Great article - and so so true!

[bobmac]

Well, balanced handicap golf is here to stay. Anecdotal tales in this or any other forum are not going to change it. If you get beaten too often, you simply didn't play well enough.

How good is 'well enough'?
In my experience, playing to your h/cap gets you nowhere

 

[Maninblack4612]

You are really quite the asshat in this thread.

Charming, another who would rather attack and abuse than debate.
Common theme.

I don't wear a blazer or smell of urine. That probably counts against me.

Thoroughly deserved, your remark was completely uncalled for & in bad taste. Deserved an infraction.

 

[patricks148]

There is only one cat1 player at my club plays in singles matches, why do you think that might be ?

thats very interesting, i had a look at out knock out sheets yesterday and despite the fact we have a seeding system on the original draw very few of the Plus handicaps at my club which there are quite a few entered in the handicap knock outs.

one was won by 12 handicap the other a 6 who was off scratch 10 years ago but he is 70 now

 

[patricks148]

That’s the real problem type for me ,,12/ 16 handicap players are good players .
So a 12 cap is expected to par 6 holes to play to cap.
But they are capable of paring every hole really.
You must be on your game to beat one, especially a very good player who has gone up to mid teens for whatever reason ,injury illness ,age etc.
They tend to lose a bit of length but are still very good players.
I enjoy a good match ,but sometimes your opponent just plays very well and deserves to win!

By the way I am giving a good 16 handicap 10 shots that’s quite a challenge if he plays well.

funny enough its this hadicap group who as you say are good enough to par every hole. lthis year i got through to the Semi of one of the MP comps and all the games had had agaist this handicap were all very very close games giving away 7 shots

 

[IanM]

I’ve just read this.... In addition to laughing at the author’s excellent misuse of the three day week reference, I wonder why I am not getting so hot under the collar about this. The group of folk I play with range from 2 to 17 in handicap, and we just seem to have got on with it, regardless of it being 75 or 90%.

An iffy handicap is an iffy handicap off either percentage, although clearly the new system adds to the iffiness! Maybe I not playing enough away comps to be effected by cheating...but if I do play Opens it’s mainly to visit a new course on the cheap.

I’ve kept away from studying the new WHS other than the basics, I’m sure it’ll come out in the wash, but I get Jackos point about the potential for going up after a good round, it does seem odd! (I guess a freaky low one dropping off the list is logical, but it will upset anyone trying to get handicap down!). This years rule changes were meant to be a big jolt, but we’ve just got on with it... mind you, we still say hazard, till Rules boy corrects use of language,

Our club also has sufficient scratch events to nullify the issue!

And some of the personal remarks on the thread? Really?

 

[pendodave]

Jeez. Handicap golfers...
Does anyone really rock up in the monthly medal hoping to win? Looking for 'glory' playing off 16..... It's not "winning", it's playing a bit better than you normally do.
I'm not a low handicapper, but I have every sympathy with those who are. Maybe it's because I've played actual sport at a decent level and appreciate what they've achieved.

Handicaps are a way to measure your current standard in competition conditions.
Comps are a nice way to meet people you wouldn't normally play against.
Giving and taking a few shots are a good way to have an enjoyable afternoon's entertainment with your mates.
But "winning" against people who got the ball round in less shots? Not really.

 

[patricks148]

Jeez. Handicap golfers...
Does anyone really rock up in the monthly medal hoping to win? Looking for 'glory' playing off 16..... It's not "winning", it's playing a bit better than you normally do.
I'm not a low handicapper, but I have every sympathy with those who are. Maybe it's because I've played actual sport at a decent level and appreciate what they've achieved.

Handicaps are a way to measure your current standard in competition conditions.
Comps are a nice way to meet people you wouldn't normally play against.
Giving and taking a few shots are a good way to have an enjoyable afternoon's entertainment with your mates.
But "winning" against people who got the ball round in less shots? Not really.

the conversation is about match play and the shots diff between 3/4 and 90%

 

[Jacko_G]

Back on 'ignore' you go.

