How many times a year should you hit your handicap?

[sawtooth]

Only counting my club competitions in the last 12 month period, I played 26 rounds of which 11 were in buffer or better. Felt like an OK year not spectacular, slow start but much better last few months.

Hit handicap around 42% of the time in competition rounds.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Looked my record up for the last calendar year....

13 over buffer
10 buffer
11 under handicap

68% buffer or better....

 

[Keeno]

I had a so so year. Went from 5.0 to 5.2

2014 0.1 Cut HC
Total 12 2 9

 

[EuanRoss]

I have a small quibble with that..... I don't agree that your handicap represents your best golf. I'd say it's you on a good, but not great day. Pretty sure most of us have shot a few rounds well under our handicaps?

I'm pretty sure that your handicap is meant to reflect your potential. I think I'm starting to reach my handicap level, certainly if last season is anything to go by. Best ever score is +2 so I reckon 5/6 is as good as it will get. Just into my 4th decade too so can't see there being any natural improvement. Maybe only practice/lessons will work but too lazy for that.

 

[Lanark_Golfer]

Last year I moved from 7.8 to 6.7 with the following:

15 - over handicap
10 - buffers
6 - under handicap

Hit handicap/buffer 51.6% of the time which surprised me, thought it would have been a lot less.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Looked my record up for the last calendar year....

13 over buffer
10 buffer
11 under handicap

68% buffer or better....

Should probably add that handicap moved from 7.5 to 4.4 as a result.....

 

[IanG]

6 cuts
9 buffers
3 +0.1

So mostly buffer or better this year - and handicap dropped by 4.2 .

 

[pbrown7582]

Should probably add that handicap moved from 7.5 to 4.4 as a result.....

and with 68% buffer likely to be flagged for AR consideration? well played a great set of results

 

[pbrown7582]

6 cuts
9 buffers
3 +0.1

So mostly buffer or better this year - and handicap dropped by 4.2 .

another whose had a great year and possibly coming down more soon!

 

[FairwayDodger]

and with 68% buffer likely to be flagged for AR consideration? well played a great set of results

Not sure, I think the handicap probably came down enough to cover it. Wouldn't complain though; does AR apply to cat 1?

 

[duncan mackie]

I'm pretty sure that your handicap is meant to reflect your potential.

you may be sure, but it isn't - the last handicapping system we had in the UK that did that was decades ago.

if you follow the links, or take a moment to think about the arithmetic, if you had a handicap that reflected your potential it would be increased a lot in competition, and only very occasionally it wouldn't.......... ie the system would increase your handicap until it was at a level that reflected the correct handicap for your actual capability.

whilst your average score will be below your handicap you will also have the potential to score significantly better than your handicap when correctly handicapped.

 

[EuanRoss]

you may be sure, but it isn't - the last handicapping system we had in the UK that did that was decades ago.

if you follow the links, or take a moment to think about the arithmetic, if you had a handicap that reflected your potential it would be increased a lot in competition, and only very occasionally it wouldn't.......... ie the system would increase your handicap until it was at a level that reflected the correct handicap for your actual capability.

whilst your average score will be below your handicap you will also have the potential to score significantly better than your handicap when correctly handicapped.

I bow to your superior knowledge.

 

[woody69]

Should probably add that handicap moved from 7.5 to 4.4 as a result.....

That is fantastic. Well done you.

 

[IanG]

another whose had a great year and possibly coming down more soon!

I'd be delighted if an AR cut me a little more but I'm not counting on it. Hopefully with a bit more practice I can come down a few shots next year too.

 

[louise_a]

From 31 qualifiers I had 7 reductions and 9 +0.1s, handicap reduced by 3.5.

 

[Region3]

how many times a year should you hit your handicap?

3

hth

 

[Imurg]

Judging by some of the scores coming in for our Winter League I believe the term "more often than not" springs to mind....
Can these scores - off the yellows but a measured course with SSS - be used to assist the Annual Review...?

 

[garyinderry]

style of play can also be a factor.


you could get two vey different types of 9 handicapper for example. both decent golfers. one might play for pars and try to plod his way around the course and take the bogies when they come.

one might be a swashbuckling seve/mickelson type character who could go very low on good days when he eagles two par 5s and gets up and down well.

the second one might shoot a lower score now and again but I would imagine the first golfer might hit his handicap and buffer zone more times over the course of a season.

 

[Loz1607]

That's exactly what it is supposed to represent you potential on a good Day not your normal average performance.

ive knocked it round level par on occasions, does that make me a scratch golfer??? I think not

 

[woody69]

ive knocked it round level par on occasions, does that make me a scratch golfer??? I think not

Nah, makes you a bandit though