Face breaker
Q-School Graduate
Cheers buddy, that's good to know, can work on getting me handicap down without all the rigmarole of finding the time to enter a comp just to make it count then !... :thup:
Handicaps....what changes would you make?
- Thread starter Bunkermagnet
- Start date
Cheers buddy, that's good to know, can work on getting me handicap down without all the rigmarole of finding the time to enter a comp just to make it count then !... :thup:
upsidedown
Tour Winner
I played under the NZ version of the USGA system and at first had a lot of the concerns that are being voiced here. but as I got used to it . it became obvious it's not the monster you fear 
Did submitting every card ( in practice around 95% of rounds I put one in ) detract from my enjoyment or the way I played the game ? No, not one iota or one jot .
Did I have to worry about CSS going up and down ? Nope it didn't exist .
Did I have to worry about how I was playing in the particular weather conditions ? No, it was not a factor for handicap, you took the rough with the smooth.
Did I have to worry about reporting back away scores. Nope the club I played at did that for me.
Did I have to cut myself after beating SSS? No, my handicap index changed every two weeks.
Was it more work for the volunteers? Maybe but just before I left I played at a course where you marked a card by marking off what you scored on a hole by striking out that number you'd scored. At the end of the round you had your card scanned and it was automatically in the system.#
I could go and on but by now I'm sure you've guessed I'm a fan of the system. Under it my handicap was two lower than it is under CONGU but did it mean I was a better golfer ? Nope I still hit the career shots and still duff it with the best of them :lol:
Did submitting every card ( in practice around 95% of rounds I put one in ) detract from my enjoyment or the way I played the game ? No, not one iota or one jot .
Did I have to worry about CSS going up and down ? Nope it didn't exist .
Did I have to worry about how I was playing in the particular weather conditions ? No, it was not a factor for handicap, you took the rough with the smooth.
Did I have to worry about reporting back away scores. Nope the club I played at did that for me.
Did I have to cut myself after beating SSS? No, my handicap index changed every two weeks.
Was it more work for the volunteers? Maybe but just before I left I played at a course where you marked a card by marking off what you scored on a hole by striking out that number you'd scored. At the end of the round you had your card scanned and it was automatically in the system.#
I could go and on but by now I'm sure you've guessed I'm a fan of the system. Under it my handicap was two lower than it is under CONGU but did it mean I was a better golfer ? Nope I still hit the career shots and still duff it with the best of them :lol:
r0wly86
Head Pro
Didn't GM write about this not too long ago, but looked at it from the other side that a 5 hadnicap from the USA is no competition for a 5 handicap from the UK. Because the UK golfer has his 5 handicap from competitive golf with the added pressure whereas the US golfer has his handicap from social rounds with no pressure.Seeing as we only really care about handicaps in competitions, where we play against each other for prizes it would make more sense to have a handicap that is based on your golfing ability in competitions.Also I often play by myself, so I can go around quickly. Would they accept my social cards if I was the only witnessI played under the NZ version of the USGA system and at first had a lot of the concerns that are being voiced here. but as I got used to it . it became obvious it's not the monster you fear
Old Skier
Tour Winner
Ensure your follow your clubs rules for supps and notify whoever you have to at your club BEFORE you go out what your intentions are. Good or bad, the card must be returned.
Crazyface
Tour Winner
Anyone that beat the course par to be dropped that number of shots regardless of any other factors. This would stop bandits from popping up every year. If you can do it once then you have the ability to do it again. This is not a punishment. Lift you head up when the subject of H/C's come up in conversation and brag your head off !!!!!!!!!!!:thup:
r0wly86
Head Pro
But handicaps aren't meant to be a reflection of what you can do occasionally when playing your best. They are meant to represent your average round. I can on occasion shoot very close to par, I should definitely not be playing off scratch though
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Not average...
A reflection of you playing well.....
That's why, most of the time, you shouldn't play to your handicap.
Pressure is applied by the player. There is no pressure playing in your monthly medal. All that is at stake is a few quid and a 0.1 increase.
That's not pressure.....any pressure is perceived by the p!Ayer.
Blank that and p!ay the game.
nickjdavis
Head Pro
You are of course correct but if it were that easy then there wouldnt be a host of folks out there making their living as "psycho coaches" !!!
r0wly86
Head Pro
Is that the actual definition of a handicap?
