Handicap Question

[Franco]

Having recently won a comp, I was pleased to have my first cut to 26.8. The next comp was a Bogey where maximum handicap was 18. With the limited handicap, I picked up after I missed a net par, whereas if I had my full handicap, there were occasions when I would have had one more stroke to play.

The result was that I went up 0.1 to 26.9, which surprised me, as I thought that giving away nine strokes would stop that happening. I asked the Handicap Sec how it worked and was told that the computer does it. Can anyone explain this to me?

 

[Capella]

Assuming that this is handled similarily in the Uk: we often have a handicap limit for comps which is used to determine the winner (cos the lower handicap guys are mad when a high handicapper plays 50 Stableford points ). But for the handicap adjustment the handicap is counted as normal. So you basically get two different netto scores, one for the comp and one for calculating the future handicap. So, in the future, only pick up if you can't score with your full handicap anymore.

 

[freddielong]

Like above, if you pick up that is treated as a disaster you should always put a score down if possible.
Your handicap is always adjusted based on your full actual handicap.

 

[Region3]

I know bogey comps work slightly different to normal for handicap purposes (eg there is no difference score wise or hc wise winning the hole with a birdie or eagle), but I'm surprised they're allowed to run a max hc comp as a qualifier.

 

[louise_a]

you can run a qualifying competition with a maximum handicap as long as you enter the full scores and have a CSS against full handicap, if that wasn't made clear then I would think you have a case to claim that it should have been non qualifying.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Having recently won a comp, I was pleased to have my first cut to 26.8. The next comp was a Bogey where maximum handicap was 18. With the limited handicap, I picked up after I missed a net par, whereas if I had my full handicap, there were occasions when I would have had one more stroke to play.

The result was that I went up 0.1 to 26.9, which surprised me, as I thought that giving away nine strokes would stop that happening. I asked the Handicap Sec how it worked and was told that the computer does it. Can anyone explain this to me?

If you had of holed out and not picked up then the computer would have worked your score out as a 27 handicap, as you picked up its just made everything a nett double bogey for handicapping.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

I know bogey comps work slightly different to normal for handicap purposes (eg there is no difference score wise or hc wise winning the hole with a birdie or eagle), but I'm surprised they're allowed to run a max hc comp as a qualifier.

Do you not have any club major comps with max handicaps?

We have quite a few that are max 18 shots but we do have higher handicaps entering all the time.

 

[Region3]

Do you not have any club major comps with max handicaps?

We have quite a few that are max 18 shots but we do have higher handicaps entering all the time.

The only one is the club champs, and the max handicap is just that, no entering off a higher one and playing off the lower one.

That 1 comp a year is offset by one that is only for 19+ handicaps.

Is having hc limits on a comp not an admission that you don't want any dodgy ones winning (or even that there are dodgy ones in the first place), or am I missing an obvious good reason?

 

[rosecott]

Do you not have any club major comps with max handicaps?

We have quite a few that are max 18 shots but we do have higher handicaps entering all the time.

The only one is the club champs, and the max handicap is just that, no entering off a higher one and playing off the lower one.

That 1 comp a year is offset by one that is only for 19+ handicaps.

Is having hc limits on a comp not an admission that you don't want any dodgy ones winning (or even that there are dodgy ones in the first place), or am I missing an obvious good reason?

Perhaps it's a little strange that the club at the home of English golf doesn't have complete faith in their application of the UHS handicap system.

 

[Franco]

Thank you for making the position clear. I was not told to play to my full handicap and I suspect that the other players in my group (all sub 18) were also unaware, as I am sure they would have told me to play on.

It is true that when I play well I often receive comments on the lines of 'ringer' and 'bandit', but I have been steadily improving since I took up golf two and a half years ago, at the age of 68. When I started playing I was an easy draw in comps, but no one said 'It's a shame that you only have 28 when 48 would be nearer your standard'!

 

[Capella]

Is having hc limits on a comp not an admission that you don't want any dodgy ones winning (or even that there are dodgy ones in the first place), or am I missing an obvious good reason?

