Maximum handicap 18?

[rosecott]

I am surprised that there were no comments in a different post by Nikonuser:

"Welcome, get a h/cap and get it down to max 18, no-one should get more than 1 stroke per hole."

I responded:

"Did you emerge from the womb at handicap 18 or less?"

Are there any other opinions out there?

 

[Curls]

My first H/C is 17 and had it been 19 I would have fully expected to be put to sleep. A narrow escape.

Someone is stirring rosecott, don't rise to the bait

 

[gripitripit]

The post was aimed at me. And to be honest I have heard it before and people saying to me aim for 1 over on each hole. I think you need something to aim at and I think it pretty reasonable target to set.
I have a few targets. First one is to move off 29. Then get to 20 and then see what I can do from there.

 

[Curls]

There were holes at the weekend the pros were happy to walk away with bogey on, to say a handicap golfer who plays for fun doesn't deserve any more than one shot on a nails hole is pretty unfair and against the spirit of the game and the H/C system.

If it weren't the maximum H/C allowed would be 18!

 

[palindromicbob]

The post was aimed at me. And to be honest I have heard it before and people saying to me aim for 1 over on each hole. I think you need something to aim at and I think it pretty reasonable target to set.
I have a few targets. First one is to move off 29. Then get to 20 and then see what I can do from there.

Targets like that are great. I'm off 21 at the mo and still can't play to it consistently.

I thought the max handicap for male golfer was 28 under CONGU though.

 

[Snelly]

Quite a few of the top courses have a maximum handicap limit of 18, as do plenty of competitions, particularly AM-AM's.

For what it's worth, I agree with it. A shot a hole sounds about right.

I still raise my eyebrows when marking a card for a high handicapper when they say "7 for 2".

A maximum of 18 gives a good target to aim at in terms of improving.

I appreciate that it is easy for me to say and this will probably upset high handicaps. Please don't take offence - just my opinion.

 

[rosecott]

My first H/C is 17 and had it been 19 I would have fully expected to be put to sleep. A narrow escape.

Someone is stirring rosecott, don't rise to the bait

If it had been 19, would you have been so embarrassed that you would have put a lower figure on your scorecard?

 

[Aztecs27]

My official handicap is 19 but I have to be honest, I feel guilty taking 2 shots on a hole (unless I'm playing with Rick ) so in bounce games with side bets, I'll take an 18 handicap.

Hopefully I'll have more time to get some comps played over the next month or so to get my H'cap down to mid-teens when I can find some consistency.

 

[Curls]

If it had been 19, would you have been so embarrassed that you would have put a lower figure on your scorecard?

Yes. Yes I would. I'd write down 10 and then play awfully and claim Id a bad back ;-)

I take the above point by Snelly about H/C limits in certain situations (championship courses, certain events) but I really hope I'm missing the point or falling for the same wind-up because I can't imagine that golfers would want to eliminate what is probably a gigantic proportion of the fraternity from competitive golf on a Sunday at their own course because they're "not good enough".

Or are you saying that anyone over 18 should play off 18?

 

[stevie_r]

First one is to move off 29. Then get to 20 and then see what I can do from there.

29? would it be safe to assume you are female?

 

[palindromicbob]

I think the handicap system work perfectly well. As I've said I'm off 21 and have received no cuts and a couple of 0.1s back and not the least embarrassed by it.

I can't play to a level where I'd be able to compete at any level off 18. I need those additional shots often to get nett bogey on a hole. I know there is a better player in me somewhere but I have to get the consistency to get that out. The handicap allows you to break into the game and compete with other better players without feeling like there is no point. I am guessing anyone stating 18 should be the max has met a few high H/C bandits in there time.

 

[0]

I am surprised that there were no comments in a different post by Nikonuser:

"Welcome, get a h/cap and get it down to max 18, no-one should get more than 1 stroke per hole."

I responded:

"Did you emerge from the womb at handicap 18 or less?"

Are there any other opinions out there?

wow, seem to have hit a nerve there! there was probably no comments as its no biggie and not worth getting upset over
However, for the avoidance of doubt it was just an opinion I expressed to someone keen to improve their game, I suspect most able bodied men want to improve their game?

The majority play on courses averaging 6000yds and some guys of over 18 h/caps are pretty good with the long game but lose it around the green, meaning they are stroking at easy par 3's and at easy par 4's when they've boomed their drive past you
Its my opinion but its a soft one, I'm happy to play with people of 28 and ladies of 36 as its the course I play.

