 our single figure guys (who I thought CSS was based on) and 3 better than my h/c, I thought might have got me even the smallest cut, but as I said I wasn't aware of the nuances of the CSS/SSS system. I realise the new course will be harder and it will take me a fair few rounds to get the scores together but at least if I come in and add up and I'm 3 under nett I know I can expect at least 0.3.

This isn't the reason I'm moving club, I've been on here plenty explaining about how we were treated as members of the current club and my moving is in the hope that I find somewhere I can be proud of playing and hopefully even representing some day, instead of a club thats out to make money any way it can and screw the membership. But that's another thread...

 

[rosecott]

I think you are getting a bit ahead of yourself to be honest.

I/we/members at my club, have to play 2 better (more often than not) than h'cap (par) to get cut because of the SSS and CSS. Moving clubs might not produce what you are looking for.

If you go and play somewhere where CSS = Par, you'll have to play better....it's simple.

I understand that, my point was that coming home with the second best score of the day, better Gross than 2 of our 3 our single figure guys (who I thought CSS was based on) and 3 better than my h/c, I thought might have got me even the smallest cut, but as I said I wasn't aware of the nuances of the CSS/SSS system. I realise the new course will be harder and it will take me a fair few rounds to get the scores together but at least if I come in and add up and I'm 3 under nett I know I can expect at least 0.3.

This isn't the reason I'm moving club, I've been on here plenty explaining about how we were treated as members of the current club and my moving is in the hope that I find somewhere I can be proud of playing and hopefully even representing some day, instead of a club thats out to make money any way it can and screw the membership. But that's another thread...

When you get to your new club, keep in mind that you did shoot the second best score of the day and be determined to do it again at your new club.