The bottom line is people work hard at golf, get good and get to CatI
Then they get frustrated when they play well and still get stuffed by a handicap manipulator, or as I call them cheats.
Then they get told that the handicap limit is rising and will have to give even more shots.
Then they get told they will soon have to give 100% shots.
Then they get told if they don't like it they can go and play somewhere else. Brilliant.
Then they get told they are wrong to complain because the stats say so. (count the hits, ignore the misses)
And who does all the telling?
People sat in committee rooms, the majority of whom have never broken 80.

If someone wants to tell me I'm wrong, get yourself down to 2 or 3 and then see how you feel.

Having said that, if the cheats are being weeded out, then that's good news.

All the low guys want is a level playing field where at least they stand a chance.

Oh Bob, you may just have taken half my heat!

Brilliant response Sir hope you have body armour on.

👍😁

 

[Jacko_G]

the conversation is about match play and the shots diff between 3/4 and 90%

It's actually now a free for all as long as you give me personal abuse old boy. Get stuck in.

👍

 

[TheDiablo]

There is only one cat1 player at my club plays in singles matches, why do you think that might be ?

Ours has been won every year I've been at the club by a SF player. This year a guy off 2. Played a guy off 6 in the final.

Loads of other Cat1s lost somewhere along the line, obviously. Possibly to a higher handicapper. But overall the lower wins out.

 

[patricks148]

It's actually now a free for all as long as you give me personal abuse old boy. Get stuck in.

👍

thats very kind of you dear boy. will have a think and get back to you

 

[TheDiablo]

I just picked an arbitrary sequence of 4 holes. 2 pars and bogey and triple is good for an 18 handicap. Not spectacular but also not entirely unrealistic.

It was just to show how I could potentially win comfortably at stableford and take a hiding in match play with the same scores.

You could easily build out a scenario where the reverse is true though. That's just handicap matchplay golf 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[User20204]

Ours has been won every year I've been at the club by a SF player. This year a guy off 2. Played a guy off 6 in the final.

Loads of other Cat1s lost somewhere along the line, obviously. Possibly to a higher handicapper. But overall the lower wins out.

Well woopdee doo for you. I was referring to my club. It's clear and obvious at MY club cat1 players don't play in handicap matchplay comps, one other thing of note, there is a difference between a single figure player and a cat1 player. Playing off of 9 and off of 2 and light years apart.

 

[RangeMonkey]

I’ve been following this thread.

It has puzzled me slightly that some people seem to be complaining that you need to be “on your game” to win a competition.

Well, d’uh!

 

[patricks148]

I’ve been following this thread.

It has puzzled me slightly that some people seem to be complaining that you need to be “on your game” to win a competition.

Well, d’uh!

i don't think anyone is saying that, the point thats being made is some are saying there is an advantage in 90% over 3/4 diff in MP

 

[rulefan]

Well I still prefer to take note of the figures produced by the USGA, the SGU, the EGU and others, rather than opinions or experiences of a few, some of whom apparently don't play matchplay.

 

[rulefan]

i don't think anyone is saying that, the point thats being made is some are saying there is an advantage in 90% over 3/4 diff in MP

Those %ages relate to Fourball only.

 

[patricks148]

Those %ages relate to Fourball only.

yes i know that what the artiucle was about, which is what i was pointing out

 

[TheDiablo]

Well woopdee doo for you. I was referring to my club. It's clear and obvious at MY club cat1 players don't play in handicap matchplay comps, one other thing of note, there is a difference between a single figure player and a cat1 player. Playing off of 9 and off of 2 and light years apart.

Ok then, well the last 3 years which is all I can go back on there's been 6 cat 1s in the final.

The Cat 1s at your club all sound bitter from the one time they lost to a 18 handicapper chopping it round in 25 over while they still didn't win.

Woopdee doo indeed.

 

[rulefan]

I’ve been following this thread.

It has puzzled me slightly that some people seem to be complaining that you need to be “on your game” to win a competition.

Well, d’uh!

I hope you managed to determine where posters are referring to strokeplay competitions, match play rounds, individual play and fourball. It is all a bit hit and miss.