Inflating Handicaps

[Russty]

What’s the best way to stop individuals putting in a load of general play cards over the winter period in order to inflate their handicap?

 

[rulefan]

What’s the best way to stop individuals putting in a load of general play cards over the winter period in order to inflate their handicap?

Ensure your handicap committee are paying attention (and also to the markers).

 

[Bratty]

Would the club be able to put a local rule in saying no general play cards will be accepted between November and February?
Also, it's pick and place in the winter, sometimes with bunkers GUR, so I've known people get quite low scores as a result.
How much of a problem was it last year?

 

[IanMcC]

Pick and place general area, and rake and place in bunkers. I will be turning the WHS courses off.

 

[rulefan]

Pick and place general area, and rake and place in bunkers. I will be turning the WHS courses off.

So you take the winter off?

 

[IanMcC]

So you take the winter off?

Still 3 comps a week, so not quite. Just not qualifiers.

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

What’s wrong with putting in general
play cards in the winter?

 

[IanMcC]

What’s wrong with putting in general
play cards in the winter?

Absolutely nothing, if your course is in an acceptable condition. Our course is a muddy parkland which is not, I'm afraid.

 

[nickjdavis]

What’s the best way to stop individuals putting in a load of general play cards over the winter period in order to inflate their handicap?

Set up the WHS system so that it does not allow GP qualifiers to be played.

But you have to be pretty sure that you have the problem you are concerned about before doing so, otherwise you run the risk of alienating many "honest" golfers who just want to submit scores and maintain their handicap at a level that is representative of their golf.

So you have to be pretty sure about player motives before introducing such a restriction.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The question has had me thinking about it in my place’s different context this winter.

We are doing major work that will impact three back-nine holes this winter. As a result of changes to how we play these holes the full course will not be a WHS qualifier. However the front 9 will still be considered a qualifying course. Now I generally play our front 9 much better against its par than our back…I just do. I assume the 9 will have its own CR and SR though I don’t think they be that different from par and the full course SR.

As a result I can easy see me putting in scores over winter work period for the 9 holes that will improve (reduce) my HI - especially as we now have ‘mark, clean, place‘ active. The opposite would be the case for those who struggle more with the front 9.

What this means for the winter comps I’m in…well I could see my HI and CH come down even though I’m not improving, and that‘ll make me less competitive. Maybe I’ll not put many front 9 cards in. Handicap manipulation?

 

[rulefan]

The question has had me thinking about it in my place’s different context this winter.

We are doing major work that will impact three back-nine holes this winter. As a result of changes to how we play these holes the full course will not be a WHS qualifier. However the front 9 will still be considered a qualifying course. Now I generally play our front 9 much better against its par than our back…I just do. I assume the 9 will have its own CR and SR though I don’t think they be that different from par and the full course SR.

As a result I can easy see me putting in scores over winter work period for the 9 holes that will improve (reduce) my HI - especially as we now have ‘mark, clean, place‘ active. The opposite would be the case for those who struggle more with the front 9.

What this means for the winter comps I’m in…well I could see my HI and CH come down even though I’m not improving, and that‘ll make me less competitive. Maybe I’ll not put many front 9 cards in. Handicap manipulation?

Yes

Your front 9 will have the CR and Slope calculated quite separately from the back nine so will not be directly comparable with the full 18 ratings

 

[SteveJay]

We move off the fairways to protect them from around the end of this month to Feb/March, weather depending. That means there are no general play scores permitted.

However, to ensure players can still maintain, supplement, or gain a new, handicap, the club runs qualifying competitions at least once a month which is played under normal rules including using the fairways.

I think thats a sensible balance between protecting the course and supporting WHS.

 

[Swango1980]

Would the club be able to put a local rule in saying no general play cards will be accepted between November and February?
Also, it's pick and place in the winter, sometimes with bunkers GUR, so I've known people get quite low scores as a result.
How much of a problem was it last year?

Would this not go against the spirit of the handicapping system? The authorities strongly encourage that scores can be submitted for handicap all year round, and general play scores are simply an extension to qualifying competitions.

Fair enough if work is being done on the course, and it is no longer mentioned. It you are on more than 2 temps.

If general play scores are not allowed simply because it is suspected that a few are getting handicap increases unfairly, then that in itself is unfair on all other members.

Besides, it is incredibly frustrating when players shoot 46 points in the winter, and handicaps are frozen. They keep their high handicaps all winter and into the summer, while anyone who is playing poorly is stuck on a low handicap all winter, and become demoralised.

 

[HPIMG]

What happens if you go a full winter without putting any cards in, does your handicap reset ?

 

[IanMcC]

What happens if you go a full winter without putting any cards in, does your handicap reset ?

Nope. Absolutely nothing happens.

 

[wjemather]

What’s the best way to stop individuals putting in a load of general play cards over the winter period in order to inflate their handicap?

EG's checklist states: "Players should be encouraged to return scores for handicapping throughout the year."

As long as the course setup and local rules are acceptable for WHS (see checklist again, and CONGU guidance), there is no reason why GP scores in winter would inflate a handicap more than GP scores in summer (or competition scores at any time of year).

If "individuals" are manipulating their handicaps over the winter, that is a different issue.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yes

Your front 9 will have the CR and Slope calculated quite separately from the back nine so will not be directly comparable with the full 18 ratings

Interesting. And today, as seems usual front/back nine pattern these days, front nine 3 over par; back nine 6 over par. Has me wondering what the CR and Slope will be for front nine. As mentioned I’m thinking that submitting a load of front nine cards this winter could see a reduction in my HI without me playing any better.

But all conjecture…but I still doubt I’ll see any inflation of my HI.

 

[Larry long dog]

I’m guessing it would only be a very small percentage that deliberately manufacture their handicap anyway. But for those that do, one thing to remember is the soft cap and hard cap are there to prevent this being a considerable shift.

 

[rulefan]

Has me wondering what the CR and Slope will be for front nine.

You'll find the information here:- https://ncrdb.usga.org/

NB. England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales are listed individually.

 

[Swango1980]

I’m guessing it would only be a very small percentage that deliberately manufacture their handicap anyway. But for those that do, one thing to remember is the soft cap and hard cap are there to prevent this being a considerable shift.

Problem is, if this is their mind shift at all times, their lowest index will never truly be as low as it could be. Probably not even close. So, they could be "bandits" even when they are at their lowest, never mind when they let is increase by several shots above that.