Val
Ryder Cup Winner
What is amazing I an 19+ handicapper getting 2 shots n a par 3 and birdie it, a 2 net zero.
You should never get 2 shots on a par 3
You should never get 2 shots on a par 3
Handicap System ?
- Thread starter Bythesea
- Start date
Mick47
Head Pro
I think the above about sums it up, if in competition the max h/c was 18 then I wouldn't enter as there would be no point.
Bythesea
Medal Winner
Homer, I am one of those older guy to whom you refer. I play in all the senior comps and in many others, I know that I have little or no chance of winning, unless I get lucky in the charity draw or have one of those wonderful days where you can do no wrong (I wish!!) but I would not dream of packing it in as I love the game So much. In the past 33years I have held several offices, within the Club, and am at the moment standing for Vice Captain, so all the views that the Forumer's come up with wil be stored in the memory to assist me should I be successful.
I have no desire to penalise anyone, but just have a feeling there has to be a better way in this technological age
I have no desire to penalise anyone, but just have a feeling there has to be a better way in this technological age
DCB
Well-known member
Interesting thread this one. One thing we need to remember is that we play this game as a form of relaxation and enjoyment. To that end, handicaps make playing the game just a little easier for all players in that respect.
DaveM
Tour Winner
I am also one of the older guys! I think that the H/c system is unfair, as it rewards mediocrity.
GB72
Money List Winner
At my old club I was slightly concerned that there was handicap elitism creeping in. When I joined the only competition that required an 18 handicap to enter was the club championship. Year by year the number of these competitions increased and by last season there were a number every month. This appeared to be because the higher handicappers were winning competitions. What they should have done is set the handicap secretary on it and ensure that people are awarded or are playing off correct handicaps. What they did instead was exclude people from competitions because they were entering off the handicap that the club gave them.
To me it is simple, if you do not want higher handica golfers playing the course or winning competitions then do not allow them to join. Once the club takes their money they should have equal rights to everyone else.
To me it is simple, if you do not want higher handica golfers playing the course or winning competitions then do not allow them to join. Once the club takes their money they should have equal rights to everyone else.
DaveM
Tour Winner
I was told when I joined my club. That no H/c until you play to 18? Don't know if this is enforced as I have not put cards in yet. Will see when the weather gets better. Mind you I guess that depends what I shoot at the time?
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
I've said this many times on here. I understand why the h'cap system is the way it is and I know there would be less interest in club comps if everyone didn't have a chance to win.
On one hand, the beauty of the h'cap system allows us all to compete against each other on a fairly level playing field. This is one of the wonderful things about golf.
On the other hand it does reward mediocrity and the lower you get, the harder it becomes to win.
There is a big greedy at our club who at the end of each year produce money lists, one for the greedy and one for club comps. At ghe end of last year, the fella at the bottom of both money lists was a +2 handicapper: there is something that really doesn't sit right with me about that.
Having said that, as long as you accept it for what it is, the system works fairly well.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
describe this hole please? it must be tough. what do you normally score at it?
Fore
Head Pro
What a lovely post Rosecott. Well put.
Mick47
Head Pro
I don't know about club champs etc, but as far as weekly stablefords / medals are concerned surely it as simple as dividing the comp into divisions. At ours the 0 -9s play in div one the 10 -18s play in div two and the 19 - 28s play in div three. That way you never get a scratch player getting mugged by a 28 handicapper which seems fair enough to me, maybe I'm missing something but I can't see what the fuss is about.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
200 yard par 3, it was an an outing and the guy hit a Sunday best 5 wood and drained a 30' putt
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
There must be more to it than that, we have two par 3s over 200yds and they aren't SI1
granters
Q-School Graduate
I'd always considered the handicap system fair, and never really thought about it too much until last week. For most of my golfing career i've played off single figures. We played a stableford amongst ourselves (8 of us on an away day), i played off scratch and one of my group played off 26. I had 12 pars and a birdie in the round, plus a few bogies and doubles on a course i'd never played before. I thought that would have a pretty decent chance of winning. Wrong. The 26er had 13 points at the turn then consistently double bogeyed and bogeyed the back 9, racking up the 2 and 3 pointers. He even had a 4 pointer for a gross par nett eagle.
It was the first time i ever realised that i couldn't compete, and i was far more technically able than my opponent, who only plays once a month. From that point of view it's very frustrating for someone like me who works hard on their game that someone can turn up and walk away with it with very little effort.
If i ever get down to 5 again i have no realistic chance of say 45 points in a stableford, or a nett 60, whereas anybody off 16 plus can have a red letter day, and there is always one of them per competition.
2 sides to the coin
It was the first time i ever realised that i couldn't compete, and i was far more technically able than my opponent, who only plays once a month. From that point of view it's very frustrating for someone like me who works hard on their game that someone can turn up and walk away with it with very little effort.
If i ever get down to 5 again i have no realistic chance of say 45 points in a stableford, or a nett 60, whereas anybody off 16 plus can have a red letter day, and there is always one of them per competition.
2 sides to the coin
GB72
Money List Winner
Would seem fair but my old club would never stump up prizes for 3 divisions. That would mean all of the moenypaid to enter the comp would go out in prize money and I cannot see the club/pro agreeing to that (never sure who got the money paid for a comp)
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Don't forget, if the club are doing things by the book, difficulty is way down the list of criteria for allocating Stroke Index.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
The hole is now stroke index 7 but cant say what it was at the time, to be fair i did say a 19+ handicap because of 2 strokes a hole but did neccessary mean a 19 handicap.
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
That's a big if Imurg
Airlie_Andy
Challenge Tour Pro
Just to answer a point made by someone earlier in the thread that no other sport uses a handicap system. Club snooker uses a handicap system so the better players are playing off "scratch" and depending on your skill level you could have as much as a 35 point start in the frame.
Mike_j_golf
Q-School Graduate
Surley all the money paid in get paid out in prizes.
I think the main point here should be that high handicaps should be included but it's getting them down to a realistic handicap once they start improving. If you are off 27 and have never play much better than that then i see no problem. The problem occurs when you are off 27 and start playing to 18 and 6 wins later you are still off 20.