Apologies if I upset anyone

P.S my first h/cap was 18, as a teenager the club wouldnt make it any higher, I worked hard to 5 in year one but as a teen I had time and no responsibilities/commitments etc etc

 

[rosecott]

If it had been 19, would you have been so embarrassed that you would have put a lower figure on your scorecard?

Yes. Yes I would. I'd write down 10 and then play awfully and claim Id a bad back ;-)

I take the above point by Snelly about H/C limits in certain situations (championship courses, certain events) but I really hope I'm missing the point or falling for the same wind-up because I can't imagine that golfers would want to eliminate what is probably a gigantic proportion of the fraternity from competitive golf on a Sunday at their own course because they're "not good enough".

Or are you saying that anyone over 18 should play off 18?

No - exactly the opposite.

I have often played with players who say "you shouldn't get 2 shots on any hole" and reminded most of them that they used to get just that before they got down to 18 or below.

 

[gripitripit]

First one is to move off 29. Then get to 20 and then see what I can do from there.

29? would it be safe to assume you are female?

Meant to say 28. that was a typo.

 

[Curls]

No - exactly the opposite.

I have often played with players who say "you shouldn't get 2 shots on any hole" and reminded most of them that they used to get just that before they got down to 18 or below.

Sorry rosecott that question was directed at Snelly, I know you and I are on the same page

 

[sweatysock41]

I take all this with a pinch of salt. It is usually said by low handicappers who have either through hard work or natural ability or both, achieved a handicap of 18 & below fairly easily.
I don't care if I am giving someone 13 shots in matchplay so long as it is a true reflection of the difference in ability. That is what handicapping is all about.

Personally I wouldn't care if we went continental and gave men 36 handicaps - it has been said on many an occasion that I have putted like a girl so why not.

All we can really ask from a handicapping system is that it is fair and if that means someone gets 2 shots on a hole then so be it.

 

[Curls]

Meant to say 28. that was a typo.

Welcome aboard Gripit, you'll find many folk on here very encouraging of beginners like yourself.

However, you wont find a single one that tolerates a typo, so buck up.

Agreed Sweatysocks, I wish I had more time, money, talent etc etc but I don't so I'm playing the game to my level and whether I'm getting 11 shots or giving them away as long as everyone's honest about their h/c and not cheating then it's doing exactly what its meant to do and has been doing for a very long time.

 

[rosecott]

I take all this with a pinch of salt. It is usually said by low handicappers who have either through hard work or natural ability or both, achieved a handicap of 18 & below fairly easily.
I don't care if I am giving someone 13 shots in matchplay so long as it is a true reflection of the difference in ability. That is what handicapping is all about.

Personally I wouldn't care if we went continental and gave men 36 handicaps - it has been said on many an occasion that I have putted like a girl so why not.

All we can really ask from a handicapping system is that it is fair and if that means someone gets 2 shots on a hole then so be it.

Spot on.

We all know there is a small minority of dishonest handicap holders and we have to help CONGU, EGU etc. to expose them and weed them out.

I recently found out about a player from another club who qualified for a prestigious national final by posting a nett 62 against CSS 72 playing off 28. I find that very hard to swallow.

 

[GB72]

I have no problem with higher handicaps, after all I have one. That said, I am more than capable of playing under mine just not at the right time so the cuts have not been happening at the moment. When I play a bounce game, I do play off 18 as that just seems about right with the group I play with.

What I would advocate, however, is bigger cuts for cat 4 players. Those just starting out have massive room to improve and this is often reflected in very low comp scores. Perhaps cuts of a full shot or even half a shot as opposed to .4 would bring the handicap in line with ability a bit quicker.

 

[Snelly]

If it had been 19, would you have been so embarrassed that you would have put a lower figure on your scorecard?

Yes. Yes I would. I'd write down 10 and then play awfully and claim Id a bad back ;-)

I take the above point by Snelly about H/C limits in certain situations (championship courses, certain events) but I really hope I'm missing the point or falling for the same wind-up because I can't imagine that golfers would want to eliminate what is probably a gigantic proportion of the fraternity from competitive golf on a Sunday at their own course because they're "not good enough".

Or are you saying that anyone over 18 should play off 18?

I suppose that is what I am saying. In my experience, when a 22 handicapper plays at a course where 18 is the limit, they seem to do pretty well. Of course this is anecdotal.

A shot a hole should be enough though? Every 28 handicapper I have ever played with gets a couple of pars in a round at the very least. That gives you 2 shots in the bank for the other 16 already.

It is irrelevant anyway as it will never happen.