How do some people get their handicaps???

[Smiffy]

He may even have just obtained the h/c recently after a string of successes

But where I am coming from is "how?"
If he is a member of a club, somebody (somebody) must have been marking his cards to hand in for handicap purposes. Not being funny, you can't mark them yourself to hand in can you?
So the guy himself knows nothing about the rulings regarding water hazards, but we're to assume that neither do any other players who have ever been out on the course with him.
OK some assumptions here, but I doubt very much whether all his play has been "singles"...with one other guy.
I assume that in amongst those qualifiers he has played in a fourball.
Now one guy in a fourball not knowing such a basic rule as "lateral hazards are a penalty" I can maybe understand. At a push two. But all four????
And to be fair, this playeer wasn't a youngster who had just started playing (not that age has anything to do with not knowing the rules)...he was a middle aged guy who according to him "had been playing for quite a number of years"
That's what prompted the question
I hope this is making sense?
Rob

 

[USER1999]

But my course has no water hazards, neither red or yellow stake varieties, and no OB. If I only ever played there, why would I ever need to learn the rulings for these situations? I would still have a 12 h/cap.

 

[Imurg]

Good point Murph.

If this guy hasn't played anywhere with these hazards then he wont have come across them - proof if it were needed for some sort of test before you are allowed to go out. They do it in other countries.

 

[balaclava]

The fact is that the CONGU handicap system used in the UK for many reasons is a bad system; so bad that it is only used in the UK (and a few expat enclaves).

I started playing golf in the UK this year after working overseas and was astounded by this 'dogs dinner' of a system. I write to CONGU and got a reply back saying "nobody else has complained." I put it to them that maybe nobody else had complained because most golfers didn't know that only the UK uses this system!

It seems to me that some guy in CONGU with more time on his hands than is good for him has devised the most bizarre system just to be different from the rst of the world!!

 

[Stefano56]

This is very interesting: so how do you get your hcp in UK? When are you allowed to leave your cage and mat at the driving range and play on a course ?
It looks like we have much more strict rules in Italy. A new player, after countless hours of practice can get a status of NA when his pro signs a green card declaring he/she can play on a course and has passed an informal exam on Rules. Then he/she has to pass a specific exam on rules (30 questions, max. 3 mistakes allowed), and acquires a status of NC (Not Classified). Only at this point he can play in tournaments that allow NC players and, if he scores 36 Stbl.pts. or more, he gets an hcp.

 

[TonyN]

IMO I think that sounds like a great idea but not sure if it would be in the sports best interests over here.

On one hand it would solve alot of the problems we face in this country.

On the other Hand I think the sport would lose alot of genuine players.

I can see a good debate unfolding here on weather this country should adopt the same policy!

 

[Stefano56]

I *partially* agree with you. After all, this is the reason why we have the lowest golfers/inhabitants ratio after Greece...
At the same time, though, we're pretty assured that anyone playing on the course know the rules (unless they started playing before this NA/NC/etc. has been put in place), at least the *basic* rules... and that in most cases you won't find people shooting in the hi 140 (exceptions apply here...)

 

[TonyN]

Does this apply to all courses in Italy or do you have Municipal courses run by the local councils where peple can turn up and play no matter how good they are, what equipment they have, or how they are dressed?

First and foremost Golf is a sport and sports are meant to be fun. It would be a bit unfair to deny people the oportunity to play because they didnt have the time/ability to acheive the standard you have listed.

On the other hand it would free up private courses alot I expect and keep serious golfers happy.

 

[cm_qs]

Only at this point he can play in tournaments that allow NC players and, if he scores 36 Stbl.pts. or more, he gets an hcp.

How do you calculate a Stableford score without a handicap?

 

[Stefano56]

We don't have Municipal courses: all courses are private.
As long as you have a handicap, you can play any course - there are usually no restrictions. Of course, members have precedence over externals.

The NC play the maximum hcp allowed in Italy, which is 36.

 

[DCB]

36 Stableford points without a handicap is scratch golf is it not?

 

[Smiffy]

36 Stableford points without a handicap is scratch golf is it not?

I'd be happy to score 36 points with no handicap

 

[vig]

I think Stefano was indicating that they play, initially to a 36 handicap while they are classified as NC. Please correct me if i'm wrong Stefano.

It all sounds good to me,,,, for private courses.

 

[Stefano56]

Correct, NCs play as if they were 36, which is the maximum hcp allowed in Italy. I've found that other countries have different habits/rules: for instance, in Austria men can have up to 46 hcp and women up to 49. I've played in Austria with two ladies, one of which was 49 and the other maybe 47 or 48: the pace of play was so slooooow....