How do i get a handicap

[Swango1980]

I play using an app and track my scores and handicap that way. I think the difference between that and playing in a club competition is minimal.
It does seem a bit of a closed shop that to get an official handicap you need to join a club. Is there no other way?

Being a member of a club helps ensure that a players handicap is, to some extent at least, monitored and ratified. If players could simply be in charge of their own handicap, it is bound to be more difficult for others to monitor this. All it would take is a few untrustworthy players, without a club, to manipulate their handicap and then clean up in Opens with big prizes. Who would take responsibility in investigating this and potentially adjusting or freezing their handicap? The Local Union, England Golf?

 

[Swango1980]

A 54 handicap blows my mind. Three shots per hole!!

Let me blow your mind further. Under WHS the maximum Index will be 54. So, at a course with a Slope of 155, that player would have a course handicap of 74. If they played against a scratch player in match play, they'd get 5 shots on the 2 hardest holes, and 4 shots on all the other holes

 

[timd77]

And there is a huge difference in playing social golf with a few quid riding on it versus a club medal. Slice one OOB with your mates and they’ll probably let you drop one down there. Not in a medal, 3 off the tee. Lose one in the rough, your mates will let you drop one down there, not in a medal, back you go to the original spot you played the shot. You’ve gotta keep going no matter how bad you’re playing. I was out of the last comp after 3 holes but you’ve got to keep going! Huge difference.

I only joined a club last year and I’ve found the difference in pressure to be massive. I can score in the 80s in a casual knock, but haven’t broke 90 in a comp yet.

 

[howbow88]

Let me blow your mind further. Under WHS the maximum Index will be 54. So, at a course with a Slope of 155, that player would have a course handicap of 74. If they played against a scratch player in match play, they'd get 5 shots on the 2 hardest holes, and 4 shots on all the other holes

 

[jim8flog]

A 54 handicap blows my mind. Three shots per hole!!

There are very few that actually get that as a starting handicap, usually very young juniors.

We currently only have 7 players with a handicap over 40 and the 3 that are over 50 are all juniors new to the game.

One that I know of will see his current 39 go to around 46 when the WHS comes in. He loves his golf having payed for 40 plus years but age and injury has taken its toll on someone that was not particularly good in the first place. He puts in money in the swindle every week and has done for years with the knowledge (particularly when a 28 handicap) that he does not a realistic chance of winning the pot.

 

[jim8flog]

It does seem a bit of a closed shop that to get an official handicap you need to join a club. Is there no other way?

There is no other way at present simply because it needs an authorised computer system which is linked to the CDH. Having such a system is a mandatory requirement for a club affiliated to CONGU. It costs a club £1000s to have such a licensed computer system with software maintained from authorised vendors. Each member of a club also pays a yearly fee to the National Authority as part of having a handicap.

 

[NeilG]

Being a member of a club helps ensure that a players handicap is, to some extent at least, monitored and ratified. If players could simply be in charge of their own handicap, it is bound to be more difficult for others to monitor this. All it would take is a few untrustworthy players, without a club, to manipulate their handicap and then clean up in Opens with big prizes. Who would take responsibility in investigating this and potentially adjusting or freezing their handicap? The Local Union, England Golf?

I take the point about monitoring players, but there must be a fair way of resolving it.

As for untrustworthy players, more than enough of them who are members of golf clubs.

 

[Swango1980]

I take the point about monitoring players, but there must be a fair way of resolving it.

As for untrustworthy players, more than enough of them who are members of golf clubs.

True, so imagine these players who had NO handicap committee monitoring their handicap? Also, in my experience, many social golfers who are not attached to a club are more ignorant of the rules. Not a criticism of them, but they are simply not exposed to playing with other members were rules can "rub off" on them, and they are generally playing for a bit of banter rather than rigidly sticking to the rules of golf.

Also, as jim8flog pointed at, one of the advantages of being a member of a golf club is that it allows you to get a handicap, and play in competitions that require one. If that was no longer a requirement, it further hurts golf clubs and lack of membership they've been seeing for a few years now. It costs them money to maintain handicaps (and committee members time), and it also costs the National Authority money. I'm not sure it would make great business sense to simply allow anyone to have a WHS handicap for free?

Also, for a player who is not a member of a golf club, do they really need an official WHS handicap? They could always simply create a spreadsheet, and then work out their own WHS handicap, albeit it would be unofficial and ineligible for use in Competitions.

 

[howbow88]

One that I know of will see his current 39 go to around 46 when the WHS comes in. He loves his golf having payed for 40 plus years but age and injury has taken its toll on someone that was not particularly good in the first place. He puts in money in the swindle every week and has done for years with the knowledge (particularly when a 28 handicap) that he does not a realistic chance of winning the pot.

Like most low handicappers then

 

[Springveldt]

This may not be the thread to do it, but there have been a few mentions of higher than high handicaps.

Shooting under 100 should be everyone's first target. If you cannot even get remotely close to that, then I really don't see how you should have a realistic chance of winning a comp. A 36 handicapper could shoot 110 in a medal and still win - that is nuts, and it isn't even the most extreme example. 54!!!

