Ziggestzig
New member
I have a handicap of 28 and I don't want it to go any higher at the moment. Can I ask my handicap committee for it to remain as it is whilst still entering club competitions if I fail to play to it?
men's handicaps
- Thread starter Ziggestzig
- Start date
Norrin Radd
Tour Winner
Short answer is NO.
I'm sure the long answer will be forthcoming
I'm sure the long answer will be forthcoming
rosecott
Money List Winner
The duty of the Handicap Committee is to monitor and adjust handicaps according to the CONGU regulations - and that does not include acceding to requests to either increase or reduce handicaps or requests not to change them when change is necessary. Was that long enough NR?
williamalex1
Money List Winner
No, just practice and play as many qualifiers as you can and reach an accurate handicap, hopefully then you can reduce it over time.
Don't retain a lower handicap for vanity reasons
Swango1980
Well-known member
As all the others say, nope. The handicap sec has a duty to ensure the handicaps are appropriate. For example, having players with handicaps that are too low could have an effect on the CSS of a competition, and could therefore impact upon everyone else's handicap once it is closed and adjustments made.
i wasn't aware you could have a Comp handicap of over 28 anyway
Swango1980
Well-known member
Yeah, can go up to 54 now. I'm sure specific clubs still put their own restrictions on individual comps though
54 I think now. (Swango beat me to it)
He is also right that some clubs put a restriction on it. My SiL is off 41 but her club have a restriction at 36. I have told her to raise it with them but her club are in the dark ages.
thats why i put comp handicap, i don't think you can play a comp with a handicap over 28 (men) or at least you can't at ours
I think the recommendation is to allow full handicaps in comps but it is only a recommendation and clubs can ignore it, as yours has done.
I checked on HDiD a few weeks ago, just out of interest, to see how many people we had at my club over 28, mens side only. We only had 1 person over 28 and he was around 32. I doubt the fear of people playing off 50+ in comps and clogging up the course has become a reality.
Swango1980
Well-known member
You can have a comp handicap (i.e. a "c" after the handicap number) over 28. It is just as valid as a competition handicap at or below 28. It is just a club can restrict an individual competition (or all their competitions) with a handicap limit of 28, if they so wish. Just in the same way they could set the limit to 18 or any other number. If they do so though, it does go against the spirit of the handicap system anyway, as the whole point of increasing the limit up to 54 was to try and increase participation.
we don't have any men over 27 at the moment i think there are some ladies, but they run their section seperate, so can't see the handicap list
I think the fear of hackers filling comps has worked out similar to the rule changes at the start of the year ending golf as we know it. There is pretty much no need to put in a top limit if no one at the club even exceeds that limit. It is creating an argument for the sake of it.
Swango1980
Well-known member
I agree with Lord Tyrion. The main fears were / are:
1. High handicappers would start winning a higher than fair proportion of comps.
2. Slow Play
We've not put any restrictions on handicaps for comps, and would typically have 3-4 over 28 in a 40ish player field. The highest handicapper was 39, although most ranged from 29 to 33ish. They've definitely not started to take over the winning of comps, although they have managed to win every now and then (like the rest of us lower handicappers). However, when they have done, other members have almost universally been pleased for them. You get a guy who has played of 28 for years and never won a thing, and then off 33 wins his first ever comp. Gotta be pleased for him. And, if a very high handicapper does have a good round, their handicap drops much more quickly due to the category they are in.
No issues whatsoever with slow play specifically with the higher handicappers. If slow play is ever mentioned, it is usually associated with some of the better players and the time they take to evaluate their shot, or the routine other players go through, rather than higher handicappers looking for balls in the woods all the time.
1. High handicappers would start winning a higher than fair proportion of comps.
2. Slow Play
We've not put any restrictions on handicaps for comps, and would typically have 3-4 over 28 in a 40ish player field. The highest handicapper was 39, although most ranged from 29 to 33ish. They've definitely not started to take over the winning of comps, although they have managed to win every now and then (like the rest of us lower handicappers). However, when they have done, other members have almost universally been pleased for them. You get a guy who has played of 28 for years and never won a thing, and then off 33 wins his first ever comp. Gotta be pleased for him. And, if a very high handicapper does have a good round, their handicap drops much more quickly due to the category they are in.
No issues whatsoever with slow play specifically with the higher handicappers. If slow play is ever mentioned, it is usually associated with some of the better players and the time they take to evaluate their shot, or the routine other players go through, rather than higher handicappers looking for balls in the woods all the time.
I think initial comments regarding the pace of play at the Solheim Cup confirm that having a high handicap doesn't mean you will slow the course down more than a low h/c or scratch golfer
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
The question comes why are they choosing the number 28.
The number 28 has no specific relevance in handicaps anymore.
maybe, but it still can be a case in MP comps, imagine having to give 3 shots to someone on a 120 yard par 3
the US lady i caddied for this week had that yesterday.... she wasn't ammused
Orikoru
Tour Winner
That would be at the club's discretion. Our club has all sorts, monthly medals/Stablefords have no restriction, but a lot of the more major comps have restrictions of 28 max, or sometimes 24 max. One had 36 max I think.
Ziggestzig
New member
I thought the new max handicap for men in the UK was 36.
Swango1980
Well-known member
Nope, Category 4 goes up to 28 (as before). When the higher ones came in, new Category 5 is 28.5 to 36.4, and Category 6 36.5 yo 54.0.