I would have thought that a handicap +/- buffer should be pretty close to a players average across their last 20 scores or so (obviously different for higher handicapper who can will improve at a faster rate)
It's just that if I think I played well then my handicap would be about 6 but I only do that 30% of the time, why would my handicap reflect my play for a minority of rounds
nickjdavis
Head Pro
As I understand it you should play to your handicap maybe 1 round in 8. It is a reflection of your potential....maybe not your absolute best game but maybe playing at 85% of your best game (thats my estimate....not any officially derived figure).
In fact....maybe thats a better way of caluclating your handicap....take your last 15 rounds score vs CSS/SSS, sort them into order and your handicap is the 80th percentile figure?
In fact....maybe thats a better way of caluclating your handicap....take your last 15 rounds score vs CSS/SSS, sort them into order and your handicap is the 80th percentile figure?
r0wly86
Head Pro
The definition in the CONGU manual is
your handicap is the additional number of shots you would take on a slightly better than average round compared with a scratch player (someone whose handicap is 0).
However everyone will have a different definition of slightly better than average
r0wly86
Head Pro
Actually it does define it later on. 1/3 of rounds should be played to handicap or within the buffer
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
The current system is-
ESR reductions are automatic and are triggered with score of 4 better than handicap
7 consecutive 0.1 increases trigger a handicap review
The current problem with a lot of swindles is that are not played to qualifying rules. Everyone I play in allows gimmes and one I play in still uses 3/4 for stableford.
Old Skier
Tour Winner
ESR notifications are automatic but do not have to be implemented (unfortunately)
The 7 consecutive.1 only trigger a report for review but don't have to be implemented.
D
Deleted member 21258
Guest
Some kind of much bigger cut percentage, based on anyone scoring more than say 39 points and all away scores to be returned on opens/comps to the club by the other club/organisation.
This would help improving players getting cut, which is a major problem with handicaps imho(as it is normally the improving golfers winning). It would also help to stop people who like to protect their handicap for board comps or 3rd party comps/opens.
Would not be a fan of putting in social cards, as I play a different game when playing socials to when playing a formal comp.
This would help improving players getting cut, which is a major problem with handicaps imho(as it is normally the improving golfers winning). It would also help to stop people who like to protect their handicap for board comps or 3rd party comps/opens.
Would not be a fan of putting in social cards, as I play a different game when playing socials to when playing a formal comp.
r0wly86
Head Pro
Top of page 3 of the players' guide
http://www.congu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Players-quick-guide.pdf
nickjdavis
Head Pro
Ahhh Cheers :thup:...I wasnt looking in the Quick Guide but in the main CONGU manaul!!! But i did subsequently find the following on page 40, section 18/1 of the main manual...(apologies for dodgy formatting)
In ‘normal’ playing conditions, for example, 30-57%
of participating
[FONT=Arial,Italic][FONT=Arial,Italic]Category [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Italic][FONT=Arial,Italic][/FONT][/FONT]1 players are expected to return nett scores within their [FONT=Arial,Italic][FONT=Arial,Italic]Buffer Zone [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Italic][FONT=Arial,Italic][/FONT][/FONT]or
better (SSS+1), In contrast, in the same conditions only 23-45% of
[FONT=Arial,Italic][FONT=Arial,Italic]Category [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Italic][FONT=Arial,Italic][/FONT][/FONT]3 players are
expected to return nett scores within their
[FONT=Arial,Italic][FONT=Arial,Italic]Buffer Zone or better [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Italic][FONT=Arial,Italic][/FONT][/FONT](SSS+3),
My 1 round in 8 quote was not relating to buffer though....it was relating to playing to CSS/SSS or better.....thats what I personally consider "playing to handicap" and the 1 in 8 figure is what I've observed in the past when analysing the performance history of players at my club.
Ta for the link to the qucik guide....hadnt seen it before and might be useful to point some of our players at!!!
AmandaJR
Money List Winner
Do we need to be handicapped at all? Lots of other sports aren't - best score, fastest time etc wins.
r0wly86
Head Pro
Not much fun for beginners having to compete against Cat 1 players with no help. The handicap system is great it allows everyone to compete near a level playing field
Old Skier
Tour Winner
Golfers may be willing to throw money at kit but I don't think it would happen in comps where you have no chance of winning or even being competitive.
