Playing to your handicap

[Steve79]

I was recently asked if I would like to join a club swindle. Due to being a newbie to the group have had to play the first three weeks off scratch, scoring 12pts in wk1, 15pts wk2 and 15 again in wk3, although costing me a few quid and no chance of winning anything it's been nice to play with new people other than my usual partner and with lower handicappers (from 5 to 23) and try and pick up some tips and take on advice.

So today my initiation was over and I was playing off my club handicap (26), happy days I have been buzzing all week looking forward to it. Anyway I score 9 out and 8 back total 17!! Two more than the previous 2 weeks. I thought the first 15 off scratch (wk2) could of been a good/lucky round but the 3rd I felt I played worse than the week before but still scored 15.

Just want to get back out and play!! Might blag a day off tomorrow...

 

[bobmac]

So your official h/cap is 26 and for 3 weeks they made you play off scratch and pay to enter?
I would be tempted to tell them they can keep their swindle.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I have been buzzing all week looking forward to it.

Expecting too much of yourself maybe?

Bobmac has it right though. You have an official club handicap, you were invited to play, and you have to play off scratch? What's the point of that? Your handicap was still gonna be 26 regardless.

 

[Redwood]

Probably why it's called 'Swindle'!!!

 

[Macster]

I'd find a different bunch to play with, without doubt.

 

[Steve79]

I had no problem with playing off scratch as it ment i got to meet the group. The money was not a problem as it was no differant to the wager i have with my normal playing partner.

I was just annoyed that i played so rubbish when id been looking forward to it so much.
Probably was expecting too much of myself and must learn to chill out a bit, roll on next Sunday.

 

[USER1999]

I would say that being made to play off scratch for a few sessions is fine.
In the swindle I belong to, you could win £90 quite easily. We had one bloke turn up, took the £90, and left. We never saw him again. That isn't what it is all about. We want regular members, who contribute to a great swindle, not money grabbing pot hunters.
Asking people to not win for the first 3 weeks filters out the guys who are in it for the money, and not the craic.

And most (nearly all) spend the money on beer, rather than trousering it.

 

[pokerjoke]

I can understand why they made you play off scratch but why it took three weeks is a mystery,also only scoring 15 points must have been embarrasing

 

[Marko77]

I can understand why they made you play off scratch but why it took three weeks is a mystery,also only scoring 15 points must have been embarrasing

not really, if he scored 15pts off scratch and he's off 26 then its really 41 he scored - calculating it simply - I'm sure it will have probably worked out something different.

 

[RGDave]

I can understand why they made you play off scratch but why it took three weeks is a mystery,also only scoring 15 points must have been embarrasing

not really, if he scored 15pts off scratch and he's off 26 then its really 41 he scored - calculating it simply - I'm sure it will have probably worked out something different.

41 points (probably) sounds like these swindlers know an old trick...

 

[julsk10]

I can understand why they made you play off scratch but why it took three weeks is a mystery,also only scoring 15 points must have been embarrasing

not really, if he scored 15pts off scratch and he's off 26 then its really 41 he scored - calculating it simply - I'm sure it will have probably worked out something different.

41 points (probably) sounds like these swindlers know an old trick...

I'm surprised they didn't cut you, you probably could have handed cards in and got cut on general play. 41 points = 6 x .4 = a cut of 2.4. Now if you win you will definately be labelled as a bandit

 

[FourPutt]

I thought they didn't do general play cuts with the current handicap system?

 

[julsk10]

Nearly sure they still can, I'm sure someone will know for sure.

 

[CannyFifer]

I'm new to all this but at our club it's only medals/midweek sweeps that are for handicap purposes.

 

[FourPutt]

I could be wrong, of course. The handicap page on my club site says

"General Play

We will only adjust a player’s handicap in the period between annual reviews in exceptional circumstances. In this respect there must be compelling evidence that the handicap does not reflect the current playing ability. This will be based upon information from:

Scores returned in Qualifying Competition (including supplementary scores)
Performances in Match Play Competitions
SCORES IN "SOCIAL" GOLF WILL NOT NORMALLY BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT

Note that this last point is a significant departure from previous custom and practice and was specifically brought in as part of the new 2008 – 2011 CONGU handicapping system.
The minimum reduction under General Play is 1 stroke. "

 

[CannyFifer]

does the CSS not come into the equation and is never worked out daily.

 

[Swinger]

I would say that being made to play off scratch for a few sessions is fine.
In the swindle I belong to, you could win £90 quite easily. We had one bloke turn up, took the £90, and left. We never saw him again. That isn't what it is all about. We want regular members, who contribute to a great swindle, not money grabbing pot hunters.
Asking people to not win for the first 3 weeks filters out the guys who are in it for the money, and not the craic.

And most (nearly all) spend the money on beer, rather than trousering it.

Ditto.
It actually sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Steve79]

Agree with the above as there is an opportunity to win a decent amount of cash, if I had scored 40ish points on one of my first outings I would quite rightly been labelled a bandit and this would of put peoples nose’s out of joint without even meeting or playing with them.
Playing off scratch gives the group a chance to meet me. I may not have got on with them and visa-a-versa but like I said previously I didn’t care about the money I just like playing and was annoyed on Sunday night about how crap I played.
If I do play well again which I’m sure I can and will, I will put the card in as ‘General Play’ and see what happens, how I understood it was if I hand in general play cards which are constantly better than my handicap then the h/c secretary & committee will make a call as to what I should be cut by?? (this is a beginners understanding and probably very wrong!!)

I thought that scoring 15 off scratch was a good score. So wasn’t embarrassed one bit.

The Boss has let me have this afternoon off, happy days!
The sun is shining, the weather is sweet!

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Agree with the above as there is an opportunity to win a decent amount of cash, if I had scored 40ish points on one of my first outings I would quite rightly been labelled a bandit and this would of put peoples nose’s out of joint without even meeting or playing with them.

Why would you be labelled a bandit? I scored the equivelent of 40 points in a medal a couple of months ago but that doesn't make me a bandit.

I can understand being made to play off scratch if you never play in club comps but presumably, if you never play in comps, you'd never have met any of these guys to be invited into the swindle? If you play in comps then your score history is there for all to see so there's no reason to doubt your handicap?