Have you ever played with a known handicap cheat?

[Backache]

I played out of my skin and beat a v low handicapper in a matchplay - but even though I was v happy with my game on that day and the result, I still didn’t get a lower gross score than him so I honestly don’t feel that I ‘beat’ him

Personally I feel the original point of handicap is really matchplay rather than stroke play. Yes you had strokes but you still beat him because you won more holes though you won with a handicap. I aways feel in matchplay I am playing someone else whereas in stroke play I am playing the course. I pretty much ignore my placing in strokeplay and am really interested in my score and how it compares with previous scores rather than with other peoples, or on a new course how I performed against my expectations.

 

[threefootworld]

We’ve got a 3 handicapper at our club who’s handed in 5 cards in total since 2020. He’s playing about 3 times per week.

Pride of having a low handicap. Don’t understand it. I find it more embarrassing when you can’t play anywhere near to it.

My club had a +2 who it was more like a 5-6. He played in the club champ last year and it turned out for him to be the "club chump" he sliced 2 out of bounds on our long 5th on the 1st round and walked off leaving a pair to mark each others cards. Turned out to be a serial inputter of supplementary rounds and always marked by one of his 3 mates. Hes no longer in the club, cheating himself only, what a dick.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My club had a +2 who it was more like a 5-6. He played in the club champ last year and it turned out for him to be the "club chump" he sliced 2 out of bounds on our long 5th on the 1st round and walked off leaving a pair to mark each others cards. Turned out to be a serial inputter of supplementary rounds and always marked by one of his 3 mates. Hes no longer in the club, cheating himself only, what a dick.

Ah vanity handicaps...and then I realized I was feeling a bit miffed when our course re-rating which came live weeks ago found my CH handicap jump from 8 to 10...Ooooh - that's no good must get back to SFs..went my thinking. And on second thoughts I realized it's no big deal to be SFs - it's just a number. I'll just put in cards and if it goes down then that's all well and good...if not...well then I need the additional shots as a fair reflection of my ability.

 

[rulie]

Ah vanity handicaps...and then I realized I was feeling a bit miffed when our course re-rating which came live weeks ago found my CH handicap jump from 8 to 10...Ooooh - that's no good must get back to SFs..went my thinking. And on second thoughts I realized it's no big deal to be SFs - it's just a number. I'll just put in cards and if it goes down then that's all well and good...if not...well then I need the additional shots as a fair reflection of my ability.

You're far too honest, but well done!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

You're far too honest, but well done!

Well...its a bit weird as the handicap of everyone at the club went up on 1st March - yet the course remains exactly as it was one 28th February.

I know I can play to a CH of 8 and yet I've got a CH of 10. No matter - as I am intending to put more GP cards in this year I'll come down quicker than I would have before 1st March, as the new slope (SI) is a lot steeper - plus the CR has gone up by almost a whole shot.

But there are now a load of players who have CHs 2 and 3 shots higher than they had before 1st March - in fact the vast majority of members as it is only the lower SF members who went up 1 shot. If they don't put many cards in they will stay there. I am confident that our handicap and comps secretaries are watching how things go over the coming couple of months.

 

[rulie]

Well...its a bit weird as the handicap of everyone at the club went up on 1st March - yet the course remains exactly as it was one 28th February.

I know I can play to a CH of 8 and yet I've got a CH of 10. No matter - as I am intending to put more GP cards in this year I'll come down quicker than I would have before 1st March, as the new slope (SI) is a lot steeper - plus the CR has gone up by almost a whole shot.

But there are now a load of players who have CHs 2 and 3 shots higher than they had before 1st March - in fact the vast majority of members as it is only the lower SF members who went up 1 shot. If they don't put many cards in they will stay there. I am confident that our handicap and comps secretaries are watching how things go over the coming couple of months.

You can only control your own play. The handicap will sort itself based on your play.
Would expect others to do the same.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

You can only control your own play. The handicap will sort itself based on your play.
Would expect others to do the same.

Yes indeed it will. I know for sure that there will be a few folks looking at me playing off 10 and thinking...10...? That's a 25% increase in my CH overnight

 

[D-S]

Yes indeed it will. I know for sure that there will be a few folks looking at me playing off 10 and thinking...10...? That's a 25% increase in my CH overnight

Surely this increase is only at your club where it will be well understood as everyone’s CH will have increased?

 

[stymied]

My club had a +2 who it was more like a 5-6. He played in the club champ last year and it turned out for him to be the "club chump" he sliced 2 out of bounds on our long 5th on the 1st round and walked off leaving a pair to mark each others cards. Turned out to be a serial inputter of supplementary rounds and always marked by one of his 3 mates. Hes no longer in the club, cheating himself only, what a dick.

I feel like I somewhat resemble this comment (a 5 but feel more like a 8). With the handicap system taking the 8 best scores of the last 20, I skew such that scores are more commonly above my handicap. Looking at my last 20 the low was 74 (not the single lowest differential as it was a short course), high 86 and avg 80. Additionally the last round I played I had a triple and a quad. With ESC scoring they turn into doubles.

If wanting to bring down the handicap, play a long course where a stroke and distance penalty is uncommon.

 

[Voyager EMH]

But there are now a load of players who have CHs 2 and 3 shots higher than they had before 1st March - in fact the vast majority of members as it is only the lower SF members who went up 1 shot. If they don't put many cards in they will stay there. I am confident that our handicap and comps secretaries are watching how things go over the coming couple of months.

