Handicaps

[Mike_j_golf]

Hi,
Was just wondering if in your clubs Stableford comps were included for handicap adjustments they are in my club and if so and you play mainly Stableford is your handicap a true reflection of your playing abilities, I know a few guys in our club that are around the 9 to 11 handicap range who have never been cut in a medal comp they usually have a bad hole somewhere during the round but if that happens to them in stableford they can make it up with a birdie somewhere else in stableford you never have to hit your 5th off the tee after putting the first 2 OB and you are playing off the forward tees, All the cuts for my own handicap have come playing medals don't really like stable ford so if you have achieved your handicap playing stableford not medal is it a fair handicap or would it be a couple of shots higher if you could only play medal comps in the future.
Mike

 

[Smiffy]

I think that medal play is the only real reflection on handicaps, but Stableford has it's uses if only to get some of these bandits handicaps down.

 

[JezzE]

Mike,
I don't think it actually makes any difference. CONGU's Rule 19 means that for handicap purposes only (not for prizes obviously) all Medal rounds are effectively Stablefords anyway.
http://www.congu.com/template2.asp?pid=50&parent=33&parent2=50

So from a handicap perspective it shouldn't make a difference. Where it will make a difference is in your ability to lift any silverware. Continually throwing in a couple of big numbers in a Medal will give you no chance, whereas you might just get away with it in a Stableford.

 

[Fyldewhite]

The handicap system employs a concept called "stableford adjustment" for medal competitions anyway. This means that if you make a score at any hole in a medal that is two over par (Nett) ie would be a blob in a stableford, then no matter what you actually score 8,9,10 etc it will only count for handicapping as a nett double bogey. So in effect there is no difference whatsoever from the handicapping point of view, though there is an argument that says Stablefords are easier mentally on a player and players tend to perform better because of that.

Another related point is that it is commonly assumed that once you NR in a medal then that's an automatic 0.1 - Not true. If you play the rest of the course well you can still be buffer zone or even get a reduction as the bad hole is only a nett double bogey which especially for a high handicapper isn't necessarily a card wrecker.

 

[funkyfred]

Fyldewhite

Being new (since March) to club golf I found this very interesting. I have played several medal comps but after the normal bad hole I have lost concentration, but knowing that I can possibly save my round I might now try and keep it going. Thanks for that info.

 

[Ethan]

Hi,
Was just wondering if in your clubs Stableford comps were included for handicap adjustments they are in my club and if so and you play mainly Stableford is your handicap a true reflection of your playing abilities, I know a few guys in our club that are around the 9 to 11 handicap range who have never been cut in a medal comp they usually have a bad hole somewhere during the round but if that happens to them in stableford they can make it up with a birdie somewhere else in stableford you never have to hit your 5th off the tee after putting the first 2 OB and you are playing off the forward tees, All the cuts for my own handicap have come playing medals don't really like stable ford so if you have achieved your handicap playing stableford not medal is it a fair handicap or would it be a couple of shots higher if you could only play medal comps in the future.
Mike

All handicaps are calculated based on Stableford scores.

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Hi,
I know that all handicaps are stableford based i just ment that guys that usually play stableford struggle in medals because stableford dosen't punish the 8 9's.
Mike

 

[Ethan]

Hi,
I know that all handicaps are stableford based i just ment that guys that usually play stableford struggle in medals because stableford dosen't punish the 8 9's.
Mike

But the point is that even in a medal, an 8 or 9 will be corrected to nett double bogey for handicap purposes, so you can score a nett 72 in the medal with a couple of big scores, but that may convert to a nett 67 for handicap purposes and get cut.

 

[RGDave]

I think that medal play is the only real reflection on handicaps, but Stableford has it's uses if only to get some of these bandits handicaps down.

Yes and no. Most of the guys at mine off 1-10 don't seem to rack up big numbers anyway, so it's just as useful.

However, I do think stableford adjustment will help to keep bandits at bay.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Most of the guys at mine off 1-10 don't seem to rack up big numbers anyway, so it's just as useful.

I was going along nicely on Saturday until I made a nice solid par at 15 ..... with my third tee shot !!

However, to illustrate the point made earlier, I finished 77 gross - 5 = 72. For handicap this was counted as 70 which was in buffer zone so saved me 0.1. Even if I'd have NR'd on 15 it would have been the same.