User20204
Well-known member
Any half decent club will have their scores done that night or before a comp the following day, ours are on the ball all the time with no need to reduce yourself personally.
Low Handicap v Chance to Win Things
- Thread starter Grant85
- Start date
Wolf
Well-known member
Handicap for me lower the better, it frustrates me that I'm 4 shots higher than I was when I gave up playing few years back but still have the ability to score well. The most annoying part is those scores get trashed by the odd dodgy hole meaning 0.1 increases . Either that or by CSS going low meaning cuts don't happen often even with good scores. Yesterday example I worked out when I left the club should be a 0.6/0.8 cut, final scores came in meant CSS went even lower so got 0.4, it's still a cut but slow going due to scores at our place.
Maybe I need look at some supplementary cards 🤔
Maybe I need look at some supplementary cards 🤔
TheJezster
Tour Rookie
I like to try to do both. They are not mutually exclusive, if you play well you have a chance of winning the comp and being cut.
I was lucky enough to pick up 5 trophies last year coming down from 11 to 8 in the process. I've slipped back up to 9 now, although only just and in the last couple of weeks won a trophy run over 2 weekends which is nice as it proves I can still be competitive off single figures.
I'd like to win a couple more this year if I can, and I would also like to get down to maybe 7 if I can too. I think 7 is doable at our course, but as the CSS is usually 2 less than par it is quite hard to get cut. You need the equivalent of 39 points just for a .2 cut!
I was lucky enough to pick up 5 trophies last year coming down from 11 to 8 in the process. I've slipped back up to 9 now, although only just and in the last couple of weeks won a trophy run over 2 weekends which is nice as it proves I can still be competitive off single figures.
I'd like to win a couple more this year if I can, and I would also like to get down to maybe 7 if I can too. I think 7 is doable at our course, but as the CSS is usually 2 less than par it is quite hard to get cut. You need the equivalent of 39 points just for a .2 cut!
Roops
Head Pro
Handicap, I pretty much don't bother with any comps that aren't qualifiers, other than mixed.
Siolag
Active member
I would like to win some comps, but my priority is getting good rounds in and get my handicap down. Would sooner be a steady low teens/single digit handicapper than high teens than the occasional good round where I win mixed with poor ones.
The Fader
Newbie
I don't think for the vast majority of players there is any correlation between handicap and the chance winning of competitions. If you regularly play qualifiers then your handicap is a real-time representation of your ability level within the current system. A system that is applied to all players. Therefore for the most part the playing field is as level as it can be and it comes down to who has a good day.
All golfers have some good days and more bad days - just look at the pro's at the bottom of leaderboards. If the world's best can have bad days why we should we expect any different? I think TV coverage gives an unrealistic picture of a consistency that we all strive for. Not finger pointing but just look at the number of "I should be lower" type posts on this forum. On TV, 95% of the time you only see the leading players that week and the best shots from the rest giving an impression that mistakes are few and far between.
The main exception to the level playing field that the handicap system seeks to provide are new, rapidly improving golfers who can get short term benefit until their handicap finds a level. Most of us have been that player at some point in our golfing life. You just live with that and congratulate them on their improvement.
The other exception is the handicap manipulators - and manipulation as we all know can take any number of guises. I won't use the 5 letter word that has been prominent in other threads recently - but that is what they are and unfortunately it is a problem which is very diffucult to resolve. Thankfully in my experience it is a rare occurence.
All golfers have some good days and more bad days - just look at the pro's at the bottom of leaderboards. If the world's best can have bad days why we should we expect any different? I think TV coverage gives an unrealistic picture of a consistency that we all strive for. Not finger pointing but just look at the number of "I should be lower" type posts on this forum. On TV, 95% of the time you only see the leading players that week and the best shots from the rest giving an impression that mistakes are few and far between.
The main exception to the level playing field that the handicap system seeks to provide are new, rapidly improving golfers who can get short term benefit until their handicap finds a level. Most of us have been that player at some point in our golfing life. You just live with that and congratulate them on their improvement.
The other exception is the handicap manipulators - and manipulation as we all know can take any number of guises. I won't use the 5 letter word that has been prominent in other threads recently - but that is what they are and unfortunately it is a problem which is very diffucult to resolve. Thankfully in my experience it is a rare occurence.
GB72
Money List Winner
In all honesty, neither for me now. Used to care about being competitive or getting cuts but that just lessened my enjoyment of the game. Still enter comps but as long as I am out in the fresh air with good company and getting some exercise, the rest does not matter.
I play once, or sometimes twice a week, I have no time to practice so I turn up, hit a couple of putts then see what happens on the course. With that sort of routine, to expect to win or improve (aside from that odd round when it all works and I have no idea why) is madness, it is simply not going to happen so I just go out for the fun of it and nothing more.
