ParFromAfar.com 12 month scratch challenge has launched...

I wish you well in raising as much as possible for a great charity. I have no problems with how you are doing it, it is just unfortunate that golfers are going to be the least impressed, as the method is not new to them.
 
Do you not think that by not applying for a handicap until you are all but down to scratch is cheating the handicap process?

Have you approached CONGU to see what cards you need to submit to be allocated a 0.0 handicap, Id be amazed if you submit 3 level par rounds they'd give you scratch?

The real hard part of these challenges is getting from 5 to 0, partly from how many rounds you need to play at gross or better, and ultimately you are trying to short circuit this by your approach.

A big part of being a scratch golfer is the consistency required over a period of time, a process you are clearly trying to avoid (due to the time pressure of the challenge)

Good luck, I seriously think you will struggle, and personally feel because of the approach even if you do get there you will have cheated the process that 99.9% of golfers understand as the handicap system (ie waiting until you are of a certain level before getting your first handicap).

It's not cheating the handicap process at all. Everyone has to get a first handicap somehow, and whether you submit three +21 cards and get given a 21 h/c, or submit three +5 cards and get a 5 handicap, it doesn't matter, thats how the system works.

The problem he is going to have is getting given a scratch/low single figure h/c in the first place. No club will give someone scratch as their first handicap unless their 3 qualifying cards are all level par or better (which essentially means you would have to be at the standard of a +3/+2 to realistically do that...) Clubs also take big issue with giving anyone a first handicap under 4 as it qualifies them automatically for county and other stuff...

Say you did get down to scratch "standard" though and went to get your first handicap and shoot +0, +2 and +3. They'll probably give you like a 2 or 3 h/c and then you have to start the lengthly process of consitently beating your h/c in qualifying comps to get it down, which even for the best amateurs in the world takes a long time...

I think what you are doing is a really exciting thing to do if you are able to and I am very jealous as I would love to be able to do it myself! The fact that you are raising all that money for charity is great aswell so I wish you all the luck in the world with your quest BUT... In my honest opinion, you have absolutely zero chance of succeeding, or even getting close in the timespan available.

I think even a player who was playing to a scratch standard RIGHT NOW would have trouble getting given scratch for their first h/c within 12 months!!

Also, having played with some unbelievably talented golfers who have played their whole life and practice all the time and still can't get any lower than 1 or 2, has made me realise how tough it actually is to get to scratch, or even to 1 or 2 for that matter.

I do genuinely wish you luck though. Whatever happens you will become a very good golfer and raise some good money along with it. Actually you should look up the story of the guy who got to scratch from a 12/13 h/c standard within two years for inspiration, as it is known as one of the most impressive h/c improvement stories of all time... hmmmm I can't remember his name though..... hmmmm...... OH YEAH, ITS....




Greg Norman.
 
Hi,

Thanks for your interest in my challenge.

I want to clear up once and for all the strategy I am applying to achieve a scratch handicap.

I have been in touch with the EGU and they have confirmed it's highly unlikely that I will be allocated a scratch handicap from just 3 cards (between the lines, they just wont).

Frankly, I wouldn't want that either.

My aim is to be playing consistent on or about par golf in about 9 months. at around that time I'll submit my best cards. I would hope to be submitting any 3 from 10 or 15 on or around par rounds (I may even submit more than 3 to back up the application - all validated by the club (signed by members who will have been round with me).

The club will then allocate my handicap by the standard rules, the county would have to ratify it - and would certainly refer it to the National EGU.

My initial handicap would then be issued. I then have 10 general play rounds and whatever competition golf I can play to work that down in whatever time I have left.

I am not looking for something for nothing. I simply aim to use the rules to my best advantage to achieve my goal - just as every other golfer would do during a round.

It actually works to my advantage never having had a handicap before.

At the end of the day it all irrelevant if I can't play at the right standard and you wont find me whining if I can't shoot par by the end.

If I am shooting the right scores consistently then I would expect to be recognised for that with the handicap issued. After all, it would be unfair to other amateur golfers if I were allocated say 5 or 6 when I was clearly shooting consistent par. Would you want to enter a competition that I was playing in in those circumstances?

I hope this clarifies.

Bottom line - I need to practice!! my best so far is 93!!
 
Two points if I may..

In the video of your round, you had several lost balls.
Did you play your provisional shots and add the correct penalty for the lost ball so 3 off the tee and 4th shot from the fairway/rough?

Secondly, do you know how the handicapping system works at 5 and below?
ie if your'e off 5.0 and you shoot a gross 60, you will only be cut to 4.0 as your only cut 0.1 for every shot under CSS

I ask this as someone who has been there before.
It took me a whole summer to go from 5 to 4 and I had once played off 2.

You say it's a challenge that's never been done before....have you ever wondered why?

Good luck though and get some practice on your driving and putting
 
My jaw has just dropped at over 1000 views of this thread.

I have meetings this morning regarding my planning and goal setting for the challenge so I haven't had time to look through the responses in detail.

I have picked up some themes though.

I accept the initial post was a bit cursory and may have rubbed people up the wrong way - sorry. I this is my third day ever on any kind of forum. I just had the idea it would get the word out quickly as donations have eased off after a strong first couple of weeks. It's really tough to balance the golf challenge with driving enough media to keep to my 100k charity target.

