How to get a Golf Handicap without being a Club member.

[Alucard]

Hi Guys, I dont have an Golf handicap as I am not a club member, I have played about 20 rounds of golf in my life since 1991 and 4 just recently after over a decade away from the game.
I played 9 holes on the Alto Golf front nine today with the Pro and a couple of other guys in Portugal and shot 45 (strictly scored) as its a 36 par for the front and back nine (72 par course) that was 9 over for the front 9.

I birdied the first hole 160 yard par 3 and made par on 3 other holes they were 2 par 5s and a tough par 4 but took a 7 on the par 4 second hole after an adventure in the trees and later took a 6 on a long par 3 after leaving my tee shot just short and blading my attempted flop shot over the green and chipping back close only to foolishly 3 putt, lol.

I was thinking about getting a Golf handicap online then if I wanted I could play some other courses here in the Algarve that require proof of it and it would give me a challenge to try to get my handicap down.
Has anyone else obtained a golf handicap this way?

 

[Hobbit]

They might well suffice for getting past the requirement to have a handicap certificate to play some courses. Good luck, and enjoy!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Golfshake will give you an unofficial handicap. Bear in mind you won't be able to play and official competitions (open events) and some courses will ask for official handicap certificates to play

 

[Alucard]

Golfshake will give you an unofficial handicap. Bear in mind you won't be able to play and official competitions (open events) and some courses will ask for official handicap certificates to play

Ok Homer, Thanks for the info, its more for me to try to assess my own ability and chip away at it to get it down. If I feel I want to join the golf club in future I will but for now I do not get to play enough to justify it.
I will play 9 holes with the club pro every week next week the back nine and practice at the range and the chipping greens when I can as I am lucky to live 5 mis walk from the Alto Golf course here near Alvor in the Algarve.

 

[big_matt]

Golfshake will give you an unofficial handicap. Bear in mind you won't be able to play and official competitions (open events) and some courses will ask for official handicap certificates to play

Lots of courses say you need proof of handicap but ive never been asked to produce a certificate. Golfshake should be fine OP if its for measuring your own progress.

 

[Hosel Fade]

Not sure if there is similar in Portugal but in Germany there is a "club of club-free golfers" that lets you maintain a fully recognised hcp and it is the same system.

 

[SXRORY]

I never been asked for a cert, anywhere ever. including the algarve, and we played quite a few nice courses there. They are interested in your euros, not how good you are.

 

[Alucard]

I never been asked for a cert, anywhere ever. including the algarve, and we played quite a few nice courses there. They are interested in your euros, not how good you are.

You are probably right in the current climate as Golf courses can not be as picky as they used to be. I have read online that one or two courses here in the Algarve ask for a HCP but its more for me to assess my ability and put myself under pressure to get it down if I put my card in every week.
I can play here cheap if I take in 18 holes at 3pm or later (Twilight golf) I can play for just 26EU, its just very hot, lol.

 

[351DRIVER]

Unofficial handicap?

You can allot your own unofficial handicap on your own computer, it has the same value!

You either have a handicap or not, if not, why get a GolfShake Handicap, why not get a Alu Card Official handicap?

 

[Sats]

See if there's a course that allows a flexi membership - I got one due to time constraints - £99 per year 25% off green fees and a few other perks. Allows me to retain a HCP and play comps. I just wouldn't benefit from a full membership as I get out 1-2 per month.

 

[Alucard]

See if there's a course that allows a flexi membership - I got one due to time constraints - £99 per year 25% off green fees and a few other perks. Allows me to retain a HCP and play comps. I just wouldn't benefit from a full membership as I get out 1-2 per month.

Thanks to everybody that has given me info, Sats you seem to have a great setup at your club, I will check around here to see if there is anything similar here in the Algarve but I doubt it. If not I will get an online Handicap to battle against until I decide it is worthwhile joining a club.

 

[351DRIVER]

https://www.myonlinegolfclub.com/Information/GolfHandicapCard

Amazing, buy a fake certificate, the way it is presented is clearly misleading

They have no more authority to knock up a certificate than the next guy down the pub, seems they have been punting bits of plastic for 15 quid for 8 years.. what a rip off!

 

[Alucard]

https://www.myonlinegolfclub.com/Information/GolfHandicapCard

Amazing, buy a fake certificate, the way it is presented is clearly misleading

They have no more authority to knock up a certificate than the next guy down the pub, seems they have been punting bits of plastic for 15 quid for 8 years.. what a rip off!

I suppose while worthless for a club competition (that you cant play in unless you are a member in the 1st place anyway) it works if you are asked for a HCP to play a golf course and it is an accurate HCP provided the scorecards you put in are factually correct. If not you are just cheating yourself so its pointless.
I am going to use the software to calculate where I am and then play to try and get the HCP down. 15 quid is cheap enough if thats all it is so it will do for me if I go down that avenue as I am not ready to join any club due to time restraints.

I may yet even do what you suggested and make my own Alucard HCP and knock myself a certificate up, lol.

 

[MendieGK]

Stayed in Alvor in early July. Loved it. Didn't play golf but were near Alto.

Whilst it's true about the value of an online handicap, golf shake is a good way of tracking by your unofficial handicap and is only £10 a year. In my view if a club asked for it, at least you showed some good intent

 

[Alucard]

Stayed in Alvor in early July. Loved it. Didn't play golf but were near Alto.

Whilst it's true about the value of an online handicap, golf shake is a good way of tracking by your unofficial handicap and is only £10 a year. In my view if a club asked for it, at least you showed some good intent

Hi MendieGK, Where did you stay? its hot here at the moment, in fact this year has been the hottest of the 7 years I have been here.
I live 5 mins away from the Alto golf and I am only wanting a HCP certificate so I can produce an accurate one if I am asked for it by another of the very Numerous Championship standard courses here.
Of course it will be useful to play against to try to improve my overall game too so it will be more fun. You have to know what your ability is if you want to improve it.

 

[351DRIVER]

I suppose while worthless for a club competition (that you cant play in unless you are a member in the 1st place anyway) it works if you are asked for a HCP to play a golf course and it is an accurate HCP provided the scorecards you put in are factually correct. If not you are just cheating yourself so its pointless.
I am going to use the software to calculate where I am and then play to try and get the HCP down. 15 quid is cheap enough if thats all it is so it will do for me if I go down that avenue as I am not ready to join any club due to time restraints.

I may yet even do what you suggested and make my own Alucard HCP and knock myself a certificate up, lol.

If you are going to take a handicap from that site, you might as well just make your own using your own computer

 

[Alucard]

If you are going to take a handicap from that site, you might as well just make your own using your own computer

Yep 351DRIVER your right, I will work one out after I have 3 strictly scored cards and then it will give me a target to better my game.

 

[MendieGK]

Hi MendieGK, Where did you stay? its hot here at the moment, in fact this year has been the hottest of the 7 years I have been here.
I live 5 mins away from the Alto golf and I am only wanting a HCP certificate so I can produce an accurate one if I am asked for it by another of the very Numerous Championship standard courses here.
Of course it will be useful to play against to try to improve my overall game too so it will be more fun. You have to know what your ability is if you want to improve it.

Villa marchique. It was awesome.

 

[Alucard]

We are loving it here,..... Vila Marachique, thats the one near to Big Reds Steakhouse and very close to Alto. Next time you come, (if you do) I recommend a round of Golf there its a good test and makes you think and you can not just overpower the course with big drives on every hole.