Maintaining a handicap playing by yourself

[SGC001]

I have always wondered this as competitions effectively become a tax on keeping your handicap. My old course charges for comps and you need to play in them to maintain an accurate handicap but what if you do not want to enter them. My brother, for example, is a social golfer only but wants to maintain a handicap. The club make it so awkward to put in supplemental cards that he has to pay to enter comps that he does not want to just to keep an up to date handicap.

You could view your membership fee as part of that tax too, along with the union fees. 3 comp fees isn't much to add to that and if he plays singles opens they could count towards it.

But why if he's just interested in social golf would he need an active handicap, surely an inactive handicap wold get him on at most other courses should he wish to play them.

 

[Bucket92]

I'm a social golfer too and don't really plan on playing in any competitions, i just want to keep a handicap by playing regulary

 

[daymond]

If you are only a social golfer and don't want to play in competitions, then I sugest you mark a card every time you play and use those to calculate a 'virtual' HC. Play with your mates and adjust it up or down.

 

[Bucket92]

Yeah that's true, but it would be nice to have an official handicap

 

[rosecott]

The club make it so awkward to put in supplemental cards that he has to pay to enter comps that he does not want to just to keep an up to date handicap.

In what way do they make it awkward?

The club has a duty to have a system for the submission of Supplementaries and your brother has a perfect right to submit Supplementaries. Any authenticated score over 18 holes on a "measured course" is acceptable as a Supplementary. If your club is not making adequate provision for the submission of Supplementaries, then it is in breach of the compliance required by CONGU.

 

[SGC001]

In what way do they make it awkward?

The club has a duty to have a system for the submission of Supplementaries and your brother has a perfect right to submit Supplementaries. Any authenticated score over 18 holes on a "measured course" is acceptable as a Supplementary. If your club is not making adequate provision for the submission of Supplementaries, then it is in breach of the compliance required by CONGU.

It was general play in my day, but what would these cards be supplemental too? The very word suggests in addition.

Edit: If you can keep or get the handicap active this way, I'd appreciate knowing where to look as it would help a friend of mine out and he could ask his club to check it out for him. He was a card or two short last year.

 

[rosecott]

It was general play in my day, but what would these cards be supplemental too? The very word suggests in addition.

They are supplementary to the "normal" submission of scorecards in qualifying competitions. They were introduced to help, among others, players who found difficulty in playing qualifiers due to work or family commitments or those who experienced difficulty in getting acceptable tee-times in busy weekend competitions.

 

[rosecott]

Edit: If you can keep or get the handicap active this way, I'd appreciate knowing where to look as it would help a friend of mine out and he could ask his club to check it out for him. He was a card or two short last year.

The club has to have a system. At our club there is a logbook in the proshop in which you have to signify your intention, in advance, to submit a supplementary. The club has to publicise to members how to register for the Supplementary submission.

 

[SGC001]

The club has to have a system. At our club there is a logbook in the proshop in which you have to signify your intention, in advance, to submit a supplementary. The club has to publicise to members how to register for the Supplementary submission.

Thank you. I'll suggest he asks that question of his club.

For clarity:

Does this mean that you can keep an active handicap purely from supplementary cards?

and

Can you reactivate an inactive handicap using only supplementary cards?

 

[Imurg]

Probably.

Little of this thread actually answers the OP - why can't we be trusted to submit a valid card whilst playing solo....

Integrity is the very essence of Golf - if you don't believe a solo player's card then surely you are attacking his integrity.....

 

[rosecott]

Thank you. I'll suggest he asks that question of his club.

For clarity:

Does this mean that you can keep an active handicap purely from supplementary cards?

and

Can you reactivate an inactive handicap using only supplementary cards?

Yes to both.

 

[rosecott]

Probably.

Little of this thread actually answers the OP - why can't we be trusted to submit a valid card whilst playing solo....

Integrity is the very essence of Golf - if you don't believe a solo player's card then surely you are attacking his integrity.....

Why bother with scorecards at all then? Just walk off the 18th and tell the Comp Sec you've just shot a 69. The point is that there needs to be a cross-check. How many times - particularly with high handicappers and inexperienced golfers - have you seen the need to correct an incorrectly claimed score - deliberate or innocent? No matter how meticulously a solo golfer is keeping his score, mistakes will be made. He may, for example, - due to lack of knowledge of the rules - be taking free relief in situations where there is no entitlement. It doesn't have to be a questioning of integrity that makes it a dubious and unacceptable practice.

 

[Imurg]

So why wouldn't You or Me, or anyone else with experience, good knowledge of the rules and a willingness to play to them, not be believed...?
Get 2 inexperienced players going out together playing a qualifier, breaking many rules and thereby posting a false score - but because the card is signed by another handicap golfer it's ok....

Golf has it's fair share of illogical instances.....

 

[bladeplayer]

I'm a social golfer too and don't really plan on playing in any competitions, i just want to keep a handicap by playing regulary

And well within your rights to do so , BUT what are handicaps for if not competing ? what benifit does having a handicap do you if you dont play comps ?? genuine question not being pedantic...

 

[Wolfman]

Maybe they run a swindle competition where you get to play with a regular group and guranteed a game and official HCP doesnt matter


Most clubs do this if not ditch the club and find one that does !

We run two swindels on Saturday and a mid week swindle open to all members

 

[Richuk123]

There are just as many "handicap cheats" that have official hcps. we all know the ones. only play pairs opens, win everything and just play the 4 medals a year required, and out of pure coincidence , play way over there handicaps.

I have had to maintain my own hcp for 2 and a bit years and i have done it properly.if ive gone OB, i called it, missed a tiddler, called it and yes , i went up from 1.8 to 2.4, and allthough it still calls the same handicap, i'm now closer to 3 than 1 .

Honesty, Integrity and values are needed by every golfer that steps foot onto the first tee. i even boast i use dunlop clubs!