I am not loaded. This is not a year off. This year is an investment of my life's savings into something special to help others, create good will, promote the joy of golf and change my personal direction in life. Nothing more, nothing less. I took exception to having the charitable element of the challenge questioned. It actually makes the challenge much harder having to balance both goals - That's why I came to the forum in the first place.

I'm not trying the "cheat" the handicap system - just use the rules to the best advantage of what I am setting out to achieve. I have just written a separate post specifically about that.

Yesterday I was pretty war weary - I got my fingers burned.

Today there are 1000 people who have at least seen something to do with my challenge and many more talking about it. Hopefully the Bobby Moore Fund will benefit from that.

There are also loads of you who have been bothered enough to talk about it.

Thanks.

Come hell or high water I will give this project the 12 months I have promised.

For those who already don't like me or look forward to watching me fail - watch anyway, you'll enjoy a slow death. But donate as it will have tickled your particular fancy.

For the rest please support me and the challenge - who does it hurt?

I really do have to practice again now.

parfromafar.com: it really has been set up to do unconditional good.

Cheers,

Clive.
 
I wouldn't get too excited about 1000 viewings as most of us would have several viewings each to keep up to speed with the posting the we and our fellow forum members are making.

If the average poster looks here 10 times that is only 100 different people and I certainly looked and posted here more than 10 times.

Chris
 
I wouldn't get too excited about 1000 viewings as most of us would have several viewings each to keep up to speed with the posting the we and our fellow forum members are making.

If the average poster looks here 10 times that is only 100 different people and I certainly looked and posted here more than 10 times.

Chris


Next you will be telling me there's no Father Christmas. :D
 
A couple of questions either for the OP or someone who knows the ins and outs of the handicap system.

Are you allowed to 'pick and choose' your first 3 cards for initial handicap?
I thought you had to nominate it as a qualifying round before you started, and hence not being able to use the scores you want to.

Are you allowed to enter supplementary rounds if you're playing plenty of qualifying competition rounds?
If so, I would again think you had to nominate it as such before you played and not be able to choose to not hand it in if it gives you 0.1?
 
A couple of questions either for the OP or someone who knows the ins and outs of the handicap system.

Are you allowed to 'pick and choose' your first 3 cards for initial handicap?
I thought you had to nominate it as a qualifying round before you started, and hence not being able to use the scores you want to.

Are you allowed to enter supplementary rounds if you're playing plenty of qualifying competition rounds?
If so, I would again think you had to nominate it as such before you played and not be able to choose to not hand it in if it gives you 0.1?


Most clubs will take 3 cards for an initial handicap and they dont necessarily have to be nominated. In fact, years ago when I did mine, and because of a really wet winter 2 of my 3 cards wern't even from my own club. If you dont have to record the cards, I guess, by definition, you could only hand in the cards you wanted to

You can now do a suplementary card as and when you like so long as you record it before you go out which is a change from CONGU as, previously, you couldn't do supplementaries if you played in (I think) more than 6 qualifying comps
 
Here we go, straight in with both feet........


What part of your challenge relates to a scratch handicap? Waiting 9 mths to submit cards, picking and choosing the ones to put in........if that is genuinely your plan then I think you are scamming the charity money out of those who are donating.

I admire anyone that devotes their own time and energy to charity work, but your plan would be like me walking from Lands End to John O Groats but catchingthe train to Glasgow.

Fail on both parts for me. Unless you are going to do it honestly I can't even wish you luck.
 
Two points if I may..

In the video of your round, you had several lost balls.
Did you play your provisional shots and add the correct penalty for the lost ball so 3 off the tee and 4th shot from the fairway/rough?

Secondly, do you know how the handicapping system works at 5 and below?
ie if your'e off 5.0 and you shoot a gross 60, you will only be cut to 4.0 as your only cut 0.1 for every shot under CSS

I ask this as someone who has been there before.
It took me a whole summer to go from 5 to 4 and I had once played off 2.

You say it's a challenge that's never been done before....have you ever wondered why?

Good luck though and get some practice on your driving and putting

Cheers,

In the control round all stroke and distance penalties were applied as per the strict rules of golf (my pro was filming the round and advising).

I am aware of the handicapping issues. If I'm playing on or better than par golf in 9 or 10 months then even if loaded I still have the chance of getting down from there.

I hope to have 10 rounds + of par or better golf by then to support my handicap application, and filmed rounds etc. etc.

I don't want anything for nothing - but if I'm playing at the right standard and can prove it I will expect a fair crack...

You'll have to follow my progress and see if I can make it an issue.

Thanks for showing an interest - the practice is well under way!!
 
Particularly harsh I think - but reasonably put so here's the response:

The rules are the rules.

Would you not apply the rules to your best advantage in a round? every other informed golfer in their right mind would.

Would you deliberately make your task harder than it needed to be based on the honest application of the rules?

Regardless of the method I employ to achieve a handicap I have to be playing consistent par golf within 12 months to have any chance of success. I won't achieve scratch from 3 dodgy cards - and I wouldn't want to either. I am aiming for 10+ cards of par or better within 10 months.

The charity element is not so much about whether I achieve scratch or not - but for people to support if they enjoy reading about my progress, trials and tribulations along the way - or, unlike you just think it's a novel idea and approach.

To question the honesty of the approach is simply not correct.

I fully accept that you may have no interest in my journey - but the challenge, the method and the cause are all perfectly valid.

Give a tenner direct to the BMF if you don't want to support me.

Thanks for your interest regardless.

Regards,

Clive.
 
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