Your handicaps have not gone up. Your Handicap Indexes have remained the same.

I'm assuming that your Course Rating has increased. And possibly the Slope Rating as well.
If you all shoot similar gross scores as you have before then your Handicap Indexes will come down.

Then you all will find playing other courses to be more difficult than it was before.

 

[Orikoru]

I played with a guy at Camberley Heath once who said he was off 11 but he shot about 45 points. Can't remember his name but he swung it a bit like Hogan.

 

[kp17]

Cheating to win £££/competitions or deliberately keeping high handicap for the same reason is one thing, but cheating to have a handicap so low that you can never play to is bonkers. Cannot understand that thinking at all, they must get a buzz from telling folk I’m off scratch or whatever.

But then tee it up and look like a clown.

 

[clubchamp98]

Cheating to win £££/competitions or deliberately keeping high handicap for the same reason is one thing, but cheating to have a handicap so low that you can never play to is bonkers. Cannot understand that thinking at all, they must get a buzz from telling folk I’m off scratch or whatever.

But then tee it up and look like a clown.

It gets them into competitions that they should not be in.
They keep genuine low caps out of them comps at prestigious courses.
It’s just as bad as the sandbaggers to win a few balls.

 

[slicer79]

Cheating to win £££/competitions or deliberately keeping high handicap for the same reason is one thing, but cheating to have a handicap so low that you can never play to is bonkers. Cannot understand that thinking at all, they must get a buzz from telling folk I’m off scratch or whatever.

But then tee it up and look like a clown.

I absolutely can't understand the motivation with it by those trying to keep a low index. Because you are found out almost immediately on course.
On the other end of it someone trying to manage a high handicap can make themselves look like a higher handicap player easily enough by deliberately playing poor shots, I understand that motivation in terms of trying to win prizes, etc.

 

[sunshine]

Ah vanity handicaps...and then I realized I was feeling a bit miffed when our course re-rating which came live weeks ago found my CH handicap jump from 8 to 10...Ooooh - that's no good must get back to SFs..went my thinking. And on second thoughts I realized it's no big deal to be SFs - it's just a number. I'll just put in cards and if it goes down then that's all well and good...if not...well then I need the additional shots as a fair reflection of my ability.

It's no big deal because everyone's handicap has gone up at your club.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Your handicaps have not gone up. Your Handicap Indexes have remained the same.

I'm assuming that your Course Rating has increased. And possibly the Slope Rating as well.
If you all shoot similar gross scores as you have before then your Handicap Indexes will come down.

Then you all will find playing other courses to be more difficult than it was before.

They will - and quicker than before due to the m much higher slope. I have a differentials of 2.2 and a 5.4 coming up soon and higher SI and CR will make it easier for me to replace them with differentials roughly equivalent.

 

[richbeech]

Cheating to win £££/competitions or deliberately keeping high handicap for the same reason is one thing, but cheating to have a handicap so low that you can never play to is bonkers. Cannot understand that thinking at all, they must get a buzz from telling folk I’m off scratch or whatever.

But then tee it up and look like a clown.

The reason they do it is to either keep up with their friends who are genuine low handicap golfers or, the more likely reason is so that they can gain entry into scratch / low handicap opens. These type of comps tend to be at better more prestigious courses. For example, there was an open at West Lancs last September and it was £80 for 36 holes and lunch. An absolute bargain! But crucially you needed a handicap of 2 or lower to get in.

 

[slicer79]

The reason they do it is to either keep up with their friends who are genuine low handicap golfers or, the more likely reason is so that they can gain entry into scratch / low handicap opens. These type of comps tend to be at better more prestigious courses. For example, there was an open at West Lancs last September and it was £80 for 36 holes and lunch. An absolute bargain! But crucially you needed a handicap of 2 or lower to get in.

But would these golfers not find it then embarrassing to go out and struggle to be anywhere near the standard of the other golfers in the event

 

[Deleted member 36735]

But would these golfers not find it then embarrassing to go out and struggle to be anywhere near the standard of the other golfers in the event

Since when have any cheats had any sense of embarrassment or right and wrong?

 

[PJ87]

I absolutely can't understand the motivation with it by those trying to keep a low index. Because you are found out almost immediately on course.
On the other end of it someone trying to manage a high handicap can make themselves look like a higher handicap player easily enough by deliberately playing poor shots, I understand that motivation in terms of trying to win prizes, etc.

Every season when our society restarts I have my annual moan about the handicaps being dodgy

We play our own system where it's 32 points is stay as. 0.25 back per shot under 32 (max 2 shots back) and then every shot over 32 is 0.25 off (plus cut 1 for winning)

Last year I picked the winner straight off.. played off 24 think it was first event but his EG was 15. Ridiculous. Uncatchable

Ive Said for ages if you have a club handicap you play off the lowest of the 2 handicaps but I get outvoted. People get confused and think I'm forcing them to buy igolf so I gave up

Yesterday winner hit 42 points off 21. His eg is 15 again tho. He will most likely win this season I reckon he's on fire. Will be on 17 next time out but still 2 shots too many.

There's me one of the few that plays off a actual lower handicap than My golf England lol

I'll just be happy with top 5

Least I got to write a spreadsheet to track handicaps automatically... I'm sure I can start implementing change slowly slowly this way