First time member - When should i get a handicap?

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keishdy

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Hello all! Long time reader and a first time poster. As the title states i have just this week become a member of a local course. I have been a social golfer to date, slapping it about (the ball) with my friends but never taking it too serious and i hope it stays that way for good, golfs far to much craic for it to be serious for me! Anyway to the point, I hope to get out there and start getting the rounds in on my new home course as soon as i can. Having never held an official handicap im not sure how the process works. I am told my a fellow member i submit 3 cards signed by a fellow member to achieve my handicap. This is simple enough. Point is could i theory go out with the purpose of handing in my 1st card, stink the place out and decide not to? Could i go out score well, submit card play the following day stink it up and not hand that card in? I know id only be fooling myself and its certainly not my objective as i genuinely want to know my actual handicap rather than a false one but should i just set myself 3 rounds and submit those cards no matter how i score? On a further note how many rounds of a would you guys recommend to allow myself being to get used to where i am playing? Is 5 reasonable? 10? I have played the course 4 times over the past 2 years but been playing for the past 2 years when i get a chance! Thanks!

Course in question :-

http://www.killymoongolfclub.com/
 
The sooner the better and if you stink the place out all that happens is you start off on 28. Big deal. It means you can play in a few comps, which are always good ways to meet new members and gives you a chance to get the handicap down. To be honest I wouldn't worry about the score and just treat the handicap rounds in the same way as you normally do.
 
Welcome mate.

I suggest you get your 3 cards in at the earliest opportunity, don't even worry about poor scoring. It's your best card that will be used for calculating your first handicap, additionally, anything worse than a gross double will be rounded down to that anyway. Your handicap will (should) find its natural level over time. So what if your first handicap is 28? no big deal, the only way is up (or down in this case) :thup:
 
Welcome to the mad house.

I agree with Homer, just try and get a handicap as soon as you can. It sets down a marker and gives you something to play to.
Just check where you play your first three cards off, is it the boxes or medal tees ?

Hopefully being a member of a club will mean you play more often and enjoy your Gowf even more.
 
Thanks Homer! Im looking forward to integrating into the club and all that comes with it! I have made to many excuses in the past for not taking the membership, hope it turns out to be the correct choice and i don't doubt it will!
 
My understanding is that you need to play with someone who has an official handicap (doesn't have to be a member from your home course as long as they have one) and get them to mark your card for you. I played with my dad yesterday who is a member at a different club and finally got my third card for my handicap. It was a total disaster. My first 2 cards were gross 86 and 82 (Par 71, SSS 68) and yesterday I went out and shot a gross 99. It was as if I'd never played the game before but that will be my 3rd card regardless. After that it's all down to performance in qualifiers or supplemental cards to determine whether my handicap is going to head up or down.
 
Played there once and quiet enjoyed it. A few tricky little holes. I'd say play as much as you can between now and the end of the month then get your cards in Feb or March time if the weather has been decent and the course has dried out a little. You should have no trouble getting someone to mark your card during the spring league. I honestly don't think you'll get the best representation of handicap submitting cards now when the ground is sodden.

As for procedure. I'm pretty sure you should inform them you are playing a round for handicap purposes but you can always ask in the shop. Also check that they will accept the cards based on what ever way the course is playing (temp greens maybe?) As for dumping a bad card. No point really. Go out a shoot your best honest 3 rounds. Let the club decide the handicap which will be based on the best of the three. Then get out and competitions and then let the handicap adjust from there. A few good rounds in comp and you'll not be long adjusting it downwards.

Oh and if you want a bit of fun in July check out the irish craic classic in the arrange a game section ;)
 
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Clinker lads! Thanks for the encouragement. I suspect i will be in the twenties although i ,managed a wee 2 stroke victory over a 16 member on the course last time i played although i put it down to him having a bad day and I a very good one! I spend too much time reading this forum in work, now im signed up im only expecting my time on the site to go down.... (sarcasm)
 
keishdy said:
I spend too much time reading this forum in work, now im signed up im only expecting my time on the site to go down.... (sarcasm)
Click to expand...

