Official WHS Survey

[IanMac]

Obviously there are no trophies for most comps, but there is nothing to prevent having a trophy for each handicap division when there is - indeed this is how many big competitions have been run since long before WHS - or limiting the trophy winner to players in specified divisions - another a long-standing practice.

Not obviously at all. You cannot know that and it's definitely not true at my club.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Obviously there are no trophies for most comps, but there is nothing to prevent having a trophy for each handicap division when there is - indeed this is how many big competitions have been run since long before WHS - or limiting the trophy winner to players in specified divisions - another a long-standing practice.

Really ?

Don’t think I have ever seen that at all

Any big competition or “board comp” - there is no divisions and certainly only one trophy

 

[C7usk]

All our board comps / medals have 3 divisions.. The overall winner is lowest score and they cannot win the pot for their division but get the overall winners pot.. Looking at previous winners most overall winners are mid teen hcps...

 

[wjemather]

Don’t think I have ever seen that at all

Due to of lack of observation, recognition or exposure?

Any big competition or “board comp” - there is no divisions and certainly only one trophy

*at your club, maybe.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Due to of lack of observation, recognition or exposure?


*at your club, maybe.

Or never seen it at any club

Not really a “trophy or board” comp if it’s got multiple winners or trophies for divisions

Many you need to see what every club does before posting very definitive statement

 

[wjemather]

Not obviously at all. You cannot know that and it's definitely not true at my club.

Yes, obviously not at all clubs - many still don't run any comps in divisions.
However, maybe if they did, there wouldn't be so much complaining (especially from very low handicappers playing in large fields against lots of high handicappers)?

 

[wjemather]

Many you need to see what every club does before posting very definitive statement

I have competition handbooks collected from clubs around the country that detail such comps. I've also seen several county comps with divisional trophies.

 

[2blue]

Yes, obviously not at all clubs - many still don't run any comps in divisions.
However, maybe if it were, there wouldn't be so much complaining (especially from very low handicappers playing in large fields against lots of high handicappers)?

It's wonderful that the game of golf over the last 30 years or so has opened up to a wider demographic, so much that it continues to be sustainable even in this N Leeds area with 11 Club courses & 2 beginner ones. WHS seems to be dealing with this greater interest/participation but many Club's Trad approach to 'Pot Hunting' appears to be the problem.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

It's wonderful that the game of golf over the last 30 years or so has opened up to a wider demographic, so much that it continues to be sustainable even in this N Leeds area with 11 Club courses & 2 beginner ones. WHS seems to be dealing with this greater interest/participation but many Club's Trad approach to 'Pot Hunting' appears to be the problem.

What does the WHS have to do with the sport and a wider demographic and also clubs being sustainable

We have a full club plus a very healthy waiting list - yet numbers playing comps is reducing

WHS has very little to do with the growth in the sport ( at club level ) over the last 5 years - we can thank Covid for that

 

[D-S]

I really like whs but could easily have liked the old system the same just the app that does it for me.

We used to have to pay £3 each time we wanted to submit an extra cards.. so wasn't much point. Where as whs do often or as little as you like plus the ability for none club golfers to get an official handicap

Your £3 cost for a supplementary score was just a club thing. EG frowned upon clubs charging anything for such score submissions.

 

[PJ87]

Your £3 cost for a supplementary score was just a club thing. EG frowned upon clubs charging anything for such score submissions.

Yeah it was blooming annoying, it seemed like just put there so the handicap sec didn't have to bother doing any extra work

So much easier with an app, good seeing everyone's progress aswell in your group of mates

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

What we probably need is multiple, alphabet soup sanctioning bodies as in boxing.
Total chaos.
Each individual club can determine with which group it wishes to affiliate.
There have to be some headquartered in Mexico.

I've been one of the USGA's most vocal critics on internet fora.
As for the R&A, they disappointed me way back when they caved in on the 1.62" ball.
We don't know what it might be like today without windings.

The handicap system is currently over my head.
If we're not playing a scramble, I turn in a card and they either use it or they don't.
I don't have a clue.
I don't play enough formally organized events to worry about it.

 

[IanMac]

What does the WHS have to do with the sport and a wider demographic and also clubs being sustainable

We have a full club plus a very healthy waiting list - yet numbers playing comps is reducing

WHS has very little to do with the growth in the sport ( at club level ) over the last 5 years - we can thank Covid for that

I would echo all of that. Our club is full and yet competitions have less and less low handicappers entering. They've become meaningless. Without mentioning the name of the club please believe me when I say our club has a large number of very low handicappers. We talk and I don't know any that aren't disillusioned with WHS.

WHS may get more people started but the established golfer has seen the game lose its long-term appeal due to a dumbing down culture brought about by an over jealous group of people who have lost their focus.

There will be some, such as wjemather, who try to explain it away but those of you who have this game running through your veins know something just isn't right with WHS.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I would echo all of that. Our club is full and yet competitions have less and less low handicappers entering. They've become meaningless. Without mentioning the name of the club please believe me when I say our club has a large number of very low handicappers. We talk and I don't know any that aren't disillusioned with WHS.

WHS may get more people started but the established golfer has seen the game lose its long-term appeal due to a dumbing down culture brought about by an over jealous group of people who have lost their focus.

There will be some, such as wjemather, who try to explain it away but those of you who have this game running through your veins know something just isn't right with WHS.

We only have one gross comp every year - the rest are net

No one below a HC of 7/8 has won any comp this year, it’s even worse in team comps where all the allowances etc are weighted heavily in favour of mid to high HCs

Entering comps is just about getting 2’s and cards for HC now - im never going to win a net comp at the club

 

[rulie]

We only have one gross comp every year - the rest are net

No one below a HC of 7/8 has won any comp this year, it’s even worse in team comps where all the allowances etc are weighted heavily in favour of mid to high HCs

Entering comps is just about getting 2’s and cards for HC now - im never going to win a net comp at the club

To be honest, I don't know of many low handicappers who are playing/expecting to win a net competition.

 

[rulefan]

All our board comps / medals have 3 divisions.. The overall winner is lowest score and they cannot win the pot for their division but get the overall winners pot

As are ours.
But the divisions are split in proportion to the number of entrants.

 

[upsidedown]

It does happen though , 65 and index of 2.4 giving 3 shots won yesterday's stableford with 41 points out of field of 83 .

 

[Backache]

As has been said before, no handicap system exists (or ever will) that can maintain an acceptable level of equity in a large field with a wide range of handicaps. The broader range of scores (particularly good ones, and the increasing likelihood of exceptional ones) for higher handicaps make it impossible.
A competition can have as many winners as there are divisions - we have 3 winners most Saturdays.

Sounds like we should revert to an upper limit on handicaps.
Maybe stick with nine as an upper limit.A shot on alternate holes sounds about right.

 

[clubchamp98]

Sounds like we should revert to an upper limit on handicaps.
Maybe stick with nine as an upper limit.A shot on alternate holes sounds about right.

It’s not the really high handicappers at ours.
It’s the 14/18 cappers that are now 18/24 cappers winning everything.
WHS has just made it easier to get the handicap you like.!

 

[C7usk]

Do most folk here have mates they play with that now have higher hcps than pre WHS?.. My regular partners are all lower bar 1..