• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

Handicap Change 2025

Start: 17.5
Low: 14.6
High: 18.3
Current: 14.6
Scores entered: 23 (of which seven were comps and the rest GP)

Prior to last month, my all-time lowest handicap had been 15.9 for a few days in 2023. One exceptional score reduction and I'm now at 14.6! It still feels weird not getting a shot on some holes...
I have that now in our winter society as I got cut a shot for coming 2nd. On the plus side, it made me feel like a real golfer when, during a 4BBB match at the weekend, I was able to moan that I would have needed to birdie the SI 18 (par 3) to halve the hole against a higher handicap who got a par with a shot :ROFLMAO:
 
Start: 17.5
Low: 14.6
High: 18.3
Current: 14.6
Scores entered: 23 (of which seven were comps and the rest GP)

Prior to last month, my all-time lowest handicap had been 15.9 for a few days in 2023. One exceptional score reduction and I'm now at 14.6! It still feels weird not getting a shot on some holes...


As some one going the other way (now at my highest h'cap for 40 years) I have to remind myself not to pick up before thinking about the S.I. for the hole. Almost did it yesterday having gone up a shot on Sunday. I have not had a shot on that hole since the first year I joined the club.
 
As some one going the other way (now at my highest h'cap for 40 years) I have to remind myself not to pick up before thinking about the S.I. for the hole. Almost did it yesterday having gone up a shot on Sunday. I have not had a shot on that hole since the first year I joined the club.
Ask me which holes are SI 1-11 and I don't even have to think.....after that I've no idea...
 
I have that now in our winter society as I got cut a shot for coming 2nd. On the plus side, it made me feel like a real golfer when, during a 4BBB match at the weekend, I was able to moan that I would have needed to birdie the SI 18 (par 3) to halve the hole against a higher handicap who got a par with a shot :ROFLMAO:
It’s nice feeling you’re getting better because you don’t have shots on every hole, definitely. But then how annoying is it when you mess a hole up, scramble your arse off for a bogey to get 2 points, and then realise you don’t get a shot so it’s only 1 point!! Or, you play a hole well, par it for 3 points…nope, no shot, 2 points, aaarrrggghhh!!
 
It’s nice feeling you’re getting better because you don’t have shots on every hole, definitely. But then how annoying is it when you mess a hole up, scramble your arse off for a bogey to get 2 points, and then realise you don’t get a shot so it’s only 1 point!! Or, you play a hole well, par it for 3 points…nope, no shot, 2 points, aaarrrggghhh!!
Well, you could cease thinking in stableford.
Thinking in terms of your golf score rather than your stableford score is something I can recommend.
It causes you to play Every Hole as best as you can without the added concern of stableford points. Just let the stableford score be-what-it-will-be at the end of the round.
 
Started at 9.9

Currently at 9.1

Lowest was 9.1

Highest was 11.3

34 handicap qualifying scores...all competitions
Having said that....there are still 6 qualifying comps I can play in up until the end of the year, so its possible that my handicap might move in either direction given the distribution of the best 8 in my last 20....if i play all 6, then 3 current "top 8" scores will drop off....two of them are beatable, one a bit more challenging. Next comp is tomorrow.
 
Started at 19, now at 17.9. Strangely I feel I am played much, much better than at the start of the year, but the scores don't reflect it that much. Highlights were shooting 87 at Minchinhampton Old, and level par at my local par 3 course. I did spend a lot of time (but not that much money) rebuilding my bag. Only 3 clubs remain from my bag of just over a year ago. Goals for next year: sub 17 hcp. Take some lessons, and play in some comps.
 
Last edited:
Started at 13.3
Currently 12.6
Lowest 11.5
Highest 15.2

45 acceptable scores with no general play rounds

My HI mirrors the seasons - highest at the start of spring, lowest at the end of summer. I thought that 2025 would be the year for new clubs but my current game doesn't warrant them. Some lessons and more practice would be better options at the moment.
 
Start: 17.5
Low: 14.6
High: 18.3
Current: 14.6
Scores entered: 23 (of which seven were comps and the rest GP)

Prior to last month, my all-time lowest handicap had been 15.9 for a few days in 2023. One exceptional score reduction and I'm now at 14.6! It still feels weird not getting a shot on some holes...
Tell me about it. I'm only getting 2 now and I don't get a shot at the stroke index 3 hole which is a 420 yard par 4 that is more often than not into the wind. I'm quite often hitting driver/3 wood and then need to get up and down to save par as I'm still short. Annoying.
 
36 replies so far.
  • 27 handicaps have come down during the year
  • Eight have gone up
  • One has not changed
We could conclude that for every one golfer getting worse, there are three that are getting better. Or maybe the ones that are getting better are more inclined to answer the question! I know which I think is more likely. :D
On that theme, I may not be posting any comment on the 'Who won what' thread :whistle:
 
Ask me which holes are SI 1-11 and I don't even have to think.....after that I've no idea...

My handicap has been going up and up for a few years now.

There was a time for about 15 years when I only needed to worry about SIs 1-6. After Sunday I now only need to know the one hole where I do not get a shot off yellows and the one where I get 2 off whites.
 
36 replies so far.
  • 27 handicaps have come down during the year
  • Eight have gone up
  • One has not changed
We could conclude that for every one golfer getting worse, there are three that are getting better. Or maybe the ones that are getting better are more inclined to answer the question! I know which I think is more likely. :D
I am one of those who "have got worse".
Started year 4.6 - went down to 3.9 - went back up to 4.6 - got back down to 4.0 - then back up to 4.6 in September. Two more scores at end of September gave me another 0.4 upwards to 5.0

100 scores ago I was 5.0 in 2022. Went up to 5.5 soon after that. Then crashing quickly down to 4.5 followed by a low point of 3.8 after that.
Ups and downs, peaks and troughs.
I'm at a peak. Won't get much higher next year, but I am 95% certain that I will get to 4.0 or lower at some point next year.
My handicap is more seasonal than anything to do with getting better or worse - or so it seems to me. Better scores in June and July than in April and September would explain that.

250930 last 100 scores.jpg
 
I've also got worse, but it doesn't really feel like it.
Started at 8.4
Finished at 8.8

But.... a couple of 9 hole low scores dropped off, and my 8 green dots are all in the last 13 counting rounds.
To compound the felony, my highest handicap of the year (9.6) was actually achieved with my lowest ever comp score (78).
The moral of this story is, don't put in 9 hole scores on the easy side of the course...
 
Top