Don't worry about that. Once your boss finds out how much time you spend on here you'll get fired and have plenty of time on your hands. :lol:
 
palindromicbob said:
Played there once and quiet enjoyed it. A few tricky little holes. I'd say play as much as you can between now and the end of the month then get your cards in Feb or March time if the weather has been decent and the course has dried out a little. You should have no trouble getting someone to mark your card during the spring league.

As for procedure. I'm pretty sure you should inform them you are playing a round for handicap purposes but you can always ask in the shop. Also check that they will accept the cards based on what ever way the course is playing (temp greens maybe?) As for dumping a bad card. No point really. Go out a shoot your best honest 3 rounds. Let the club decide the handicap which will be based on the best of the three. Then get out and competitions and then let the handicap adjust from there. A few good rounds in comp and you'll not be long adjusting it downwards.
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Tyrone man! I cant accept your response. Derry man here haha! Are you a member anywhere local?
 
Whne I started I joined in October and played my first comp in December, have to say I wish I had done it sooner but it was just what felt right.

When I moved club I played for a month before playing comps to learn the course, but then we do have two courses.
 
palindromicbob said:
Oh and if you want a bit of fun in July check out the irish craic classic in the arrange a game section ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks will go check that out now, can i as although a bit of topic how or where do i out in detail that people have in the bottom of their posts such as clubs, current handicap, handicap goals etc??
 
I think you have the right attitude keishdy. Just put the cards in and start to enjoy being a member. I joined a club a couple of months ago (rejoined really, but I hadn't played for 20 years) and put my first card in last week (92), the second one today (83), and will do the third one on Thursday all being well. I doubt there will be another 9 shot improvement.
 
ColchesterFC said:
My understanding is that you need to play with someone who has an official handicap (doesn't have to be a member from your home course as long as they have one) and get them to mark your card for you. I played with my dad yesterday who is a member at a different club and finally got my third card for my handicap. It was a total disaster. My first 2 cards were gross 86 and 82 (Par 71, SSS 68) and yesterday I went out and shot a gross 99. It was as if I'd never played the game before but that will be my 3rd card regardless. After that it's all down to performance in qualifiers or supplemental cards to determine whether my handicap is going to head up or down.
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Not quite. The requirement is that the 3 cards submitted for handicap must be marked and signed by a responsible person acceptable to the Handicap Committee. The definition of that responsible person is up to the club concerned. They may say any member of the club, or they may say one card must be with a committee member, or they may say that a handicap member from another club is acceptable. There is no one definition.
 
rosecott said:
Not quite. The requirement is that the 3 cards submitted for handicap must be marked and signed by a responsible person acceptable to the Handicap Committee. The definition of that responsible person is up to the club concerned. They may say any member of the club, or they may say one card must be with a committee member, or they may say that a handicap member from another club is acceptable. There is no one definition.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. My response was based on what I was told in the pro shop at my club. I didn't realise that each club could have their own individual requirements. I'm just glad I didn't have to embarrass myself in front of a committee member.
 
if your course has been shortened (the tees moved forward), you might not be able to do you cards for handicap. check with your pro.
 
keishdy said:
Thanks will go check that out now, can i as although a bit of topic how or where do i out in detail that people have in the bottom of their posts such as clubs, current handicap, handicap goals etc??
Click to expand...

click settings at the top, then edit signature on left hand side.
 
ColchesterFC said:
My understanding is that you need to play with someone who has an official handicap (doesn't have to be a member from your home course as long as they have one) and get them to mark your card for you. I played with my dad yesterday who is a member at a different club and finally got my third card for my handicap. It was a total disaster. My first 2 cards were gross 86 and 82 (Par 71, SSS 68) and yesterday I went out and shot a gross 99. It was as if I'd never played the game before but that will be my 3rd card regardless. After that it's all down to performance in qualifiers or supplemental cards to determine whether my handicap is going to head up or down.
Click to expand...

that's good work don't worry about the 3rd card its the best that counts should be 14 starting h/Cap :thup:

OP. welcome and enjoy.
Play your rounds when you can get your card marked put them in regardless of scores and the h/cap will sort itself out over a few comps. But as you say most of all enjoy!
 
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