I play once, or sometimes twice a week, I have no time to practice so I turn up, hit a couple of putts then see what happens on the course. With that sort of routine, to expect to win or improve (aside from that odd round when it all works and I have no idea why) is madness, it is simply not going to happen so I just go out for the fun of it and nothing more.
azazel
Assistant Pro
Handicap is more important to me than winning for one simple reason: I can affect my handicap but I can’t affect anyone else’s score so whether I win a strokeplay comp is totally out of my hands and what will be will be in that regard.
If you're lowering your handicap you're probably winning anyway, so why the hoo haa? Appreciate that if most people were a few shots higher, they'd win more but surely everyone wants to play their best every time they go out?
For me its always been about being as low a possible, and in doing so I've won plenty. I also think there's a mindset to playing well and continually playing well. Having the wrong attitude to it, in my opinion, sets you up to playing badly. And you can't control what others do. You can't pick and choose when you win. And, to be honest, if people start to see a trend they start to talk about it - its better to be called a bandit whilst your handicap is being cut than for whispers to start about what you win when.
Once upon a time it used to stipulate in the rules that if you were "managing your handicap" you were cheating. Not sure its worded like that now, if at all.
For me its always been about being as low a possible, and in doing so I've won plenty. I also think there's a mindset to playing well and continually playing well. Having the wrong attitude to it, in my opinion, sets you up to playing badly. And you can't control what others do. You can't pick and choose when you win. And, to be honest, if people start to see a trend they start to talk about it - its better to be called a bandit whilst your handicap is being cut than for whispers to start about what you win when.
Once upon a time it used to stipulate in the rules that if you were "managing your handicap" you were cheating. Not sure its worded like that now, if at all.
MendieGK
Tour Winner
I’d be lying if I said a non-qualifying comp/round got me excited.
My opinion of a course is also different depending on whether it’s a comp or friendly round. Mainly because my focus is different
My opinion of a course is also different depending on whether it’s a comp or friendly round. Mainly because my focus is different
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
With experience of how long it takes to process a medal I would not expect ours to be published by the club until sometime the following morning for a Monday or Thursday comp and sometime on Monday for a Friday, Saturday or Sunday one depending upon how diligent the players themselves have been in actually returning their cards. I have known it take a couple of days because of the number of scores not entered on the PSI computer or cards not even put in the comps box, players entering scores for the wrong comp etc. The person responsible for processing scores on a Monday morning does not start work until 9.30 or so and may have 4 comps to process.
GOLFER1994
Head Pro
I feel similar. I play with a large group of old retired boys, of which i can hit my 5 iron their driver distance. Quite often i get the handicap comment but remind them i play weekly with them and in the same competitions !
I managed to win the Rabbits championship (16+ Handicap) last week and worry people are going to pass comment, but always remind myself that every time i play I always put in my card so my handicap is accurate of my playing standard.
I managed to win the Rabbits championship (16+ Handicap) last week and worry people are going to pass comment, but always remind myself that every time i play I always put in my card so my handicap is accurate of my playing standard.
Parsaregood
Head Pro
To be honest in club competitions I.e medals & stuff I definitely dont expect to win many. I float between plus 1 and scratch and even though I shoot par or better with regularity, to win a monthly medal or whatever I'd have to 6 or 7 under which I maybe do 4 times a year but obviously not always in a big club competitions. So I tend to play 36 hole scratch comps etc which are handicap limited as I can win bigger vouchers etc its easier for a 10 handicap to shoot 3 or 4 over gross than it is to shoot 6 or 7 under gross. That and also there are lots of 10 handicaps
MendieGK
Tour Winner
Didn’t realise you were off scratch/+1. Only tell us every other post 😂
Parsaregood
Head Pro
couldn't really give a hoot what my handicap is to be honest, I just enjoy playing golf but was just making the point it's harder to make lots of birdies and little to no mistakes even for a very low handicap than it is for someone to make 2 or 3 birdies and 5 or 6 bogies for the same nett score.
Spear-Chucker
Tour Rookie
Play well and you can have both 😛
MendieGK
Tour Winner
Oh I 100% know what you’re talking about, and feel you pain. It is what it is though.
The only trophy that matters is our handicap
Grant85
Head Pro
That's a good point.
At our place, if there's a bit of weather about for an internal comp - then anything under par has a chance of winning so you could still win something and maybe only get cut a few tenths of a shot.
turkish
Journeyman Pro
Friendly rounds with mates I always play absolute dross not sure why... probably is focus and maybe being a silly with shots.
This is my 4th year playing and so far 1st year I haven’t won anything so think I have finally reached me level ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ won’t stop me trying though I do feel I can get cut more but likely only a couple of shots at a time and you’re usually need a net 4,5,6,7 to under par to win.
Main thing for me is getting cut competing and improving. Supplementary cards really don’t float my boat as I like the competing against others aspect of golf (even though I know I’m really competing against myself/the course)
darriusdax
Member
Rob mcgarr has some great videos on youtube.. in one of them he talks to a pro about practice percentages.. the pro spends 80pc of his time on pitching chipping and putting... i reckon that is what will save you (and me) those 4 to 5 shots that you feel your game deserves... not to mention the joy of holing the occasional chip or long putt... good luck buddy