I think it is not so much about dodgy handicaps, it is more about the fact that it is easier for a high handicapper to score very well with a few lucky shots. I play off -36 at the moment. When I make par, that scores as a nett eagle (4 Stableford points ... due to course rating it might even be a nett albatros wth 5 points). And while it does not happen to me very often, I still have a better chance to play par on a short par 3 for example than a scratch player or single digit handicapper has to hit a hole in one. Granted, I will also mess up more extremely on my bad holes, but the Stableford system levels that out and I cannot make less than no points for a hole. So the odds are in my favour here. And at least at our club, many of the longterm bogey golfers really don't like that and are very eager to win the ugly glass bowl for themselves ...

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Perhaps it's a little strange that the club at the home of English golf doesn't have complete faith in their application of the UHS handicap system.

Bit of a strange comment as Woodhall Spa golf club and England golf run as two separate divisions.

Its the way the comps were set up a long time ago and it will change in time

 

[rosecott]

Bit of a strange comment as Woodhall Spa golf club and England golf run as two separate divisions.

Its the way the comps were set up a long time ago and it will change in time

I chose my words quite carefully - the club at the home of English golf.

 

[duncan mackie]

I think it is not so much about dodgy handicaps, it is more about the fact that it is easier for a high handicapper to score very well with a few lucky shots. I play off -36 at the moment. When I make par, that scores as a nett eagle (4 Stableford points ... due to course rating it might even be a nett albatros wth 5 points). And while it does not happen to me very often, I still have a better chance to play par on a short par 3 for example than a scratch player or single digit handicapper has to hit a hole in one. Granted, I will also mess up more extremely on my bad holes, but the Stableford system levels that out and I cannot make less than no points for a hole. So the odds are in my favour here. And at least at our club, many of the longterm bogey golfers really don't like that and are very eager to win the ugly glass bowl for themselves ...

Whilst it's good that you see things so positively, the fact is that you are handicapped to a stableford score, not medal, so no, the odds don't favour you in such situations unless you have the wrong handicap.
This applies to those on lower handicaps as well!
It's not unusual for 'long term golfers' of any standard to have views on handicap limits, competition play and related issues - many threads on here reinforce this at times.
Same issues on match play handicap allowances from predominantly the lower handicaps who belive they have earnt a right to win more than they lose (over and above the 13% or so inherent advantage in the system).
It will never change; there are huge psychological reasons behind it, and the occasional fast improver cleaning up provides the necessary trigger to maintain it.

 

[JollyRedDevil]

Can someone please explain how is affects your handicap if you pick up in one hole in a comp.
Do you just get a net double bogey for that hole?
If so, is net double bogey the maximum you get no matter hoe badly you score?

 

[fundy]

Can someone please explain how is affects your handicap if you pick up in one hole in a comp.
Do you just get a net double bogey for that hole?
If so, is net double bogey the maximum you get no matter hoe badly you score?

yes and yes

 

[JollyRedDevil]

Thanks fundy.

 

[ScienceBoy]

You certainly didn't need all those shots to beat me on Monday....

 

[Face breaker]

I think it is not so much about dodgy handicaps, it is more about the fact that it is easier for a high handicapper to score very well with a few lucky shots. I play off -36 at the moment. When I make par, that scores as a nett eagle (4 Stableford points ... due to course rating it might even be a nett albatros wth 5 points). And while it does not happen to me very often, I still have a better chance to play par on a short par 3 for example than a scratch player or single digit handicapper has to hit a hole in one. Granted, I will also mess up more extremely on my bad holes, but the Stableford system levels that out and I cannot make less than no points for a hole. So the odds are in my favour here. And at least at our club, many of the longterm bogey golfers really don't like that and are very eager to win the ugly glass bowl for themselves ...

Just a quickie, what's a 'bogey golfer' when it's at home ?...:thup:

 

[Region3]

Just a quickie, what's a 'bogey golfer' when it's at home ?...:thup:

18hc?