It's all very well talking about handicap divisions, but if you have a small membership then this isn't always possible. I really don't think 28 handicap limit is elitism or anything like that - 99 or less should be everyone's first target.

Not sure were you are playing but at my place there is no chance a net 74 is winning anything, that's getting you a 0.1

I see your point though, you would imagine if someone gets an initial handicap of 40 and takes a few lessons they will probably win 2 or 3 comps while going down. Lessons will be paying for themselves really.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

There is no way to get an official handicap other than joining a club and putting in the requisite qualifying cards to get a starting point. To be honest I have no qualm about anyone getting a large (28 and over) starting handicap and if they begin to progress and pick up a stableford/medal win in their division then fair enough. You can only control your own score and if someone scores better nothing you can do. If people are going to get snooty about a very high handicapper doing well then I find that poor form. We all started somewhere and I would expect the majority had a high handicap perhaps close to the maximum available at the time

 

[rosecott]

I play using an app and track my scores and handicap that way. I think the difference between that and playing in a club competition is minimal.
It does seem a bit of a closed shop that to get an official handicap you need to join a club. Is there no other way?

Can you tell me why you feel the need to have an official handicap if you don't intend to join a club and play in competitions?

 

[NeilG]

Can you tell me why you feel the need to have an official handicap if you don't intend to join a club and play in competitions?

I don't recall saying that I didn't want to join a club and play in competitions.

I think the phrase 'official' handicap irks me a little.
Finding a way that players who do not want to be a member of a golf club, but want a recognised handicap so that they can enter Opens etc... would be progress.

 

[NeilG]

True, so imagine these players who had NO handicap committee monitoring their handicap? Also, in my experience, many social golfers who are not attached to a club are more ignorant of the rules. Not a criticism of them, but they are simply not exposed to playing with other members were rules can "rub off" on them, and they are generally playing for a bit of banter rather than rigidly sticking to the rules of golf.

As you point out it is not clear cut. Lots of golf club members are ignorant of some, or most, rules, and there are plenty of regular players who are not members of golf clubs who are well versed on the them.
I have also yet to play with a casual golfer who is an expert on why a few rabbit droppings and a minor indent behind a tree entitles them to a drop. Whereas it is fairly common for club golfers to have a working knowledge of the burrowing habbits of small furry animals.

I think the perception of club golfers as golf-educated and fair, and all others as ignorant and not bothered about the rules is inaccurate.

 

[Swango1980]

As you point out it is not clear cut. Lots of golf club members are ignorant of some, or most, rules, and there are plenty of regular players who are not members of golf clubs who are well versed on the them.
I have also yet to play with a casual golfer who is an expert on why a few rabbit droppings and a minor indent behind a tree entitles them to a drop. Whereas it is fairly common for club golfers to have a working knowledge of the burrowing habbits of small furry animals.

I think the perception of club golfers as golf-educated and fair, and all others as ignorant and not bothered about the rules is inaccurate.

I'm sorry, but you can't use the fact that some members don't know some rules, and some non members do know some rules, as a reason to say they are both therefore equally knowledgable in the rules.

The most ignorant golfers at a club, when it comes to rules, are far and away new members who have just started playing golf. Not their fault, and they quickly learn after playing with others who do know more.

 

[Swango1980]

I don't recall saying that I didn't want to join a club and play in competitions.

I think the phrase 'official' handicap irks me a little.
Finding a way that players who do not want to be a member of a golf club, but want a recognised handicap so that they can enter Opens etc... would be progress.

Would golfers want to enter an Open knowing some of their competitors have completely unmonitored handicaps?

 

[fundy]

I understand your sentiments, but club members' official handicaps are run and monitored in accordance with the proper rules and procedures.
A club member who turns up at a golf competition has an official handicap record.
If non members had access to an equally "official" handicap, who would monitor it, who would ensure it was correct?

the obvious answer is England golf or the county unions, alternatively golf societies could have handicapping powers but not over the dead bodies of golf clubs up and down the country who are petrified they dont actually have that good a product to offer and will lose half their members!

 

[rulefan]

the obvious answer is England golf or the county unions, alternatively golf societies could have handicapping powers but not over the dead bodies of golf clubs up and down the country who are petrified they dont actually have that good a product to offer and will lose half their members!

Neither England Golf not the County Unions/Associations have the resources without financial and staff contributions from these players.
Do all societies have the resources and structures in place to manage formal systems and procedures? Certainly my pub society doesn't.

 

[fundy]

Neither England Golf not the County Unions/Associations have the resources without financial and staff contributions from these players.
Do all societies have the resources and structures in place to manage formal systems and procedures? Certainly my pub society doesn't.

No but its really not that hard to add is it with the right software. If a non member pays £50 a year for their handicap to be maintained it soon pays for itself

 

[rulefan]

No but its really not that hard to add is it with the right software. If a non member pays £50 a year for their handicap to be maintained it soon pays for itself

The then English Golf Union had an Associate Members scheme about twenty or so years ago where members paid for a non CONGU handicap and other 'benefits'. It lasted about 10 years. But this was when clubs were overflowing with members

https://golfbusinessnews.com/news/management-topics/egu-ends-associate-membership-programme/