Russty
New member
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?
Inflating Handicaps
- Thread starter Russty
- Start date
rulefan
Tour Winner
Ensure your handicap committee are paying attention (and also to the markers).
Bratty
Princess Pouty (Queen of Fish Lips)
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?
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
Well-known member
Pick and place general area, and rake and place in bunkers. I will be turning the WHS courses off.
rulefan
Tour Winner
So you take the winter off?
IanMcC
Well-known member
Still 3 comps a week, so not quite. Just not qualifiers.So you take the winter off?
Biggleswade Blue
Head Pro
What’s wrong with putting in general
play cards in the winter?
play cards in the winter?
IanMcC
Well-known member
Absolutely nothing, if your course is in an acceptable condition. Our course is a muddy parkland which is not, I'm afraid.
nickjdavis
Head Pro
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
Major Champion
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?
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
Tour Winner
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
Head Pro
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.
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
Well-known member
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
Active member
What happens if you go a full winter without putting any cards in, does your handicap reset ?
IanMcC
Well-known member
Nope. Absolutely nothing happens.
wjemather
Well-known member
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
Major Champion
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.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
But all conjecture…but I still doubt I’ll see any inflation of my HI.
Larry long dog
Active member
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
Tour Winner
You'll find the information here:- https://ncrdb.usga.org/
NB. England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales are listed individually.
Swango1980
Well-known member
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.
